Time to look for a home security system

[hittman]

Neighbors house 2 doors east burglarized in the middle of the day today.

Curious though ..... kicked in a side door, did NOT take Christmas presents, DVD, big screen TV but rifled through kitchen and bedroom drawers. Not sure there is anything missing.

Not sayin' it's an inside job but smells like someone they know. Just seems curious.

 

[SAJohn]

I still think a Boxer dog is the best home security system money can buy. Mine didn't do any growling or barking because he really wanted the bad guys to get into the house so he could have at them.

 

[Jim Puke]

Not sayin' it's an inside job but smells like someone they know. Just seems curious.

I agree, sounds as if they were looking for something specific.

 

[sfhogman]

Good old Dalton had a bark on him like an unmuffled Chevy 350. One evening around 3am the bark wasn't enough though....I was able convince the guy to leave. Gone in a hurry by the time the cops got there.

Jeff

 

[longspurr]

If they did not take Big items, could it be that they arrived (on foot, on bike, small car) and could not / did not want the bulky items? Just small portable items ( cash, jewelery, perscription drugs, handguns).

A neighborhood kid?

 

[powder smoke]

No matter imo takes a real Low Life to enter someones home.
That is one of the worst crimes next to the biggies murder & rape. ps

 

[GunnyGene]

You have 3 choices. A professional monitored system, a diy that is not monitored, or a combination of both. I would suggest a combination of both. Reason is that either by itself will probably not cover all the bases. There's a lot of great tech you can install yourself to enhance a basic monitored system (ADT for example), that will help keep the costs down. But before you run down to the local homey and spend a bunch of money, you should do a survey of your property looking for weak spots.

Many police dept.s /sheriff offices will do this for you at no cost, and/or provide you with a checklist of what to look for, etc. and suggestions on how to improve your security situation. Some post their checklists on line: Here's one such from Charlottesville. http://www.charlottesville.org/index.aspx?page=235

A security system should provide 2 things at minimum; Advance warning of an intrusion, and delay/deter the intruder. A driveway alarm can provide advance warning, bars on windows can delay or deter. An enhancement to the basics are camera's that can help identify the intruder after the fact and possibly help recover any stolen property.

 

[Cooperhawk]

We had a system installed this week. There have been several home invasions in the countryside around us this year, and it seemed like the thing to do. Ours is a monitored system and I don't see any way to get around it. It has sensors on all outside doors, glass break sensors, motion detectors, smoke and freeze sensors, and is completely wireless. It also uses cell phone technology to the monitoring company.

It costs us, after the initial purchase, less than twenty dollars a month. Most police forces will answer one false alarm free, but charge after that. This system has the monitoring company calling the house, then our cell phones prior to notifying the police, unless of course it's for fire.

We also have remotes, not unlike your auto remote, that we can use to arm or disable the system. If we push both buttons it acts as a panic switch and they immediately call the police.

I know a dog is the best, but our old Lab died and we want to travel so we don't want another dog just now.

 

[rugerguy]

I agree sounds like they wanted only small stuff, jewelry, cash or guns in a drawer...
as for dogs, ........ too easily beaten by too numerous of ways ( I am NOT going to say HOW, but its a fact) only if they get a chance to bark, can they tell YOU something is going on.
alarms, monitors are ONLY as good as the response time of the locals department,again, they can be in and out before the responding forces arrive (if at all) 8) so get or use a LOUD one,let the neighbors know! ( and not too many 'false alarms' or they will all ignore it) :roll:
prevention, securing things 'better' hiding,, not the obvious, nightstand, dresser drawer or under the mattress..............
YES, any video stuff, inside or out, and battery backup dialing type equipment, whether to YOU, the police or any monitoring site.
Bottom line if they want it bad enough , or KNOW that YOU have something of value, they can and will get it. ........and eventually YOU will fall asleep sitting there in a chair with a loaded shotgun. 8)

all too many of these daytime crimes are of "oppertunity" (sic) Spur of the moment.......

 

[Cooperhawk]

Alarms, monitors are ONLY as good as the response time of the locals department,again, they can be in and out before the responding forces arrive (if at all)shotgun.

Well one thing about our set up is they would have to open our safe and that would take some time. Also we have a driveway that is one half mile through the woods with no other way out. Once the police arrive, and if they are still here, they are screwed and I own their vehicle.

Our system is battery backed up as well.

 

[ronto]

Check out www.simplisafe.com

 

[Dave P.]

Both my home and business alarms will call my cell as well as alarm company.
If I'm either home or at work my response time to the other property is much quicker than
police.
I'm a real believer of the alarm creating unbearable noise and lots of flashing lights.
We tied a couple of Federal Signal train horns into the shop air lines.
You don't want to have the alarm trip without hearing protection.....it's bad!
Might not keep the bad guys out but I know they won't stay long.
Dave

 

[Cooperhawk]

Very similar to what we purchased.

 

[vito]

I've had ADT for several years and it seems to be responsive and work well. With the battery back-up I'm covered during a power failure as well. One of the negatives is that it is tied to the land line for communication, so if that line is cut I guess I am out of luck. I could get a wireless set up to add to the current system but that would add $10 a month in monitoring and the device itself runs about another $200.

My house has sensors only on the multiple doors, not on each window. But the "glass breaking" feature and the motion sensors are supposed to add that extra layer of protection. Over the years that I've lived here we have had several false alarms due to a branch or a bird or something hitting a window (not breaking the glass) with enough force to trigger the glass breaking alarm. We also had happen where something heavy fell from a shelf and set off the "glass breaking" alarm. Trust me, it is very disconcerting to be called by the security company when you are several hours away from home and told that your alarm went off and the police are on the way, and then it turns out nothing was wrong. So most of the time I disable the "glass breaking" feature and rely upon the door alarms and the motion sensors only.

 

[Dave P.]

The newer glass break sensors are much better, never had a false out of mine
in almost 20 years now.
I installed 5 in my house to get good coverage. Using Honeywell brand
sensors. They read two different frequency to trip, the low range caused
by the initial "flex" of a pane of glass and the the high one when it shatters.
The sensor has to get both within a given time frame to alarm.
Dave


Dave