House security what you got?

Quinnaay

Quinnaay

Quinnaay

Soldato
Joined
10 Mar 2013
Posts
8,031
Location
Rotherham
So after being broken into and having my car stolen it’s obviously put us on edge and given me a desire to protect my home better.

What deterrents and security measures do you have in place and any recommendations?

I’m now looking at a CCTV system (unsure which it’s a minefield)

anti snap locks

A motion flood light

I’ve also just got a Pat Lock for my conservatory doors which is the way they got in.
 
Sadly the best deterrents are not owning a nice car (and/or having the ability to hide it from sight) and making the neighbours look like easier targets :(

Having well lit entry points (including things like windows which might give them access) does help and making sure they can't easily get down the side of the house out of sight, etc.
 
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Rroff said:
Sadly the best deterrents are not owning a nice car (and/or having the ability to hide it from sight) and making the neighbours look like easier targets :(

Having well lit entry points (including things like windows which might give them access) does help and making sure they can't easily get down the side of the house out of sight, etc.
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Yeah I need a side gate they just went straight round the back and into the conservatory for the keys.
 
CCTV has pretty much zero effect as a deterrent, and in most cases, as evidence to support any investigation. It’s only useful for you to have eyes on things during any event, e.g. your alarm goes off and you can check to see if it is a genuine event. Or you’re in the house and can assess the risk.

Physical security measures are the most effective. Stronger doors, better locks (e.g. anti snap cylinders), barriers that are difficult to cross, noise generators to make it impossible to be quiet etc…

I’ve had quite a few attempts on my property due to having high value motocross bikes. CCTV didn’t offer any value for the events I discovered afterwards. They were masked up in non-descript clothes and had parked out of sight. It was useful to see how they made the attempt which helped me evolve the security. It was also useful for one event where I was home and awake. I was able to see that there were a group of 5 of them - not worth confronting.

What prevented the thefts on all occasions was an “onion skin” approach to security. Lots of measures which can eventually be got around (they all can eventually) but it slowed them down so much and increased their conspicuity due to noise that they gave up every time.

I was particularly pleased when one of the pricks impaled his hand on a fence spike. He cried like a little btch.
 
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Quinnaay said:
I’ve also just got a Pat Lock for my conservatory doors which is the way they got in.
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what do you mean -
10yr build, on double glazing doors I have a double glazed lockmaster 3 hook ... but saying that for windows, windows although handles are always cinched they're never locked;
so I think they would need to break a pane or drill out hinges.

Car keys can also be left at somewhat random locations - I mean don't have a keyboard.
 
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Does this count?

For real though I use a cctv camera and a ring, which actually worked in deterring a pair of chancers last year. They were caught on video noticing the camera and took off
 
ADT alarm

Wired CCTV - an older system, was there to check in case our alarm goes off. Still records though, a good wired backup.

Ring cameras covering the whole perimeter - useful when I am gaming or woken up by lights outside. I’d rather scare them off before they get in.

Floodlit perimeter

Auto indoor lights

Indoor locked doors to slow them down

Many neighbours without such systems.

I doubt the TTRS on the drive helps, although it’s usually there whether I’m away or home alone. Keys in pouch.

A ****** off powerlifter.

Tall side gates.

Neighbours who work from home.

It all helps, at least against opportunistic crap. Mostly seems to be people ‘breaking’ into unlocked cars or linking to unprotected keys around here. There are also people with far bigger houses and expensive cars.
 
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Couple of Arlo camera's on the outside, one on the inside. The front one is visible as you walk down the path in the hope of it being a deterrent, though most criminals couldn't give a toss whether they're recorded these days.
Luckily we're end of cul-de-sac, and the neighbours houses are all side on, so you have to walk past 4 peoples living rooms to get to our house, so it's not possible to even get to the house un-noticed which I think helps.

Got a tracker hidden in my main car, though an 8 year old Hyundai estate is hardly tempting to car thieves :)
 
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That’s my issue with CCTV I’ve got a ring door bell and been provided with a lot of footage of the time leading up to to the breaking and they just walked all over the estate with masks on in the middle of the road shining torches down the drives. In the end decided on my car which wasn’t helped by having little decent security. I keep looking at CCTV but not sure on what’s good value for money that can be installed myself.
I’m in the process of a house insurance claim which I’ll be paying extra for anti snap locks as I was told they wouldn’t do that without paying a fee.
 
I've used Reolink CCTV for several years more because they've been around for several years and have a fully featured website. Usually cheaper to buy direct from their own sales. Which are always on of course.

These days you can setup cameras to do various alert methods from simple movement to face/plate recognition. The other advantage is instant streaming via a peer to peer system shared by manufacturers. Get an alert, get your phone out and see what's happening.

I'd install that now via CCTV just to be able to see my property from anyway, anytime.

Otherwise anything that'll slow them, give a visual/audible warning of detection or just get some Geese!
 
Some thoughts ...

Have a car that isn't particularly appealing to thieves if you can, if it doesn't bother you.

Physical security for the car. Put it out of sight if possible, garage it if possible. Otherwise, strong gates or bollards will put them off.

CCTV system with audible alarms and lights when triggered - Reolink is a popular choice here.

Make getting round the back of your house hard. i.e. high side gates.

Bright motion activated security lighting.
 
Quinnaay said:
That’s my issue with CCTV I’ve got a ring door bell and been provided with a lot of footage of the time leading up to to the breaking and they just walked all over the estate with masks on in the middle of the road shining torches down the drives. In the end decided on my car which wasn’t helped by having little decent security.
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Do you have a neighbourhood watch? Was anybody able to capture the car they were driving on CCTV and its registration (even though likely to be cloned). It would at least give the police a little more to go on. The car they were driving is likely to be something often stolen, so a Range Rover, Mercedes, Audi or BMW.

Adding some Apple Air Tags into your car is another relatively inexpensive way to track it.

What was your car that was stolen?
 
radderfire said:
Do you have a neighbourhood watch? Was anybody able to capture the car they were driving on CCTV and its registration (even though likely to be cloned). It would at least give the police a little more to go on. The car they were driving is likely to be something often stolen, so a Range Rover, Mercedes, Audi or BMW.

Adding some Apple Air Tags into your car is another relatively inexpensive way to track it.

What was your car that was stolen?
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Ive got an AirTag and never put it in the car such a shame. The car has been found 2 days after and it was involved in a 20min pursuit to which the driver rammed 3 police cars to get away. Rumour has it though it’s not one of the guys I have on CCTV from 2 doors down as he’s a lot chunkier than the 3 who broke in and took the keys.

Car was a BMW 330i devastated to be fair loved it.
 
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