Home Security Suggestions

bisley

I've lived here for 28 years, with zero home security issues. I'm five miles from town and my house is at the end of a 700' gravel drive with only one entrance/exit from a state highway that is only busy during rush hours, with people commuting between small towns to the medium size town, five miles from me. My house is not visible from the highway, but is visible from five other residences, occupied by good neighbors that I know...until recently.

The two nearest houses were occupied by two older sisters that finally had to sell out and move off to live with relatives, due to advanced age, and the houses have now sold to two families (I think). They keep to themselves and keep odd hours that don't coincide with our schedule, so I have not met them, other than to wave occasionally when we see each other coming and going. My wife has managed to visit with one of the women, and her first impression was that they seem like nice folks.

But, there is an early teen boy that either lives or visits at one of the places, that has been seen wandering around some of the neighbor's places, supposedly looking for a dog, or a chicken, depending on which neighbor you talk to. Also, there was a recent pilfering incident, in which one neighbor discovered his garage had been entered and his vehicle entered. Things were shuffled about, but he found nothing missing and no signs of forced entry. He thinks it is remotely possible that the garage door was left unlocked, but the possibility also exists that the side door could have been opened with a credit card, since it had a simple, inexpensive lock set.

Anyway, it's an odd situation for a normally very quiet neighborhood, and it only started when these new folks moved in. They may be perfectly fine folks, and I'm going with that assumption as long as there is no evidence to the contrary. But, I'm also thinking about taking a few more very basic precautions, just in case.

I've thought about putting a couple of trail cameras up, just to see if there is any snooping going on. If they pick up anybody wandering around on my place, or more likely, if the cameras disappear, I'll know there is a problem that needs attention. Or, I'm also thinking that I might make a small investment in some low-end security cameras, with maybe a couple of dummy cameras thrown into the mix.

I've never worried about this before now, so I'm wide open for suggestions.

SirGeorgeKillian

The cameras are a good idea. Trail cams are harder to spot and should do the trick if you have good places to put them. I would add that light is your friend. Motion activated flood lights. They are fairly cheap, and effective.

Fat Billy

We cured vandalism,theft at our condo remote rear swimming pool. Fake video cameras with battery powered and visable light on "camera". Along with the "cameras" we installed motion detection flood lights. Nice thing about the flood lights is the offenders don't know if they are a site picture or not. A popular item wired to house hold current is frowned apon by management although the burnt smell gives away the offender after the fact. :applause: Later,

JLDickmon

three words...

big a$$ dog

I got broke into a week or so ago... same thing.. jimmied a lock..

make sure you leave stuff laying all over the place, so someone unfamiliar with the house is prone to trips and falls..

bisley

SirGeorgeKillian wrote: »

Motion activated flood lights.

I may decide to do the lights. I have always preferred a total 'blackout,' but the surprise of going to bright light from completely dark might work OK. Right now, though, I think I'd just like to find out if I really do have any snoopers (day or night) and if it is anyone I recognize.

I'm not really very shook up about this, yet, as I don't know the guy too well that had the pilfering incident, and he lives right on the highway, so it doesn't necessarily have to be the new neighbors.

bisley

JLDickmon wrote: »

three words...

big a$$ dog

I have enjoyed being 'pet-less' for the last few years, after a lifetime of caring for them, but if I seriously start to have problems, I'd likely get a barker of some kind.

5280 shooter II

Trail cameras and motion detector flood lights are a good place to start. A lot of break-ins happen during the day when it's assumed the homeowners are out at work. With the trail-cams you have evidence of trespassing. A downfall to the MD lights is if you have nocturnal wildlife walking through since you're kind of out in the boonies.

Jermanator

These work really well in strategic areas of the yard. They are solar so you don't have to run electricity to them.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Defiant-500-Lumen-Twin-Solar-Outdoor-Motion-White-LED-Security-Light-2100W/203308469?N=bvn5#.UViKx1ei-RQ

orchidman

A balcony and a double barrelled scattergun seems to be the 'official' standard...............

Airedale

Call Zimmerman!

CHIRO1989

I would walk over to the neighbors and introduce yourself for starters, then explain about the pilfering and the rummaging explained to you by your neighbor and tell the new neighbors to keep their eyes open because you are. Better yet, you and the neighbor that got pilfered show both show up and have the conversation, especially if the teenager is around, get some license numbers off their vehicles. I would do trail cams also.

KENFU1911

OK.....so Foo Gas is a No No?????

Teach

Air compressor with a BIG reserve tank

Diesel truck air horn with a solenoid valve

Infra-red light beam trigger set chest-high so that varmints don't trip it

When it goes off, you can follow the brown trail right back to the trespasser's house!
Jerry

horselips

Sounds like at least one of your new naybers (I love misspelling that word) may be a family of Democrats. They are taught to believe that your wealth must be redistributed, and that they are entitled to your property simply because they want it. Of course security steps must be taken. Be watchful. Be careful.

SirGeorgeKillian

bisley wrote: »

I have enjoyed being 'pet-less' for the last few years, after a lifetime of caring for them, but if I seriously start to have problems, I'd likely get a barker of some kind.

Look at a caucasian mountain shepherd. Nobody will ever come in your lawn again. Mail man, milk lady, in laws....

Fat Billy

Foo Gas is frowned on by management. :hand: Later,

bisley

SirGeorgeKillian wrote: »

Look at a caucasian mountain shepherd. Nobody will ever come in your lawn again. Mail man, milk lady, in laws....

I've actually had that situation before, with a 90 lb. mixed blood bulldog. I was younger and more vigorous then, and didn't really mind all the interesting situations that arose from his imposing 'presence,' but once was enough. Even though he was well-mannered and obedient, too many of the wrong people were afraid of him.

Eventually, someone 'anti-freezed' him, probably the owner of the high-bred German Shepherd that jumped my fence to teach him a lesson, and left crippled for life.

Riflemann

I have flood lights on all 4 sides of my house that are on dusk to dawn sensors, they are all CFL 150 floods so they draw low power. Buy the new inferred "Blackout" trail cameras that don't flash. My house is not Burglur friendly, there are lights on in the house on timers so every room is lite up and I can see any movement. I am not paranoid, just prepared. Watch out for lazers also around my place.

tennmike

I'd get this system. It's pretty all inclusive, and you can use a cheap LCD computer monitor for video. 8 cameras should cover everything.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4368616&SRCCODE=WEBGOOPA&cm_mmc_o=mH4CjC7BBTkwCjCV1-CjCE&gclid=COHbwcH4qbYCFQHznAodv3MAwg

bisley

I've been looking at one very similar to that.

BeeBeebrain

Surreptitious recording would be my first suggestion to see if you can find out whether it is the teenager, and then introducing yourself to the teen's parents, if it turns out to be a neighbor. Using a trail camera would work if mounted in an inaccessible location, or a camera unidentifiable as a camera such as the coat-hook-cam (http://hidden-camera-review.toptenreviews.com/coat-hook-camera-review.html). Identifying the the trespasser first, before confrontation is necessary only because setting booby-traps makes oneself liable.

Carry On!
Gary
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Teach

Here ya go- - - - - -guaranteed to solve the problem the first time it's tripped!



:yikes:
Jerry