I hope that this will be the most appropriate sub-forum in which to ask this question.

Today I realized that a 500$ brush cutter/trimmer had been lifted from my barn within the last week. Besides the obvious need to secure the barn as best as I can I am faced with the need to somehow secure my property.

Our house and barn are located about 800-900 feet from the road and partly secluded. We are out in the country so the road is not a major throughway. I am considering remote controlled gaits and a sensor and alarm for the front gait. I am also considering some type of camera arrangement to capture photo's of any and all who enter the property as a means of identifying license plates.

I need some suggestions of practical solutions to securing property and what has worked for others. I've never had to go this route before but with all the petty theft I need to do something so that I can do my best to keep from being a victim again.

Any and all suggestions welcome.
Let me learn from your experience.

lc

If a wireless security system with a DVR recording system is not in your budget, how about a couple trail cameras with infra-red flash and video capability mounted high in some trees? I know a couple guys that have had problems with break-ins that solved the problem with trail cameras....

It might not "secure" your items, but it will show you who's been helping themselves to your property.

quote:

Originally posted by Shof:
If a wireless security system with a DVR recording system is not in your budget, how about a couple trail cameras with infra-red flash and video capability mounted high in some trees? I know a couple guys that have had problems with break-ins that solved the problem with trail cameras....

It might not "secure" your items, but it will show you who's been helping themselves to your property.

camaras are a good way to see your stuff disapearing how about just some visible signs that warn you are on surveilence camera???????????????

It normally takes several layers of security to protects one property not one is a cure all.

Signs, cameras, good locks, alarms not leaving this laying about all come into play.

Depending on your budget, the first thing to do is to get some motion activated lights.

The second thing to do is to get some junkyard dog type dogs....good Rotts, shepherds, pits really impress, etc. They don't have to be expensive, go to the pound, etc.

We have very similar circumstances to you. Once we got a selection of dogs, NOTHING has disappeared in over 12 years. Thieves don't like dogs. Not a complete answer, but a helluva good start. A good dog in the house is a helluva lot better security than most firearms provide MANY residents. The reason is simple, many residents are still asleep when theft, burglary, home invasions take place.....the dog will negate that scenario in most cases.

BTW they don't have to be guard dog type biters, they just need to bark.

I have used an industrial contractor from Camden, NJ who was getting his equipment warehouse robbed every few months and even high fence with razor wire did not keep them out. Nothing he did was foolproof. He decide to get a few Rotts for the premises. Within two weeks, the thieves were back at it...BUT they were in for the surprise of their life. There was blood, torn bits of skin and clothing everywhere....all the way out to the fence they escaped over. Well, it been a decade since they were robbed. Word spread pretty quickly in that neck of the neighborhood.

quote:

Originally posted by Gatogordo:
Depending on your budget, the first thing to do is to get some motion activated lights.

The second thing to do is to get some junkyard dog type dogs....good Rotts, shepherds, pits really impress, etc. They don't have to be expensive, go to the pound, etc.

We have very similar circumstances to you. Once we got a selection of dogs, NOTHING has disappeared in over 12 years. Thieves don't like dogs. Not a complete answer, but a helluva good start. A good dog in the house is a helluva lot better security than most firearms provide MANY residents. The reason is simple, many residents are still asleep when theft, burglary, home invasions take place.....the dog will negate that scenario in most cases.

BTW they don't have to be guard dog type biters, they just need to bark.

Depending on your attitude dogs can be very expensive of course. Feed and vet bills can be oppressive. Friggin' 30# bag of dry food costs me $60.00!

I think Gato's spot on, barking dogs will reverse most criminal advancements.

If you want a camera to read license plates grab your wallet. Most of the security cams out there aren't high enough resolution to pick out a license even within ten yards.

Dogs or geese. Geese are a lot cheaper, but probably more of a mess. I had a neighbor in Colorado who had a gaggle of geese at his place. Three females and two males. He put up a fence around his barn creating an area that allowed the geese to wander around all four sides. No one, not even his dogs, could get near the barn without setting off a cacophony of honking that could be heard a half mile away.

So the geese honk; so what? They might not scare off an intruder like a dog. Geese might possibly wake you up, but if you shoot a thief for stealing your property you are in for a world of hurt...

My apologies. I was out of town for most of the week and lost track of this post. I'll give the posts a read over the weekend. Thanks for the feedback.

lc

quote:

Originally posted by Shootshellz:
So the geese honk; so what? They might not scare off an intruder like a dog. Geese might possibly wake you up, but if you shoot a thief for stealing your property you are in for a world of hurt...

Not in Texas at night. Of course, personally I wouldn't shoot someone over normal possessions. I've had the "opportunity" twice, and both times let him go.

What your response is depends on the laws of your state or other jurisdictions that may apply. In my state I have a right to defend my property, home and life with any acceptable means necessary. Holding someone at gunpoint for the 45 minutes it takes for the cops to get there is acceptable for theft.
Remote alarms can be as good as dogs and you don't have to feed them except for batteries. Cameras with resolution high enough to get a plate number or good identification pictures are expensive but might be worth it. IR activated motion detector lights can be a deterrent and aid you in spotting the thief if you are aware that they are there but you need something that will wake you from a sound sleep in addition to the lights. Geese are as fierce as dogs and can do quite a bit of damage as well as being a distraction. They are also good at keeping pests down that might roam into the chicken coop or rabbit hutch. Good locks are tough to come by in that any padlock can be breached with a big screwdriver. Even if the doors are locked windows are easy to get through.

My shop has a shop door that is 4 inches thick and has three locks that are locked from the inside and not visible from the outside. The "man" door has a lockset and deadbolt securing it. These are the "high security locks and the set into a double 2x6 and the hinges are screwed into double 2x6 with three inch screws. There are no windows and the walls have 1/2" sheathing inside and out with concrete board on the outside and drywall on the inside. It would take a lot of effort and noise to get into the shop at my place but I still have IR sensors to remote alarms in my bedroom and cameras that are motion controlled. The two black nose curs that roam the property will keep just about anything away from the home at night - even hogs and bears.

Find out what the best choices are for you and your situation and then do what you can to secure your property.

The Romans used geese as perimeter sentries, due to their superior hearing and visual ability. They were the first line of defense and would detect any enemy encroachment. They would alert the large Mastiff type guard dogs who were ferocious and trained without regard to rules of law or engagement. They were not electric dependent. They used what was available at the time.
The lesson is to employ several methods that are feasible. Many excellent ideas were already provided. Consider a shipping cargo container/connex box which is available in different sizes and is pretty hard to break into by petty thieves. Use it to store your valuable power tools etc... or build a cinderblock shed with appropriate steel doors.
Most thefts occur due to funding substance abuse addiction dependance. Scavengers will return to a source of food that is easy pickings it is up to you to change the rules of the game. My main concern is when any member of the family walks into any area of the property that is being looted by a couple of meth. high addicts that have not slept in a month and have no concept of reality while heavily armed and have no qualm in using deadly force.
Be prepared and be safe.

A Jack Russell Terrier is about as good as guard dogs get. Alert, loud, stubborn, fearless, cheap to feed and easy to shoot over.

quote:

Originally posted by RyanB:
A Jack Russell Terrier is about as good as guard dogs get. Alert, loud, stubborn, fearless, cheap to feed and easy to shoot over.

quote:

Originally posted by tasco 74:

quote:

Originally posted by RyanB:
A Jack Russell Terrier is about as good as guard dogs get. Alert, loud, stubborn, fearless, cheap to feed and easy to shoot over.

+1. I have four of them and any movement outside sets them off, even crows, postmen, neighbors.

We have several wild boar that come right up to the door late at night. You should hear the dogs express themselves.

A dog is a great first line of protection.

Around 12:30 tonight someone knocked on the door. I went down to see who it was - looked thru the blinds and saw a couple of young women/teenage girls. Was strange they were knocking this late and I live in a gated community.

I opened the door and spoke to them and it seems that they were trying to get to an after party at one of the other houses. There were a couple of teenage guys too in the background away from the door that I had not seen.

The knocking on the door woke up my 5 month old german shepherd puppy. He is 56-57 pounds and friendly as a lab. He came down from sleeping in the upstairs bathroom as I started talking to the girls with the guys in the background and telling them they were at the wrong house.

He gave one good bark and came to the door and you could just see everyone take a few steps back. He create space between me, the door and the people outside and everyone on the other side of the door just moved back. He looked 20 pounds bigger as all his hair was standing up.

In a situation like this a dog is actually much better than a gun. I would hate to have my Benelli M-4 and S&W 686 shown or observed by someone just trying to find an after party. At the same time I would hate to just open a door totally defenseless. I did not even see the guys in the background when I opened the door.

The puppy did his job. I was impressed and grateful.

Mike

Pack of dogs, and if I went that route, I wouldn't want any cameras.

I appreciate the feed back from everyone. I had hoped that coming to the large community of Accurate Reloading would give me this variety of input.

The practical wisdom that I glean from your experiences is to have more than one layer of security, make those layers practical as defined by situation, location and finances and that no system is foolproof.

Thank you for providing a good jumping off point for me.

lc

After getting a dog i think i have become more and more convinced a good dog is the best first line of defense.

The problem with firearm is when you need it for protection - you not the gun are not in the best state of being prepared.

Most likely one is woken in the middle of the night, may have had a few drinks or the lighting is not suitable.

I think a layered approach with a dog, a firearm, a good home security system and communication with local law enforcement is the best approach. Also there are so many liability issues with use of a firearm.

I have been buying these home camera systems at costco for a few hundred bucks - even if i don't run them all the time they are a great deterrent.

Beretta, how have you found those cameras? Where have you put them (inside/outside)? What are they hooked up to (onsite/offsite storage)?
Peter

Peter - I have not installed the cameras yet - costco has a good selection and the best prices. i will install them in next few weeks on my new office that I just bought/created in a old house in downtown orlando. I will also install them in my house.

Samsung has a pretty nice package and given how fast wifi and broadband is gotten its a nice way to view stuff just from a smart phone.

I just think someone looking at a camera in front of every door and across most windows will be scared.

I plan to put them inside and outside and I actually plan to have more cameras than required. Some may not actually be hooked up to anything - so i am buying expensive and cheap camera only systems (that will never be hooked up).

The higher end systems come with a digital recorder - these are 500 plus systems.

The key is for operation units - you need a power connection - they are wireless but need a hard line power source.

Overall I think its a great bang for the money - it may look and feel a little big brother but I am monitoring my own property.

I also leave a nice big - x-large 30 ft dog exercise leash on the front and back porch. Few large boiled beef soup bones and a few signs saying beware of guard dogs.

I really just want to deter the random break in thief - I think camera and dogs strike more fear than guns. Guns might actually attract thieves looking for quick portable assets to steal - easier to carry off than 70 inch flat screen.

I also always have my cars and trucks parked outside in the driveway. There is always a car in front of the house.

Also I let my dog/puppy bark during the daytime and I have told my neighbors he is protecting all of you by barking and they agree.

Mike

I agree, but I am wondering whether the bad guys almost expect surveillance cameras to be around and come prepared with masks, looking down, wearing shapeless clothes etc.
Let me know how it goes. I am seriously looking into this technology. Not sure about offsite storage of the DVR though. Given enough time, and a smart enough thief, they could locate that and walk off with it too!
Peter.

Both of the Professional CCTV installers I have had come in for estimates said the Costco cameras, which I think they sell a lot of are now enough megapixels to clearly show facial features and lack good low light performance, which is when most crime takes place.

Like all other things in life, you get what you pay for and 2 megapixel cameras are not enough for what I am looking for.

http://www.costco.com/CatalogS...=-1&keyword=security

Costco has a lot of systems all over the price range.

The one I was looking at and bought is the one they stock in the warehouse near me

http://www.costco.com/Lorex-8-...oduct.100070208.html

I need to get a professional to install it - the issue seems to be power outlets. Old house sucks with electrical access.

Mike

Those seems to have night vision capabilities.
Peter.