Home Security?
 

I would like to hear about home security. Our neighbors were burglarized yesterday, while they were out walking the dog. Broke in through a basement window, crowbar to the basement door.

We have bars on the basement windows and deadbolt locks on all the exterior doors and garage door. However, the front and back doors are glass. As far as anything of value, there are just a couple of computers, numerous bicycles of variable worth, no jewelry of any note, a few pistols in a small beside safe (which isn't bolted to anything, it is more of a kid-safety thing), an old TV, and a few old cameras. I don't think we have much; but I'd still be sorry to lose it.

I've been thinking about one of those systems with four surveillance cameras connected to a DVR, with wireless obviously being easier to install. Anyone have one?

I also guess I should put locked chains through the bikes hanging in the garage and basement.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1399644884.jpg

perhaps some patio art...:D

Rika

Sounds like an "opportunity crime" by petty thieves looking for easily fenced goods. I wouldn't doubt that they either cased the neighbor's house or saw them leave. Your house appears to be well protected from that type of crime in that the easily access points are barred and have deadbolts. This type of thief usually avoids entry points visible from the street and those that are difficult to enter, like yours. They like the path of least resistance. Your most vulnerable points are your glass doors, especially the one in back since it's out of public view. Cameras will help, especially if it's advertised they are there and some are visible. A dedicated thief will find a way in, but your description of the incident smacks of scum looking for the easiest target.

My house is fully alarmed.

Sensors for the doors and windows with motion detector inside.

Doors by the control pad are on a delay.

Other doors, like my glass patio doors and windows set off the alarm immediately.

It's so loud that you can't take more than 10 seconds of it blaring before you get ringing ears.

I've been looking at cameras for a while.

Always tempted by the wireless because they are easy to install. But not really, you still need to power them which means you are still pulling cable so might as well pull the video feed cable as well.

Easiest is if you have an attic and can just run everything up and make your connections there.

EDIT: Alarm systems are useless if you don't get in the habit of setting them. Rule in my house is even if you are going next door for 5 minutes set it. It becomes routine and at least if the rare event occurs and you come back to a tripped alarm you know to stay out of the house.

On the camera systems - one camera could cover the side door, garage door, and the "alley" between garage and house that is the natural path to the back door. Another camera could cover the front door - I could put it inside, point out through the door glass or the flanking sidelights. And a third could cover the back door. There are power points convenient-ish to all three locations. The cameras supposedly work at night using IR emitters, but I could install motion activated lights at those locations too.

Just browsing, I see systems like these - a 4 camera wireless DVR system costs about $600. A 4 camera wired DVR system is $300-400.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=984979&gclid=CPzu9OuKn74CFcdefgodn4YAa A&Q=&is=REG&A=details
http://defender-usa.com/product/Sentinel_Wireless_4_CH_500GB_DVR.eng-205.html

Just make sure cameras are conspicuous. You want them to help PREVENT the crime, not just record the evidence. Maybe add some alarm company signs and stickers?

There is an alarm company sign on the house, left over from the prior owner.

There are "dummy" cameras available too.

I suppose I could put a lock on the tall gate that you have to go through to get to the back yard, but it would make it a pain for daily living.

I have video cameras that are easy to see. Every window and every door even the garage doors are monitored. I can turn the system on or off with my cell phone and I can check the status of the system with my cell phone. It is monitored by a company that is pretty quick to call me. I get a call in seconds when I test the system.

Make sure you drag him inside your house before you call the local law enforcement agency.


My neighbor bought the Costco set. The only down side was not being able to make out cars from the street.

If you feel more comfortable then pm me. What is the installed cost for the cameras or did you do it yourself? I notice Costco has them but not sure about quality? What does your cell phone provider charge you per month for the monitoring surveillance? Thanks in advance. Guy:)

My local alarm company is using a national provider. The house was wired for the system when the house was built. All the new company did was run the Cat-5 cable from my router to the cameras and the old door and window stitches are used. The cell phone part is "free" or just part of the package.

I can monitor the video feed anywhere I have cell or wi-fi connections. It is nice to leave and be able to verify that the dang garage door is really down. I sometimes leave the house early on weekends and the wife is home still in bed.

I will PM some more specifics.

Made sure deadbolts have the 1" long bolts and buy the heavy duty model. Also replace screws in hinges & strike plates with ones long enough to penetrate the studs behind the jam trim.
These are couple of things that will help strength the locks.

I have the standard system with door & window sensors and motion detectors. I also have a driveway alarm (mostly for our convenience to know when someone arrives) and signs saying the place is monitored. I don't use a service to notify me because we live in an area where the Sheriff probably wouldn't get there in time. Also, the neighbors around keep a decent eye on people coming & going. I had it installed during construction, and have to admit it's mostly just a deterrent. I also have wiring for cameras, which I haven't gotten around to installing. I think in most instances the outside presence of cameras and signs would offer the most prevention. If an alarm would notify you & maybe neighbors, I think inside motion detectors would be good enough since they will probably break a door or window anyway for entry whether you have sensors installed on them or not.

One thing on cameras, I am going to do some and get power over Ethernet cameras, so only one wire to run still.

Timely thread, we need to get our alarm going again, it's installed but not operational or monitored.

Glen, can you send me the information as well? Thanks!


And on the garage door, get the lift master MyQ setup, I can check and open or close the garage door from my phone. :)

I've got central station alarm with all the fancy gadgets, 8 cameras with a DVR that i can monitor from work/smartphone. Good lighting in the back and sides some on motion detectors. I think the most important thing I did was installing steel (wood look) doors with 2 deadbolts and a security storm door, with tamperproof screws. I had my fabrication shop make SS door buck reinforcements that the dead bolts pass through for kick in resistance. My garage door is a steel HD unit with a solenoid controlled lock.

You can't make a house totally break in proof but you can make it the least vulnerable. Hopefully theives will bypass your home.

What Mike says. You never stop them, best you can hope for is they go down the street.

We have one that we self monitor. Don't over look motion detectors, I use those to track contractors movement through the house.

The problem is, many attractive home features are also vulnerable. Nice front door sidelight = easy to bust out for deadbolt access. Nice sliding or patio door = easy to break for quick access. My grandparents house was broken into years ago when a burglar tossed a patio chair through a sliding glass door when they were away. I'm hoping that my combo of excellent lighting front and back plus a dog out back is adequate. Dog is typically cited as the #1 deterrent by former thieves.

Great advice above.

Sadly, with methamphetamine users around the place, rational thinking goes out the window. These guys want money (or something to sell quickly) now. So don't leave the Porsche parked out the front. In a fu**wit's mind they are worth a million dollars and you have the money. Probably good to not be the best house in the street either.

So it could just be a bad luck thing if it's you who gets chosen to be robbed. So a few plan B's in place are a good idea. Things like a fire extinguisher by the door. A fire extinguisher is a great weapon and your chances of surviving the court aftermath is better if you do someone over in self defense with a fire extinguisher other than a gun.

So good luck everyone and don't be a victim.