How do you secure your home?

[longhorn 81]

Being a victim of a burglary, I have been obsessed with preventing it from happening again by taking extreme precautions. I save a small amount of money each pay check as my own personnel defence budget to safeguard my house. Without going into detail with what I've done to protect my family, I would like some ideas of what you guys have done in securing your homes. To make this interesting, as a two part question, how would you safeguard from crisis and/or riots ( In other words chaos/anarchy). I just moved into a new rental property, so keep that in mind. Maybe we should have a SHTF section after all? Thanks gentlemen!

[rastamanila 313]

My S-12 is in my bedroom by the corner within arms reach from my bed.

[longhorn 81]

My S-12 is in my bedroom by the corner within arms reach from my bed.

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Yep, When my home was burglarized I wasn't home. Let's not state the obvious.

[TO THE FLOOR IN A 63 121]

Ask your landloard if you can put in an alarm system. They are usually $99 ...it's the monotoring they get you on (I dont know anymore but probably about $40 a month) but you only have to contract for 1 year which should end about the time your lease ends....and when you leave you "leave" the system for the landlord. Not much good without monoritoring but.

Edited December 11, 2009 by TO THE FLOOR

[longhorn 81]

Ask your landloard if you can put in an alarm system. They are usually $99 ...it's the monotoring they get you on (I dont know anymore but probably about $40 a month) but you only have to contract for 1 year which should end about the time your lease ends....and when you leave you "leave" the system for the landlord. Not much good without monoritoring but.

I had an alarm in the other house and it did nothing to deter the burglars. The police don't respond to alarm calls unless the people are home and in immediate danger.

[G O B 3,516]

YOU NEED A DOG! Yes I am yelling, but it is THAT important! Even a little yappy ankle biter is better than a $1,000 security system!

A security camera is second best, at least you can compare the pix of the perps with the yearbook pix of the local High School 90% of the time there will be a match.

Edited December 11, 2009 by G O B

[DogMan 2,343]

A dog, good lighting around the house, good watchful neighbors, doors and windows as secure as possible, give the appearance of somebody being home, hide and lock up as many valuables as you can.

[jimdigriz 580]

Ask your landloard if you can put in an alarm system. They are usually $99 ...it's the monotoring they get you on (I dont know anymore but probably about $40 a month) but you only have to contract for 1 year which should end about the time your lease ends....and when you leave you "leave" the system for the landlord. Not much good without monoritoring but.

I had an alarm in the other house and it did nothing to deter the burglars. The police don't respond to alarm calls unless the people are home and in immediate danger.

 

Sometimes something unfortunate happens to someone, and they get fixated on preventing that exact scenario. But the same thing is not likely to happen the same way. Some burglars will be deterred by alarms and dogs; others won't. Set everything up to give you the best chance of success against various scenarios. That's the best you can do.

 

Regarding alarm systems, you can get a decent wireless system that you can take with you to the next place, for less than $250. You can get monitoring for $9-10 a month. (Don't waste money by going with the big companies like ADT). Also, you can set up the alarm system to not only notify the monitoring service, but to call you directly also.

 

Some other options include approach alarms, cameras that send data to off-site locations, or even just dummy cameras that look very real and functional, but do nothing.

 

Jim

[BpS12 512]

Dogs, fences, safes, video systems, lights, cross barred doors, glass atop walls, razor wire, landmines....oh, have I said too much?

 

And basicly, what Jim said. When I was in Mexico 30yrs ago, they put broken glass atop their walls(imbedded) to detter would-bes, which is really all you can do. Deter, that is. If someone REALLY wants it, they will get it.

 

In this country we need to get away from "Perps Rights" and back to preventitive measures w/o regard to the perp. Unfortunately, I don't see this happening anytime soon, so do what you can without going to jail. Too many of the perps are in the govenrment.

 

LRoDV,

Mikel

[nsa400 11]

Waite what side of town do you live on? Not that it matters,crime here is all over the valley.

Security door,Plant roses,pyrochantha,or some other nasty plants under windows.Video system record those fuckers.

Bars on windows,and doors. How did they break in your old home?

[chevymann 13]

+1 on the dog... Bigger the better.

 

Flood lights with motion sensors are another cheap way to deter...

[yakdung 2,926]

IP Camera tied into a broadband connection so you can record / monitor from a remote location.

 

Yakdung

[aresv 49]

+1 on the dog... Bigger the better.

Flood lights with motion sensors are another cheap way to deter...

 

+1 on motion sensor lights.

 

As for dogs for protection, they're only as useful as their training. Do you have the time and motivation to train one to be a good working dog? Also, think about what type of dog you want:

 

1 - Alarm: any dog, any size as long as it's alert and loud when it counts.

 

2 - Deterrence: everything an alarm dog does, plus enough energy and size to make an intruder think twice.

 

3 - Stop: a dog with all the training for alarm and deterrence, plus the ability to stop an intruder cold. This is uncommon outside of military and LE working dogs. Also, do you want a the dog to stop a bad guy at your command, or do you want it to guard an area and attack any threat that enters?

 

If you do decide on a dog, remember that you have to train yourself to train the dog. Consistency is the most important thing. You'll never have a reliable guard dog unless the dog's already mastered basic obedience and socialization.

 

[janusthephoenix 24]

Another vote for the dog, if not several.

 

FerFAL's blog has a ton of good information about this subject.

http://ferfal.blogspot.com/

[RobRez 1,895]

I've installed the ACME exploding doorknobs and window panes! they work great!! Nobody has successfully broken in so far!

Here are photos of my system in action, from close by and as seen from space!

[longhorn 81]

Waite what side of town do you live on? Not that it matters,crime here is all over the valley.

Security door,Plant roses,pyrochantha,or some other nasty plants under windows.Video system record those fuckers.

Bars on windows,and doors. How did they break in your old home?

At the time I was at Flamingo and Durango, now I'm at Jones and Warm Springs. There's a lot less crime where I live now, according to the crime

 

 

 

 

 

 

report. They kicked down my front door 4 min. after my wife left for work, thank God she wasn't home. 6 months after the burgulary, a major crime ring, 3 streets down, was paid a visit by SWAT and 8 people were apprehended. 2 weeks later my neighbor had his garage broke into at around 3 A.M. I lived there for 3 yrs. and it was a nice neighborhood until the trash moved in closer to us. The last year we noticed more crime and graffiti around the place.

[HOWARD COSELL 155]

 

Security door,Plant roses,pyrochantha,or some other nasty plants under windows.

 

That's one of the deterrents that I use.

I would think that living in Vegas there are several types of cactus that you can have.

I have Madagascar Palms around my house and windows.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3081/2826682103_493cb1d45e.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.flickr.com/photos/mondomuse/2826682103/&usg=__tJOJ0oOWbt5yxkOGnSZ9ng5y9YA=&h=500&w=375&sz=231&hl=en&start=39&sig2=m90vAOVa9YdOn8l-AyM-9A&um=1&tbnid=tU-xTIY8ROHH3M:&tbnh=130&tbnw=98&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmadagascar%2Bpalm%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26start%3D36%26um%3D1&ei=Rr0iS-XcCJSXtgeNtIDaBw

They show no mercy!

[buckandaquarterquarterstaff 5]

Moat

[Paulyski 2,227]

This won't work. He is loud, but fails to get his point across.

He is great for car rides & being a social butterfly. He gets along with everyone & every thing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is what you need unless you are going to make your home a barred jail. And you want to be proactive.

This is Harley.

He is my buddies dog who lives with me.

He is the ultimate protector.

This summer, the front door was open because it was so hot. People were walking by (on the sidewalk) & Harley would just lay around as usual... Until one guy (a shady tweeker type) took 1 step toward our door... Seconds later the tweeker found himself running down the street screaming with one of the most intimidating breed of dogs on the planet quickly gaining on him...

The difference between German Shepards & Pit-Bulls, is that after only one command, Harley stopped immediately & came back. A pit would have usually kept going till attacking.

 

Shepards are truly the dogs of war.

I need to watch out when shooting, because he is absolutely fearless & wants to sniff the S-12 when I am shooting it.

 

He greets visitors with a VERY convincing warning.

He is alpha & there is NO arguing.

 

The only issue I have, is that the mail carrier will not insert the mail completely through the slot. (scared of getting too close)

 

If a Shepard doesn't know someone, he will fiercely protect his property. 99% of people would NEVER screw with Harley. However, after being introduced to a new person by myself or his owner, he is friendly. (Unless VERY familiar, you NEVER put your face by a German, This is an act of dominance & he may tear it off)

 

Germans are great with kids. They are great threat assessors. They can stay home with a box of treats within reach & NEVER steal one. they are easily house broken & can go for 12 hours without an accident if need be. They are by far the most all around disciplined dog breed.

 

I can't recommend a German Shepard enough for home security.

Or for your girl or son when they go out.

 

The household of "Gangstas" 3 doors down from me NEVER will walk on the same side of the street as Harley. They are terrified of him... & for good reason, He can pick up on good or bad intentions instantaneously.

Truly an amazing breed.

 

Check your rental regulations & move if they will not allow German Shepards.

You will realize he is the best thing you EVER did for your family's security if you get one.

 

You will ALWAYS have a fearless companion that is more intimidating than you could ever be at your side, or with your wife & kid... & HE doesn't need to run off & get a gun in an emergency.

They warn... But if a threat strikes, they will eliminate the threat post-haste.

 

I know of no other breed, so effective in battle & obedient at the same time.

 

He will NEVER let you down. Don't trust your wife & kid to anything else.

 

Good Luck & sorry to hear you were burglarized. It has happened to me once. It is a complexly awful feeling.

 

Now potential intruders realize amputation awaits if they proceed.

Oh, & by the way, if you get one, you may find that the tweeks that come around asking for odd jobs (as a front to stake out your place) will no longer be interested in your business.

 

I truly cannot recommend a male of this breed enough.

German Shepards are the bigger blonder ones. White German Shepards are huge & a lot of fun to roller-blade behind as they pull you!

German Police are the smaller darker ones with blacker backs.

Norwegian Shepards are all black & quite large. (I don't believe Norwegian Shepards are discriminated against by home owners insurance as much as German)

 

Harley is a mix of German Police & Shepard.

 

They are truly "Shepards of men"

 

Would you break into a house (knowing the occupants & neighbors have been alerted by his warning) if these guys wanted to tear you apart?

And they will not hurt your little kids.

Never has there been such a noble, loyal, tenacious & obedient security system devised by man.

 

Buy as a pup, full bread, so that you can train him right & your son will be his master too, if you want to get the best result.

 

Good luck & stay safe. (Also if your dog killed a burgler, he wouldn't be investigated as much as you would be)

 

P.S. If you get that job with the department, you can likely get tips on training from the K-9 units.

[longhorn 81]

I have a dog, renters insurance, alarm and I put extra large strike plates with 3" deck screws in all the doors. I still need motion lights, security door and a security cameras if the association will permit it. I've priced concertine wire and sand bags too!

[GerryV 14]

+1 for a dog(s). About five years ago I came home to find my Bull Mastiff extremely concerned about the closed guest bathroom door. At first I didn't pay any attention to it as we usually kept the door shut to keep him from engaging in one of his favorite activities....destruction of the toilet paper roll. After being home for about twenty minutes, I hear someone from the bathroom asking, "Yo is someone home?" Of course now I realize why Useless (yes, his real name) was so fixated on the guest bathroom. I let the intruder know that I was armed and that it would be in his best interest to stay put until the police arrive. Apparently, he got into the house with little drama only to find himself face to face with 160lbs. of extremely bad attitude. It was funny because the crackhead was actually trying to tell the police how the dog was dangerous and that Animal Control should be called because he didn't even know it was there because he never barked or made any warning noises (a bred trait of Bull Mastiffs). Of course, the officer just told him that maybe he should just stay our of other people homes.

 

Useless passed on a couple of years ago so now our home defense is provided by two Boxers.

 

The scarfs make them look extra threatening.

Edited December 11, 2009 by GerryV

[aresv 49]

P.S. If you get that job with the department, you can likely get tips on training from the K-9 units.

 

Good idea, and a big +1 for Shepherds. They're great dogs.

 

I've actually started this fella on some Schutzhund training. He's just a mutt (probably Lab/Pit), but has a super attitude and a great nose.

 

[Spartacus 1,619]

Another +1 on a good watch dog.

 

Our Rottie "Goofy" was throwing a fit one night while I was in a back room cleaning a new rifle. She barks at stupid things once in a while so thought nothing of it at first. After about 20-30 seconds of her carrying on, I could hear that she was REALLY pissed at something.

 

I went to the living room and saw she was barking at the window next to the front door, looking at both of them. I didn't see anything wrong at first, but then I noticed the window was open (on a cold night) and knew we had a visitor. I went to the window and closed/locked it, then looked out the small window on the front door, hit the porch light and saw the bushes move as he jumped over them. Then I ran to grab my .45 and called 911. Cops took a full 10-12 minutes to get there of course, so they didn't get him.

 

Same asshole hit my neighbor a number of times for a total of around $2000 (mostly cash). A lot of the repeat hits were their fault between unlocked windows and letting the dog sleep in their bedroom with the door closed.

 

I realized later the bad guy could see my wife's purse on a desk near the window, that's what he was after. When he hit my neighbor, his favorite trick was to use a pole from a birdhouse in the yard, long stick, etc. to hook the wife's purse through a window. Looks like he usually tried for purses near windows and avoided entering the house. I also realized he could have easily been in the house and I wouldn't have known it if not for the dog.

 

Since that night, Goofy is very vigilant about noises (and watching that same window especially), she knows exactly what happened. If I patrol the house, she quietly walks with me. She's a great dog.

 

As far as security improvements, we replaced all of our old crappy windows (some with broken locks) with new windows that have the push button sash locks to keep them from fully opening. Our old wooden frame windows had storm windows over them, but they were pretty easy to pop off the track from the outside. We are now careful to not place the purse or any other easy targets right near windows. We also turn that porch light on every night now and have other exterior lights on as well.

 

The dog is the absolute best security improvement if you don't have one.

 

EDIT:

 

>>To make this interesting, as a two part question, how would you safeguard from crisis and/or riots ( In other words chaos/anarchy).

 

That would be totally different. All weapons/mags would be fully loaded and easily in reach. We'd move furniture to help barricade doors, maybe put chicken wire over windows. Family members would rotate watches for trouble. I'd post plenty of "No Trespassing" signs. Maybe block outside doors with vehicles parked up close to them. I have even thought of using fencing inside the house to keep intruders from moving quickly through the house.

 

A fortified room or bunker in the house would be cool, cinder blocks are cheap.

Edited December 12, 2009 by Spartacus

[janusthephoenix 24]

Harley looks like an awesome dog, Paulyski. Shepherds seem like great dogs when they are quality, but I've heard some things about a lot of them being so inbred that they end up completely insane or otherwise mentally crippled.

Edited December 12, 2009 by JanusthePhoenix

[scarbrough68289 76]

Dog is a must have. Here's my pit Cricket, best alarm ever! She barks at every bump even the one's I don't hear. Sometimes it's annoying but it may save my family one day.

Here she is on point watch now.

[lakedweller 10]

Even moving out in the sticks does not solve the problem. It does lessen the determination and the danger. Dog and guns sound good to me. Where I am good locks do the trick.

[buckandaquarterquarterstaff 5]

In addition to my smartass advice above I suggest you get the book called "how to hide anything". It is probably out of print now, but it is a freaking goldmine. It's if full of advice from this guy who lived in new york city and made it his business to install secret compartments in all sorts of rental properties so people could stash all sorts of things including guns. It offers drawings, construction plans, regular advice, the whole thing. The guy who wrote it is sort of a hippie, so there's a little insight into that whole thing too.

 

Agree about the german shepards, they're the meet and greet committee at my place. But, as you mentioned you're in a rental place, sometimes having a dog is a lot of work when you're likely to move or keep odd hours.

 

Buck

Edited December 12, 2009 by buckandaquarterquarterstaff

[longhorn 81]

In addition to my smartass advice above I suggest you get the book called "how to hide anything". It is probably out of print now, but it is a freaking goldmine. It's if full of advice from this guy who lived in new york city and made it his business to install secret compartments in all sorts of rental properties so people could stash all sorts of things including guns. It offers drawings, construction plans, regular advice, the whole thing. The guy who wrote it is sort of a hippie, so there's a little insight into that whole thing too.

 

Agree about the german shepards, they're the meet and greet committee at my place. But, as you mentioned you're in a rental place, sometimes having a dog is a lot of work when you're likely to move or keep odd hours.

 

Buck

 

I just finished some plans for a project to conceal what I have affectionatly dubed the bunker. Plans include a hidden door. This is WAY too much fun.

[BpS12 512]

Janus is right about being careful of quality in the Shepards. I love them and my Lady has had 3 older adoptees; 1 regular and 2 white. And I've had 3 mixes, the last one 1/4 Redwolf(a hyper little hunter, but great guard dog as well).

 

GREAT dogs, but my daughter got a goober. HINT: don't play overly much with laser pointers and puppies, you'll regret it later in their life. Deffinantly overly inbred. Good with the kids though and still a good alarm/detterance dog, and maybe attack. Just that the goober is still looking for that damn laser pointer and they threw it away 3yrs ago(he's now 5). He is the skinny, hyper type like his mom, his dad was the good kind mentioned above. Watch your genetics!

 

I'm now leaning to the Bull Mastiffs. Big, lazy(but not too much so), and intimidating. Also great with kids, I have two grandbabies now, lol.

 

All of the plants listed above will work well around perimiters and near entry points. Also, prickly pear and others give you something to harvest. And strategicly placed poison ivy, makes identification easier later on. It's an old Morman ranchers trick I picked up in AZ, lol.

 

Solar motion lights work great, and I think you can get "Ear Slitting" alarms that will annoy the neighbors enough for them to call you or the cops and may drive out/cripple intruders.

 

Good luck and stay safe,

Mikel

 

PS - I still like landmines and razor wire best.

[buckandaquarterquarterstaff 5]

The other thing I'd suggest are those little alarms that are used on windows and operated with batteries (sometimes watch batteries). They operate with a little key that you screw into the top of the window, and the body screws into the bottom. They are very very cheap and depending on how close in your neighborhood is, they are pretty effective. Bonus is if you get a break in at night, you can hear them long before they are actually in the house.

 

One other great place to put a gun collection in a rental property is inside a console piano (shorter than a full upright, usually a little taller than the keys). Usually the top opens up, and you can disguise by putting a lamp and pictures on top of the piano. It can also be carefully locked from the bottom with a bar extending through to the top (similar to a toolbox). Pull out everything except the harp frame and since the wood on them is so sturdy you can usually screw in whatever sort of racks you need. Often you can find ones for free (just need a couple buds to haul it over to your house).

Edited December 12, 2009 by buckandaquarterquarterstaff