What kind of home security do you have?

[DJL 232]

To put in bluntly, the guns for home defense thread sounded like a bunch of people who sit at home and fantasize that a Bad Guy will break in. I think someone even posted that they have guns in various places in the house as if the KGB will come busting in at any moment and the only way out is to GET TO THE CHOPPER!!

So seriously. Let's say you actually wanted to keep people out of your house, what's your home defense? Let's say that you figured out that pumping your shotgun will inspire the perp to grab your kid as a shield. How do avoid THAT situation?

I personally can't answer this question since I now live in Vermont and people here are too lazy to rob my house. I admit that I'm not sure which war zone a lot of people (non-active military) on this website reside in. I've previously lived in some pretty crime ridden areas and the problem was solved with serious hardware on the apartment door.

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[PLFXpert 0]

I have a security system and a will to live.

I live in a respectively-safe area, but I was raised to always lock a door behind me and keep my head "on a swivel". The fore-mentioned are so ingrained, I have locked loved ones out impenetrably on more than one occasion (who were just outside for whatever reason) in which case they must wait for me to emerge from the shower or pause the stentorian, classical music.

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[Kennedy 0]

(A) Just because you're paranoid, that doesn't mean they're not out to get you.

(B) It's a joke if you think you can keep people out of the average home or apartment. I'm not an exceptional specimen, but I can kick in most doors on the second strike. I know because I've done it more than once. If I can't kick it in, there is always a sledge hammer or the big black key-to-the-city (police ram).

And that's only because I am determined to go through a door. Windows are a weak point. Anyone can smash a window and crawl through. ALso, in just about every townhouse and apartment complex in the area, a person can knock through a wall with a simple claw hammer. It's just drywall and some 2x4s or 1x3s.

I've only ever seen one apartment complex that is B+E proof. Every wall is cinder block, metal doors are mounted on steel frames, and windows are some kind of safety polymer that cranks out but does not open. The only weak spot is above the ceilings (accessed by attic hatches). I only know about that because there was a series of B+Es in the complex and every apartment but one was hit in several buildings. The ones not broken into were occupied by scum and associates of scum. The badguys were going up in the attic and dropping down into other folks apartments, and leaving the same way.

Overall, an alarm is fine as a deterent, but dogs are better. Both are only good for waking you up if a determined crook wants in. Once they are in, it's up to you.

FYI - I have a small yippy dog, a big scary sounding dog, an alarm, and tools necessary to defend my family.

edit to add: the police patrol car parked across the street, the highway patrol SUV parked next door, and the deputy's cruiser around the corner help, too.

witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
1*

[JohnRich 4]

I lock the doors and windows, but realize that anyone can break in at will. So I have one room that is "hardened", with burglar bars on the window, a steel door and frame with deadbolt, and other measures which I won't reveal. All the important stuff goes in there. The rest of the house just has the TV and such, which have no sentimental value or expensive monetary value, and my insurance will replace that stuff.

[tsisson 0]

Quote

Let's say that you figured out that pumping your shotgun will inspire the perp to grab your kid as a shield. How do avoid THAT situation?

Doors locked = line of defense #1.

Dogs = Early Warning System and line of defense #2.

John Moses Browning's masterpiece = Line of Defense #3.

Anyone stupid enough to still be in my house after the dogs go nuts - will not hear any "Pumping the Shotgun" nonsense. My guns are loaded and chambered.

[warpedskydiver 0]

A nasty way of greeting intruders, a shovel, a four wheel drive and a bag of lime.

[lawrocket 3]

Quote

Let's say you actually wanted to keep people out of your house, what's your home defense?

First step is an alarm. I have one wired to every freaking entry - including the gate from my back yard to the pool. It is wired to a service. A couple of months ago I was in San Francisco. We got a call that the back gate alarm was activated and could have it investigated.

Note - it is also incredibly useful for knowing when one of our kids is trying to sneak out. It's got a chime function.

The Shotgun pump - makes sound.

Anything that will disorient, scare, or bring attention to the perp's presence is good home security.

If the alarm doesn't scare them off, then try the shotgun pump. If that doesn't scare them off, then yell and scream. if that doesn't work then step it up to possibly dealy force.

It starts with an alarm.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[warpedskydiver 0]

The best deterrent sound is the death rattle of the first perp.

It takes the wind out of the others.

[AggieDave 6]

Quote

It starts with an alarm.

Here's the real world experience of an alarm system.

Ok, someone breaks into your home while you're away.

On average alarm systems give 30-60 seconds before going off. When the alarm goes off the monitoring company calls a key holder. If that person can't be reached, they'll call down their list of persons to contact. If none of those people can be reached, they'll notify the local emergency dispatch. Then dispatch has to generate the call and then dispatch to the officer (if there is an officer available). If you're keeping track, we're about 3 minutes in from the suspects entering the residence. Alarm calls are typically not the highest priority call, so that means that the officer doesn't respond code (lights and siren). That also means that other calls take priority over the alarm call. You're looking at 5-10 minutes in response time. That's if the officer is able to respond with out traffic problems or other higher priority calls pulling them off the call. So the absolute best response is about 5 minutes from when the suspects entered the home. Its great notice for needing to come take a burglary report, though.

Now, lets say that you're home and you have someone enter the residence with intent to cause you harm. Let say that you are near a key pad and can hit the panic button. Or lets say you have an alarm key fob and can hit the panic button. The monitoring company gets notice and notifies emergency dispatch. Those are typically very high priority calls, but not typically a code response (not lights and siren). So that means that the officers are stuck in traffic again. So you're still looking at at an average of a 5 minute response.

The alarms are great for fires and carbon monoxide, though. Just remember that the alarms don't work like they do in the commercials or Lifetime movies.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[nanook 1]

first line of defense: security guard that prowls the community.

Second: key to operate the elevator.

Third: Top floor of Condo complex

Fourth: Trip hazards strategically placed around the home by two year old daughter.

Fifth: Bad language and rude gestures.

_____________________________

"The trouble with quotes on the internet is that you can never know if they are genuine" - Abraham Lincoln

[kmills0705 0]

A Golden Retriever named Quincy... may need to give more thought to this.

Kim Mills
USPA D21696
Tandem I, AFF I and Static Line I

[grimmie 173]

Two Rottweilers, one Golden Retriever (she is tougher!), locked doors, windows and a good neighborhood.

[Bolas 5]

Nice quiet neighborhood.

Locked doors.

Generally messy place.

Nothing of any real value to a thief.

Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting
If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh.

[rhaig 0]

most recent addition to home security is the constable car parked across the street.

Yea for the new neighbors!!

--
Rob

[metalslug 31]

I would think one's home security is relative to the crime rate of the area one lives in.
I'll skip on the details for now, but I don't recall seeing even a single home in my area that has unrestricted access all the way to the front door.

However, sometimes tight home security only leads to a more determined intruder.
Instead of just quietly robbing your home while you are away, they realise that the easiest way into your home is through you.
Imagine being ambushed in your own driveway by an armed group of six and bundled into your own house.
That's how it sometimes goes down here. The thugs are fast and organised.
Even if you had a gun within easy reach, you would need to be Annie Oakley to get them all.

Private security companies in my area are generally quite good, way better than the local police. Panic buttons are quite effective, very loud and triggering an armed response within a few minutes.
"A few minutes" will give intruders enough time to shoot you, if they really wanted to, but most intruders are looking for a little quiet time to rob or rape, and will almost always flee when the home alarm is triggered.

[warpedskydiver 0]

Two vehicles or more with 4 to five shooters each would be a great alternative to being ambushed.

Armored vehicles of course, and unless they are sporting RPG's that can actually be done fairly inexpensively.

Glass is expensive and often not up to the task of stopping full power AP ammo.

But that is a two way street

Get a couple of old 110 LR rovers or something that size, cut the sheets of mild steel in layers then weld into the panels and doors.

Make sure you do the floor, if mines are a concern do a V shaped underpan and sandbag the floor.

Protect the radiator and engine!, getting away from the ambush is a nice alternative.

I slept in a holiday inn once.

[warpedskydiver 0]

A five meter path of a fence inside the wall is a great compliment.

Inside that 5 meter path install trip wire and rebar pounded into the ground every 4" @ 24" deep and sharpened into a razor sharp chisel point.

On the inside fence string some bells and a wire or fireline.

Optics and IR camera surveillance works wonders.

Get a seismic alarm, that way no surprises from underneath.

Slit windows for cooling and overlapping fields of fire works very well, no blind spots to approach from.

If you are worried about intruders under canopy just hide your beer and your wife, without those items skydivers may stay away.

[pincheck 0]

Take it this thread only relates to the states ? as i have no guns, yes i have a house alarm. Never felt threaten enough unless you count the time we had sneak thiefs ...... but the traps took care of them.

Really is pretty sad that you guys feel you have to go to such lengths to protect your property.

Billy-Sonic Haggis Flickr-Fun

[Skyrad 0]

Ditto. So much for standard of living. I didn't have as much security as some people livining in the US when I lived in Jo'Burg South Africa!

When an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

[kallend 1,623]

Two attack cats.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[futuredivot 0]

Quote

The best deterrent sound is the death rattle of the first perp.

Agreed-the sound of a shell being racked is what the SECOND perp will hear at my house unless the sound of the first shot deafens him. 911 can dispatch a coroner as quick as a cop and companies are out there that clean the carpet and walls.

You are only as strong as the prey you devour

[kbordson 8]

Thoughts on this thread -

1. Nope. Not going to post any details.

2. Even the BEST system is fallible. Even though Panic Room was a movie, it demonstrates how one can even break a strong system. But... do you want to believe Hollywood horrors or have a complete trust in humanity? Probably best to live somewhere in between. If someone wants in enough, they'll find a way to get in. The BEST chance you have is NOT BEING STUPID. Don't let the two strangers in full face masks in just cuz they say that they're Jehovah's Witnesses. Don't leave the garage door up. Don't invite trouble.

3. Don't judge others for efforts to "create" a "safe environment." Henry Kissinger said that "Even a paranoid can have enemies." I think that Safe House (yes... another Hollywood portrayal of paranoia) shows this well (that and I think Patrick Stewart is DAMN sexy.... well... except in this movie for the whole crazy thing... but as Captain Jean-Luc Picard, he's sexy) What I think is "safe" might not be what someone else considers "safe." But... then I've jumped out of planes and enjoy travel to rural areas in "third world" locations to directly interact with the people... so what do I know.

[councilman24 36]

You know, we're pretty lax about home security. My wife gets paranoid about some things like the kids windows being open but then we leave other things open. I do have a 9mm deterent in a safe next to the bed. One that I shoot practical competiions with. With a light.

But, as to expecting the bad guy to bust in at any moment...

We've had a couple of home invasion muders in the area, one rural, elderly and unsolved for several years. Several other home invasions in the reporting area of the newspaper. Some drug related but some stranger break ins in suburban/rural areas. Just as soon have the ability to do something but not overly paranoid.

But, the people that come to the City Council and want the police to 'protect' them from the neighborhood deliquent are dreaming. All those police cars with 'serve and protect' on the sides need to get repainted. Come to think of it I'm not sure I've seen one that says that in a while.

Before married with kids had the shotgun laying around. Haven't bought a good, quick opening lock for it yet. And I'm real skeptical about keeping the kids out of stuff when they get older (3 and 18 months right now). I knew where the key to the gun and the combination to the save was when I was 10. And got the gun out lots of times. Unless the only key is in my pocket and the combinations are only in my brain, and that won't work, Going to have to work on it.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[warpedskydiver 0]

When I was 10 I was allowed to have access to the firearms in our home, ammunition was right with them.

I was taught firearms safety starting at 4yrs old and how to shoot starting then as well.

We all knew that guns will destroy something if we are careless, just as easily as if we meant to do it.


There was an old Mauser with scope and heavy bbl, a few shotguns, 22lr rifles, M1917 Browning, M3A1, and an original Springfield sniper rifle with quite a bit of wear on the furniture and finish from WWII.



Plus my father would have actually killed any of us for doing something that bad.

[councilman24 36]

Quote

I lock the doors and windows, but realize that anyone can break in at will. So I have one room that is "hardened", with burglar bars on the window, a steel door and frame with deadbolt, and other measures which I won't reveal. All the important stuff goes in there. The rest of the house just has the TV and such, which have no sentimental value or expensive monetary value, and my insurance will replace that stuff.

something besides drywall walls?

As a slight thread diversion. Had a co-worker who had his house broken into. Had his guns in a 'safe'. $1200 liberty or some such security cabinet. Probably 1000lbs plus loaded. But had it in his bedroom closet on the first floor. Buglers must have know. Brought a trailer and pushed it out through the window onto a trailer and drove away. Never caught.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE