There have been a bunch of break ins that have been going on during the day. Any suggestions to help deter home robberies/invasions in a flag lot. We have 2 dogs, flood lights, firearm, non automatic gate however, we don’t close it. I was thinking about putting up a fake security camera although not sure about wiring, or maybe security signs/stickers. Don’t have the money at the time for a security system so looking for cost effective solutions. Any thoughts experiences. thanks.
Ways to deter home break ins?
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Okay, apart from becoming some kind of gun-slinging vigilante, there are some things that are deterrents, but remember there are no guarantees.
1. Don’t make the outside of your home look expensive (i.e., if you place a beautiful sculpture or fountain outside your home you are basically saying, We’ve got money for luxuries.)
2. Put bars on windows at the first floor that are most vulnerable to intrusion. If you find the ideas of bars on windows unsightly remember they do make more decorative types. Another way to deter window break-ins is to plant large shrubs underneath. You can find thorny types. In certain regions you can even plant cacti. Alternatively, on the inside of your home you can place things like large TVs, bookshelves or other objects right across windows as barriers.
3. Be sure your front door does not look vulnerable (e.g., if you have glass panes in your door or if there is a small window trim this looks potentially easier to break in. Get a solid looking door.)
4. Placing a "Beware of the dog" sign in front of your home only deters anyone if you actually have a large dog. If someone has cased your home they will know if you actually have a dog or not. Hearing a real dog bark can be a deterrent. Hence, you say you have 2 dogs already, and that’s good. Put the dogs in your yard so they can be seen.
5. Neighborhood watch signs. These tell criminals that residents are vigilant to strangers in the area. You could also actually form a neighborhood watch organization and even have people take shifts "patrolling" the neighborhood. And no, the person does not need to be armed with a gun to do this! Having a cell phone would be a good idea if calling police is necessary.
6. Security ALARM signs in front of your home can be a deterrent. I’m not talking about a sign that says, "Warning: alarm system in place." I’m talking about a sign that says the name of an alarm company, which is frequently placed as advertising in front of homes that actually have the alarm system installed. A criminal doesn’t know if you are bluffing or not (as is the case with security cams that are not actually cams), so instead of taking a chance might just move on to some other house.
7. Outside lights do deter criminals, but they have to be the type that illuminate the building. These may also add unwanted light inside your house when you’re trying to sleep. However, you could do just a portion of your home, such as the front and back door area, which is left on every single night without exception.
8. Start closing your gate. Unless it’s the type that can be easily scaled that’s one less route of entry onto your property for a criminal to rely on. Also it might be expensive but consider fencing or walling in your whole property.
9. When someone is routinely seen to be home all the time this is a sign that the house isn’t vulnerable. Can someone be home most of the time?
put two homemade signs in your yard. the first one stating "if you break into my house i will shoot you" and the second one saying "if you think that last sign was a joke, try breaking in my house"
Get a high quality(reputable) alarm company to install an alarm system.Not only does it give you peace of mind,it also lowers home owners insurance. Something else I had done was install wrought iron bars over the windows & doors.
Both neighbors on either side have had break ins as well as the one behind me. I’ve had none.
One simple one that most don’t think about is…
DON’T leave your porch lights on.
Most people leave their porch lights on when they leave. Crooks know this. When scoping out a house they study the areas around the house. When you leave the lights on it shows the shadows. So, if by chance you are home when they decide to break in and the light is off. As soon as you hear them you’ll what? Turn the light on! Since they know the shadows, they know exactly where to hide.
Also, when you have your car tuned up DON’T hand over all your keys! You give a stranger your address and information along with your house keys. They always have key machines in their shops. If you look, dress or have a fancy car, they will think you have money. So, what’s stopping them from making an extra key and breaking in?
The home alarms are a joke because the crooks know they have several minutes to do what they want before the cops get there. Same w/the cameras-they wear hoodies.
If you are THAT serious/afraid get tough-bait them in close and kill them-shoot the bastards down (shotgun not handgun) and I’m not kidding. No jury in the land would convict you.
Now, just how serious are you?
fake cameras at radioshack have no wires you need to run
It might help if you could get together with your neighbors on this. If everyone is being affected by this perhaps you could all go in together on some type of security system, fake or otherwise.
And if there have already been several police reports from people in your area maybe you could persuade the police department to send cruisers around more frequently.
I don’t know if such a security device is available but if not, perhaps you or someone you know would know how to do this. I am thinking of something that will trigger a sound recording of a shotgun shell being chambered - that is a scary sound.
Sorry you are having this problem. Hope they catch the SOB’s.
If your 2 dogs are large and menacing, close the gate and turn them loose.
Logically, if you don’t have the money for adequate home security, then you’d better not bother having possessions anyone would want to break into your house to get. If thieves can look in your windows and see that there are no TVs, electronic appliances, computers, valuable art and antiques, jewelry boxes, gun lockers, sporting equipment, fully-stocked bar, etc., then they won’t be the least bit tempted to break in and steal them.
If you want to spend the money to get all these wonderful toys, then you should be equally prepared to spend the money to safeguard them. Burglars don’t often break into houses where all there is to steal is a refrigerator, stove, microwave, some upholstered furniture, and kids’ toys.
In addition to all the other suggestions, one that hasn’t been mentioned is timers to automatically turn lights and radios on and off. There are some pretty sophisticated ones these days, though I have no real idea of the price ranges.
Ignore the jail-baits who are suggesting gun-slinging solutions: they have no grip on reality. They are hoping you don’t know the laws in your state/ city/ town/ whatever, and end up in jail for attacking burglars with — or even just threatening — deadly physical violence. There are exceptions, but the law nearly everywhere says (more or less) that you aren’t allowed to treat even criminals-in-the-act with violence. The theory is that if your life is threatened, you can use violence to preserve it; but if your property is threatened, too bad — the thief’s life is worth more than your goods. If you were to listen to these "advisers," you could at the very least lose your house in a lawsuit or a legal defense — even if you didn’t end up as a convicted criminal yourself.
The single best way to deter house burglars is to have one or more dogs (insurance industry statistics). The second best way is to belong to a well-organized neighborhood watch group.
Try talking to your insurance company about theft-deterrents. Who knows? — maybe they’ve got a program to help you out financially (a very few companies *do*).
Good luck!
put a scarecrow in the middle of the yard. lol.
Always, always lock your doors & double check that they are locked. Also, check all your windows to ensure they cannot be opened from the outside. I always put decorative bells on my main door knobs, so if someone did try opening them, i could hear the bells chime. I also sleep with my cordless phone in bed with me, just in case I need to call 911 quickly or something. Fake security cameras are neat, but if you don’t have the money for them, then I guess you cant get them. If you live in a 2 story house, you could possibly get or borrow baby monitors and keep the one that hears everything, downstairs, and the one you listen from in your room so you can hear any activity while your in bed. Hope this helps, just trying to use common sense and a cheap route for equipment. Good luck & LOCK THOSE DOORS & WINDOWS