Home Security recomendations

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Lorne Day

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Jan 6, 2005
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Location
Oakdale, CT
Hello from GA again. I'm asking for some home security recomendations. Here's what happened. I'm currently down in Kings Bay, GA while on the USS Virginia for little longer. Meanwhile the family is still at home in CT. Last week my son's violin $$$ was stolen from the back of our car while it was parked in the driveway. Yesterday, Maria found that someone had drained the antifreeze from her motorcycle (in a shed) and there were indications that someone may have actually made it into our bedroom though a window. Nothing is missing from the house, but the police said that there have been a rash of burglaries in our area lately. The creep may have found our dog and decided that it wasn't worth losing pieces/parts.

Anyway I would like to set up a system with a camera that would record the scene outside so that we could catch the bastids.

Is a computer based system too expensive or should I just go to a motion triggered vcr type setup. I would prefer one that will work with my Mac as it's more stable than her Dell pc.

I would appreciate any inputs and suggestions.

I'll check the forum later, as I'm using a pc at the base rec center.

Thank you
 
try x10 i have a whole system wireless cameras and light comtrols it is cheep and work awsome
 
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Don't forget the simple things:



- Secure your outdoor valuables (lock your cars, sheds, etc).



- Lock doors and windows, including garage doors even during the day when in the house



- Make sure to have a deadbolt on each main door



- Make sure basement windows are not easily kicked in (plant thorny shrubs, put bars over them)



- Even if you don't have an alarm system placard your mailbox or front walk with a sign/sticker that says you do



- Keep front walks, and exterior well lit at night



If you do these things and live in a neighborhood of homes that are near one another, the likelihood that your house is picked for burglaring is lessened...you have made your house an unappealing target.



Do all these things, then if that's not enough, get a security system.



The same people that don't do these simple things are often the same people who put in a security system and don't keep it activated.



TJR
 
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About 15 years ago when I was teaching scuba and had a LOT of equipment in my garage I installed a rather elaborate alarm system in my house. It cost me a grand and required the installers to spend the day in my attic running wire. Nowadays most alarm systems are wireless... you change the batteries periodically and all is good. They're also a LOT cheaper than they used to be.



If you're wanting a video system to get pictures you're likely gonna pay for it. I've seen computer store-brand security DVR's sell for several hundred dollars without hard drives or camera's. You can pick up a Costco special with 2 or 4 cameras for less but it requires a special video recorder to get a long-term recording (and I believe they record on VHS tapes).



Personally I like the idea of a sawed-off shutgun or AR15! Maybe even a few surplus claymore mines... :p
 
Lorne, I would be happy to get you any security products at cost if you are interested. I install systems in CT. Think about a system for your house, wired or wireless. There are a lot of ways to go. Email if you like and we can talk. Gary D. in CT
 
Gary, I won't be home until around Thanksgiving, so I'll that's when I'll be getting serious about a system. I already have a big dog, shotgun and several handguns, all of which Maria can and will shoot if necessary. We've she's already started to lock down the property and I just pray that nothing more serious is required.

Thanks for the help.
 
I'd get a second dog...bigger and meaner. :)



I have an ADT system in my home. It was already installed when I bought the house. It has glass breakage sensors, motion sensors, and sensors on all windows and doors, to include the unattached garage. The glass sensors set off the alarm at any loud noise to include glass, or a scream (I startled my daughter once and her scream set off the alarm).



If you are really serious about this, you can also get a wireless phone connection to the monitoring system. It is a backup to your home phone line, which comes in handy if a pro cuts your main phone line to prevent an alarm signal from being sent to the monitoring company.
 
Lorne, seems like Oakdale is a suburb of New London, or nearby anyway?



Do you live in a rough neighborhood? I know parts of New London are pretty bad.



Maybe you should move before the local govt takes your land? (another good discussion thread on this website).



TJR
 
I think Guardian is top-shelf. Also there are FAKE video cameras too, a bunch cheaper. My paranoid neighbor had one aimed at their driveway and MY house, I wasn't sure if it was real or not, until his wife moved out. She was the nutty one, he's better off without her. :p
 
Guns are great, but check the home defense laws in your state. Generally the authorities frown on shooting intruders in the back, for example.
 
I think in most cases home burglars will cover themselves up real good just in case there is surveillance. Still, any deterent won't hurt. Having your sanctuary violated is a very depressing thing...I would know.
 
X10 components are great, have a few myself. But remember they put off a radio signal that travels a decent distance. Meaning that if you have neighbors that also have X10 recievers that they may be able to view what your camera is seeing. I remember reading on a site that a guy posted about his experience. He set up some cameras to watch a baby sitter while they were out. Sometimes forgot to shut them off when home and one of his neighbors was watching him and his wife getting it on.



TJR has the best info above. Been in NYC in the same house for 38 years. only thing that has ever happened was some kid got into our UNlocked garage because my brother and sister were notorious for leaving it OPEN. Always keep our cars locked and windows closed in our off street driveway even in the hot summer. Always have doors, windows, garage locked. Security doors, motion lights and a Slomans alarm.



good luck and stay safe.
 
That's right JohnnyB. Home burglaries can happen anywhere, and they all fall into two types: Crime of opportunity, crime of necessity.



In the "crime of opportunity" case typically the burglar isn't that intent on taking anything, but instead you present them with a target that is just so appealing that in most cases you introduce the idea into their head. These are usual teens that see an open garage door or an unlocked car, see something valuable inside, and say "what the heck".



A "crime of necessity", though usually never really necessary, is called such because the burglar is intent on stealing, typically because it is how they survive (or make a living, or otherwise subsidize their existance).



But, for both types of crime, if you simply make yourself and your home a less appealing target than those around you then you have significantly decreased the liklihood of being a statistic.



It was a sad day the neighbors on both sides of our house put in security systems and placarded their mailboxes, because, even though our neighborhood is relatively crime free, I knew I better follow suit.



TJR
 
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TJR, I have a different definition of "Crime of Necessity". When I lived in Portugal, there was a very poor village just outside the military base. Many of the folks there had little money for food. The majority of burgularies were for food and money. Other valuables would be left untouched in both homes and cars. Many of the GIs knew this and would leave their vehicles unlocked, because the glass breakage on their cars would be worth more than the items being stolen. I never heard of anyone having a radio stolen because of this -- just money from the change cups, and grocries accidentally left in the car/home.



In Turkey, I never heard of any burgularies. Apparently, even though they stopped cutting off hands a century ago, the social stigmatism of stealing is still very intense. In general, I felt much safer overseas than I do in the big cities of the US.



Fortunately for me, my neighborhood is safe. I have an alarm system, but I typically only have it on when my daughter must be left home alone. She is the only treasure I have which is important enough for that extra measure of security.
 

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