Simple tips for securing a home?

[eldirector]

Home invasions occur unexpectedly and QUICKLY.

Little known fact: 100% of home invasions occur at home.

My wife's favorite gripe about security: get some drapes! Amazing how often we can see straight through some of these houses.

 

[Joniki]

View attachment 52559

 

[actaeon277]

Chop up boxes of expensive buys.
Don't leave the boxes where everyone can see you got a nice toy, when you put the garbage out.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Chop up boxes of expensive buys.
Don't leave the boxes where everyone can see you got a nice toy, when you put the garbage out.

Better yet, carry that 4k flat screen box up the street and put it next to a neighbor's trash can so he gets burgled instead of you.

 

[bwframe]

It's always shocking to me that folks don't park their vehicles in their garage. Theft a casing issues seem so apparent?

 

[Cameramonkey]

It's always shocking to me that folks don't park their vehicles in their garage. Theft a casing issues seem so apparent?

IKR? LOTS of folks in my hood that CANT park in their garage because its full of CRAP! And we dont have a HOA that says no minibarns either. No excuse.

Right now my company vehicle is not in my space in the drive but instead inside the garage because it contains $15k in equipment for a branch visit first thing Monday AM. Momma's empty minivan can sit out there instead.

 

[actaeon277]

Better yet, carry that 4k flat screen box up the street and put it next to a neighbor's trash can so he gets burgled instead of you.

Especially one that is a No Guns person?

 

[Cameramonkey]

Especially one that is a No Guns person?

BONUS POOOOOOINTS!!!!!!!

 

[Trigger Time]

Don't put out security signs. Your advertising your ace in the hole. It's like telling people how many bullets you carry.

 

[WestSider]

Some good advice here on this thread !

 

[eldirector]

Don't put out security signs. Your advertising your ace in the hole. It's like telling people how many bullets you carry.

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I've always heard the opposite. Put out signs, even if they are fake. Crooks are looking for an easy score, and will skip obviously secure homes.

 

[KittySlayer]

I'll also probably put something up on there about doing ones best to not confront/challenge individuals - but I'm waffling on whether or not to include something like that.

"Except for the one IMPD officer none of us are cops. It's not smart business to confront people who may be up to no good."

When seconds matter the cops are only minutes away.

So I am driving home through the neighborhood and the gypsies are in town offering to seal (spray black water) on neighbors driveways. The gypsies have pulled into an elderly woman's driveway blocking her in and giving her the hard sell. I stop and get out and ask her if she can go inside and get the recipe she promised my wife so she can use it for dinner tonite. No direct confrontation with the gypsy but I got the stink eye as he knew what I had done.

Use good judgement but sometimes you have to take care of yourself and others and can't always wait for the police.

 

[Cameramonkey]

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I've always heard the opposite. Put out signs, even if they are fake. Crooks are looking for an easy score, and will skip obviously secure homes.

Ditto. Real or fake, they dont want the chance of suddenly making lots of noise drawing attention to them. (and having the police called most likely) They'll move on.

At least so say the guys convicted of burglary that agreed to be interviewed for a documentary. I'll try to dig that up. It was pretty informative.

EDIT: That is unless you run a silent alarm and expect the police to arrive to catch them still rummaging through your wife's unmentionables drawer.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

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I've always heard the opposite. Put out signs, even if they are fake. Crooks are looking for an easy score, and will skip obviously secure homes.

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This. I can count on one hand how many houses with alarms I took burglary reports on. The few that were they tripped the alarm, saw it was not monitored as there was no response, then came back. We caught those idiots still in the house because the neighbor heard the alarm go off again and called. The few that did get burglarized were quick smash and grabs, kick in the door and grab the tv and run out stuff, vs spending time tearing up the house looking for valuables.

Residential burglars are not Oceans 11. They are not researching what kind of alarm you have so they can hire Mr. Yellow to bypass the XM5200, but wait it's got the latest hardening upgrade. They are kids and/or addicts looking for quick and easy in and out.

 

[actaeon277]

Guard towers and barbed wire.

 

[bacon#1]

We have a monitored alarm system. It's a monthly fee but it keeps me from getting woken up in the middle of the night half a dozen times, with the "did you hear that"? If you get a group of people together all wanting a system probably get a pretty good deal.

 

[Jtrain]

I've gotta agree with the dog, go rescue the biggest ugliest dog you can find at your local shelter and it will be the most loyal and dependable alarm system ever

 

[JettaKnight]

Don't put out security signs. Your advertising your ace in the hole. It's like telling people how many bullets you carry.

I'd rather they know, make a decision based on it (like find another house), rather than smashing in the door then finding out about the alarm and running off fast.

 

[Cameramonkey]

I'd rather they know, make a decision based on it (like find another house), rather than smashing in the door then finding out about the alarm and running off fast.

+1

I owed $225 for a car window replacement, and only lost $25 worth of stuff. SMH

 

[edporch]

In ADDITION to things suggested, try to not show patterns that make it apparent when you're home and when you're not home.
You can tell if you did a good job when you have friends who say they came by and couldn't tell if you were home or not.

- Have some lamps on a timer that go on and off at the same time whether you're home or not.
- When gone, leave a radio or TV on that can be heard at the door, so they're not sure you're home or not.
- Put "Beware of Dog" signs on your doors.
- Cover the windows in the garage so they can't see if your car is there or not.
- Use deadbolt locks with double tumblers so a key is needed from the inside too, BUT LEAVE a key in the inside lock when you're home so you can get out.