OT - home security help.PLEASE

big bear · Post by **big bear** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 12:04 pm

Had my truck pillaged the other night , right in front of my house. I live 20miles outside of a small(50,000) town Some scumbag pillaged tools etc from my truck overnight. My house is 200yds off a small paved road. We are going to get a dog (old dog died last year and I was too heartbroken to replace my buddy), already have a light in front of house. Wife wants to add motion detection lights, I can't see what good they'd do as the house not really visible from road, so if lights come on, no one would notice. We're going to get burglar alarm system. Thinking about getting an alarm system for my old pickup...do they have an alarm that detects tailgate opening? Also as truck is old(91) is there a system that is easily transferrable to a replacement vehicle. All suggestions appreciated.

jnyork · Post by **jnyork** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 12:34 pm

The dog seems like a good idea, not only will he help with security but will also help heal the heartbreak (trust me on this). Motion sensor flood lights are cheap and good, scumbags hate light.

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 12:44 pm

The advantage of the motion detectors comes when you get the kind that has a bell that goes off inside the house. My friend has two motion detectors on his house. The right side chime sounds like a ding, dong that a doorbell would make. The left side makes a Chime sound so when they go off he knows which side of the house to look out for. IIRC he got his at Home Depot. Personally I wouldn't go to the trouble of putting them in if it weren't for the chimes.
We have a beagle out back but she barks at just about everything. I have to really listen to her to figure out what she's barking at sometimes and she doesn't always bark at people anyway.

mescalero1 · Post by **mescalero1** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 12:45 pm

Not much help on the alarm, but for the dog thing...................
When my old coyote died, I felt his loss keenly; that old coyote had saved my bacon several times, and I felt he could NOT be replaced!!!
Then my girlfriend found Snazzy at the local shelter, I am very glad she did.

FWiedner · Post by **FWiedner** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 12:50 pm

You've let your emotions get in the way of your good sense. Get another dog. One that barks at anything unfamiliar.

You admit you are a distance from the road but you don't think that simple security measures would matter. Uh, ...what?!?

IMO, a burglar alarm might be useful, but in that case your plan seems to be to wait for them to enter or attempt to enter the premises before being alerted to danger. Plus, in some places you'll need to lay out for an alarm permit and pay fines if it goes off by accident, which it will.

Clue: Thieves hate anything that calls attention to their presence and activity.

Light and noise will make all but the most determined scumbags leave. Get the dog. Get two. Set up the motion detectors. Buy a shotgun. Buy two. Teach your wife to use one of them.

big bear · Post by **big bear** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 1:24 pm

Thanks for the light chime info, had not heard about them, willget on that for starts, still looking for dog(s), wife wants mixed breed, I've had Rotties in the past, but can'tleave them loose, too expensive and dangerous. Thanks for the tips so far !

GANJIRO · Post by **GANJIRO** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 1:26 pm

These wireless driveway alarms actually work pretty darn well and are very affordable, cheap insurance. I had a punk try and break into my storage shed at 1 a.m. one morning but this alarm got me up, and I went flying out the front door with a bat and he went flying down the street and never came back. My buddy on "The Big Island" uses this alarm on the outside wall of his rural property to warn him of passing wild pigs, and he has bagged countless boars thanks to this cheap alarm. It should work fine until you get a dog.
http://cgi.ebay.com/DRIVEWAY-PATROL-SEC ... dZViewItem

Post by **AmBraCol** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 1:30 pm

I'm not sure what's available up in the US. But you can set contact switches just about anywhere you want. Just drill a hole and insert the switch. When the door, tailgate or whatever is closed the switch is open. When you open the door, tailgate or whatever then the switch closes and sets of the alarm (if the alarm is set) Alarms can come in all kinds of flavors and options. Ours is fairly simple and has been a real boon.

Don't discount motion detector lights just because you're a bit away from the road. They're not for your neighbors, they're for you to be able to see what's going on from the shelter of your house. A dog's a great thing to have, having one inside can be a good thing too. I've heard of dogs tracking intruder movement around the inside of the house while the intruders were on the outside. This lets you know where whoever is without using a window.

As for transferring an alarm from one vehicle to another, it's all up to the electrician who installs it. I'd rather buy a new system than transfer an old one myself.

Rexster · Post by **Rexster** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 2:57 pm

Looks like the motion sensor idea has been covered. Regarding dogs, I have learned it is best to train one really well, bond with him, and then get him/y'all a little friend to be an apprentice. Our Malcolm learned his job from the late, great Buddy, and the now-elderly Malcolm has passed on his knowledge to Tucker and Little Friend. Tucker has already saved my wife from a bad guy sneaking up on her when she was at a gas station, digging for something in the back of her van. Staggering the dogs keeps you from facing the pain of getting a new dog while still grieving for the older one, and really, the BEST gift an older dog can have is an assistant, to be his eyes and ears as he gets older.

big bear · Post by **big bear** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 3:17 pm

GANJIRO wrote:These wireless driveway alarms actually work pretty darn well and are very affordable, cheap insurance. I had a punk try and break into my storage shed at 1 a.m. one morning but this alarm got me up, and I went flying out the front door with a bat and he went flying down the street and never came back. My buddy on "The Big Island" uses this alarm on the outside wall of his rural property to warn him of passing wild pigs, and he has bagged countless boars thanks to this cheap alarm. It should work fine until you get a dog.
http://cgi.ebay.com/DRIVEWAY-PATROL-SEC ... dZViewItem

I have "lots" of deer on my property so I am reluctant to set up such a system, I guess I could set it up for tall bad guys? the deer would set it off continuously as they feed on the lawn all night.

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 3:18 pm

In addition to what the above boys have said, this is what I would do and have done it. Remember, I'm from the East where people are more nasty and bad guys need nastier treatment.

Get several boards and drive some 12 penny nails through them. Sharpen the nails up good. Bury the boards a little and you will do one of two things--either puncture their tires or their feet. When you see 'em changing their tire or hear 'em screaming, work 'em over real good with a baseball bat or a .45--your choice. I have zero tolerence for a dirtbag who makes his living on other people's sweat.

We have a board member here who is a good friend of mine. (no names--duhhh!) He was having a problem with people breaking into his vacation mountain house. One day he saw a pick-up truck parked behind some trees with the dirtbags spying on the house but they did not know he was there. He then walked in plain view and pumped 7 rounds of 45 auto about 3 feet over their heads. That was the end of that problem.----------Sixgun

Grizz · Post by **Grizz** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 4:06 pm

Rexster wrote:Looks like the motion sensor idea has been covered. Regarding dogs, I have learned it is best to train one really well, bond with him, and then get him/y'all a little friend to be an apprentice. Our Malcolm learned his job from the late, great Buddy, and the now-elderly Malcolm has passed on his knowledge to Tucker and Little Friend. Tucker has already saved my wife from a bad guy sneaking up on her when she was at a gas station, digging for something in the back of her van. Staggering the dogs keeps you from facing the pain of getting a new dog while still grieving for the older one, and really, the BEST gift an older dog can have is an assistant, to be his eyes and ears as he gets older.

Thanks for confirming my idea. Now that I have a dog I don't ever want to be without one. I kept thinking that at some point, say about the halfway mark, I would get a junior 4-footer as an apprentice, just as you said.

I don't know how I got so sentimental about that animal.

On topic: I am trying to figure out how to use the motion senser of the motion sensor lights to sound an alarm in the house. It didn't come equiped that way. If anyone knows how to hack them please share it.

And finally, here's a link to a DIY alarm project that's cheap and simple:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Protect ... aserbeams/

2ndovc · Post by **2ndovc** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 4:31 pm

My Ex's parents had a flock of geese on their farm. You couldn't get with in 100 yds of that place with out them making a ruckus!! And loud too! Best alarm system on the planet!!

But I'll never be without a dog (or three)!

Post by **AmBraCol** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 4:43 pm

2ndovc wrote:My Ex's parents had a flock of geese on their farm. You couldn't get with in 100 yds of that place with out them making a ruckus!! And loud too! Best alarm system on the planet!!

Guinea fowl also do a good job. I'll vouch for the geese as well. A couple weeks ago we were up at my in-laws' place and the neighbors have a pair of geese. ANYTHING moving around, they alert you. It can be a pain at times.

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 5:46 pm

We had pigs a couple of years; just think if you could arrange a 'perimeter' a hundred yards from your house and fifty yards across patrolled by a couple 400 pound hogs.

You'd know you had intruders when you saw the bones a couple of weeks later...

Post by **Hobie** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 6:32 pm

Rexster wrote:Looks like the motion sensor idea has been covered. Regarding dogs, I have learned it is best to train one really well, bond with him, and then get him/y'all a little friend to be an apprentice. Our Malcolm learned his job from the late, great Buddy, and the now-elderly Malcolm has passed on his knowledge to Tucker and Little Friend. Tucker has already saved my wife from a bad guy sneaking up on her when she was at a gas station, digging for something in the back of her van. Staggering the dogs keeps you from facing the pain of getting a new dog while still grieving for the older one, and really, the BEST gift an older dog can have is an assistant, to be his eyes and ears as he gets older.

That is some great advice about the dogs.

TedH · Post by **TedH** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 6:37 pm

Sixgun wrote:
Get several boards and drive some 12 penny nails through them. Sharpen the nails up good. Bury the boards a little and you will do one of two things--either puncture their tires or their feet. When you see 'em changing their tire or hear 'em screaming, work 'em over real good with a baseball bat or a .45--your choice. I have zero tolerence for a dirtbag who makes his living on other people's sweat.

I was having trouble with some dirtbag about 10 years ago. Had my truck broke into and my yard tore by this idiot's vehicle. After the second time I sensed a pattern and implemented the nail boards. I only laid them out at night for fear of a friendly getting hurt. But it only took about two weeks and this fool came back. From the tire tracks it looked like I got all four of his tires

. Never had any more trouble.

Where we're at now there are neighbors in sight of our house, but still there have been some reports of break-ins in the area so I wanted to light things up good. I traded out the incandescent bulbs in all the outside lights with the compact fluorescent bulbs. I can have 6 of them burning for the same energy as one 75 watt incandescent bulb. I leave them all on all night, every night. Every side of our place is lit up like a Christmas tree. Plus we have two dogs in the house. Neither one is big enough to be threatening, but they are amazing alarms. They can sense someone walking by on the road two hundred yards away without being near a window.

Mokwaw · Post by **Mokwaw** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 9:48 pm

Are you a plumber,carpenter,electrician with the name of your business on the sides of your truck ?? Maybe a "friend", ex-employee etc...... someone knew you had tools in your truck and planned to do this....living off the road like that doesn't sound like a random "let's take a peek" to me. I agree with all about the dog....maybe you could just set motion sensors in a perimeter around your truck. Keep your eyes and ears open, they may come back for another "peek" or you just may overhear someone talking about the "new" tools he got for a song.

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 10:28 pm

I recommend lights on all the time too - and use the CF bulbs to broadcast a lot of light for little energy. Motion sensors are great, but you want to dissuade the scumbags from going anywhere near your property to begin with. My neighbors tease me that they are afraid airplanes will mistake my house at night for the airport - I have so many lights, and they are on from dusk until dawn. I figure that my job is simply encourage the filth to find an easier target.

Be careful of the nails in the board. As satisfying as this is, it is also a potential lawsuit waiting to happen should someone - even a criminal - step on the boards.

And add the dog - a barking dog scares more bad guys away than practically anything else you can do.

horsesoldier03 · Post by **horsesoldier03** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 10:45 pm

You may try to post a game camera up. Might not only help you ID the thief, but also help find you a nice healthy deer for this coming season.

Nate Kiowa Jones · Post by **Nate Kiowa Jones** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 12:17 am

Several years ago I took the NRA's instructor course for Handguns, Rifles and Personal Protection. There was lot of good info about how to secure your home but the number #1 suggestion was to have an outside dog. The only thing better was two outside dogs. I now have two small vocal ones and one big black chow that only barks when his territory is breeched.

big bear · Post by **big bear** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 12:36 am

The search for a dog(s)is now on. Good exercise also! Thanks for the advice,all thoughts will be considered.Thieves really trouble me,having worked very hard all my life.

GANJIRO · Post by **GANJIRO** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 12:58 am

big bear wrote:I have "lots" of deer on my property so I am reluctant to set up such a system, I guess I could set it up for tall bad guys? the deer would set it off continuously as they feed on the lawn all night.

I have alot of stray cats in my neiborhood, you have to just choose the location of sensor well where deer nor 2 legged vermin should not be. I have my Sensor right at the location i'm trying to protect so the only one that should be there are family members, and only during the day.
Instead of a pup you might consider getting a young full grown dog from the shelter, less down time while training.

handirifle · Post by **handirifle** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:20 am

There are tons of video systems that are under a few hunderd dollars. These systems can record what they see, and if you happen to miss them, the cameras help identify him so at least the cops can arrest the dirt bag.

Be careful with the nail board setups, someone gets hurt, even if he's breakin the law and you get sued.

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 3:48 am

I'd give a hearty AMEN to the geese idea. We had them once and to tel you the truth I've never felt so secure in my life. A dog will sleep and can miss something. Not so with a small flock of geese. they never all go to sleep at one time. I would leave the house at 2 or 3 in the morning to go to work and there would be my little flock of geese huddled together and one of them would be awake looking around to protect the flock from danger, and my house as well. I got so I could tell who was coming around by the different noises they made.
Our biggest problem was with geese you have to show them that you are dominant over them and my wife was never willing to do that so they would chase her from the house to the car and from the car to the house.
Geese can be aggressive as well so they offer their own protection. Besides some fool is going to feel really stupid trying to sue you because he got attacked by your geese. Not so for a bad dog.

Post by **AmBraCol** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 7:07 am

Rusty wrote: Our biggest problem was with geese you have to show them that you are dominant over them and my wife was never willing to do that so they would chase her from the house to the car and from the car to the house.
Geese can be aggressive as well so they offer their own protection. Besides some fool is going to feel really stupid trying to sue you because he got attacked by your geese. Not so for a bad dog.

That's right. They're kind of funny that way. My in-laws' place is right next to some folks who have a pair of geese. It's a weekend cabin type setup, but there's someone next door year 'round. Anyway, when folks aren't around they pretty much let the geese go where they want - including the neighbors' (my inlaws') place. There's a nice little spot down by the lake for kids to play or to set up a tent - and the geese are SURE it's theirs. Some of the folks who borrow the place have small kids - who are uniformly terrified of the geese, as are their folks. Back in January we had a leaders' meeting out there and I went down to set up my tent near the lake. The geese were in "their" spot and commenced calling me nasty things in geesish and moved towards me in typical attack geese fashion. I reached down and grabbed the gander by the back of his head, picked him up and tossed him at the goose. He hit the ground and came back so I did it again. Not violently, just as gentle as one can lift and toss a 15 pound or so bird. Anyway, the second time they knew I was serious so they took off towards the water, uttering epithets and questioning my lineage and who knows what all else. I guess the neighbor saw the commotion because soon after they were back in their pen and didn't get released for the duration of our stay. Their pen was just about 50 feet or so from where I pitched the tent so any time I moved around in the night they'd hurl insults at me - any time I stuck my head out.

Anyway, they ARE an excellent alarm system. I'd guess that you'd need to beware of coyotes in some parts of the country up in the US. We don't have that consideration down here.

sore shoulder · Post by **sore shoulder** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 7:58 am

Making boobytraps with board with nails in them is a good way to get prosecuted yourself.

rjohns94 · Post by **rjohns94** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 8:05 am

guinea fowl make excellent watch critters and arent as aggressive as geese. a pair of those will let you know in a hurry that you have visitors.

blessings

Grizz · Post by **Grizz** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 8:36 am

sore shoulder wrote:Making boobytraps with board with nails in them is a good way to get prosecuted yourself.

what if you post a disclaimer and post a waiver form. refusal to sign the waiver acknowledges that the bg wants perforated toes...

Texican · Post by **Texican** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 9:32 am

Here's a novel approach from Britain:

http://www.boingboing.net/2008/03/19/ma ... t-chi.html

Jeeps · Post by **Jeeps** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 11:15 pm

When you have been "wronged" booby traps sound like a wonderful idea, but
should REALLY be discouraged.

Not just from the liability viewpoint. You just never know what happens, a
woman could have a flat tire near the end of your driveway. If she walks up
your drive to ask for a phone or assistance and gets five sharpened nails in
her foot. Well, thats just wrong. And it won't feel good either.

A driveway chime, motion sensing flood lights, and a dog all sound like great
ways to help keep a home safe. Thieves DO NOT feel comfortable around
light or noise.

http://www.personalarms.com/home_alarms ... _alarm.htm

This is good for outbuildings, when you close the doors just reach around them
and place behind.

GANJIRO · Post by **GANJIRO** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 12:11 am

I had geese and yes they do make great watch "dogs", and yes you do have to be dominant with them (wife had to work hard at this but my dad just gave them one slap in the side of their head for them to get the message). BUT... be prepared to deal with goose poop and allot of it, everywhere!

John in MS · Post by **John in MS** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 9:51 pm

Howdy, I'm sorry to hear of your problem -- I had a break-in attempt myself within the past year. There is some instruction value here, so will repeat the basics. We had 2 "pound puppies" -- rescued mixed-breed dogs from Humane Society which we got at about 6 months old (1 year apart). Very easy to housebreak and train, very good dogs. 1 is a lab mix and 1 is a corgi/beagle mix as best we can tell. He SOUNDS ferocious -- when workmen, etc. are around they are convinced it is Cujo with rabies on Meth combined with Dawn of the Dead trying to get at them from the inside of the house!!

We have woods on 3 sides of our house, a bit off a main road, so are a good target. Chain link fence around the back yard for the dogs, and it was locked with a padlock through the gate hasp. Wife comes home during the day, lets the dogs out in back yard and in a few minutes, she checks on them -- they're gone. Not in yard, "locked" gate is open.

Someone had kicked the gate, spinning the hasp on the round pole of the gate so that the U-shaped hasp no longer secured it to the fencepost, and just walked into our back yard. We have a home alarm, with signs up all over the place (Brinks), and they weren't deterred by that. The police who took the report said the dogs being in the house is almost certainly what scared them off, not the alarm system.

Lessons learned:
1. chain gates shut and padlock the chains. At least they'll need a bolt cutter to get in.

2. NO TRESSPASSING/KEEP OUT sign posted at head of driveway. This has prevented numerous unknown people from coming up our driveway on various pretexts -- casing for a possible burglary? (Home invasions are very common here.) It conveys a sense that we are on the alert and will not tolerate any nonsense.

3. Dogs stay INSIDE THE HOUSE when we are gone, to prevent shooting/poisoning/etc. Outside dogs would be good too, but if someone is serious about breaking in and cases your place, they will just kill them.

4. Got a driveway monitor, set up so that it completely covers the driveway from very dense woods to very dense bushes. (The lazy person's way to approach the house.) The woods are so thick there that the deer use the driveway nightly -- so it's no help tracking people, but it lets me see the deer whenever they're out and I want to go look.

5. We added a beautiful German Shepherd, also from the Humane Society. They all sleep inside the house at night (no fence in front of house due to restrictive covenants) but all sleep in different parts of the house. 3 extra alarm systems scattered randomly about the house, in addition to the electronic one. And a couple of these have nice, big teeth, as well. The Shepherd, in particular, has radar ears -- she hears and alerts on deer moving in the woods through our brick walls and 30-50 yards from the house, no problem.

6. Added motion lights all around the house. They function on "dim" (but still plenty of light to see by) at night, and are triggered to "bright" mode by motion. There is a "kill" switch inside the house in an area where there are no windows. If I really need to move about the house and don't want to be seen/silhouette myself in the windows, I can use the kill switch to shut off the lights from inside if necessary.

7. Ensure electronic garage door is disabled (from remote control use) each night when locking up. No sense letting someone break into your car at night, and then open your garage door with remote control (which is hidden in the vehicle, not readily findable). Always give your opponent credit for being at least as smart as you are.

In addition, about 2 years ago, we had an incident in which 5 "gentlemen" in a beat-up econo-car pulled into my driveway, engine running, plaintively announced they were "out of gas" and asked for money. I was doing yardwork within 10 yards of the road at that time, and my wife was 30 yards farther in, toward the house. I told them "no," but they kept nagging me about it and began sounding increasingly threatening. I was furious by this time. I reached into my (for once, empty) pocket, left my hand in my pocket (a bluff beats an empty hand) and started moving toward them. I told them to leave, very angrily and pointedly. As soon as they saw my hand go into my pocket, they immediately shut up and left, never to be seen again.

I am convinced that this was more than a bunch of lazy maggots trying to pan-handle -- that was a criminal "job interview" and I passed the test -- I was not easy pickings, so they left. Now the wife does not walk the dogs or even work in the yard without being armed, and we have added a backup precaution or two as well. BE ALERT AND TAKE NOTHING FOR GRANTED.

Hope this helps,
John

Grizz · Post by **Grizz** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 8:03 am

I'll add one more. Besides being armed a camera in hand is valuable tool.

Someone knocked on my door, dog went ballistic. I grabbed the gun and camera and went out the side door so I had the element of surprise. I took the bg's picture as I asked him what he wanted. He started to give me a line of bs and said "oh, you want to take my picture". I said I already had taken his picture and told him to leave.

Then I called the cops because the trespasser had no legitimate reason to be on the property. I assume he was prospecting. Cops are useless, but I was armed and I initiated and controlled the exchange.

I guess most people on the forum already know this but it's news around here that anyone knocking on my door without my prior knowledge and consent are trespassing. I treat them that way. I never open the door if I don't know who is there. I ask "do I know you?", and get mumble, mumble, mumble, after which I say "you're trespassing, leave now".

My friends and family call and let me know they are coming over before they get to my door. That includes my children. Everyone that omits this step is trespassing.

big bear · Post by **big bear** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 9:17 am

I'm still listening and taking notes! thanks and keep sharing, searching for good dog(s)!

OT - home security help.PLEASE

OT - home security help.PLEASE

Inside/outside dogs