Burglarized: Need advise regarding securing my property

[7Acres]

Hello gentlemen,
Police just left. We live out in the country. A couple weeks ago I noticed someone stole my Stihl string trimmer from my small utility shed up by the house. I did not have a pad lock on it as the handles the lock would have been on were made of plastic so I figured why bother? Lesson learned. This past weekend I removed the plastic handles and made new ones out of 3/8" angle iron, installed them and put a beefy padlock on. Bought myself a new string trimmer since I had a lot of work to do in the yard. Came home from work and walked around back, the shed doors were ripped right off. Stole my new Stihl string trimmer and a Stihl chainsaw. Had 2 packages from UPS on the front porch. The guy ripped the heavier one open and yanked out my #8 Rowell bottom pour ladle. Guess he didn't know what it was because he just dropped it on the porch. Box was clearly ripped open. Not shipping damage.

He left my shop alone. That's where all my powder, primers and reloading stuff is along with my woodworking machines. He left my landscaping trailer alone (it's chained to a tree). And my John Deer riding mower was not touched (fenced in with a tarp over it). The shed he ripped the doors off had my motorcycle in it (1999 Honda Magna) but he didn't touch that. Basically we moved here 2 years ago and haven't done much security hardening at all so far. That's going to change real quick.

Here's my short list of upgrades I need to do. What suggestions would you guys have for me that have worked well for you?

1) Gun safe is loaded up with all the guns and ammo except my glock, shotgun and my little 380.
2) Gonna get an 8-camera video recording system (still researching).
3) Would like to get flood lights all around the house.
4) Put up expanded metal up over all the windows in the shop.
5) Get an anchor put in the shed to chain the motorcycle to.
6) Install a latch and padlock to on the man-door on the shop.
7) Install a latch and padlock on the gate where the JD is.
8) Get an anchor in the ground to chain the JD to.
9) Maybe a few yard alarm motion detector that sounds an alarm in the house if it detects motion outside.
10) Get the gun safe up to the 2nd floor.
11) Put a few game cameras up in trees where people may cut through the property.

What else can you suggest to get my wheels turning?

[TES]

It is a kid near you that is just bored. Go talk to your neighbors.

By talk I mean just act like the good neighbor and say hey I want to start a watch system and was wondering if you guys could keep an eye out and tell your kids that there is some dangerous people in the area and to be careful. But don't worry we will be setting up hourly watches ....blah blah blah...it will stop.

It will also save you a lot of money unless you want all that stuff at the house.

[Hickory]

I'd install some security cameras, this person will be back.
Maybe not right away, but he'll be back.

[7Acres]

Police said a house further down from us got burglarized today too as well as a small restaurant/bar 3 miles away. TES, I suspect you're right. It's someone who lives around here. As this is a dead end street the guy knew exactly where we store our stuff a and what kind of stuff he sees us with out in the yard when he drives by.

[dbosman]

Get to know the neighbors better.
Rural burglaries are usually scoped out in advance by people parking where they have no business being. Nosy neighbors help shoo them off.

For packages, a lockable box on the porch. Build a very sturdy secured porch bench. Just with a padlock stored inside. UPS and mail carriers will be happy to deposit and lock up.
Carriage bolts on all exposed hinges. Reinforce the area the hinge and padlock bolt to. Encourage thieves to move on to your neighbors.
Inside your shop, post a really easy to find $50 to $100 bill. Thieves generally want to get in and out. If you offer money, they may leave your stuff. Put the wire or bars inside the shop so they are easy to see close up and difficult to see from the road. If the security is too obvious, you're advertising equipment worth stealing.
Do not go cheap if you use cameras. Cheap cameras makes for lousy and lossy recordings. By the way, what have you planned for power for the cameras?

If you can afford it, hire a part time house keeper. If you have the space or can make it, take in a border who doesn't work the same time you do.

[Lee]

Interesting. I hope to see replies. What is the worth of cameras? What is the worth of door/window alarms? Big enough gun safe will slow them down, for how many guns? Flood lights in the boonies are worthless. Skip to end. Game cameras in trees? Who will identify the perps? Is ADT ABC or XYZ any good at preventing burglaries? Solving them? Making good on claims? Bottom line if they want it they will get it. You need an ironclad insurance plan to recoup your losses. (And no doubt O'bummer also gets a list of all your toys.....)

I don't care if you have 1 gun or a 100 guns. After the perps are gone, what happens next????????

Bottom line. After the smoke clears you need an ironclad insurance policy to even hope to recover a fraction of what your possessions are worth.
Anybody out there correct me if I'm wrong.
Otherwise, sit inside, quietly, 12 ga. w/rock salt and drill the bass birds .......................Comments????????????

[garym1a2]

Store most of you high value stuff offsite till the problem is gone.

[Marvin S]

Check out a product called buglar bomb and decide if it is right for you. I have several of them.

[7Acres]

Great suggestions. Taking them to heart. We've been thinking of getting an outdoor dog to patrol the property up by the house. We never had pets growing up though. But my heart has been softening up to really want one lately. Ideas on good outside guard dogs?

[L1A1Rocker]

Be sure to bolt the safe down, it really is important. Lights can be a real pain attracting grub worms. Well lit areas sometimes keep the burglars away but with modern day/night camera's they are not needed to see things. A big monitor is a plus for the camera system. I put a splitter in the output of my switcher and ran it to a line in on my TV. Talk about a big monitor? Wow!

I've got Aramco brand storm blinds on my shop windows. They do double duty for security too. Don't know if they are in your area but if so, they're worth looking at.

[Marvin S]

Im a fan of the German shepard. Yes they can have hip problems but they are a great dog.

[contender1]

I had my home burglarized back in September 2012. The thug didn't scope me out, I work odd hours so I'm hard to pattern. He hit my house & another house on the same road. We are in the country,, but not too far back. In 20-25 minutes, he can be in another state.
His method;
Drive in a yard w/o any cars there. Look over the area. Park close to a door. Kick in the door. Go immediately to the master bedroom & search for guns, jewelry etc. Go to master bath & look for any prescription drugs. (Ransack the home in the process.) Hit the office or any area with electronics. Ignore kids bedrooms or other areas where no valuables are usually kept. Spend no more than 15-20 minutes inside.

How do I know all this?
I had cameras. I got pics. Unfortunately, the one that would have gotten a tag number had died & I didn't know it.

I used game cameras hidden around my place. BUY QUALITY cameras.

I now have a lockable gate & fencing to prevent anybody from driving in my yard.

I have added more cameras.

My wife no longer uses a wooden jewelry box. She now has her own safe, (gun safe converted to a jewelry one. But she keeps her guns in there too.)

I have also reinforced the door FRAMES with steel. The door was a quality steel one, but the frame wasn't nearly as strong as it should have been. I pulled my moulding, and I added a 6' long, 3" wide, 1/4" thick steel bar stock to the inside of my framework. I also added a second deadbolt below my handle. (Kicker level.)

Just a few of the things I've added since my B&E.

[freebullet]

Man that freakin sucks. Sorry that happened to ya. A spare car parked around there leaves uncertainty weather anyone is there. If it gets moved around that helps. Post no tresspass signs. Barbed wire fence around that shed. You could set up non lethal non maiming booby traps. Like thief opens or tear door off and gets spray painted orange, dyed red, pepper sprayed, and paint balled. Just don't fergeta turn it off bfer opening the door.

[ddaniel1]

Check out the q-see camera systems on amazon, a little pricey but real good night vision, the cheaper ones don't have the night vision clarity or distance. You can view from a smart phone, records for a month etc. I am happy with my system.

[CuZ]

A chainsaw will quickly move your safe from the second floor to the ground floor! Instead, bolt your safe to concrete and put it in a location difficult to use a pry-bar on door. My 8-Meg Bushnell game cameras take great pictures in the daylight, but at night I can't even recognize a picture of my family members! Also, outside camera/motion sensors alarm alot due to critters, leaves, trees etc... have lots of memory with your system. Best of luck on gettin that bad guy off the street.

[RugerFan]

I think you are on the right track. If available in your area, I would definitely have a monitored alarm system (like ADT) with door/window alerts and motion sensors. I have a Vivint system and am comfortable knowing I am well protected. I big dog in the yard is also a plus.

[runfiverun]

chessies are good outside dogs but dont care if people steal your stuff.
something like a blue heeler, labs, rottweilers, shepherds, and border collies do well around family but don't tolerate strangers/new vehicles and are barkers.
if you don't want a dog geese do the same thing, especially when nesting.

[uscra112]

Burglar bombs work. I had a co-worker who drove off daytime burglars twice with them. That was back when I lived in Michigan. He also had electronics, but police response time to burglaries in his area was virtually infinite. His electronics called HIM, and he could be home in 30 minutes. Both times the house was impossible to enter for another couple of hours, he said. Zero loss, each time, except for half a day of work.

http://burglarbomb.com/

I've got some on my place, even though I'm in a safe area and my place looks too run-down to bother burglarizing anyway. (Part of my security plan is and always has been: don't look rich.) Cameras might help catch the perp, but a burglar bomb will keep him from accessing anything valuable in the first place.

[Ajax]

I keep all my guns in the basement. Gun safe it bolted to the floor and the wall. I have a pit bull boxer mix that is very territorial.
My boxer pit mix is very good with the family and as gentle as a lamb when we are home. She is my sons dog and is very protective of him. My reloading gear is in my temperature controlled attic so isn't easy to see. The biggest thing i do is leave the T.V. on as a deterrent.
If they think someone is home they will move along to the next house.

Andy

[cbrick]

That really stinks, I place anyone that violates someone's home at about the same level as pedophiles.

Where do you live? Do they have a castle law there? It's difficult for bullet sponges to be repeat offenders.

Rick