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

[bosterr]

1+ to bolting your safe down. A friend of mine had his conventional safe ripped out of the wall, rolled down a beautiful oak stairway, and out the front door. Smashed almost every stair tread on it's way down. Especially if the safe is near a window, which mine is. It would be very easy to push it through the window and onto a waiting pick up truck. It would make a lot of noise, but would be very quick.

[6bg6ga]

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

I too would recommend a German Shepherd as there are a great dog. They will be your best friend and guard your property. They can hear for miles and absolutely nothing gets past them.

[lavenatti]

Get the camera system. I put an 8 camera SVAT system in several years ago and it's still working fine. If you can reach the road with a camera put one where it can see cars going up and down the road. Since you live on a dead end road you can identify cars that don't belong there if you or your neighbors get robbed again. Set up a dummy DVR, make it look like it's in use with wiring and a light on the front. The crooks will try to get the DVR once they realize they are on camera. Let them steal a phony one.

[6bg6ga]

If I were doing it I would install switches on the doors to activate a siren. Motion detectors activating sirens. Cameras with motion detection to turn on and record.

[schutzen]

Don't forget to record the serial numbers of everything and have them stored in a secure area. Most pawn shops now record the sellers of pawned items. In the case of my B&E they had pictures, serial number, driver's licence number of the thief. He got 2 six year sentences. Of course the judge granted him shock probation after 11 months, but I'm sure he learned his lesson. Right, and people wonder what is wrong with the justice system.

[Swamp Man]

Fence your place in and get yourself a few pit bulls and train them to attack and kill anything that comes in the fence.

[x101airborne]

Some good ideas here already listed.
Some need to be reviewed with a level head and use good personal judgment.
Definately bolt the safe down. DO NOT store ammo in the gunsafe. In case of a fire, your ammo will not only blow the safe, it will shred the weapons inside if the fire dept cannot cool the house down. How do I know? I SAW it several times while working as a police officer.
A monitored security system is a wonderful thing.
As stated, a GOOD camera system is also comforting.

[10-x]

+ 1 on Burglar Bomb, have 3 . If you have an alarm system have a 100 db+ siren installed on the outside of your home. Even in the country 100db will be heard a long way off and lots of times it will run the scum off. Do not go cheap on door frames, hinges and deadbolt locks. Find a commercial door company that will make welded steel door frames using at least 12 ga. Consider Soss Hinges or at least NRP(non removable pin) ones. If code allows install frames/door installed to open outward get them powder coated to match the trim. This installation leaves no return on the outside where scum use a port-a power to open the frame.

[7Acres]

Some good ideas here already listed.
Some need to be reviewed with a level head and use good personal judgment.
Definately bolt the safe down. DO NOT store ammo in the gunsafe. In case of a fire, your ammo will not only blow the safe, it will shred the weapons inside if the fire dept cannot cool the house down. How do I know? I SAW it several times while working as a police officer.
A monitored security system is a wonderful thing.
As stated, a GOOD camera system is also comforting.

Good advise. Okay, I'll get the ammo out of the gun safe. I was just spooked last night and wanted to get anything attractive to a thief under lock and key. One question though, if your ammo isn't in a gun safe do you have a separate safe you keep the ammo in? I've got cases of 22LR, 5.56 and handgun ammo I bought well before the panic set in and I don't want that "up for grabs" if the house got broken into. I've read on here about getting 6" threaded PVC pipe and burying it where you could find it if you needed to. Is this sound advise?

[dakotashooter2]

Move shed over the outhouse hole...put flimsy lock on shed.....................

[Sensai]

Great big dog with sharp pointy teeth !!

[7Acres]

Fence your place in and get yourself a few pit bulls and train them to attack and kill anything that comes in the fence.

I really like this idea. I'd like to put barbed wire around the perimeter of my, you guessed it, 7 acres. I've wanted to do this ever since we moved here. And now I want at least one dog.

Can we expand on guard dogs here? I do live out in the country and now my family knows we have a crime problem out here. Sometimes they jokingly call our place "the compound" which I discourage. I like to refer to it as "the ranch" or "the retreat". Just don't want friends and family thinking it's a war zone over here. If I've got cameras, barbed wire and junk yard dogs roaming I'm not sure anyone will think of our country home as idyllic, which is more what me and my wife are going for.

To that end, what's the ideal guard dog that's also fun with family and friends?

[oneokie]

Barbed wire will not contain a dog.

[NewbieDave007]

I really like this idea. I'd like to put barbed wire around the perimeter of my, you guessed it, 7 acres. I've wanted to do this ever since we moved here. And now I want at least one dog.

Can we expand on guard dogs here? I do live out in the country and now my family knows we have a crime problem out here. Sometimes they jokingly call our place "the compound" which I discourage. I like to refer to it as "the ranch" or "the retreat". Just don't want friends and family thinking it's a war zone over here. If I've got cameras, barbed wire and junk yard dogs roaming I'm not sure anyone will think of our country home as idyllic, which is more what me and my wife are going for.

To that end, what's the ideal guard dog that's also fun with family and friends?

We personally have a pure breed, 185# American Mastiff male. He is generally an inside dog, very friendly/playful with the family (including my 6 & 9 year old kids), but is not fond of people around the house if we are there or not. He has scared off numerous solicitors with his bark through the front door. Since you have that acreage and out buildings, I'm not sure that a giant breed dog would be best for you but, they sure put the fear in strangers. Good luck and sorry to hear about the burglary.

[blackthorn]

I have had several good watch dogs over the years and only one of them was a pure bred. My experience has been that mixed breed dogs are just as protective as pure breds and they seem to be healthier and live longer. My last dog was a Lab/Shepard/Elk-hound cross and he lived to 16.

[44man]

Dogs! You do not even need mean ones.
I shoot a lot on my own range and everyone here knows it and how I shoot. That might be the best protection ever but those that can't shoot have a problem. Nobody bothers me and I can leave my barns open, even the house doors.
I am thankful and feel bad for all that need more.
The loss of our freedom is bad, we should never have to lock a door. Hungry? Knock and you will get some food.
Don't tell me you never did wrong when young. Eat a tomato from a garden or swipe a beer from a porch. Torch a garbage can in an alley for Halloween. We all did stuff but never did real wrong.
Now it is drugs. More on welfare that want what they can't buy. Less working and think they should get stuff free.

[wallenba]

Figure out if the days he hit you fit a pattern. Then, take a few days off work, have family members take the car/s. Wait inside with the lights out, as if nobody was home. Place an empty box from a new chain saw or trimmer prominently near the outside trash where it can be seen by the perp. It's like fishing. You gotta know the 'fishes' habits, and use tempting bait, but please... practice catch and release to the police Also, don't tell anyone you are doing this, not even the neighbors. It's very likely it's one of them, probably a juvenile.:wink:

[armedmoose]

Security camera's get my vote. They make them now that you can even view the cameras from your phone.

They Can turn on when they get motion, upload to the "Cloud" for backup, and send you an email or text that your cameras turned on.

These were suggested to me as the minimum package (get the best cameras you can, helps with ID's, licenseplates etc.)
http://www.costco.com/Q-See-4-Channel-HD-Digital-NVR-with-1TB-Hard-Drive-and-4-HD-720p-IP-Cameras.product.100003211.html

[scarry scarney]

I got hit a couple of months ago. Yes, insurance was willing to pay it's "fair share," if I filed a claim. I also found out, that this would be second claim within 5 years (first was high wind blew fence down), and they could raise insurance or even cancel when it came up for renewal. I put up motion activated lights and security system, along with hasps and locks for all outbuilding. I say get at least two dogs. A small one and a big one. A small dog, always have big dog syndrome, and will always bark at everything, waking the big dog up.

Local paper reports that crime is up 18%. Yup, we got CHANGE.

[Epd230]

Dont get fooled by thinking that a camera system will solve anything. I have taken many burglary reports where a camera system was used and captured very good video of the crime. A simple mask or hoodie defeats the best camera system money can buy.

TV crime shows, especially the evidence collection ones (CSI) have educated everybody on evidence collection and many bad guys take the simple steps to avoid leaving fingerprints or video evidence. Even if you luck out and get a perfect video picture of the bad guys face, he still has to be identified. If it is a neighbor, then that is easy, but if it is someone else, good luck.

I have yet to take a burglary report from anyone who had a dog. Even if the dog is not trained, as long as they bark. Although, I do work in an urban area, so rural may have different results.

Decoys are the best advice that I could give you. A simple jewelry box with junk jewelry. A small, easily carted off gun safe, filled with useless weight or BB guns. The key is to give the bad guy a target that he can grab and take with him.

The most dangerous time in a burglary is when you/your wife/child, come home and interrupt the bad guy. I can guarentee you this, there is nothing in your home or shed that is worth your life or the life of a loved one.

[x101airborne]

I use a commercial steel wall locker I bought at SAMS for locking up ammo. It is nice to have all my ammo in the bottom, loaded mags in the middle, and empty mags on the top shelf. It is lockable, will take more than a minute to get into, and wont hold pressure incase of fire.

[deep creek]

I have caution building bobby traped signs on my reloading shed .I have a 2x 12 cut in half at 18 inches then hinged in the center the ends have sharpened spikes.theres 20 ft of cable to give them the second shock when they hit the end. You can do this with 330 conibears to thisis a body gripper beaver trap set up to step inwont get out alone. one of the most known sounds is a pump shotgun being racked it is a haunting sound for a bad guy.

[Vindicated]

Been living at my place for about 20 years. The last five years have been the worst. Guy riding his bike shot in front of my house last year. Six homes up three street burglarized with last two hears. My house has been burglarized three times, but only sons Xbox was stolen. Nothing of value in my home, but that doesn't stop thieves from trying to get in and taking a look. City has worst crime then Compton. Someday I'll get free but until then this is what worked for:

Fence around yard with cow bells on gates. Extra large peep holes on doors. Every door frame is reinforced. Add dead bolts and swinging door chain stop (I have the solid bar kind) and install with strong extra long screws. Install metal brace around door knobs and dead bolt. Add metal security door. All gates have locks.

These alone have stopped breakins \ front door kick ins for about two years, but I still want to add more like an extra gate six feet in front of the door. I would like to add more security lighting. Cameras are nice but you need high end otherwise they are useless. My neighborhood got some and it didn't stop the thieves. He also wasn't able to catch the perps faces so cops said the video was useless. They only finger print when there is a murder.

[Swamp Man]

I really like this idea. I'd like to put barbed wire around the perimeter of my, you guessed it, 7 acres. I've wanted to do this ever since we moved here. And now I want at least one dog.

Can we expand on guard dogs here? I do live out in the country and now my family knows we have a crime problem out here. Sometimes they jokingly call our place "the compound" which I discourage. I like to refer to it as "the ranch" or "the retreat". Just don't want friends and family thinking it's a war zone over here. If I've got cameras, barbed wire and junk yard dogs roaming I'm not sure anyone will think of our country home as idyllic, which is more what me and my wife are going for.

To that end, what's the ideal guard dog that's also fun with family and friends? My pits and chows are great with kids and family members. You can train pits to be great dogs with kids if they are got as a pup and grow up around the kids. I have 3 kids all grown now they grew up with pits around them their whole life and 2 of them now own pits their self. However if you get a pit keep in mind they will be vary protective of family members but may not be so good with friends or family members that visit. A chain link fence is your best bet if you get a pit and it should be at least 6 feet or higher.

[OutHuntn84]

Get you a few blue tick hound dogs and start coon hunting. They are great familly pets, hunting companions and wont stop howling when a car pulls up.

[41 mag fan]

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

I like your train of thought Rick on what category burglars fall into.....same as a rapist, pedophile, or murderer.


I have caution building bobby traped signs on my reloading shed .I have a 2x 12 cut in half at 18 inches then hinged in the center the ends have sharpened spikes.theres 20 ft of cable to give them the second shock when they hit the end. You can do this with 330 conibears to thisis a body gripper beaver trap set up to step inwont get out alone. one of the most known sounds is a pump shotgun being racked it is a haunting sound for a bad guy.

I did something close to what you posted back in '93. Ex wife (now), seen a creep peeping in our 2 yr old daughters window, and it went on for a week. So I got the bright idea....I dug a hole 1' from the window that was 2'wide by 3'long and 2' deep IIRC. In that hole I place placed 1x8 boards that spanned the hole completely. I planed them down thin, then drilled holes in them
Every 2" I put a penny nails thru, with the pointed end sticking up. Put it in the hole, covered with twigs then grass.
2 days later I stepped outside in the morning to check, there was the boards out on the ground, some blood on the nails and the ground.
Pevert must of had flip flops or sandals or thin gym shoes on.
Never had a bit of problems though the next 4 yrs we lived there.
Figure the pervert was sick enough to peep in on a 2yr old little girl, then he deserved some pain for it.

Haven't had something like that happen ever again, but if it does, next time I'm going to use 5" deck screws so when they pull it off their foot, it pulls chunks of meat out with it.

[Vindicated]

I recused a beagle mix and do a lots of agility and sent work with her using modern marker training. Any dog can learn to do basic commands and even fairly complex tricks. However, training for true protection is one of the hardest things to ask of any dog. Just because it's a pit doesn't mean it won't drop to it's back and whimper when I say, "down boy, stop." Heck, I've seen toy poodles and chihuahuas bark down Rots and Pits, because most barks are really just fear yapps and the dog is a really just seconds away from bolting in the other direction. A confident dog doesn't usually bark. They stand tall and growl in a really deep slow voice.

Never rely on a dog for protection or guard work unless it's fully training in that field. And your dog is anything like mine, it'll bark at a leaf if it looks funny. Although if you have a good bond with your dog and teach it good obedience, you can often tell the difference between their barks. That might be all the heads up you need. IDK. Personally, I'd still reenforce my doors and windows.

[dakotashooter2]

Get a herd of chihuahuas...... They bark annoyingly at anyone that comes in the yard. They nip at you feet and make such a ruckuss someone will come over to find out what is going on. Any burglar will spend so much time trying to avoid the dogs he will just leave.........

Booby traps could get you bad mojo from the law.. Of course if you suspect a bear has been raiding your shed and set up appropriate traps it's not your fault if some tresspaser gets caught in it.


It sounds like they are stealing stuff that is easy to pawn..........

[Matt_G]

To that end, what's the ideal guard dog that's also fun with family and friends?
Rottweilers will love you and guard you and yours to death.

[No_1]

I must agree with installing a better quality surveillance system and the thought that the perp is very local, most likely a kid and drug related. If you want your stuff back record the serial number take a picture then when it is stolen check the local pawn shops for your gear.

[Marvin S]

My Mom raised German shepards to sell so we had lots of them. They dont need trained to be protective, you just treat them good and will feel like they own the place and will tear the throat out of intruders.

[BD]

Two dogs, one on a long run across the entry, and one loose. Keep the biter on the run and the loud mouth loose to limit your liability. Talk to your neighbors about your hours and your cars. Don't be shy with them, and if they're good people they won't be shy about you. Put up a locked gate at the public road. Most of these mooks won't pull a job if they have to walk out to their car on a public road to load the stuff, and they will hesitate to break the gate where they can be seen by a passing car doing it. I am very lucky in that I have good neighbors who can see the entrance to my drive, and are not at all shy.
BD

[BNE]

I spoke with a policeman once and he told me that 99% of all home invasions are in homes that do not have a dog. Accordingto him, the size of the dog did not matter. It was the fact that the dog would sound an alarm. I'm not sure how true this is, but a lab is hard to beat if you have some space.

I'm sorry you have to deal with this. A lot of good advice given above.

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

doggies!

[Vindicated]

Alarms and video cameras don't prevent break ins. These solutions do and the cost is reasonable. Not everyone can afford a $300 security door, but you don't really need it either. At a minimum, you should reinforce the weak points of entry.

Door knob Reinforcement.
Cost: $10-$20
68470

Door Jam Reinforcement.
Cost: $20-$40
68472

Door Latch
Cost: $10-$20
68475

Security Window Film
Cost: $60 - $$$
68478

[x101airborne]

Vindicated, that is probably the most helpful post yet. Well done.

[7Acres]

Yes, Vindicated! Thanks for the details. Good ideas.

And it sounds like there's a consensus on the value of a dog too. We have a family friend who has promised us a lab from his next litter.

[MtGun44]

Our police dept put on a really great program for years. Two officers were
given a modest budget and told to research what would really stand up to
stopping a burglar. Once they had tested a lot of things, they made some
videos and did presentations at the library for citizens groups.

They were pretty close to what Vindicated shows. Use 4" long screws in
the hinges. Pull off the inner door trim and slide in a 3-4 foot long piece of
steel just inside the door jamb wood with blocks to hold it off of the 2x6
main door frame structure if required. Drill holes big enough for the heads
of deck screws to pass thru and screw the steel/aluminium plate (about
3x1/8" is enough) from through the door jamb, then plug the holes. Install
a deadbolt with an extra long throw hardened bolt, and drill/dremel thru
the metal plate so the dead bolt is into the steel/aluminum plate. This
metal plate is screwed with many long screws into the double 2x4
framing around the door.

Use a STEEL door, they said the cheapest ones they found worked just
fine. This is also warmer in winter as they are foam filled. Use a wrap
around panel around deadbolt like the one in the pic.

They said that you could kick and smash as long as you wanted on
this door and never get in. Eventually ruin the door, but not enter.
They offered a prize to any cop that could bust their door and had lots of
video of some BIG guys trying, no luck. Door eventually bowed in
about 6" but held fine.

Regular door fails at one or two good kicks. One team they caught had
one big brother using his brother as a ram. "ram" bent at hips, butt
towards door and the other brother grabbed his torso and both rammed
him butt first into the door. They were dubbed the "Butt Brothers" and
eventually caught, but this busted most doors on first try.

Bill

[Blacksmith]

Here is a link to a article on the subject:
http://homes.yahoo.com/news/protect-home-from-burglars-005405786.html

[GaryN]

I would put a half ton of lead ingots in the bottom of my safe after I bolted it down. Nobody is going to move that.

[TXGunNut]

Without doing a site survey I'd suggest three areas to work on. First is perimeter. Fence, gate, whatever. Anything works better than nothing, a sturdy locked gate and a fence work quite well. Visibility is another area. Burglars don't like an audience. If possible make your house and outbuildings visible from the road. Target hardening is another area. Sturdy doors and windows with good locks are a must. Safes are nice but quite honestly most of us keep tools around that will defeat our safes. I keep them under lock & key away from the safes. Valuables out of sight and big stuff secured by hardened chain and good locks.
When all else fails good records may help. Photos and serial numbers are quite valuable when a burglary report is made, pretty much mandatory for a conviction. Both should be kept offsite, safe deposit boxes are cheap. Not big on electronic security, excellent chance of annoying the neighbors and answering false alarms.
Nosy, attentive neighbors are the best defense. Cultivate them at every opportunity.

[Lee]

The door and frame reinforcements are great ideas, not too expensive. Also good depending on where you live is the recon camera systems. Only good if the cops can recognize the perps.(no good in inner city. they all look alike). Also call attention to Revel Technologies. They make some excellent booby trap OC deterrents. They work real good. Don't ask me how I know.

[Epd230]

I like your train of thought Rick on what category burglars fall into.....same as a rapist, pedophile, or murderer.



I did something close to what you posted back in '93. Ex wife (now), seen a creep peeping in our 2 yr old daughters window, and it went on for a week. So I got the bright idea....I dug a hole 1' from the window that was 2'wide by 3'long and 2' deep IIRC. In that hole I place placed 1x8 boards that spanned the hole completely. I planed them down thin, then drilled holes in them
Every 2" I put a penny nails thru, with the pointed end sticking up. Put it in the hole, covered with twigs then grass.
2 days later I stepped outside in the morning to check, there was the boards out on the ground, some blood on the nails and the ground.
Pevert must of had flip flops or sandals or thin gym shoes on.
Never had a bit of problems though the next 4 yrs we lived there.
Figure the pervert was sick enough to peep in on a 2yr old little girl, then he deserved some pain for it.

Haven't had something like that happen ever again, but if it does, next time I'm going to use 5" deck screws so when they pull it off their foot, it pulls chunks of meat out with it.



Be careful with this type of stuff. The burglar can successfully sue you for any damages in the event that he gets hurt on your property. It sounds stupid, but there is case law on that very thing.

Reckless conduct is the charge in Illinois, don't know about other states. Even if you attempt to blame it on trying to catch a bear, you are still taking an action that could reasonably cause injury to another. That would be really bad then, being victimized twice!

I do admit, it would be satisfying though!

[7Acres]

The door and frame reinforcements are great ideas, not too expensive. Also good depending on where you live is the recon camera systems. Only good if the cops can recognize the perps.(no good in inner city. they all look alike). Also call attention to Revel Technologies. They make some excellent booby trap OC deterrents. They work real good. Don't ask me how I know.

Revel Technologies' products look fantastic. Out where I live the typical police response times the people out here have experienced is 1-4 hours. An older friend of mine out here had a heart attack and it took the ambulance no fewer than 40 minutes to show up. This looks like a great product for our situation.

[wv109323]

The two most effective things against break-ins are a neighbor hood watch and a barking dog inside the house.
Other things already mentioned help: Security cameras, a fence where the burglar can not park his vehicle close to the house, make sure he can not pull his car in your garage, no large shrubbery where the burglar can hind himself, a sign for a home security system,reinforced doors and windows also things that suggest you are a shooter, like a trap thrower outside your garage ,a few fired targets near your trash can, an old copy of Soldier of Fortune magazine.

[HangFireW8]

Video recording devices need not be expensive. If you can get 110V or 12V you can get this for $22, $34 with SD card:

http://www.amazon.com/2-5-inch-Vehicle-Recorder-Dashboard-Camcorder/dp/B0053DDNW6

Several days of continuous recording, automatically records over old stuff. It has a battery that lasts a couple of hours if unplugged. You'd have to hide it well, though.

HF

[7Acres]

My wife, I refer to her as The CFO, has signed off on what I sold her on as Phase 1. This consists of 1) a door jam reinforcement kit from Home Depot for each of our 3 doors on the house and 2) window security film for our many windows.

What's the ROI? The crook will have to pack a lunch (as my father puts it) to get into our house. This gives my wife time to get our son and get her gun before the crook can successfully enter. Cost? Around $500.

She is sold on Phase 2 as well; but maybe for next year's budget. Perimeter fence around all 7 acres. 5ft high of barbed wire throughout our 3 sides worth of wooded acreage and a pretty horse fence with gate across the front of the property facing the road.

16 camera surveillance system arrives Thursday. So let's call that Phase 0 and forget I spent the money. Boss approved a 4-day weekend giving me time to get several cameras up.

What's phase 3? Revel Interceptor plus Repulsar 4. CFO thinks this is a joke and does not approve my Purchase Order at this time. Maybe I'll get that PO approved in Q1of 2014. :-?

[HangFireW8]

Pawn shops have been mentioned several times, but I don't think anyone has mentioned the active role you need to play with them.

Immediately drop by every one in the area, and in nearby areas, during a busy time and check out their inventory. Find out what the local law says about when things come "off pawn". Check them all again after the "off pawn" time. Chances are good you'll come across your "merchandise" sooner or later.

Planning your trip ahead and combining it with other destinations can make this less of a burden.

[7Acres]

Thanks HangFireW8. I'd like to do this. I actually went by the closest local pawn shop this weekend. I kept my mouth shut and just looked around. Mostly because I don't understand the inner workings of pawn shops and lack confidence. Did not see my stuff. What does "off pawn" mean?



Pawn shops have been mentioned several times, but I don't think anyone has mentioned the active role you need to play with them.

Immediately drop by every one in the area, and in nearby areas, during a busy time and check out their inventory. Find out what the local law says about when things come "off pawn". Check them all again after the "off pawn" time. Chances are good you'll come across your "merchandise" sooner or later.

Planning your trip ahead and combining it with other destinations can make this less of a burden.

[JIMinPHX]

If you want to catch him, start with a few well-hidden game cams.

If you want to slow him down & make him work hard for what he takes, then go with the rest of it.

Choose your gun safe carefully. There is a lot of low end junk out there these days that masquerades as a "safe". Big bolts & a shiny paint job are nice to look at, but that ain't the end of the story.

[HangFireW8]

Thanks HangFireW8. I'd like to do this. I actually went by the closest local pawn shop this weekend. I kept my mouth shut and just looked around. Mostly because I don't understand the inner workings of pawn shops and lack confidence. Did not see my stuff. What does "off pawn" mean?

Pawn customers can outright sell goods, or pawn them.

For sales, most localities require that the goods be held for a short while (30 days, etc., it varies) to allow stolen goods to be discovered. Then they can be resold.

For pawn, the customer has X number of days to repay the pawn loan (say, 90 days, it varies), after that that pawn shop can resell it.

Local laws vary a LOT about how long pawn loans and holding times can be. You need to find out what these durations are. The next town or county over might be entirely different.

Usually stolen goods are sold not pawned, but some criminals will pawn in order to stay lower on the radar, you never know.

HF

[JIMinPHX]

Good advise. Okay, I'll get the ammo out of the gun safe. I was just spooked last night and wanted to get anything attractive to a thief under lock and key. One question though, if your ammo isn't in a gun safe do you have a separate safe you keep the ammo in? I've got cases of 22LR, 5.56 and handgun ammo I bought well before the panic set in and I don't want that "up for grabs" if the house got broken into. I've read on here about getting 6" threaded PVC pipe and burying it where you could find it if you needed to. Is this sound advise?

Are you more worried about theft or fire? Which seems likely at this time? I'd lock up the ammo if I were you, unless you expect a fire sooner than another break in.

The threaded PVC can sometimes not be fully water tight. I have much more faith in the glued on caps, especially if you use purple primer & Christy's Red Hot Blue PVC cement as directed. If you need quick access, also consider the rubber cap heads that use a big hose clamp over them.

[TXGunNut]

Are you more worried about theft or fire? Which seems likely at this time? I'd lock up the ammo if I were you, unless you expect a fire sooner than another break in.

The threaded PVC can sometimes not be fully water tight. I have much more faith in the glued on caps, especially if you use purple primer & Christy's Red Hot Blue PVC cement as directed. If you need quick access, also consider the rubber cap heads that use a big hose clamp over them.

Ammo, bullets and bulk lead make good ballast for safes. One of mine is a jobsite toolbox and is pretty easy to find. The other one is easily missed.

[RoyEllis]

You'd be amazed what positive results can come from a "bait" tool box left accessible that contains a de-fanged 4ft rattlesnake. Tends to cause thieves to run down the road screaming like a little girl, never to return.[smilie=l:

[Relsom]

I did a quick read through of the posts. Vindicated had some good ideas. My background is commercial /bank security. For home security there are generally going to be two different threats of theft, professional and opportunistic. It appears yours was opportunistic as the professionals will clean you out of all available valuables. He made a few bucks on his first trip, got his fix, and when that wore off he knew where to head back to. Your mistake wasn't correcting the security lapses after the first time.
Some suggestions.

1. Ignorance is the best security. If they don't know, or it looks like you don't have valuables, then they go down the road looking for something else.

2 A residential safe against a professional (I am also a professional safecracker) is little more than a 20 minute delay. I won't go into detail but most safes I've seen at the local stores are fire safes. I could probably be in most in 5-10 minutes. If you want to protect against a professional get a good quality safe, bolted down, and no access to the sides or back. As one member suggested, a ton of lead in the bottom wouldn't hurt.

3 Alarms - typical home alarm. Motions - if you have pets they can be a problem. I use wireless door and window contacts, and a few glass break detectors. Sirens and strobes - anything to let the perps know they're in the wrong place and it's time to skeedadle. 1-2 115bd - 130db sirens under the eaves at the peak or inside your attic pointing out towards your neighbors. Strobe under the eaves as high as you can get them facing civilization - road, neighbors, etc. You want these as inaccessible as possible.
Inside your keypad is going to beep so they will get the point. If you safe is in a separate area one option is to mount 1 - 2 secure 130db sirens at the safe. Just make sure you have a remote keypad to disarm as it's getting to the pain threshold. Alarm panel mounting - hidden and not obvious. If it's in the garage a professional will walk in and power it down before the entry delay expires. Monitoring - $10-$20 bucks a month, usually you can recoup some or all of the costs from a reduction in insurance, especially if you have a smoke or water/flood detectors. Cell backup costs about $10-$20 extra a month. You can have the alarm send you a text also.

4 - Video DVR's have come down in price - I saw one with 4 cameras at HarborFrieght for $250. Or you could go with the newer IP cameras but he prices climb fast. Things to consider - A wide angle lens is good for up close or to determine is someone is there but zooming in like in the movies doesn't work, unless you have a high res IP camera and even that has limitations. Have a tight shot of the driveway so you can get a license #. Wider angle at the entry door. Connect an output from the alarm to the DVR alarm-in so when it trips the DVR records in real time. You can remote in to most DVR's with your phone or iPad and see whats going on. Some can automatically email still pics if an alarm is tripped. Again, securely mount it where the perps will have a hard time finding or getting to it, possibly in your safe if your confident that they won't be able to steal it. Good quality hi-res game cameras are good as a backup.

5 - High value items - If you have a lot of valuables or say gold/silver I would recommend a separate buried floor safe in an out of the way location. NOTE - see point #1 - don't let anyone know that you don't have to, kids (they talk to their friends), relatives, anyone that doesn't have a need to know.

6 - Decoys/duplicates - have a cheap gun safe/locker with low dollar items easily accessible with you primary safe concealed. The perps will get tunnel vision and focus on what they perceive to be valuable. Keep something for them to take, a mosin/nagant, a few silver coins, etc. They need to think they got what they're after. 2 DVR's - get an extra if you can afford it and mount it in a separate location.

7 - Driveway annunciator - I use a wireless one from Optex. Dings when someone comes down my driveway so I'm ready.

You don't have to spend a lot of money to start. Get an alarm yard sign. A switch on the shed door going to a sounder with a hidden bypass switch. Alarm system with some door contacts, glass break and siren, cheap 4 cam DVR and a game camera. If you did it yourself you would be out $500-$1000. Pay someone else and it will probably run $1500 on up.

Think like a criminal and assess your location. Does it look easy? Is it fenced (has a psychological effect - if I'm in the fence I'm caged)? Neighbors nearby or secluded? External lighting at night? Someone possibly home - lights/TV on? Dogs - will deter most, but the intent professional will kill them if they become a problem.

There are numerous things I'm sure I didn't think of but the most important thing is thinking about it critically. Most people have a hard time thinking like a criminal unless they really try (or get real hungry). Do the simple, cheap things first - yard sign today.

One more thing - make sure the cops dust for prints and follow up and be a pain in their sides. A lot of times they just write a report and file it, because it's easy and due to workload/budget constraints. In their mind - why should I spend the time and effort to chase down a stolen string trimmer. My response is because that same guy will be emboldened to further rape and pillage. If it's not important enough for you to follow up with the investigation then why should they.

Good luck and remember - the good guys win in the end but may go through hell to get there. Don't let the actions of evil men change you or your character.

[7Acres]

Relsom, thanks for the wealth of advice. I'll surely incorporate a lot of that into my security preparations.

Update: Yesterday my father-in-law finished putting up the 11 cameras it took to have 360 degree coverage around the house. I'll be putting up barbed wire up on the three sides of wooded acres and my wife wants a horse fence along the front. So that's going to be a little bit before all that comes together.

Now I've got to figure out how to put up barbed wire in the woods. Never done anything with barbed wire before. Any additional advice here is welcome. I'm still taking notes on everything posted here.

[JIMinPHX]

A residential safe against a professional (I am also a professional safecracker) is little more than a 20 minute delay. I won't go into detail but most safes I've seen at the local stores are fire safes. I could probably be in most in 5-10 minutes.

Most "residential safes" carry a RSC rating from UL. This means that it takes a technician at UL 5-minutes to break into it.

Real protection starts with ratings like TL15 & up, but those cost a lot more. Sometimes you can find good deals on the good ones in the want ads, craig's list, etc. Second hand safes often sell for a small fraction of their original price. The bigger ones usually go for the cheapest. A TL-15 that is big enough for use as a rifle locker will probably weigh a ton or more. TXTL60 is the best rating that I have seen, but the price on those is astronomical. Class "C" boxes are specified based on thickness of materials used & are often a good compromise. They do not carry a timed break in rating. Insurance companies will give deep discounts if you have a TL rated safe. Many will actually cover cash that is kept inside.

[labradigger1]

Dont forget to check craigslist and nearby town topix forums