Community Chat

[morganjen]

Thanks all for your replies. I only started thinking about this one Sunday morning walk at 6:45-7:00 a.m. when I passed by a house on our street that was blaring a security siren. Didn't appear anyone was at home. I'm sure all in earshot were awake by then! And yes, they did have a sign.

[lOVETOSHOP]

All of you mentioning dogs as being your robber deterrents made me think of this funny story a co-worker told me years ago.

Apparently she and her husband went out for dinner around 6:30 p.m. one evening and their golden retriever was the only one in the house.  When they returned about 3 hours later, they found the house had been broken into.  The dog was asleep in the kitchen next to an empty cake plate that had been placed on the floor (by the robbers of course) and the dog occupied itself by devouring the cake while they proceeded to take what they wanted!

I could see my black lab doing this....a guard dog, he is NOT!!!! 

[hckynut]

Hey @gardenman,

What an uplifting post for the ladies. All burglaries are not committed by "professionals". Many are dope heads looking for anything not strongly attached. If they can carry it, they will take it.

While the "pros" may be be technologically savvy, as I said, those highly talented people look for much bigger targets than a middle class home and a few easy carry artifacts. Who says all cameras have to be outside, or being recorded by something that can be stolen?

And you don't think our 9mm will do any good in a burglury attemp? Once they step inside our patio room or any door, they are breaking the law and whatever my wife or I have to do to protect our home and property.  Bang, bang!

I realize you said "not home", but in our neck of Nebraska woods, there is 1 gravel road in and the only exit is that same 1 lane gravel road. Between myself and our neighbors, who also live in "guns allowed homes", they know who belongs here and who does not. We have a pact to do what is necessary to prevent or halt criminals, whatever it takes, until the Sheriff arrives.

Can't believe you would post such a pessimistic comment. I think what you said is greatly overstated and you give the dope heads too much credit with their partially fried brains.

hckynut(john)

[Sister Golden Hair]

Most people in the Ozarks have a gun and a barking dog outside.

[BalletBabe]

I think that UPS should get signatures as they use to.  They don't even knock on the door anymore.   I try to be home when a package is coming.  2 weeks ago I was waiting for a package from QVC and Amazon.  They left it down at my neighbors house.  When I looked online it said left at front door.  Wasn't my front door!  I called them and told them they needed to go get it.  First they said they couldn't that day.  I said look you screwed up and I want my packages today.  So they came back and got it and delivered it soon after.  Thank heavens they did because the house they left it at would have kept it.

[Black Cat Back]

I have security bars on my windows and a security sign from a security company (one of the neighbors works there and gave me a sign). I also have a padlock on my front gate.   

I leave 5 front lights on all night and 2 in the back.   I guess if they want to break in they will through the front door (double locks).   But, they will have to scale my front wall coming and going.

[Blahblahvampemer]

Alarms are a serious deterrent, and our keypad is inside.  When it comes to cameras, you need a system that uploads to the Internet, and you'll at least have early footage if they mess with them.  The quality of your doors, locks and frames as well as the type of window can do a great deal, too.  Most of the windows in my house won't allow anyone but a small child to climb through, and a door club or similar item can stop most door entries.  The police hate them because they can even stop their battering rams.

[Blahblahvampemer]

---

@morganjen wrote:

Thanks all for your replies. I only started thinking about this one Sunday morning walk at 6:45-7:00 a.m. when I passed by a house on our street that was blaring a security siren. Didn't appear anyone was at home. I'm sure all in earshot were awake by then! And yes, they did have a sign.

---

A motion sensor can be set off by a small bug crawling over it.  The alarm blaring doesn't mean there was an attempt.

[Kalli]

---

@gardenman wrote:

Nothing stops a real pro, not even dogs. They won't hit a house while anyone's home so the gun isn't a deterrent to them. They'll bring food, treats, a female dog in heat, pepper/bear spray, etc. to distract a dog or dogs. They'll scout the house beforehand and know where their target is. Alarms are no deterrent as they can often videotape homeowners coming and going and see their keypad as they enter their code. If the homeowner uses a remote to activate/deactivate the alarm they'll clone it. There are invisible sprays they can use on a keypad and see which keys you touched when they shine a blacklight on it. Surveillance cameras aren't a big deterrent as they'll find the DVR the video goes to and take that with whatever else they came to steal. It's pretty much impossible to stop someone who really wants something you have. You can make it difficult, but stopping them is pretty much impossible.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

You may be right that someone who's determined to break in might be hard to keep out, but I agree with Hckynut, many of these crimes are crimes of opportunity and drug related.  These folks will choose the easiest target, grab and go.  JMHO

We have a security system and one sign at the bottom of our long driveway.  If the lines are cut, alarm automatically goes out to police.  Due to topography (fence and steep/deep drainage ditch out front, pond off to the side, trees, woods and steep heavily wooded hill on other side of pond), robbers would either have to be on foot which limits what they could take, or drive up our driveway where dogs would bark like crazy or drive up our neighbor's driveway and then drive across their (and our) side properties.  This wouldn't be smart to do during the rainy spring season or throughout the snowy, icy winter.

Our system code box is not visible from outside.  There is a pasture out back and beyond that thick, tall multi-flora rose bushes complete with good size pickers beyond the pasture.   No one in their right mind would try to walk through that.

We have 2 safes at home but they're mostly for important paperwork.  Valuable stuff is kept in the safe deposit box at the bank.  

So at least they'll have to work for what they get.  And my state has the Castle Doctrine.  

---

[ROMARY]

Gardenman:  What you said in your post (#20), I truly believe.  Lots of contraptions/devices are used by certain people so they can enter a house whenever they feel like it.  Seems rather contrived and personality disorder-ish if you ask me............Some of these 'people' go around stealing 'this and that', 'here and there'.  Btw, anyone remember the Dateline or 48 Hour episode when/where a highly regarded Canadian Airforce Commander (?) was doing just that.  It was a good, interesting episode, and I suggest watching it.