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Where To Start With DIY Home Security?
secretrobotron writes "I'm a recent university graduate from a co-op system which has kept me on the move every other semester, so I've never really had a permanent place to live, and I've never had the opportunity (or the capital) to buy expensive things. Now that I'm working, those restrictions on my life are gone and I'm living in an apartment with things I don't want stolen. I would love to build a DIY home security system, but I don't even know where to start since Google searches reveal things like diysecurityforum.com, which help only to an extent for a curious newcomer. Has anybody out there successfully built a home security system on a budget? If so, where did you start?" Related query: When similar questions have come up before, many readers have recommended Linux-based Zoneminder (last updated more than a year ago); is that still the state of the art?
and if that doesn't work: more gun.
Do you even lift?
These aren't the 'roids you're looking for.
If you want peace of mind, yeah, put surveillance and monitoring, or just get insurance and back your data up. If you want to deter thieves, you just need to make it an unattractive target. You could put fake cameras and blinking lights, but that might tell a thief that there's something worth stealing.
From what I had read, sorry I don't have a link to it ATM, but apparently most burglars agree the one truly effective deterrent that makes them go some place else, is a big dog.
What do you intend to achieve with this system?
The best security is formed of a nice area, a good lock and a well-trained guard (yourself, for most households; your neighbours might also keep an eye out for you).
Electronics will just make you feel cooler. But the stuff will still be stolen and, no, you won't get it back. Those tracked-my-IP-address-camera stories are one in a million, and always seem to have glaring holes in the accounts.
So...
What are you going to buy that is worth stealing?
... X10. Avoid them like the plague. Apart from being general douche bags, their equipment is crap.
I'd start with shooting lessons at the local run range...
OK haha...
Your local police departments often have basic home security pamphlets and some can even send out community liasons to help with securing your home. I'd start here first *before* investing in cameras and all the gadgetry. If you don't secure your home first, some lucky burglar will have some shiny new cameras and alarms to pawn.
I went down this path years ago only to have a system plagued with the occasional false alarm. I spent years tring to figure out why. The cause was discovered by accident when the police, who was nearby, commented that the alarm went off as soon as he pressed the button on his two way radio. The system was not immune to RF interference. I have since settled on a good quality commercial system that I have installed myself, it is programmable and covers all of the areas of the house that I want and sends me an SMS if it is set off. Someone else has done the painstaking R&D leaving me to get on with enjoying life.
$5 / month hosted VPS on linux = awesome!
A moat and a drawbridge.
NB: The message above might reflect my opinion right now, but not necessarily tomorrow or next year.
OK. This is all about Risk Management. There are four strategies to Risk Management (check out the ISO on Wikipedia - 31000 I think?): 1. Mitigate the chance, 2. Mitigate the damage, 3. Insure it, 4. Accept it.
It sounds like you're not too keen on Accepting it, so lets consider the other three options. The magic here is to budget for it. Don't spend $1M to protect your $1000 stereo.
Chance mitigation is all about making it less likely for you to be invaded. This is about taking away temptation (eg tint your windows, good curtains), making entry harder (locks, security screens), and discouraging attackers (those cool stickers that threaten trunk monkey attack)
Damage mitigation is about reducing the damage once they're in. Alarm system. Connected to local security firm. Be prepared to pay $1 per day for monitoring.
Insure it. Nuff said.
There is nothing in this about video-ing the perps. There is nothing in it about having a gun, or traps or anything weird. When you assess the possible outcomes, those things don't reduce your loss, and likely increase your trauma.
Good luck!
http://www.linuxhomesecurity.com/
All the surveillance is based on MythTV. Seems open source friendly.
"Maybe this world is another planet's hell"
Aldous Huxley
The odds that you will get your stuff stolen are pretty low. Security systems are mostly a waste of money. Just get some realistic looking ADT stickers (from eBay) that will make the thieves think you have a security system. Having an actual system will get you ZERO extra security, just costs.
In case you get your stuff stolen, get home insurance, they will give you money and then you can buy newer toys! Actually, get insurance anyway, if the building burns or something and you are responsible, you really want insurance.
It's been said several times already.. but a big, noisy dog. (preferably one who likes you, but is SLIGHTLY territorial.) but.. if you get a Dog.. you need to learn about pack mentality, and learn how to control the dog.. establish that you're the alpha male, and then make sure the dog is happy enough that he doesn't need to challenge alpha male's status. ;)
Works for me. I live in a small city, big university . . . no crime. I left my Mercedes unlocked on a Friday after work, came back on Monday morning and was surprised to find it unlocked.
And the car was still there, and everything in it.
Stay out of conflict zones . . . and then you don't any need for high tech security systems.
Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
Marbles, glue, garden-rake, thumb-tacks, bucket o' water (over a door). You should be able to buy this ACME Home Alone security system for about $9.
You could put fake cameras and blinking lights, but that might tell a thief that there's something worth stealing.
exactly! That's why I put stickers with images like this and this on my valuables. And scatter around photographs of people in advanced stages of AIDS and Leprosy around with captions of "me with my buddies..."
I've never had a problem with theft.
RIP America
July 4, 1776 - September 11, 2001
I think being dead is a better deterrent. And it doesn't push the problem onto somebody else.
Very interested in seeing what is posted here. Ever since I bought a diy motion detector I've
wondered about low cost, diy security systems and home automation. I hope some other
solutions than zoneminder are available. I have relatively small area to cover right now, so a
camera and motion sensor is enough but I'd like to know how to scale it.
If you are looking for multiple camera application, and using windows, I've used webcamxp
with some success. (not free) but it supports some wifi cameras and my logitech orbit (with tilt/zoom).
A 20$ motion sensor phones any phone call and plays a pre-recorded msg. The webcamxp will email me
and record/send video
A moat of course. A water barrier is quite effective keeping out the vandals and goths, not to mention pesky viking raiders.
*narf!*
Dog
Better auditory detection capabilities.
Better olfactory detection capabilities.
Better friend-or-foe algorithms.
More reliable than any electronic equipment.
More trustworthy than any security system vendor.
Faster response times than any security or law enforcement.
More immediate and satisfying effects than any justice system.
Fluffier.
A dog that barks a lot when someone comes to the door is probably the best deterrent.
That said, I didn't want a dog. I registered a business and set up an account with an alarm distribution company. I then bought a panel, box, wire, keypads, a siren, and various types of sensors. I then printed out labels for all the doors and windows. I then wired the house, connecting all the stuff, and got an alarm monitoring service, to get the insurance discount. Paid for itself in a few years, plus I got better at wiring in walls. You could easily bypass that portion by paying someone who does wiring for alarm installers. They tend to be excellent in sneaking wires you can't see.
In order to select the correct solution for you, we're going to need your address and a list of the expensive stuff you don't want stolen. Oh, and in case we drop by, please let us know the hours that you're usually at home. Would hate to make the trip out there only to find that you're away. Thanks!
Our primary home security system is Terri the Terrorist Terrier -- 55 pounds of friendly tail-wagging furry cuddliness if she knows and likes you, 55 scary pounds of big teeth and growls if you're a stranger.
When we first got Terri my wife and I lived in what some might call a "sketchy" neighborhood, and we KNOW Terri scared off (and likely bit, from the screams) at least one or two intruders in the yard, well before they could get to the house or to my office in a separate building. Terri is also portable; if you need to walk around a not-nice neighborhood, you can take Terri with you.
Terri has also handled the few rat infestations we've had, using the traditional terrier "shake until dead" method.
We got Terri from the Manatee County Animal Shelter. There is surely a similar facility near you that has a perfect alarm system waiting to go home and protect you from burglars, cats, and Al Queda operatives -- and who will wag his or her tail when you come home and probably even lick your face if allowed. Don't worry about breeds and all that. You'll know the right dog, and the right dog will know you. Training is not hard, and dog food is cheap. For 24/7 indoor AND outdoor protection, you'll want a doggie door and a fenced yard, but your living circumstances may not allow this. No big; millions of dogs live indoors and go out for walks and to dog parks for exercise.
"Woof," tweets Terri -- @TerriTerrier
For the cost of setting up your own security system (or going commercial), you could pay for years of upgraded homeowner's insurance with full replacement value coverage. Take pictures of everything you own, keep copies of the receipts for expensive stuff at the office, and you are good to go. And not just against theft, but against fire, and whatever else you choose to cover with your policy.
And for the VERY RARE home invasion that occurs while you are home: If you are that worried, yes, a shotgun can go a long way there...
SirWired
Movement operated game cameras are cheap, and you could pretty easily re-wire to do something other than take a picture if you wanted to.
I have to note that a cat is not a viable replacement in that regard. Pretty sure my cats would rub up against burglars, purring, and then lead them to their food bowls, which happen to be near the computer.
I sold alarms for three years and installed them professionally for one. Don't waste your time. Even in the places that cops actually do respond to alarms, they prioritize them so low that they become basically worthless. It's not like they can do anything once they get there anyways. Only in rare instances can they enter.
If you do feel that you need one anyways, I recommend one that can text/page/email you instead of paying a monthly service fee. The police will most likely come out if they receive a call from an actual person (you). You can get the basic hardware for about $100-$150. I recommend the Honeywell equipment for simplicity and ease of use. You need simplicity if you plan on arming/disarming it every time you enter/leave your home.
Just get some realistic looking ADT stickers (from eBay) that will make the thieves think you have a security system.
Several months ago, a woman with an ADT logoed polo shirt and Khaki pants knocked on my door and said "I'm not here to sell you a system. I just want to know if I can put one of our signs on your front lawn."
I was eating dinner and wanted her to go away, but now I wished I asked why - that was a weird request.
RIP America
July 4, 1776 - September 11, 2001
German Shepherds, and a 12-gauge shotgun. You can probably use the gun for other things, like killing noisy turkeys, and the dog will make an excellent addition to your family and/or good way to attract chicks if you take it for the occasional walk in the park (although, if the dog is out with you, its not home watching the house. Maybe get two and have them work on shifts).
Your home security system isn't going to keep stuff from being stolen. It might present some deterrent. It might help catch the thief, but it won't do anything to repair the damage the thief causes before realizing you have one. I remember sitting on a bench across from a store some years back. Some guy walked up to the store. Looked in the window. Walked away. Came back and smashed the window to grab some item that probably was worth $50 or so and run. The store had an alarm, which commenced wailing away, but did nothing to get the item back, or the much more valuable window unbroken.
I went through this about 6 months ago.
I ran Linux zoneminder and Blue Iris - a commercial but inexpensive Windows program each on their own dedicated servers. The servers were single rack space Dual Atoms. I then installed a $100 eBay wireless IP camera, a Linksys wireless IP camera, A usb video capture card with 1 camera, and a regular USB web-cam so I could try each of these out in comparison.
The $100 camera was useless - terrible focus. The linksys, being the most expensive at $250 was the best, but is not an outdoor camera without additional housing. The USB camera is acceptable but requires proximity to the servers. The video camera is also acceptable.
After running the software for 2 months, I eventually settled on Blue Iris. It was $49 and a lot more stable than ZoneMinder. There were some features of zoneminder I liked, but after using both I found several instances were ZoneMinder had flaked out and I could not retrieve data/images that I would need if I was really researching a theft. The errors are very cryptic, often requiring extreme measures to determine what had gone wrong. Usually I just gave up and rebooted everything and it would start working again. The configuration for zoneminder is also very difficult, having to get various versions of video for linux V1 and V2, java applets/jar files etc all tied together. You can go with their 'ready to run CD' to avoid the painful configuration work, but then you are stuck with their Linux distribution, and I wanted to go with the current Ubuntu.
In the end, I have a system I am confident will provide me with images after an incident that will lead to an arrest. I plan on adding/replacing with more of the Linksys style wireless IP cams, at about $250 a pop as budget allows. The entire system will probably get its own dedicated wireless lan eventually. I can also browse in when I am on the road and check in on things, although that is more of a 'peace of mind' thing and doesn't really have much practical use.
Server - $300ish with 1.5T disk space, wireless hub (eBay) $50ish, wireless cams - $250ish each, Windows+Blue Iris - $150ish - reasonably expect up to about 6 cameras. This puts it in the same range as a decent Hard disk based dedicated security recorder from say Radio Shack, but with a wireless ability and lot more flexibility.
slashdot troll = you make a compelling argument I do not like the implications of.
If you leave a corpse on your lawn people normally don't pester you.
Of course, you need some privacy or the cops can be a real pain.
Stable too.
the only problem with using it for home security is if the burglars steal your server when they break in...
Seriously though, I use zoneminder, it has a really slick web interface, easy to configure, any camera supported by v4l2 is supported, there's also a nice plugin for mythtv - so if you use myth as your htpc - you can view your security recordings, or your live camera feeds on your tv.
Just make sure you have an offsite backup - otherwise burglars will steal your recordings of them
Video surveillance isn't really a deterrent though - a rather useful deterrent for nerds (which is actually more successful than it should be) - is to use a home automation system (like X10) to turn on house lights/tv etc, on a schedule - so if you aren't home in the evening, it will look like someone is to anyone who is scoping your place out for a burglary.
You can never know everything, and part of what you do know will always be wrong. Perhaps even the most important part.
Zoneminder works flawlessly here with multiple cameras, despite not being updated for a year.
As to its features, it is very good at detecting motion, even when the area of motion is small compared to the whole frame. And you can playback all activity so you can know for sure if anyone has been acting suspicious so as to keep your guard up. I'd definitely recommend it, but with other security, because 1) a camera can't see everything 2) a camera won't stop a breakin.
Anybody tried Dropcam?
http://www.dropcam.com/
Small Wi-Fi cameras that stream to a cloud service and provide remote viewing from the web or an iPhone. Offsite storage is pretty cool - if the camera gets stolen, you can still watch the recorded footage.
Wish it ran Linux though. :-)
Get renter's insurance. Seriously. I don't think I ever had a policy priced at more than $100/year. If you also have a reasonably late-model car you can usually get a "multi-policy discount" that's greater than the cost of the renter's policy.
Surveillance equipment is just something else to be stolen if there's a breakin.
install the system yourself from: http://www.safemart.com/
then sign up for their $10/month monitoring..
that or a big dog.
http://www.stopthecrime.com/faqs.aspx
Fog the place and the bad guys can't hang around.
"This post is an artistic work of fiction and falsehood. Only a fool would take anything posted here as fact."
Guns. Lots of guns. And flamethrowers. And electrify all the door knobs by hooking them to 220V mains.
1) Renters insurance 2) A solid core door, preferably steel-clad 3) A German Shepherd or other large protective breed of dog 4) A shotgun
The man who never alters his opinion is like the stagnant water and breeds Reptiles of the Mind -- William Blake
I've always thought a baboon would be good.
So, SOMEONE slashed my motorcycle tires. I didn't want that to happen again since those particular tires are expensive for my bike (whitewalls). I went to Fry's and realistically spent about $2,000 on hardware. Now, I KNOW I am not going to keep all of it, but I just wanted to see what worked best for my needs. About 3 trips later I ended up with:
# $250-$350 4 channel DVR (I don't remember how much but it was the cheapest decent recorder).
# 1 $275 + tax wireless camera with receiver. (awesome quality and sound!)
# 1 "bullet cam" that is not tiny, but small enough to be hidden in plants. It is wired. Maybe $50?
I later returned the Fry's DVR and got one off of newegg for $100 +tax and shipping, though I had to provide a SATA drive that I already had.
I also spent a bit more, like $80 on 8 D cell rechargeable batteries, and then like $145 on a powermaxx (best company EVER) for a D charger with 4 batteries. Although I had a wireless camera, I had no where to plug it in. So I made a battery pack. My #'s indicate I could run that camera for at least 24 hours with consistent connection and quality, then about 12 more hours and it got dimmer, crappier video quality and less night time infrared abilities as the batteries died.
Thanks to Fry's excellent return policy, the only thing you lose is your time! But I was able to return all that went unused. Here are some things to avoid: Small/tiny wireless cameras: their quality and resolution sucks. Avoid very expensive cameras as that they'll be no better than middle range cameras. Don't worry about the DVR, they all pretty much suck. Don't use your PC as a DVR, pretty much most people have problems with it. Oh, and of all the DVRs I used, all of them had issues being accessed through the internet.
Someone ended up stealing that wireless camera, and I have that on DVR! My buddy put it on youtube for me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE0NkvA1uh4
I ended up buying another 2 of those cameras and mounted them high up and attached securely to the wall.
If you want more info on what exactly I bought, feel free to email me.
My abilities are only limited by my imagination
The ONLY truly effective security measure is to hire armed guards. You probably can't afford that. For the average non-wealthy person, the best thing is a dog. Get a big dog that will bark when people open the door or break a window. Most will do that without any training, especially at night.
Security systems don't prevent break-ins, and if you can't prevent them, then what's the point?
For myself, I'd be happy to use a linux-based system. However, I have a request by somebody else who wants security for an apartment complex.
I can probably handle setup, but I want something that's low-fuss so that I don't end up having to babysit it.
Can anyone comment on systems Like these, for indoor/outdoor (doorways and parking area) surveillance, or make other recommendations?
Seriously, there are more "guns" solutions than there are high-tech solutions. Where are the geeks?
"The ability to delude yourself may be an important survival tool" - Jane Wagner -
As someone who's been trying to whip up ZoneMinder into a marketable state for over a year now, I have to say it's not all it's made out to be. The capture daemons are brittle and crash frequently due to resource and memory leaks. When they exit abnormally, they always do so with the same code 255, and don't produce workable logs. Timestamps of " 1 january 1970" happen all the time, which mess up the timeline view of events. The web front end is arcane, spartan, and really time-intensive to learn. (E.g. clicking on a monitor's name does something different from clicking on its IP address, even though both screens go to a different subset of camera settings. The difference between a "modect with no zone" and a "monitor" is arbitrary. All the different camera "modes" are strange in my opinion. That there's ten different ways to view events is weird. And so on. It's not unlearnable, but it's far, far from usable.)
So instead of just whining, I patched a lot of these issues, along with adding some new cameras to the database and improving the translation for my native language. I sent the maintainer a pretty nice patch set, if I say so myself. Guess what? Absolute silence, never heard anything back. Which I could live with, if my patches at least showed up in the next release. But no new releases for over a year. So my patience with this project is pretty much over.
Tazer traps, everywhere.
I think Home Alone covered this subject....
I plan on using the PowerMax+
http://www.homesecuritystore.com/p-755-visonic-powermax-powermax-plus-wireless-home-security-system.aspx
And the GSM unit to be able to control the system via touch-tones and SMS. The system is highly scalable and configurable; so you can expand the system as your budget allows.
http://www.homesecuritystore.com/p-755-visonic-powermax-powermax-plus-wireless-home-security-system.aspx
a gun
And a good safe to store it in when you're away somewhere you can't take it with you. (Some jurisdictions blame YOU if a neighborhood gangsta lifts it and uses it somewhere else. So you don't want to depend on locked cases or hidey-holes.)
Get a fire safe. Not only do they help protect stuff against damage in a fire, they're double-walled with a layer of firebrick between the walls. This makes them heavy enough that it takes a special piece of equipment to move them. So the bad guys can't just haul it off somewhere else to crack it ^even if you don't bolt it to the floor with the locknuts inside).
and if that doesn't work: more gun.
Once you've got enough "stopping power" to make the threat credible and follow through if you're called, you don't need to go larger. As McClary's law of firepower says: "You can't stop a bullet with a bigger bullet." Which in this case means "they can't". Housebreakers don't go in for (ineffective) arms races. They are more into avoiding "houses that shoot" in favor of less dangerous prey.
Decent sized pistol for one-on-one or few-on-one, shotgun if mobs-on-one might be an issue, and you're golden.
For home defense load your 12-gauge shotgun with fine birdshot loads, like number 40: It's just as effective as 00 if there's nothing but air between gun and target - but gets stopped by a couple layers of drywall at any significant distance - so you don't need to include the neighbors in the exercise. Fragmenting or greatly expanding hollowpoint bullets (such as "Golden Saber" or "Silvertip") in the pistol for the same reason (and also so it doesn't go THROUGH the bad guy and hit the neighbors if the perp is such a fool that you actually have to fire.)
According to FBI stats, safest (in terms of victim injury/death percentages) defense (by a BUNCH) is with-gun, next safest is knuckling under, and everything else is far worse.
Mandatory mindset: IF you have picked up the gun you have ALREADY DECIDED that you WILL fire if the perp attacks despite it. Get that figured out in your head before considering picking up the gun - or even getting one for self/home defense. You need to already be past that internal conflict to fire in time if it is necessary.
Take the NRA "Personal Protection" firearms course - before deciding what (if any) gun to buy or dedicate for the purpose. Excellent, cheap, customized for your area and its laws, taught by certified instructors with the legal issues handled by an official of the jurisdiction. A weekend's instruction (or several evening sessions) and you'll have the skills, competence, and understanding of the law and its fallout necessary to know when to defend and do it properly.
Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way
Best security system available. At least according to an insurance adjuster relative who told me that security systems don't work. Plus you can have a wonderful companion and maybe even save a life,
Here's the question: Do you want to just record a nice video of your stuff being stolen or do you want to stop the theft from happening?
Security isn't just cameras and sensors. It's also physically locking stuff down, securing things so that people can't just pick them up and walk off with them.
I like the idea of an active defense system that will help prevent theft, but let's face it... that won't fly in any court of law. Still.. you can use non-lethal means.
First off, get a real security company to come do an audit and have them set something up. Get plenty of those security stickers and flags. Yes, put them up.
Second, consider nailing or "earthquake proofing" things with tie downs and bolts. You can't move a big screen quickly if it's been bolted to the wall/table/etc.
Third, get a good strong safe, make sure it's bolted down or otherwise secured in place. This is where your valuables should ideally go.
Fourth, get sound based pain field generators and tie that to your DIY sensors and such. Ie, if windows open or glass broken, pain field blast. If a sensor or trip occurs in key areas... like a drawer, or the safe is jostled... pain field generator. For the sadistic, I suppose you can install drop gates on all windows and doors to prevent the thieves from leaving... but that might be construed as torture.
Tongue-in-cheek aside, most security kits are for ID'ing the perps... so get high resolution and plenty of storage. What's the point of a camera that doesn't record footage good enough? Also, place cameras in multiple angles. From high up, from down low, anywhere/place where it will increase the chance of getting a shot of their faces. Also, have cameras outside as well. Make sure the cameras can adjust to different light levels as well as have IR illumination to ensure proper viewing. Install dummy ones and hidden real ones...
Oh. If you've got stuff you want to keep safe... home insurance policy. Keep a copy in the bank's safety deposit box, along with copies of receipts and such for stuff you have on the plan...
Winged Power Photography
Spend a bunch of signs stating that you got a badass security system using some respectable company names and stuff like 24/7 Remote Surveillance and either get a dog or one of those fake dog bark systems - they've come a long way - complete with rattling chains, random barks etc.
I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own.
Aside from being terrific companions, dogs make a lot of racket when someone comes to the door.
If you want to talk security systems, I have a Lynx wireless system that I installed myself in a couple of hours. I had verizon move the ONT into my basement with steel conduit to the box outside to protect the fiber from being cut. I have one pad in the kitchen and the master pad in our bedroom. My wife and I each have a keyfob for enabling and disabling it easily.
I have about $400 in it with all the extra sensors for the house.
And what would this post be without mentioning my firearms; a 4.5" .357 magnum revolver and a S&W 9mm semi-auto, both of which I am extremely proficient in and unafraid to use.
... like a rampaging herd of tiny yipping dogs with 10khz barks.
Does having a witty signature really indicate normality?
Take a look at http://www.nononsenseselfdefense.com/propertycrime.html
It has great information on all kinds of things including real world home safety.
A copy of an Indiana Jones movie for reference, a large rock, a chisel and a ramp. Oh, and some kind of triggering device based on twisted vines.
Nullius in verba
1. you said apartment so a guard dog is probably not practical. more to the point, the insurance liability for a guard dog is way more expensive than any discount for having an alarm. but, if you're on the ground floor, you might get a leash, water and food bowls, half-empty kibble bag, pooper scooper, some (visibly used) chew toys, and a muzzle, then scatter them around the patio. extra points for getting some fake poop.
2. to be effective, an alarm needs to be monitored by a "central station". two or three false alarms and the neighbors will call 9-1-1 to report you for your noisy alarm instead of reporting a possible burglary; you might be asked to disconnect it. central stations probably won't let you connect your own jury-rigged solution.
3. just get proper insurance. for an apartment this is actually not very expensive, cheaper than basic cable in most cases.
4. don't advertise that you have anything nice. don't poke any antennas out through the apartment windows. if you have a window facing the street or common area, don't put your art collection, 50" plasma, and multiple equipment racks in plain view. if you have assigned parking, don't park your BMW in a spot that is labeled with your apartment number.
5. your car (if you have one) is more likely to be broken into than your apartment. get a top notch alarm for it, and never ever leave anything (valuable or not) visible. some people will break a window to steal $10 sunglasses. a stack of quarters in the coin holder and a GPS mount on the windshield is nearly irrestistable.
6. rather than make a DIY alarm, I'd suggest buying a commercially available alarm product and installing it yourself. you're more likely to end up with a working system and will have the option of connecting to a central station.
7. upgrade the physical security. get the add-on locks for patio doors and slider windows. deadbolts on all doors. double cylinder on doors with or near windows. have the locks rekeyed so prior tenants' copies won't work. get in the habit of closing the windows when you leave, no matter how hot it is. (in fact, it's my opinion that most of the value of the alarm is the feature where it reminds you that you left a window or door open.)
8. consider more mundane measures like an inventory of your stuff, off-site backups of your computers, recording the serial numbers of everything (not just the expensive stuff)
9. take a moment to consider on-line security. you will be way more upset at someone taking over your email account, sending your bank a password reset request, then transferring ALL of your money out of your account. protect your email accounts and all devices including phone with as much password security as they allow.
10. move to a lower-crime area for some peace of mind. taking the attitude that you can solve a deep social problem with improvised technology is naive.
I totally agree. You can probably choose peace of mind cheaper than by putting up home security. But where's the fun in THAT ?
What I did was ask myself: What do I want to secure, and how can I go about doing that.
In my neck of the woods, home invasions, natural disasters and similar stuff is exceedingly rare, so my protection revolves mostly around physical access (thieves), crime prevention, identification and ofcourse with the modern day "smart house", also data access.
While my budget wasn't exactly small, it was also not unlimited. So what I did was oder some cheap megapixel IP cameras. They hook up just nice to a simple linux box through a PoE switch. That pretty much takes care of identification. Should anyone like to come near my house, they're on record doing so. Most criminals dont want to get caught, so they avoid places that has cameras. Dont scrimp and buy a dummy. Thieves are NOT dummies, they know the difference.
Crime prevention is a bit harder. The idea here is to deter offenders, and have them choose another target. Cutting down bushes to allow neighbors to see your doors and windows will help a lot. Thieves and other criminals prefer to work unnoticed. Getting a dog helps. As does stuff like a gate or similar access control systems that might deter thieves that pull up with a moving truck and clean you out under the guise of being movers. Also lock up your shed and tools whenever you're not using them. Many thieves use your own tools for breaking into your house. Leaving a crowbar next to your front door is nearly as good as leaving the key in the lock. Alarm systems might work aswell. Some thieves will shy away from them because it's easier to find a place with lesser security. Marking valuables with your name or or identfying marks will generally make thieves less likely to want your stuff, it'll be harder to fence.
Securing physical access is more expensive, and cannot stand alone. Given enough time anyone can circumvent physical access blocks. But using them in conjuction with say, an alarm system that doesnt give a thief enough time to complete his obejctive will normally help. Locking up valuables in a safe is a good idea, but keeping the combination on the fridge door, not so much. Close windows when you're not at home. Use security glass, or film on your windows to prevent entry. Use two or three locks on your doors. Safety doors are also usefull. Hide stuff from plain sight, a thief will not (usually) know where you put your stuff.
Personal safety, also important to some. With an alarm, you can also have an emergency response call button. These are pretty much standard. Keep it near/on you at all times if you're living in a high risk area/situation. Learning self defense is also easy and cheap. While I dont condone the use of weapons against people as a matter of principle, this may be needed in really bad areas. Use the lockdown mode on your alarm system at night or when you're not expecting company. Again, buy a dog. Dogs are easily trained to protect you.
Computer safety: Well, the best firewall I ever saw was 3 feet of air. Good luck hacking a non connected network. Unfortunately, most people dont consider living offline an option. So keep strong passwords, use encryption when possible (with a different password), and change your passwords whenever you suspect someone has gotten a hold of it. Never use the same password for a lot fo serives. In general, hackers will try the "guessed" password on a LOT of services. Also install and keep up to date a firewall, anti spyware and anti virus software. Security through obscurity is also an option. I have yet to see a single virus on say... OS/2.... Downside is, I've also rarely seen any decent software ;)
Also, use threaded internet services. While wireless seems cool, it's merely one more way to hack into your system.
But like I said: Figure out your needs before you decide what's the solution.
--- To err is human... Am I more human than most ?
Well I'm a (25 years) alarm technician converted to a computer technician and GOOD ALARM systems ar not cheap, and DIY is cheaper but you have to have some electronics (know how) to do something home made...
If you'r mechanical enought, you can build a BOOBY TRAP, but that is not verry helpfull if you'r not ther to catch the BOOBY...
I say it's all in the habit of people...
First LOCK THE DOORS when you leave the home, then DONT BRAG about the expensive stuff you have EVEN TO FRIENDS, if you go for a long period HIDE YOU'R EXPENSIVE STUFF from you'r windows, have a naibour pick up you'r mail (as if you'r not gone), DONT PUT EXPENSIVE STUF BOXES TO THE GARBAGE...
Be home wise... the opposite of above is all indications to thefs that HEY I'M GONN FOR THE WEEK END, I JUST BAUGHT A BRAND NEW 40" TV AND MY FRIENS KNOW FOR SURE...
The cheapest way is having a friend or naibour to monitor you'r home while you'r gon...
Hope this help!!!
Get size 14-16 work boots from second hand store and old issue of Guns & Ammo. Leave on front porch with a note on the door that says: "Bubba, Rufus, Jim Bob and I went to the store to get more beer and ammo. The pit bulls attacked the mail carrier this morning and things got out of hand. Not sure if Killer got involved, there was too much blood to tell. In any case all four of the pit bulls are in the house so you better wait outside till we get back."
Keep Doing Good.
This software works well for me. Motion is detected as changes
in light intensity. You can run multiple instances of different
USB web cams. I rigged one up in the new house, it logs activity
around the house and in the house. Send the data to a remote server and
you can see who is stealing your stuff. Cheap cams can be found
on eBay, a powered USB hub and some cables. Google it.
Sadly, my guns are usually in the safe.
Meh...In the '90s, the DIY airplane guys were kicking the crap out of the General Aviation market. Nothing less sophisticated than a business jet was anywhere near as cool (read that as "had anywhere near the performance, value, and looks") as the amateur-built experimental airplanes. The Glasairs, Lancairs, etc. were miles (literally) and years ahead of anything that Cessna, Piper, etc. were building.
MCSE? No, sir...I don't do Windows. Yes, I am an idealist. What's your point?
Found this on the web awhile back:
Use your Dropbox to keep abreast of happenings at your home while you’re away. Here’s how it works:
Connect a motion sensor camera to your computer.
Whenever the camera detects motion, it takes video.
Set the camera software to save the video files, which should be shortenoughin length and low enough in resolution as to not be too huge of a file size, in your Dropbox folder after downloading the software.
Now, you can just log in to your Dropbox, and check for videos.If there are videos, you know there has been motion at your house, and you can watch them to find out what’s going on!
most burglars agree the one truly effective deterrent that makes them go some place else, is a big dog.
Had an alarm. What a pain in the ass. Can't count the number of false alarms. Most seemed to happen at 3 or 4 in the morning. There was no way to get back to sleep after all that adrenalin was pumping.
Now I have 2 Dobermans. Sweetest dogs you'd ever meet. They like barking at people outside the house or fence though. Everyone in the neighborhood is terrified of them. I have signs on my fence with a profile of a doberman head that say "I can make it to the fence in 4.2 seconds. Can you?" That and a doggy door, MUCH better than any alarm system.
Who is John Galt?
Use lots of tin cans & twine (or clear fishing wire that's not easily seen). This system cannot be defeated by power loss, intentional or accidental, or even a software hack. You could set up a mic to pick up the sound & a cell phone to dial the cops with a prerecorded msg too if you want to get somewhat technical/fancy.
Brought to you by Cheapo Security Systems Inc.
Harbor freight as a batch of dummy cameras you can set up around the place. Good for deterence. Working cameras won't do more to deter, but may help catch the miscreant if the police can be bothered to investigate. Good luck with that in Philly, though.
Birdshot is not good even at across the room distances. It will not attain needed penetration. You don't want to hurt the bad guy you want to stop him.
00 is fine, slugs are better. You don't care that what happens later, this ain't the movies and you need the bad guy to stop now.
http://www.theboxotruth.com/
Housebreakers don't go in for (ineffective) arms races. They are more into avoiding "houses that shoot" in favor of less dangerous prey.
I can't be the only one that envisioned automatic "gun cameras" here can I?
Insurance doesn't deter crime, its an after-the-fact remedy. It replaces stolen possesions
Oftentimes it doesn't even do that. An insurance check can't replace your family herilooms at any price.
An alarm won't stop a quick smash-n-grab, but it will limit the amount of time that the criminal can spend in your residence pilfering your stuff. With a proper alarm and TL-30 rated safe, it's very unlikely that someone will walk out with the family jewels before the police arrive.
That said, an alarm and a good safe are not cheap. Whether it's worth it depends on your risk and how many "priceless" items you would protect.
To the OP's point, an alarm will add some degree of safety for your family. It's preferable to having a door or window open quietly in the middle of the night.
My home was burglarized years ago, and while I've never been able to replace what was taken, I am most thankful that none of my family was at home when the break-in occurred.
Yes, that should be really effective against burglars that call while he's out at work / out on a date / on vacation / ...
What do you have that you have to spend your whole life sitting next to and guarding?
Quidnam Latine loqui modo coepi?
I'm going to do something different from the others here - rather then tell you you don't need it like all the other useless posts, I'm going to actually try to help you.
Experience: 6 years in the alarm industry. 5 of them as senior staff.
Everyone has the stickers, they're so common they're hardly a deterrant. If you want to go the faux security route, then get the stickers and an old external alarm siren (they have the light on the outside and such). Don't get the metal ones, they rust and haven't been installed by reputable installers for a long time. There are burglars out there that know this, most alarms that still have them are either downpowered or just don't work. Get one of the new plastic ones. Don't hook it up to mains or a battery so that it flashes. If it's flashing, then that's a sign that the "alarm" has activated, and some would see this and say "well it false activates all the time anyway, so if I break in and it goes off, nobody will take any notice".
I have encountered plenty of daring burglars who do break into houses with alarms. About 95% of the time when this happens they'll immediately run, fearing that the someone is on the way. The other 5%, well, your chances of getting them are 50/50. Half of them don't leave because they're absolute morons, and so get found very easily. The other half are very good at what they're do, and so unless you go the armed guard or never leave the house, you can't do anything about them.
With most modern alarms you can set them up to dial to your cellphone (provided you have a landline it can call from) to notify you of the alarm activating, and to be honest you're going to find out about your alarm going off faster with this then with monitoring. The upside to having a monitoring service is that they will send a patrol if they can't get a hold of you, so if do the dial to cell thing you'd need to be dilligent with your cellphone. With dial to cell you can still have a security company respond at your request if you can't attend for whatever reason, but you'll need to make arrangements with a company for this beforehand (and they'll probably charge you something like $25USD a year just to have an account and to hold keys).
I would recommend buying a basic Bosch/EDM Solution 880 (would highly recommend the ultima as it's more expandible, but the non-ultima version is still plenty good) pack off of fleabay. You need: The panel (the PCB, the transformer & box it resides in) a couple of sensors (PIR's, don't forget to pay the extra for Pet safe PIR's if you have them), a backup battery (7a/h battery), the appropriate keypad, an internal siren (peizo) and an external siren.
Seeing as you'd be DIY'ing this I'd avoid wireless equipment as much as possible, RF interference can be very random, and even for experienced techs can be a long and painful process to diagnose and fix. It's best for you to just avoid it, at least until you're more accustomed to how these things work.
If you need help or advice with the installation, configuration & options then you can contact me via this web page: bahamut.kicks-ass.org/contact/ (sorry I just don't want my email splashed around, work might not take kindly to it). I'm not in the US (nor do I have any buisiness partners there), and you probably are, so I have nothing to commercially/monetarily gain from helping you.
I have a home alarm system where the primary purpose to alert the authorities in case of fire. With two dogs at home during the day by themselves I figured it was worth piece of mind. With a simple placard by the front door alerting people that there are dogs in the house should an emergency to arise. If it deters someone from breaking in and sticking around to find the valuables while I am not home all the better.
* Winners compare their achievements to their goals, losers compare theirs to that of others.
Dogs are useful and all, but bear in mind that your neighbours won't be very happy if the damn things bark all night, or whenever a pedestrian walks past your house. They will also be unimpressed if when you take the brutes for walkies you let them shit all over the sidewalk, nature strips, and their front lawns.
OK, so maybe everyone else in your street should stop being so whiny about your lovely, loyal pets. This is true, but it's also true that if I saw a burglar breaking into the house of the redneck with the big noisy dogs that bark the whole damn night and shit where I walk, I probably wouldn't report that burglar.
Social engineering. Make friends with the people next door, and look out for each other. That nosy neighbour who stays at home all day can be your greatest security asset if you're on good terms.
sustainable living
I just got a Bayweb internet enabled programmable thermostat and self monitored "security system". For $230 on Amazon I got it with a X10 motion detector. It uses this to determine if the home is vacant or occupied to set the temperature and notify you by SMS or email of intruders at specific times you set. It can also interface with other normally open or closed sensors like door and window sensors, either 1 or 3 wired sensors (depending on the model), and an unlimited number by X10.
I'm going to set up my home server so both I and it will receive the notification emails, and it will then play my voice saying "Hey, get the F out of my house. The police have been called and are on their way," and it will also record for a while from a USB webcam, when intruders are detected.
http://bayweb.com/mktg/webthermostat.php
What, you've never watched "Home alone"?
"The agriculture ministry is not in charge of Gundam" - Japanese ministry official.
unless the intruder is armed with a pineapple, then you are fucked
I have a linux server for a file server at our house, and I'm building a pretty decent system on the very cheap (not just because it's cheap, but because it's fun too) using a few different technologies..
My plan is to combine a few things into one system.. Security cameras, security sensors, and home automation including zoning. I'll list some of my resources below.. 90% of the battle is knowing what to look for..
zoning: search for 'diyzoning' and follow links from there to the real stuff.. diyzoning is actually being replaced..
automation:
1wire automation and sensors (cheap gadgets of all sorts): www.hobby-boards.com
you can find all sorts of other sites with 1wire and ibutton devices (ibuttons are a particular type of 1wire device, great contact based digital keys)
zigbee: easy to find when searching, it's more expensive, but makes a wireless mesh network which is easier than wires.. I like wires though, so I don't know much about these..
Security camera:
I currently use anything that works with linux and use "motion" for watching the cameras.. it takes videos only of events.. if you've got it tweaked right, it can also make an excellent intrusion sensor, you just have to be careful you don't get false positives.. it's very tweakable though)
Another security camera option that I've considered switching to is zoneminder.. It's got a web gui to make monitoring and configuration easier, but other than that it's very similar.
Another thing to do with the security cameras is to use something like rsync to get copies of events off site in case your server is stolen.. with any luck you'll still have the video of the person stealing your server..
I bought a card at a great price on ebay that takes 16 video inputs, and then I got balun's and cameras from www.dealextreme.com to hook to it.. easy as pie, and the $20 cameras from dealextreme have ir led arrays for pretty decent night vision..
Well, that's about all I can think of right off the top of my head.. Don't let people tell you a system like this is useless unless you pay a ton of $$ for it.. Even if you don't get broken in to, or you do and they still get the stuff and get away with it (happens with monitored systems too, I've seen it often at my work) you'll still have a lot of fun with the tech. I love blasting through the time lapse videos that motion puts together for me..
Yes, that should be really effective against burglars that call while he's out at work / out on a date / on vacation / ...
Out? Of the house? What are you talking about? This is slashdot!
You need physical protection. It doesn't have to be Fort Knox, just visibly more secure than your neighbors. Thieves want quick and easy with a fast getaway. Physical protection includes a big dog, bars on the windows and doors, barrier fences, etc. Note well that your Zoneminder won't stop a thief, it will only serve as one more pawnable item to steal. Become aware of how laughably easy it is to break into your house and do something about it!
Get an ELK M1 you can complete control and automate your house with it. Check this forum out for loads of info on dit security systems http://www.cocoontech.com/forums/index.php?act=idx
You missed the point. That guy knew there was an alarm so he knew he had to be quick. He chose what he wanted to take and limited it to a single item. Without an alarm the guy may have decided to smash the window and go into the back and get the $500 items and as many as he could carry, or even get a friend to help get even more. The alarm didn't stop the robbery, no system will, but it limited it to a smash and grab that probably saved the cost of the system.
by Ragnar Benson
I mean really, who pays attention to car alarms anymore? How many people REALLY get their stuff back or have a break in thwarted from some security stuff installed?
Security only works well if the premises are never totally unoccupied and there is always an awake human on call who isn't a drunk loser. Everything else is more crap than not.
Pro burglars know the local alarm companies and cops procedure, plus the timing. What they do sometimes is trip the alarm, wait the appropriate time for the cops to show up, determine it is a false alarm, then go in later after the cops leave. The cops think the second alarm is a false positive, so they don't bother showing up again.
I found this out after friends of mine were robbed, and they had fairly decent electronic monitored alarms.
And another thing, even having video is a big yawner for the cops, they *really* don't bother with residential burglary very much at all, just file the paperwork if required and that's it. They aren't going to track your stuff down based on some grainy video footage. They go out of their way to give any burglars plenty of time to leave the scene, the last thing a cop wants to do is confront a deranged crack or crank head in the act, especially now that they have "three strikes" laws and badguys know they are probably facing life if caught again. This means to them "fuck it, might as well try blasting my way out of this situation". The cops know this, so they sort of mosey onto the scene real slow like, if they bother to show at all. REALLY, your big screen video blaster and computer and junk laying around is not worth a cop risking a confrontation with a drug addict, so they don't do it for the most part. Your alarm will be an expensive reminder that not only are you out all your stuff, but also the cost of all the stupid alarm stuff.
Cops motto is "get home alive after the shift"..they are NOT going to die for someone's TV, nor are they going to really leadfoot it there sirens blazing, and they aren't going to devote hundreds of thousands of dollars of detective overtime for someone's apartment full of next years pawnshop junk (which is what all electronic gadgets are today, expensive, in one year, cheap pawnshop junk).. And I know this from dating a lady cop, she told me this straight up. It's sort of an unwritten rule they have today.
Alarms are peace of mind..that really don't work. Really robust steel doors and steel shutters work the best. If your insurance will drop rates to match a pro install, sure, what the heck, if not, pissed away money. Do it for the geek cool factor, as a hobby, but I hope people don't think this is really security either. Unless you are home and psychologically prepared and equipped to defend your domicile, you have no security.
Dogs are really overrated unless they really are extremely large and vicious dogs (plural, you need two at least), which are a security threat as well, as they are more likely than not to choimp some innocent one day when they get away from you (and don't depend on alleged "trained" dogs to always be like TV/Movie dogs-they aren't) and an expensive pain in the ass to maintain. I mean, think about it, a can of bear pepper spray is like ten bucks, poof, your dogs are now ineffective. Or they will use something more poisonous than that, or instantly lethal, as in just some cheap .22 with a plastic pop bottle duct taped to the barrel, the poor mans "gun not loud for at least one shot" device.
Home alarms are security theater at the best.
Seriously.
Any security system, starting with a locked door, is simply a polite request to have your things left alone. Someone who chooses not to will not.
If you're techie enough to have real data (including music, etc.), then make sure you have daily offsite backup. The hardware is trivial to replace (given money), but getting your information back requires an offsite backup.
Anything else and you're basically wasting your time.
I subscribe to the theory that thieves are lazy, they will seek out the easiest target.
Technology will only get you so far. Video surveillance will show you the perps after the fact. Alarms might scare off kids and amateur criminals. Shotgun traps will get you thrown in jail.
If you have ground floor windows, plant thorny bushes in front of them. Roses look nice. Invest in motion detecting exterior lighting. Put up a fence. Reinforce your doors. Install better locks. Make sure all points of access are easily seen by your neighbors and the police. Don't leave expensive stuff where it can be viewed from outside.
The goal is to make your place a less attractive target than the neighbors.
there are 3 kinds of people:
* those who can count
* those who can't
What the hell is #40 birdshot? fine sand? There's a #4 birdshot and #4 buckshot. #4 buckshot works well against human sized targets and is the minimum anyone usually recommends for self defense.
Get a good sized dog, and don't feed it that often, and a good insurance policy.
"Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job."-THG
12 guage automatic shotgun with 50 round drum/clip...BRI sabbot rounds are optional!
I use the Scientech LS-30 which is a device supporting several types of wireless sensors including PIR (infra-red), reed switch, glass breakage detector, smoke detector, medical alert button and wireless outdoor alarm.
The alarm system can report a break-in, fire or medical emergency via PSTN or SMS. It's very programmable, with support for lots of different zones, X10 home automation switches, day-of-week and time-of-day mode setting, doorbell and so on.
The LS-30 has accessories including a GSM module (for sending alerts via SMS) USB interface and also ethernet interface.
I wrote the LS30 project to allow me to control and monitor the device from linux. There's a daemon which connects to the alarm's ethernet port; it proxies commands (from clients on my machine) and events (alerts / status updates) from the device.
I have daemons to watch for particular events (e.g. door open/close), logging the activity rates of PIR sensors (movement detection is reported by the unit even when disarmed) and burglaries (so the computer knows and can react accordingly e.g. by sending SMS messages or twitter).
Get the X10 security system. It's craptastic, but it's super cheap. Honestly, you won't be able to get anything DYI cheaper IMHO.
Bow before me, for I am root.
Actually the most cost effective and overall effective security solution is...
Just slap a sticker or sign on your property for brinks security or anything like that.
You can even go steal one.
Dogs are expensive and dirty. And highly unreliable as security. The best trained 'security' dog will still eat the poisoned meat....
If i'm lookin to break into somewhere. It wont be the place with the (fake) security sign.
Cuz theres much easier targets out there. Religous anti-gun yuppy sub-division homes.
They're pretty easy to spot. And theres alot of them.
Not that i would have ever done anything like that.... Even in my younger days..
They're the single most effective burglary deterrent. They're not exactly cheap to maintain, but probably cheaper than a monitored alarm system.
Yes, but the questioner is already out of his mom's basement, so he's clearly not from around here. He's just getting a slashdotter to ask the question for him.
Quidnam Latine loqui modo coepi?
According to the latest FBI Criminal Statistics, almost no homes with moats have been robbed. Clearly this means that most burglars either can't swim, or are simply afraid of the possibility of being eaten in the moat.
So...the best way is to install a moat around your house. And YOU can do it yourself.
Dogs are useful and all, but bear ..
I totally agree. A bear is much better than even several dogs. Even in the case of several intruders, while the dogs could tackle them both simultaneously, the bear makes short work of even the largest thug.
"His name was James Damore."
It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
I am a former employee of a company called Lifeshield (when I worked for them it was called InGrid, Inc.). Their product is excellent -- it is self-install, allows you to self-monitor and/or professionally-monitor and the company is run by a great group of people. I don't work there anymore, I don't own stock, there is no benefit to me if you or anyone gives them business. It is simply a good product and a good value IMHO.
Their website is http://www.lifeshield.com/
These should get you started. Hope it helps!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWeIxt_rvXA
I can't be the only one that envisioned automatic "gun cameras" here can I?
Deadly-force mantraps are illegal essentially everywhere.
Rule of thumb: In most jurisdictions you can only use deadly force to defend yourself (or another person of certain related classes) against a threat to life or limb. In some you can also use it to defend property under some circumstances.
You can't delegate the decisions to machines - especially when you personally aren't there to be at risk. (It's not just their operation that's illegal. Even setting up such a device is one or more of several crimes.)
Scenario: You're away (or died last month). Sheriff, firefighter, landlord, or heir shows shows up (with a warrant, probable cause, chasing smoke or flame, or coming to take possession of his property). "Sherrif, warrant!" / "Anybody in there? You're on fire!" / "Home at last! Let's get this door open and move in." Bash. BANG!
Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way
this reminds me of that Dane Cook bit where he talks about how your day would be so much more interesting if you knew that when you got home, there would be a monkey in your house that you would have to do battle with.
I've decided to Diversify my Holdings. I've divided my cash between my left and right pockets, instead of all in one.
Helping make sure the thief gets caught has value all on its own. Particularly when it leads to the recovery of property whose value is mostly sentimental.
Some may not consider this true DIY, but wiring / installing / programming a fully featured ADT alarm system is not a simple task if you go through the trouble to properly fish all the wires through the walls...
I've done a couple of these systems in homes I've owned and have posted some of the things I have learned on http://structuredhomewiring.com/
apparently most burglars agree the one truly effective deterrent that makes them go some place else, is a big dog.
9 out 10 burglars agree, it has to be dog
Motion is a great little program available in the Debian repositories and works with any Video4Linux supported device (off the shelf USB web cams and video capture cards).
I've used it a few times, easy to install and configure.
It can do time lapse, motion sense and round robin on multiple devices. Even supports a streaming function with Apache and can upload the latest image to a remote FTP server on the Internet.
Doesn't need much as far as hardware either, one of the systems I set up was a 450MHz celeron with 128M RAM. Over all the hardest part of using it was hiding the camera.
And best of all, Its free!!
I don't know about that. Trained ones, sure but from what I've seen on It Takes A Thief, everyday pooches that raise a fuss at strangers coming in won't actually attack.
when I built my house in 2002 i bought my parts from http://www.homesecuritystore.com./ They even suggested best place for motion detectors, door switches, etc after i sent them a basic floor plan.
What the hell is #40 birdshot? fine sand?
Yep, pretty close. Smaller than BBs. Think "lead pinheads".
#4 buckshot works well against human sized targets and is the minimum anyone usually recommends for self defense.
Now that depends on the range, doesn't it?
If you only intend to fire it when the perp is in the same small room or on a flight of stairs you really don't care HOW small it is. It will penetrate just fine. Doesn't have enough spread at that distance to act as separate particles - there's a column of lead an inch or so deep right behind the particles in the front row.
Beyond a few feet it's had a chance to open out and once it hits something with significant mass it fans out drastically. But if the first thing it hits besides air is the surface of the perp (and it's still flying in a tight cylindrical formation because the perp is within, say, three steps) it doesn't have a chance to disperse before punching a hole in something important.
If the perp ISN'T within three steps or so (and doesn't have his own gun pointed at you) you'll have a hard time justifying a self-defense shoot. (And if he is pointing a gun at you from down a long hall he'll have a hard time doing much once he takes the momentum equivalent of a shotgun recoil - without the mass of the shotgun to smooth it out - to a patch maybe the size of his face.)
Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way
A friend of mine came home one day and his cat was strutting around with the tail all puffed out. He couldn't figure out WTF was up with the cat until he went upstairs and noticed the window in his spare bedroom was open. When he looked closer he found cat hair, blood, and some skin. It seems someone managed to jimmy his window open and when they stuck their head in the cat went hog wild with the claws! So yeah, cats CAN repel invaders, it just doesn't happen very often :-)
I agree on getting a dog. I once came home a bit late and surprised my dogs who had been sleeping. The male charged the door growling but I managed to calm him - that is until the girlfriend made a noise by the gate and he charged her. She didn't recognize the growling as a threat and I was too surprised to stop him. She bent down and he leaped at her face and bit her just below the eye. He realized too late what was up but managed not to break the skin at least. He was pretty contrite and she was pretty upset but so far as I'm concerned he proved his worth that night! He was a pretty sweet pup and weighed maybe 50lbs. He was a Shar-Pei which are actually usually pretty kewl dogs but that night surprised by our arrival he sure did try to defend the place!
Dogs make for good home protection and you had better believe the whole neighborhood knew I had them. Only my closest neighbors knew just how sweet they were - everyone else was terrified :-)
Build it, Drive it, Improve it! Hybridz.org
Leave your door wide open all day. Leave the music on, but at normal listening level. At night, close the door but don't lock it. Have kids, let them play with a sprinkler in the yard. Let the kids get into frequent fights (it doesn't matter whether they are play fights or real fights, they are both intimidating to just about everyone). Get the kids lots of pets, especially odd ones that get lost all through the house. Have the kids' friends over all the time, and tell your friends to drop by too -- aim for 10-15 people for dinner every night.
Hell, it's worked for us for 15 years and not a single theft in site...
No. Well...maybe. Actually, yes. It really just depends.
So.... you say you don't want your stuff stolen, then you say you want to use ZoneMinder? ZoneMinder is a security CAMERA system. It's good for monitoring stores and such to record video of thieves to show the police after they have stolen stuff. It's not so good for preventing theft in your home. In fact, there is a good chance the thieves will steal your ZoneMinder system. Plus, are you really going to mount professional tamper-proof security cameras all over your house? If you live in like, the White House, maybe.
ZoneMinder also doesn't call the police for you last I checked, and doesn't make big buzzing alarm sounds or anything like that.
It's far easier just to buy a big lock.
If you are doing this because you feel a need to satisfy your geek cravings, then by all means, buy networked video cameras, motion sensors, night vision cameras, set up dedicated servers doing nothing but image-recognition and audio analysis, and you can probably get some kind of solution up that will record and track everything that happens in and around your house or apartment.
When and if the local meth-head burglar shows up to rob your house he will probably not even notice the fancy security system before he rips the computer running it all out of the wall socket and carries it out to his getaway vehicle.
If geeky satisfaction is not your goal but rather real security, then follow the advice that many people here have already pointed out:
1. Get a gun.
2. Put up signs warning that you have a gun and am familiar with its point and click mode of operation.
If you want BOTH geeky satisfaction and real security you could hook your face scanning computer up TO your guns, so it automatically shoots everyone it deems villainous. But don't come crying here if your system pops your mom when she comes to do your laundry, if that happens you can only blame your own poor face-scanning-programming skills, not advice you got on the slashdot!
Sam has one liberty, which he sacrifices for one security. Can you tell me what Sam has now?
You missed the point... There's no such thing as #40 birdshot. And if I shoot at someone, it's with the intention of killing them. Not maiming them, wounding them, or slowing them down. I will use something that's effective from across the length of my house (40') against a determined man wearing a leather jacket. So, I'll stick with buckshot, thank-you.
I've lived in this house for 16 years now. Started locking the door about 2 years ago, mostly because I had to replace the latch anyway. It's a NICE town, within 1/2 mile of more than one beach. Never a problem.
If you don't feel safe where you are, seriously consider whether or not it's really worth staying there.
In the middle of San Francisco, we left our doors open. We figured either we or the neighbors would notice and do something.
But some people need to substitute technology. Whatever.
We have two dogs, a pitbull and a chow. One night while I was out of town, my girlfriend heard someone walk up to the front door and try the handle. It was locked, but our dogs started barking like crazy (which they always do). She heard them say 'oh shit, they have dogs' and then take off running. get dogs.
Shop around for a long time to find a lock that's hard to pick. This is really rather important -- most locks in the US are very easy to pick.
The insurance is to recover your loss should anything happen. (Get a general policy which doesn't limit the cause of your loss. [Theft, fire, flood and accident apartment/condo/house insurance is good coverage.])
Then you want to put up some very visible signs in all the windows saying "Protected by video, motion detectors and patrolled by security guards.
You might want to buy a bunch of camera mounts (the silvered half-dome kind,) and place them strategically around the perimeter of your dwelling high enough to keep them safe. (12 or so feet off the ground and 12 or so feet from any opening.)
Whether you get real motion detectors or not is immaterial.
The impression will be that the house next door is less hazardous to break into than yours.
Remember, you're insured...
MSBPodcast.com The opinions expressed here are my own. If you don't like 'em... Think up your own stuff.
A lot of Davinci and OMAP chips from TI now feature ISPs. Assuming it's easy to rig this to normal linux software, you could have it react differently based on what it recognises from the video feed (or from still frames).
It would be interesting to have something that could place various "targets" at various "levels". For example, for a stranger, the locks remain shut, and if the user is out, the sensors in the house turn up to 11, and the user gets a phone call letting them know someone's at the house (or a MMS/e-mail might be better, with a photo of who's at the door). Or you could configure it to fire tasers out if you feel like goin' back to jail.
Ideally you'd just have it to recognize when a friendly shows up, so you'd get an alert telling you $friend was at the house.
But the asker has an apartment, so I guess an ISP is a little harder to use, unless he can set up a camera to check outside his door without having it break easily. These sort of things can be networked to a DVR, be it a hardware solution or a mythbox or something.
(I guess all that to show that video cameras are not useless, just not thought out enough)
We have two dogs -- Cherie, a terrier mix weighing in at seven pounds; and Oscar, a 95 pound Rottweiler. Cherie is the alarm system, Oscar is the muscle. Noise and Deterrent. We are the only house on the block that hasn't been broken into since we moved in five years ago. From the foot prints in the snow last winter, some one was nosing around, though; they decided after walking up to two windows on different sides of the house and getting a face full of Oscar staring at them to go some place else.
You missed the point... There's no such thing as #40 birdshot.
Gee. I guess that box of #40 loads I've got in the safe next to the shotgun doesn't really exist.
Tell 'ya what. I'll go take a look later on. It's been a long time since I bought it. Maybe my memory of the magic number is faulty.
Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way
Home burglary is almost dead. What's to steal? Any TV that can be easily carried has zilch resale value. Anything with a CRT has negative value; you have to pay the recycling center to take it. Used computers have little value. Nobody keeps much cash around any more. Cell phones are usually in someone's pocket. Who has real silverware today? Used kitchen appliances are nearly worthless. Same for used clothing. Used furniture? No market there.
In the current recession, pawnshops are currently choked with stuff they can't sell, so unloading stolen property is tough.
I just looked at the crime map for my area, which is an urban area of about 100,000 people, ranging from very poor to very rich. About ten burglaries in the last month, and only one was a residence. The rest were break-ins into vehicles. There were more attempted burglaries with arrests than successful ones.
I recommend the Medeco ones or the better models from Schlage. And lock your doors, including that one between the garage and your house. Trim back the bushes that give potential criminal privacy as they are breaking in to your house.. Make yourself an unattractive target first.
As for security systems, the hardware and the system itself isn't that big a deal, it's a one time capital expense for the most part. The really expensive part is monitoring it. If you really feel like you need it, talk to your home owners insurance provider and find out what the recommend, they have discounts with some monitoring services and they can cut your insurance rate too. ADT is on the order of $20 a month for the cheapest and maybe $35 for a decent level of service with the USAA discount and then USAA drops your premium a bit (it was $22 for us with the savings from the rate cut and discount. Close to $40 is paid out though) They'll almost give you the system if you sign up for 24 or 36 months and they'll include smoke detector monitoring as well... You can build something as fancy as you can imagine with them, if it's not enough talk to Brinks.
The cost of DIY security is that if security really and truly matters to you, DIY monitoring doesn't cut it. It's pretty easy and cheap to make a linux DVR but window monitors, motion sensors, and door monitors that are all integrated is a more difficult challenge. Schlage now offers some sort of computer web-based home monitoring stuff too, it might be worth a look. Think about a better neighborhood and get to know your neighbors.
I nice fun dog. It doesn't have to be an attack dog. It helps if it is a smart dog. Or a dog that you're very afraid of, those aren't as much fun, but very effective. Replace all your crappy door locks with real professional grade door locks. Upgrade your door jams so they can't be kicked in thus negating the effectiveness of your awesome new locks. Some alarm system stickers for your windows. A couple fake video cameras. You've spent maybe a few hundred dollars, and prevented 99% of all criminals from invading your home, and you have a new friend (the dog), or possibly a terrifying dog that you can use to intimidate Jehovah's witnesses.
My other sig is a knife wound.
What the hell is #40 birdshot? fine sand? There's a #4 birdshot and #4 buckshot. #4 buckshot works well against human sized targets and is the minimum anyone usually recommends for self defense.
I read a self defense ballistics study a few years ago (that I can't find a link for) and it was suggesting #1 buck as a defensive load. You get like 16 .30 cal pellets in a 2 3/4 shell which amounts to a pretty good size hole in whatever you hit with it without excessive penetration.
Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats. -HLM
For $75, you can get a pan & tilt cam off of eBay with a built-in web/ftp server, WiFi, and 2-way audio. Put them anywhere that has 110vac or 5vdc available, set them up to access your router, and have them message or email your cell phone when the motion detector is triggered. Most smart phone platforms have apps that let you connect directly to your cams or you can use a web browser. If someone is in your house that isn't supposed to be there, you can yell at them thru the camera "There's a gun pointed at your head, motherfucker. Get out or die!"
Nothing worthwhile ever happens before noon
1. Plant Japanese Bitter Orange under and in front of all your windows. Try to get the flying dragon cultivar. (No, I'm not kidding. Google it.)
2. Get a motion sensor and a recording of a dog barking. Put speaker in metal garbage can on your roof. Your neighbors will hate you but no one will come near your house.
3. Get good insurance. You will find that the discount for burglar alarms is minimal.
4. Stay away from monitored alarms. Most are crooked.
After I bought my house, one of the first things I acquired was a big doghouse. I didn't own a dog but I always thought that the psychological deterrent to a potential thief that there would be a big unfriendly dog on the property was worth the cost.
Of course after a year or so of looking at the empty and lonely doghouse I finally went out and got a dog. Great pet and priceless security. I've since found that the best accessory to go with the theft deterrent of a big doghouse is big piles of dog poop in the yard. What self-respecting thief would want to walk through that?
I can't be the only one that envisioned automatic "gun cameras" here can I?
Deadly-force mantraps are illegal essentially everywhere.
Rule of thumb: In most jurisdictions you can only use deadly force to defend yourself (or another person of certain related classes) against a threat to life or limb. In some you can also use it to defend property under some circumstances.
You can't delegate the decisions to machines - especially when you personally aren't there to be at risk. (It's not just their operation that's illegal. Even setting up such a device is one or more of several crimes.)
Scenario: You're away (or died last month). Sheriff, firefighter, landlord, or heir shows shows up (with a warrant, probable cause, chasing smoke or flame, or coming to take possession of his property). "Sherrif, warrant!" / "Anybody in there? You're on fire!" / "Home at last! Let's get this door open and move in." Bash. BANG!
IDK Here in texas we have pretty liberal Self defense laws, You can even shoot someone running away with your stuff, A fully automatic Mantrap might not work, But one controlled by iphone would probably be legal. Granted I doubt this would be legal in most other states.
This load will not stop a bad guy, shoot it into some ballistic gel and see what happens.
When we signed up for $240/yr monitoring, I left specific instructions. "If the alarm goes off, call the police directly, not us or any contact. I will pay any false alarm fine. I live 2 min from the police station, so there is a chance of actually catching someone. Is this OK?" The answer was "You are the customer"
So, we went on holidays, game my mom the code, and a passcode if she tripped the alarm. Warned her that if she did expect the boys in blue. She is 81, was nervous and sure enough she tripped the alarm. So instead of cops, the security company called the house. My mom was flustered, couldnt answer the security question, but the monitoring agency figured she was too old to be a crook and told her how to reset the alarm. They couldn't understand why I was furious and canceled, after all they saved my mom an embarrassment.
so now, I purchased a couple of IP cameras that motion sense and an email to my gmail with a picture. As long as I have my phone, I see who is entering within a few minutes or less (typically 20s). Also makes it very hard for your kids to lie about what time they came home. The 4 cameras cost me $80 each on ebay, and I connected them to my wireless network. I can also at anytime now log into a web page and monitor the surroundings. So even in bed, I grab my iPhone, and have a look outside if I hear a noise.
We also did the 2 big black dogs. They are now part of the family and a great deterrent.
get a DOG as well!
if you don't want a dog they have fake dog sound boxes.
Dammit! There ain't no bear pound near my house!
You don't want to hurt the bad guy you want to stop him.
Um... no... I think I want him DEAD.
A dog is not the best option, the false-positive rate can be high. This rate is very difficult to predict at the time of acquisition, and can involve subtle environmental cues (EG: dappled sunlight) or combined-effects (EG: Mr. Squeaky sliding under the couch). The end result is getting the alarms confused for "Major Alien Invasion" and "Agent With Flat Tire." (Get Smart)
If an electronic alarm had this tendency, it would be thrown out the window. Doing so with the dog is ill-advised.
It is horribly obvious most people in this thread do not live in high crime areas. Most of the suggestions you are making are meaningless.
Gun: A gun does not work if you are not home. In fact, it gives them something nice to steal. Leave it loaded on your bed table for extra points.
Insurance: Sure, works great the first time. Pay out your deposit, hope you get enough money to buy all they stole back and then enjoy the increased insurance premiums. Wait till you get burglarized a few more times, insurance companies LOVE high risk clients.
In my experience most burglaries of regular homes are not the stuff you see on TV. It is crack addicts and people with nothing to lose essentially smashing in your door, stealing as much as they can and running out.
An alarm is actually a GREAT security too. Without it the burglar can simply stay in your house as long as they want. Believe me, I know, personally. It is worth the "$1 a day" for monitoring. Don't bother with the stickers, they are going to try to break in anyway. When the alarm doesn't go off (key point: stickers don't make noise) they are going to wise up pretty quick.
Full disclosure: I've been an alarm monitoring operator for 5 or so years now. I don't live in the US, I don't work for a company that operates in the US, so I have no way to financially benefit from helping the majority of /. users. The stuff I mention here I know well, but one thing I haven't a clue about is the home automation side of things.
Deterrants:
Large work boots, leaving lights on and such are helpful deterrants. Security stickers help, but no so much as most houses have them. A good idea that I didn't see mentioned in the comments, if you're not keen on getting an alarm is to get just the external siren of the alarm and stick that on the outside of the house. Don't get one of the metal ones, get one of the polycarbonate / plastic ones instead. No reputable companies have used the metal ones for years now, and a lot of burglars seem to know this. Again things like fences & dogs are also excellent deterrants. Although fences can act as cover so a burglar can muck around all they like trying to get a window open, without being noticed by neighbours.
Alarms:
I've encountered heaps of attempted break ins throughout my career. The vast majority of burglars will freak out and run once they hear a very loud siren screaming at them. Most of them get so scared by it that they drop everything in the process. If I had to put a number on it, I'd say this is what happens about 90% of the time. Even though it's far from a guarentee that you'll stop them in their tracks, it does make an excellent deterrent. I'd avoid the off the shelf junk you get from electronics stores and the likes, as they're usually total garbage. They're always either unstable, don't live long enough to be worth it, don't detect when someone does get into the house, or they drive the neighbours nuts false activating. You can buy a good, high quality unit from fleabay if you're feeling adventurous. I don't know how big your house is, but if you don't think you'll require more then 7 sensors now or in the future, the Bosch Solution 880 is a good buy and I see them frequently on eBay for cheap in a kit. You'll require some basic knowledge of electronics like being able to read some basic "this is how you wire this" diagrams in the install manual, and some basic DIY skills. It's a fairly easy system to install though, some of them are very hard for those who haven't got experience specifically with alarms. If you want something bigger / different set of requirements then email me (via bahamut.kicks-ass.org/contact/ - sorry but work know my email and I'd rather they didn't find this via google) and I'll let you know of something suitable.
I would avoid wireless sensors & remotes. Remotes not so much, but sensors definately. Interferance from aircraft, scaffolds, trees that cause RF interference whenever it rains, crappy light switches, aircraft, and a bunch of other obscenely weird stuff can all cause problems. It's not that common, but it does happen.
If you do buy a kit make sure it includes the panel (pcb, transformer & the case), battery, a couple of wired sensors, a keypad, a peizo / internal siren & a plastic / polycarbonate external siren (the one with the light) & CABLE! A lot of traders won't mention anything about the lack of cable in the ad, leaving you kind of screwed. Another thing I see them do is say "we'll install it for you if it's too hard" - be careful of that, they'll often way overcharge on labour to make up for the rock bottom cost of the hardware. I've seen them dump the install manuals that come with the alarm, and replace it with their own much crappier version so that it's more likely that they come crying for help. Most alarm manuals you can get online fairly easily though. Stay away from used alarms on ebay, they're almost always FUBAR'ed.
Alarm Monitoring:
This can be somewhat of a waste of time and money. Monitoring is often cheap, and the price is really reflected in the quality of their service. Most modern alarms can be hooked up to a l
Being friendly with neighbors - each of you have access to each other;s property, to place a cam/ webcam/ dvr on their residence to watch yours. They can do the same. The electricity consumption is minimal, but they have battery backup anyway. Access to the unit is only needed to: 1) check that it works 2) replace the batteries every 2 years 3) if the worst happens (fire, theft, vandalism, etc) - then the DIGITAL VIDEO RECORDER(S) have trapped it all. Eight neighbours = 8 setups. If in hotel room type of setup, wireless camera to a DVR is ok. Some camera are very small - a cross-head screw, plastic cigarette lighter, fountain pen. They can be motion and / or sound triggered. Ebay has many : "spy camera". Greg Zeng, Australian Capital Territory.
Australian Capital Territory
IDK Here in texas we have pretty liberal Self defense laws, You can even shoot someone running away with your stuff, A fully automatic Mantrap might not work, But one controlled by iphone would probably be legal.
Even in Texas, such a contraption is not legal. Self defense requires that you be there; deadly force simply to protect property is not legal.
If you do build one, make sure you put a lot of thought into making it realiable, easy to maintain and easy to use. I worked as an installer (years ago - I know technology has changed). But our company went to great lengths to make our systems great systems. We found that most home alarm systems rarely get used with people at home and moving about because it is almost impossible to do so. With our alarms, you could arm the system and disable individual sensors. So you could grill on the back porch and be able to go in and out of the back door while the rest of the doors were monitored. We put multiple magnets on window frames. You could have a window cracked open. If someone opened it further, the alarm would go off. If you wanted to have one window open, you could bypass it completely.
Make sure you document the installation. If you are running wiring, label wires so you can determine which wires go where. Bring them to a central point so you can test all of your loops from one place. We used to run ours to a point in the attic and run a multiconductor cable from there down to the panel. Of course, if you do that, you will have to trace problems in less than ideal temperatures.
Buy good equipment. Even hundreds of dollars saved will mean nothing if the system you end up with is unusable. Things like motion sensors used to be very tempermental. They had to be good quality. They had to be placed carefully. For example: A motion sensor pointed at or near a window might go off when the drapes move because they are over an air conditioning vent.
Research monitoring services before you install the system. Understand any fees or requirements up front so you wont be surprised.
Be aware that in some cities false alarms can result in fines levied against you to recoup the cost of sending the police to your home.
Be aware that in many areas, low voltage wiring (alarms, multimedia, sound systems ...) fall under code. In the past, if you were building a home and wanted to install cable runs, alarm wiring and speaker wires you could do it. Now, they have to pass inspection just like the primary electrical wiring does.
VERY IMPORTANT
Make sure you ground the panel well. We had the lowest falsing rate in our city and the main reason why was our panels were properly grounded (to the same point where the main electrical service ground wire goes if at all possible.)
ALSO
A poorly implemented alarm system can be worse than none. For example, If your neighbor's alarm system falses and goes off all of the time and all the sudden it stops, it probably means they turned the system off. Before the falses, you wouldn't have known if they had a system. Now you know they do, and you know it is off.
Finally, There is a reason that alarm companies have to be licensed and bonded in most areas. Putting in a good, usable system is not something just anyone can do. But, with research, planning and careful installation you can have a much better system than most commercially installed residential systems.
I hear they're not so great in winter. House training involves multiple trips to the woods.
The House is on a third of an acre. It was zoned agricultural. I have an Emden Gander that I raised from a gosling and two companions. The wings (5")
are their main weapon. They are really loud if someone they don't know comes. They give early warning, if a stranger is walking close to the fence.
They can't be bribed.
At my old place I had 500 lb pure black boar with razor sharp tusks that slept by the gate at night.
If my organic security system doesn't stop them, I my Mauser with two 5 round striper clips in the sling and a Schmidt-Rubin with 5 round mag loaded
and ready.I don't keep the guns loaded, but can have them loaded in seconds. If I am not home my wife likes the Mauser.
Richard
A bear is much better than even several dogs.
Really?
These dogs are used for hunting bears in the Caucasus. In Chechnya, for example, bear hunting is considered a local sport. That other local sport is scaring the hell out of Russian troops trying to invade.
Taking this quick ammo assessment into account, one should also consider another implication: the likelihood of the round to penetrate the body, a wall, or other structure and harm people/property. So potentially, the living environment (small apartment? rural ranch?) will be a prominent concern. Wouldn't want the neighbor Norm gettin' tagged by a stray sabot, would we?
OK, where to start. As everyone has said, a dog is generally the best place. Dogs are nice, friendly, intimidating and they have ears that are much better than yours. If nothing else they are excellent door bells.
The next place is getting something like a floor safe. I can't speak for most people in most areas, but when someone broke into my home some years back they didn't do it while I was sitting at the dinner table, rather they did it while I was a work. On that note, no safe cracker is going to break into your home and most thieves aren't going to waste the time and effort of ripping it out when it is hammered into concrete. Now the real trick here is obvious, remember to put your valuables IN the safe, don't wait. Why a floor safe? Because it isn't easy to notice and you aren't going to accidentally leave one open.
I'm leery of guns, not because I'm against gun ownership, but the last person I knew who went that route ended with a broken jaw from being repeatedly pistol whipped. Granted that guy wasn't too bright, but in a bad situation do you know if you will keep your cool or lose you head? If you think so a 12 gauge Mossberg is always cheap and reliable. Also gun stores who buy old police issue weapons tend to sell them cheap. Granted I accept no responsibility for anything in this post, this is your life and your responsibility.
Next up security cameras. I picked mine up when my workplace was upgraded theirs, so it only cost me siamese coax and a few bolts. I can't say I'm a big fan of wireless cameras. Granted anyone who is going to bother circumventing it will probably just steal cars from a parking lot, your crap isn't that important. Honestly, they just creep me out a little. Seems like something my friends would use to screw with me.
If you ever have to turn something over to the police you should be mindful of two things. Is "taping" the interior or exterior of your home in any way illegal (will you be brought up on wiretapping charges and become yet another 'is Big Brother out to get us' Slashdot post?). Ask a lawyer. The next is the chain of custody. If you are backing up or directly saving your video off-site, it may require a subpoena just to make it admissible as evidence. Paperwork is a bitch and your story is nothing new to the police, so you may want to consider saving it locally. So the obvious paranoid crazy person question is "What if they steal my computer?". Well, they won't. The guy who breaks into your home probably didn't spend his formative years reading Tom's Hardware; computers are cheap and bulky, not something you want to steal like money or jewelry or prescription medication. If this is something that still bugs you, conduit boxes are cheap and most mini-ATX boards will easily fit into one with the aid of a Dremmel tool. It is the one place where the appearance of wires doesn't seem out of place. Granted if they were crackheads looking for scrap copper, well, you lost that bet anyway and should have gotten a dog.
Honestly, just go with Wolfling1's Risk Management, more wisdom there than you will find here.
you've never been to texas I take it.
"A person is justified in using deadly force against another to protect his property to the degree he reasonably believes the force is immediately necessary to prevent the other's imminent commission of arson, burglary, robbery, theft during the nighttime or criminal mischief during the nighttime, and he reasonably believes that the property cannot be protected by any other means."
"A person is justified in using deadly force against another to pervent the other who is fleeing after committing burglary, robbery, or theft during the nighttime, from escaping with the property and he reasonable believes that the property cannot be recovered by any other means; or, the use of force other than deadly force to protect or recover the property would expose him or another to a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury. (Nighttime is defined as the period 30 minutes after sunset until 30 minutes before sunrise.)"
A helpful response needs more info from poster. Are you in an apartment with just one vulnerable door? If so, a GOOD lock may be a wise approach (Google lockpicking to see all the common locks that can be picked in a minute). The best alarm systems are often the simplest (I used to install alarms). Visit a Radio Shack for ideas. Surveillance systems can give you evidence, but they don't prevent break ins, and they only deter them if you announce the surveillance. The biggest variables involve the specifics of your place: vulnerable windows/doors, well-lit, highly-public exterior or dark doorways and windows behind bushes. Bottom line: if a burglar sees that you've chosen a smart lock, and if he is pretty sure there's any kind of alarm, he'll usually try someplace easier.
I think your key ingredient might be time travel, not explosives.
Apply the patchset to a recent pull and stick it on Gitorious. Call it "Zoneminder Redux". And thanks for putting in the effort.
Why are you _insightful_?
In any case, I counter your bear with laser-sharks. You even got to build a moat!
But have you seen how much a bear poops in a single no. 2 session? You wouldn't inconvenience the morning joggers, you'd block the sidewalk!>/p>
What about winter? Hibernation? Unless you went for one of the tropical bears, like a Sun Bear....but I hear they aren't too aggressive. And the whole endangered species list and animal trades acts might be a little bit of a hassle.
I doubt if electronic security systems are very effective. The only places in my street that ever get broken into are the places that have security systems.
You're probably better off taking steps to make sure your place is harder to break into easily. This is bearing in mind that most burglaries are opportunistic: so anything that makes the job take a long time, make a lot of noise or leave the burglar exposed and conspicuous in the course of his gainful employment will be effective at keeping your stuff safe.
Doors don't have to be steel-reinforced, but if made of solid timber will be hard to break. Similarly, there are types of glass available that can stand up to hammer attacks for some time. And use good locks. Those 5-pin tumbler (Yale or similar) locks are useless. Anyone can bump those in less than 5 seconds.
Bear in mind that you can't really defend against a sustained attack or a real professional without making your place look like Fort Knox (i.e. a big fat target saying "Burgle Me"). Living in a house with a scruffy front yard and junk on your porch sometimes helps - it looks like you won't have anything worth nicking.
it can also send emails or SMS messages and execute a script/command when it detects motion.
A little parallel/serial port programing and you could have it activate an alarm, call the police, energize the grid under the carpet with 50,000 volts, etc..
> Dogs are useful and all, but bear in mind that your neighbours won't be very happy if the damn things bark all night, or whenever a pedestrian walks past your house.
Large dogs don't need to compensate as much as small dogs. Thus, they bark less. Same as with humans, really. Also, they were talking about a properly trained dog, not a spoiled brat.
> They will also be unimpressed if when you take the brutes for walkies you let them shit all over the sidewalk, nature strips, and their front lawns.
Or if you crapped on the sidewalk yourself. Or hit them in the face with a shovel. Don't be an ass and clean up after yourself.
> This is true, but it's also true that if I saw a burglar breaking into the house of the redneck with the big noisy dogs that bark the whole damn night and shit where I walk, I probably wouldn't report that burglar.
At least in Germany, that is a crime in and as of itself. Hope that no one gets hurt during the burglary or you are in deep trouble.
> That nosy neighbour who stays at home all day can be your greatest security asset if you're on good terms.
And be annoying as all three hells the rest of your life. Yay.
I don't even like dogs, but I don't think I want you as my neighbour, either.
And that's why you train your animals properly. It's not hard, it just takes some work. You can't just buy a dog and expect it to just happen, any more than you have a child and expect them to be fine without any guidance.
My blog. Good stuff (when I remember to update it). Read it.
So, I read the FAQ.
It's atomized pepper. Does that mean they actually break down the molecules? Apparently so as without cleaning up (it's optional!) there is no harm for humans, cats and dogs after three to four hours. Your toddler and pets will appreciate this fact as they are a lot closer to the ground when that stuff is stirred up again and again.
Also, even though it is a fine-grained powder based on pepper, it's not flammable.
That, or the FAQ is a steaming pile of lies and half-truths.
It's funny you mention that - my wife and I just moved into a neighborhood that is cheap, but slightly dodgy. Not so much dangerous, but a lot of break-ins and property crime.
When we were checking out our place, I was looking at the parking lot included. I looked across the alley and realized that I was looking at a 3-story building, maybe ten or twelve apartment balconies per floor, that was a retirement home.
At any hour of the day or night, there are at least one or two people on their balconies having a smoke. All of a sudden, I stopped worrying about break-ins.
The plural form of "anecdote" is "anecdotes", not "evidence".
Other great deterrents:
* Location Location Location. Police publish city theft statistics. Look them up before moving anywhere. And the higher-traffic your specific location, the less likely it will get broken into. Those sleepy quiet corners are perfect places to steal from.
* Be on the 2nd floor or above. I've had friends get things stolen from due to a 3rd floor bathroom window being open, but it's far less likely than first - floor break ins.
* House Construction. I've had people steal because the back door was so old they could pry off a few nails and step through. You can remove putty from windows and take those out of the frame. Older locks are trivial to pick, but all locks are reasonably easy to get through. An old-fashioned deadbolt that is always used can be helpful. Of course, another had her TV stolen because they battering rammed a hole into a perfectly good wall. It happens.
* Be obvious. A camera that the criminal can't see doesn't make them think twice. Motion-sensing lights are always a good choice, but people have gotten used to them. Put up some wifi web cams in highly visible interior locations. Be unexpected, be visible about your protections, make the criminal feel like they don't know what is going on.
* Don't give juicy targets. Keep the TV far enough away from the window that people can't see it. Use privacy or cafe curtains during the day. Buy cars that are less frequently stolen. Use cable instead of satellite TV.
* Get renter's insurance. Theft happens: you can deter it, but you can't prevent it. Your stuff is just that: stuff. It can go away at any moment. Renter's insurance will let you get the financial value back if that happens. Or the building burns down, the water causes the ceiling to collapse, etc.
In the grand scheme of things, people won't break into your home simply because they don't want to. Locks are easy to pick, 90% of home security systems are defeated by disabling power, etc. You can always get mugged in the street in the morning. It isn't some grandiose robbery plan to thwart your employer and take over the world. It's probably just some random 30 year olds short of cash walking down the street who noticed you had Xbox and iPhone boxes in your trash. There isn't a lot you can really do about it. All you can do is choose your location carefully, and make yourself a less attractive target than your neighbors.
The ______ Agenda
No, the moat alone won't help. You also need castle walls to go along with it, a drawbridge and a gate to actually get into your house^h^h^h^h^hcastle, and of course a selection of anti-siege equipment (burning pitch, catapults, etc).
What do you have that you have to spend your whole life sitting next to and guarding?
Right now? A 2 1/2 year old daughter.
Ben Software's Security Spy is great! (If you've a Mac lying around.)
We use the 16 camera version on a G5 2.3x2 Xserve frame running 10.5.8... 4 analog cameras, and several IP cameras.
Internet access, motion or sound based triggering, easy setup... supports tons of cameras.
Some cameras have an alarm that can be triggered by open or closing a circuit, but this idea doesn't generally solve your intrusion detection. Just records it for you.
We've had a few instances where 'going to the tape' was called for... but, much of the recording we have of such are not very helpful. Too blurry at night to get a good plate # off the car... person was hooded, obscuring their identity. And so on.
Not sure if it has been said. Homeowners/renters insurance is your best bet. Have them do an inventory/documentation of your belongs and get a policy. They are not that expensive and most likely cheaper than any DIY security system.
We had a burglary recently and asked police to help us to secure our home. They pointed out that unless it is a targeted, intruders seek the easy way to get into your home.
Police statistics show that if a burglar cannot get in within 3 minutes, he will give up.
The statistics also show that the main entry points for burglar are main door, patio door and groundfloor windows. In a standard gouse, all it takes is a beefy screwdriver to crack the hinges.
So the first thing you should do is add additional security hinges to doors and windows on the ground floor. In Germany these are available from www.abus.de. We installed FAS101 and FTS3003 - They are abot 35€ a piece. I am sure you will find similar products in other countries. They will withstand 1 ton pressure and are easy to mount and operate. For a total of 500€ we have now a security where it will take more than 3 mins to break in. Should be good enough to preotect from the occasional intruder. If somebody really wants to get in, they will. It is just a matter of time and tools.
...to a civilized country where one needs only a small lock on a door. Somewhere north from the US or so.
I believe that you can call that a good example of have the cake and eat it too. Either don't buy tempting stuff or risk them being stolen. Our guy has invented the "have the cake, eat it, but also keep as much as possible from the ingredients" by trying to be "safe, on a budget". This seems to be the rule of the modern western society - I'm a hippie and into giving stuff as long as I own nothing, yet once I start to accumulate I'm for the ownership rights and lower taxes.
http://www.accountkiller.com/removal-requested
Everything you need to know is right here
You forgot 5. Get to know your neighbours.
I am surprised at the number of posts here which don't mention other people, seeing as slashdot gets excited about social engineering hacker contests, but to manage your risk and look after your property, don't forget to cultivate good relationships with your neighbours. Social side of things can help secure your property as much as technology.
Having friends looking out for you reduces risk immensely. I've got a neighbour who's phoned me at work to tell me I left a back window open: her boyfriend had noticed - and she'd seen me leave for work. Me and the same neighbour have a spare copy of each other's door key so I told her to come in and lock it up for me. Me and my neighbours tell each other when we're on holiday and take turns to pick up mail left on the door mat or in the letter box so places look occupied.
Getting decent locks is still a necessity but build good relations with your neighbours so you've got more eyes watching over your place at more times of the day, and when you're away for a few days, this is invaluable. There's nobody more interested in making sure your street is crime free than the people who live in the street.
I agree on getting a dog. [...] She bent down and he leaped at her face and bit her just below the eye.
That would be my reason not to get a dog.
(And you sound like the dog owners I really hate. The dog attacks your guest, but it's fine, he's a big softie really...)
Birdshot is not good even at across the room distances. It will not attain needed penetration.
Nonsense. A shotgun blast is about energy transfer, not penetration. A direct hit anywhere in the torso will be fatal, even with birdshot. At across the room distances, weight of shot and power of charge are the significant factors rather than size of shot, since all the pellets will be striking the target due to small spread. Even with a bullet proof vest, at 10 yards the impact of a chest shot will take you out of the fight, you think you'd be breathing?
I've actually heard in France people sometimes employ a Guard Goose or two.
some terrifying good attacks caught on camera : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd3ioueUNHI&NR=1&feature=fvwp
Surely if your dog barks all night you wont get any sleep either..?
I know that when my dog hears something go bump in the night he lets me know with a bark, and it is LOUD. Wakes me right up. I just give him a cuddle and go back to sleep, but if he were to bark constantly, I would have had to take some special measures, dog training or whatnot.
(internet+sensors)
sawa project http://dev.hci.uma.pt/sawa/main/login
wiki http://dev.hci.uma.pt/mediawiki/index.php
Share sensor data | set policies | record data | sms, email notifications and much more
you can extend it, creating your notification plugins...
(gps+gsm) open gps tracker http://www.opengpstracker.org/
nice project for locating stolen equipment
Even more effective, though they don't bark enough so you might still get your window broken. OTOH there's more chance of the perp being bitten, which is generally a good thing.
No sig today...
Try this: Go outside, look in the windows. What can you see? Where would you try to get inside if you see something you like?
Until you do that you're just guessing.
PS: Good insurance + data backups is usually the best option.
No sig today...
Since all theft deterrent systems can be easily beaten the only one that makes sense is playing on peoples fear. A well trained large dog will make a would be thief look for an easier target. If the person is intent on entering your place of residence NOTHING will stop them, not even the dog, but most thieves are in for the quick easy buck, and a German Shepard or an Akita will quickly make them decide your stuff is not worth it.
Actually, that's not true. You can train them to only eat food given by their owners.
Dilbert RSS feed
Here, have a look at this project: http://www.practicalarduino.com/projects/security-sensors
We have a goat that we just give acid to before leaving anywhere. Keeps anyone out. The only problem is that the sedative blow darts to calm him down when we get home can get expensive at times.
I think there are many good, valid approaches to home security, but let me give you mine. It has worked well. I went through the process about 5 years ago of trying to decide how to secure my home. I had a vested interest in something that really made a difference as I was deploying (military Reservist being sent over seas for a year) and leaving my wife and two kids behind. I looked at all the options including commercial, etc. We had good neighbors (this makes a HUGE difference) who helped look out for the place, as well. I ended up doing two things. First, a dog. A very big, very friendly dog. The kids could have bit his ear off and he'd of just rolled his eyes. Stranger comes to the door and he goes all Jekyll and Hyde. Second, IP cameras. Lots of them. The cameras covered inside and outside. I ran the whole show with EvoCam (from Evological) on a Mac. No, it's not open source, but it is only $25 and it's absolutely awesome software that includes customizable motion sensing (with exclusions), triggers, alerts, uploads, recording, remote view, etc. By doing this, I gave my wife the ability to secure the house while she was home using one template, while using another when she was gone. Her big concern was coming home to an empty house at night. Problem solved. She would receive alerts on her phone (with snapshots) if there was so much as a car that turned around in the driveway (or a the neighborhood fox ran through the yard). She even got to where she used it to figure out how the dog was getting into the pantry. The camera/software setup really took the place of a commercial alarm system and aside from the initial cost (Axis cameras aren't cheap, but they're very high quality) it was a very reasonably priced solution.
Less than $100 bucks will score you a GSM alarm that will reliably SMS you if someone breaks in.
Now you can speed dial a close neighbor to intervene or have a camera ready to snap the offenders. You might ring the police, but in my district I get a recording often.
Then you can ring the unit and
1) Listen In
2) Activate Siren
3) Activate aux output - which could start up webcam
Note having a webcam is a liability - crooks when they notice they are on camera will attempt to
destroy everything to find where it is being recorded to and not flee.
I highly recommend placing high up a strip/sheet of breakable glass on both sides of the door, so if it detaches it falls and breaks. People ignore a door being kicked, broken glass gets their attention up. Just paint it- same color as the door.
With luck, it may even cut the perp, and eventually DNA evidence will make you happier.
Its hard to get proper dye bombs, but if you put one at head height or above the door, a dose of silver nitrate may make em sorry. Again lightproof plastic bags under the glass will help
send a message.
A big dog, preferably a shepherd. On the plus side, owning a dog (or a cat to be fair) improves the quality of your life and extends your life expectancy almost as much as getting married.
If you are really cheap, a big kennel in a highly visible part of your property with a big empty chain and two large stainless steel dog bowls. If you live in an apartment, omit the kennel and leave the bowls at your front door - one of them should be filled with fresh water. Oh, and you shouldn't bother with the marriage idea either.
Alternatively there is always a gaggle of geese, who are well respected in the security industry and have a long history in saving various empires including the Roman.
Empire that is.
Next!
Posts, MyBio or Sig, may contain satire, sarcasm, bolded nouns be sardonic or even witty & be Church of SD
At least they have the death penalty there, so if you're forced to go there you can always just shoot someone dead and the state will end your misery.
To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
I had the same question last year after buying a house that I needed to monitor while away on business. In the end I settled on a couple of internet based web cams and a couple of ioBridge modules. Now my front door emails me each time it opens! I can also see real-time temperatures/humidity and turn on extra heaters before I get home. I can switch lights on/off and make the place look occupied. and because I know that non of this would actually stop a thief, I also have the camera setup for motion sensitive video capture which ftps onto a remote server, so at least I might have some evidence of the crime.
are the best deterrent.
To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
Once you have had a dog and seen it react to a perceived danger, you cant be convinced that is better protection at that cost.
I have had professional security systems installed for 10 years at home and see them fail by a miriad of reasons over time, any security system needs permanent maintenance and tweaking. I have deployed almost all that is on market for remote surveillance on remote premises of my corporation and Im familiar with their problems even if they work, for example I have seen 3 guys stole a one of those huge rolls of copper wire for telephony (weighting 3 tons) under 3 minutes, which made the alarm useless at all because the average response time of enforcers is usually superior (which sometimes dont seem to eager to arrive on time to dangerous situations btw).
On the other hand, a dog is a perfect soldier with superhuman skills that *is ready to give its life for its master*, is unaffected by power surges, outages, software errors, or just negligence or lazyness, is non-lethal weapon on most situations but can be lethal if needed, which helps staying yourself out of charges when sh*t hits fan.
It cant be turned against you if someone gets hold it, it cant be hacked like a webcam to spy on you. It rarely gives a false alarm after being given simple commands. Is a system that can be handled by a kid, a grown up adult, or a disabled person. It can perceive if someone is agressive or excited just with a sniff even if they are smiling.
It can track a foe on the run for miles. Has a powerful sound alarm incorporated, it also can detect fires or another hazards without extra costs.
Disabling a dog is akin to disabling an armed guard, is much more difficult than breaking any system. The only thing best than a dog is a squad of armed guards on 24x7 duty and you know what, those use dogs too.
Given you learn some procedures of safe operation, like you would do with any weapon, is unbeateable for personal defense. And as another commenter said it gets you chicks too at the park, mine also deters other men to be around my wife when she walks it.
Don't buy an expensive security system. Just buy the sticker.
bluHatter
Video monitoring is nice, and can even be helpful. But what do you think is going to happen once your home is burglarized? Do you think the local TV stations / newspapers are going to care enough to publish stills from your video feed? Perhaps, but unless you're in an extremely rural area with little to no existing news, it's unlikely. The handful of isolated cases you read about where someone's iPhone / Blackberry / Droid / etc managed to snap a picture of said burglar are just that -- isolated cases. Given the massive volume of thefts daily, there's a reason Slashdot isn't running several thousand of these stories daily.
There are a number of DIY-oriented alarm systems on the market. I'm most experienced with Visonic equipment, but you should also look at GE, Ademco, and possibly DSC. These are designed to be installed by people with enough technical skill to program a VCR, but who lack any sort of formal installation training. That is to say the operational interfaces are functional and efficient, but not at all polished. I'll refrain from posting links to vendors, but ten seconds on Google will get you several.
They come in wireless and wired varieties. The GE Concord line is even hybrid, allowing up to 192 zones (for now, "zone" = "sensor", though this isn't always the case). The wireless sensors run at 450MHz, so interference is unlikely. They're supervised, which means that if they don't actively check in within xx minutes, the system alerts the monitoring station to a "trouble" status, and they call you to let you know to check the battery on "living room door". They also generally use lithium batteries, which cost about $5 to replace but last (for me) 4-6 years.
Nearly all systems also offer backup means of communication to cover you in case the phone line is cut. My Visonic, for example, is IP-based and runs over my cable modem. A burglar would normally have to take the unlikely step of cutting the cable line to silence it. But if my IP box can't reach the central monitoring station, it automatically fails over to my backup GSM module. Even without an alarm, if my cable line goes out, it will send a "trouble - line failure" signal to the monitoring station, and I'll get an SMS alert on my cell phone.
Quality, UL-listed monitoring will run you $8 - $12 / month. I personally use NextAlarm; again, there are several good providers to choose from. You want to make sure they are UL-listed and have redundant monitoring centers. I have used them for six years and have never, ever had a problem or missed event.
Like a quality PC, your equipment will run you as much or as little as you want. My base system, including a year of monitoring, was around $260, plus all the extra sensors I ordered. At a minimum, put a magnetic door sensor at each door and a motion detector on each level. Position the motion detector so that an intruder will walk across it at a 45- (ideal) or 90- (acceptable) degree angle. Avoid placement where someone would walk directly towards / away from the sensor; this is their weakest manner of detection. For optimum protection, add a magnetic door sensor at every window. Every modern alarm comes with a "home" mode, which allows you to arm only the perimeter sensors and ignore the motion detectors (so you can move about freely inside your home while the system is armed).
And as other posters have pointed out, burglars take the path of least resistance. A "protected by (reputable alarm company here)" sticker on every window will help deter a burglary in the first place. Do not -- I repeat, do not -- get the generic-looking ones from Radio Shack. Burglars know what those look like, and they know they're fake.
DIY alarms can be a lot of fun and can offer a great opportunity for some serious hardware tinkering, especially if you decide to REALLY drill down into it and build your own from scratch (not recommended unless you know what you're doing). Enjoy!
"If the perp ISN'T within three steps or so (and doesn't have his own gun pointed at you) you'll have a hard time justifying a self-defense shoot." - A friend of mine shot a burglar who was in the process of jumping off my friends second story balcony after throwing an expensive bicycle off first. He hit the punk right in the ass and the bullet traveled down the back of the leg and exited behind the knee. It left that loser with a permanent limp to remind him not to steal things. Police showed up, did their usual question and answer session, and hauled the thief off in an ambulance and later to jail. My friend was never charged with anything. In fact one of the cops told him good job because apparently the cops were after this guy for a while. This happened about 7 or 8 years ago, so the laws may have changed.
Rejoice in your insanity, there really is no other way
Rock salt. And you can't be charged with deadly weapon assault.
There are things to be said about birdshot, 00, and slugs. Birdshot is great as it will spread nice and have almost no kick so you can keep on target with little effort, if using birdshot always aim for face as while it may not penetrate much it will always make someone sit down if you hit them there, you can step on their throat after that... 00 is great for shooting through walls and is even rather effective of putting a lot of hurt on people that may come in with vests. Slugs kick really hard, put a lot of energy into that hit but you you have no spread, on the plus side if you hit no matter what the situation that person is not getting right up, vest or not...
If your security system can be defeated by turning off power to your house
your security is pretty limited.
Have it on a UPS aka battery back up.
A noise maker alarm system will make most thieves look for an easier target.
If you want to know who it is then get a few video cameras and have a PC
record the video when the video detects motion.
Then to avoid then steal the data have it rsync to a remote computer
at a friend's house, your work or some other location.
You can also have the monitoring PC send an email if there is a breach.
Any weapon system that can do permanent injury is illegal, but I think ;)
you could get away with some nice tasty bear mace
That would have them really hating life.
google "32 trillion offshore needs IRS attention"
That answer works for me. As I said, I have seen #4 buck recommended from time to time suggested as the smallest to use for defensive purposes. Birdshot (the parent's suggestion) will work if you're within a few feet; but, it's less than ideal.
I don't mind when the dogs bark at people walking by. I know most of my neighbors do not mind either. It gets old when the dogs bark at squirrels, birds, and overflying airplanes. Those are the dogs that bark too much.
Remember, You are unique...just like everyone else.
The Death penalty only applies to blacks and Mexicans down here.
I know a guy who shot someone in the face and got away with it, And he was drunk to boot.
I wish I lived in texas, sounds like a lot of fun, a lot more fun then in canada!
Yes, I had dogs, as many as four at a time, for 15 years and one night I came home and surprised them and they defended my home. This person wasn't a guest she was someone who lived there and had she understood that growling wasn't a warm welcome and had so much as said a word to the dog it would have been fine. In the end she wasn't harmed more than a bruise and she understood her part in the misunderstanding. Sorry but I don't see where the dog made some huge mistake here.
Seriously if you cannot understand the dynamics at work then yeah don't get a dog. We'll all be better off not having to take care of it when you get bored and dump it at the pound.
Build it, Drive it, Improve it! Hybridz.org
Where's the VAN??????
A Great Dane named Tiny -- works for me. Nobody even comes close to my place.
"Computers are a lot like Air Conditioners" "They both work great until you start opening Windows"
I bought a house that had a monitored security system in it. I didn't pick up the contract and, of course, the system didn't really work well if I didn't let the company monitor it.
Here's what I did:
I bought a $250 netbook from Costco. Built in UPS (aka the netbook battery), audio card, screen and keyboard for troubleshooting, and the CPU was certainly powerful enough to run anything I might want a home security system to do.
Measured the voltages of the existing security system sensors and found out they're just simple open/closed switches. So, I bought a labjack (http://labjack.com/) board and hooked up the sensors to it.
Bought an X10 transceiver to flash the lights when the alarm goes off (also to control my Christmas lights).
Bought two D-Link wireless IP cameras (http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=664) and put it in my front window and front room.
Wrote a small Python program that has states (Armed full, armed home, perimeter, unarmed, etc...), reads the voltages from labjack and run scripts when voltage exceed or go under certain levels. Those scripts grab pictures from the camera, SMS text me, and set of the alarm sound (which is just a couple of speakers driven off a 10 watt amp connected to the audio out plug on the netbook) whenever the alarm is tripped.
Set up an XML gateway and had my wife write an Android app to communicate with it that allows us to set the alarm, view the logs and view pictures from our phones. (I love being married to a fellow geek!)
It was a super fun project (more fun that I thought it would be) and it works really well. I have the old alarm system stickers still on the door for deterrence, and it's nice for my wife to know that there's no one breaking into the house when I'm on a business trip and she's sleeping at home alone. Also, when we're traveling, I at least figure any thieves won't stick around with an alarm going off so I'm unlikely to lose much. No false alarms, and I've been running it for a year now.
I'm thinking of open sourcing the software I wrote...but I've moved off to other projects so I haven't gotten around to it.
The right to keep and arm bears shall not be infringed
(someone had to say it)
When I was searching for a DIY home security system I turned to Slashdot too. Reading through the comments I found some possible companies to go with. I settled on Ingrid, who has since changed their name to LifeShield. I installed everything myself and have been happy with the service for over 3 years.
www.lifeshield.com (used to be ingridhome.com)
I just went to their site and was surprised to see Dan Marino pop out and endorse the system. Maybe that is to drum up sales in Florida? LOL
-Andy
I live in the Southern US, where most everyone is a Christian. Someone broke into my garage once and stole some tools and a broken lawnmower. I put up stickers that say, "Protected by Witchcraft". Superstitions criminals leave me alone now.
my brother's neighbor on one side has a Great Dane, and on the other there is a Saint Bernard. Both would lick you to death, the Bernard may also crush you... Neither will bite AFAICT, they are so friendly. My kids have taken pony rides on the Bernard.
whois gawk date unzip strip find touch finger mount join nice man top fsck grep eject more yes exit umount sleep dump
Well, you can look at getting pretty much a premade up kit, as they are pretty easy to install and setup and configure nowadays. I know they also have ability for remote access from computer, iPhone, Blackberries, and window mobile phones too which can make this more attractive. Mobile lifestyles have even moved to CCTV which is pretty cool and lets face it, the public almost expects this functionality. This site at www.cctvhotdeals.com has a ton of stuff at really good prices, and gives a good starting point to look at just what is out there in terms of systems. I have bought several systems and installed them for family and friends as I am THAT guy whom everyone goes to for some reason, and I can say they install very quickly on premade systems, and is only a couple hours to be up and running. (the longest time was determination where to mount the cameras..if you think you know where they will go...you dont..lol...) You can do everything yourself and saves alot of $$$, time, and no need for appointments, or service calls.
Here's a simple, proven technique for damage mitigation: A steel plate covering your entertainment center (or a workbench or whatever piece of furniture contains your most valuable stuff). Attach it with 3 bolts, and hide a wrench in a convenient spot. But here's the key to this technique: WELD a few dozen additional bolt heads onto the plate. You can remove the armor in just a few seconds when you come home, but the burglar, not knowing the scheme, will quickly run out of patience.
At a shop building which had been suffering from weekly burglaries, despite all manner of locks and alarms, this technique instantly and permanently stopped the losses.
Comment removed based on user account deletion
My place got robbed in June 2009. I've taken several measures to prevent it from happening again. The robbery was pulled off by breaking a hole through a lexane window, climbing in, and unlocking the back door. I think they put a little kid through the hole in the back window because it was a tiny hole to queeze through and they stole a few toys I had lying around along with my electronics.
Low-tech security:
Renter's insurance. I wish I had that before the first robbery.
I chained my computer and my TV to the radiator. The chain is actually very well hidden, so it doesn't look too awful. The chain on my computer goes in through a PCI slot to a giant padlock, so if they wanted my computer they'd have to either tear apart the case, cut the lock, or take apart my computer piece by piece. The chain is pretty darn thick... I couldn't cut it with bolt cutters and it took about 5 minutes to get through with a grinder.
I put a protector over my door lock, and bars over my back windows where the break-in happened. Lexane is nice, but it looked like glass. It doesn't deter people from trying to break in, it just stops them once they try. And when it's fastened to a crappy wooden windowframe, the frame just gets torn out. The bars are attached directly to the brick
Oh, and I got a dog.
I also tell my neighbors when I'm leaving because they noticed my back door was open and my window was smashed for 36 hours before telling my landlord about it.
High-tech security:
I wrote a home security system using VB.net and PHP. The VB application runs on my home computer, and has a camera that looks down my hall. If it detects motion, it takes a picture, posts it online to my PHP script, which sends a text message to my phone with a link to the image. Then, the VB application plays a really loud alarm sound.
If you're interested in using my system for yourself, send my username a gmail and I'll hook you up with a download. I warn you, though, it's fairly customized for me and might not work on your computer.
Ok, how about you come over and stand still while I hit you with some bird shot at 12-20 feet...I am pretty sure that will stop if not incapacitate you in your tracks unless you have nerves of steel. You evidentally have very little experience with guns. Don't believe me? Go out, borrow a shotgun, get said bird shot, head to the country and set up a good watermelon at 10-20 feet and see what happens.
CS: It is all sink or swim...oh and did I mention there are sharks in that water?
There is no way to prevent theft. All you can do is discourage it. Keep copies of all important things/documents in a bank safety deposit box. Data storage is a bit of an issue. I hide my backup server in the basement rafters. Again not 100%, but hopefully they just take my computer and other electronics. Really, the best thing to do is not to become emotionally attached to stuff. Good luck.
If you do install an alarm use the hard-wired type. Put one in my house over 15 years ago and it works great. Someone tried my front door open and it activated the alarm. Scared them off, the monitoring company called the house, me at work, and the cops. Cops got there before me and were gone once they confirmed no entry into the home.
Look for professionals in your area that sell the parts. I found a guy who installed systems for 20 years then started selling the pieces and parts. Drew him a basic floor plan of my house and he recommended the proper equipment. Spent about $800 on the system. Good investment. Expanded the system when we did an addition on the house. Upgrades included installing fire detection in the form of heat sensors and smoke detectors.
How to reduce security risk:
Get a dog...nothing that can fit into a purse.
Move to a safer neighborhood
Get a motion sensor alarm that's loud. Be sure it has a 10 second delay. Something the counts down so intruder can hear it would be nice.
You can find a sticker from an alarm company and put it on your door. Social engineering can work well
Counter to what some people are going to say: A gun won't be very helpful in most situations. If you aren't home, they will steal it. If you are home, then you need time to be able to get to it, prepare it and then give warning. If you are surprised, it won't do any good, and the person breaking in can steal it.
If you do get a gun, get training and be sure when choosing the weapon to remember bullets can go through drywall, and you have neighbors.
I'm not against guns, and believe people have every right to have a fire arm as long as thy are responsible for the events that take place involving that weapon.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
Slugs go through walls and hit children in the street, neighbor's yard, or neighbor's house. Number 4 or 5 shot, and most likely even 6, can stop someone from across the room. Your average home break-in is not perpetrated by an action-movie hero. A few pellets striking home would be enough to stop most people. If you're competent with the weapon you own, you could disable without killing a human from across a 30 foot room -- that's 10 yards, a shot most bird hunters would consider easy when shooting at a fast flying target the size of a dinner plate. People tend to be much less freely moving and much bigger targets than game birds.
If you own a gun and can't shoot that well with it, put in more time practicing.
No no no. You people are still on the "every 3000 miles" schedule.
Get a good Japanese brand dog, they're made in America anyhow these days.
The "True Cost to Own" is very low.
Referring to home monitoring services and systems as "Home Security" is a bit of a misnomer. They don't "secure" anything. At best, it's just a log file for who enters and leaves. And even then, you are not assured of getting a positive ID to catch them later.
The original poster said "things I don't want stolen". That means Physical Security, not cameras, DVRs, and computers, not monitoring. Guns are fine, but do no good if you are not home to use it. What they really need are enhanced door and window security measures.
Deterrence. This is the first step. Make your place a "Hard Target", meaning that it appears to look harder or more dangerous to get into than the place next door. The most obvious deterrent is light. Keep lights on inside and out. Sound is another, but if thieves get close enough for that it's time for other things. Things like extra physical security.
Dead-bolts, latches, etc are physical security but can also act as a deterrent. Locks can be picked, but if thieves see they have to pick several they may decide to pass you by instead. You can have them all keyed off the same key. Inside latches or bracing are excellent as now they'll have to pretty much tear the door or window off just to get inside, which would attract too much attention. However, you cannot engage them when you are not there, but you can use them on all but the one entrance you plan on using when you return.
Another door attack is jimmying or separating the frame from the door enough to allow the bolts to slide out. The fix is to have a solid frame around the door that does not bend easily. If you build, you can have rather large steel poles put in place.
Another attack is to just kick the door in and rip all the bolts out of the frame. The fix for that is to have the frame reinforced with a long metal plate to replace the small one that is just around the bolt. Strong screws secure the plate to the frame of the house.
Windows are tricky because we want to see out, but thieves can just cut or smash the glass. Replace old windows with modern ones that have extra security features like double locks and those tabs that prevent the window from opening fully. Also, there is a security product out there that puts a plastic sheet on the inside of the window that reinforces the glass like the front windshield of a car. A thief could crack the glass with a crow bar, but the plastic holds it all together. Essentially, they could swing their arms off before they got though the plastic.
Beyond that, you may want to get a safe that you can secure to the wall or floor, depending what you are trying to protect. Some wall safes are made to be hidden, which are more for home beauty than security. Don't bother with biometrics, just get a keypad.
I have installed commercial-grade systems, such as those made by ADEMCO, GE, etc. Such systems can beep a Beeper but it is crude because these commercial systems are designed to report via a commercial monitoring center service. Monitoring services can be found selling on the Internet for $10 monthly. You can buy all supplies on eBay. There are several commercial suppliers that sell retail on eBay. A super-cheap alternative is to buy an IP-camera and install it in your apartment. Cheap, $80 Chinese FOSCAM cameras can used as a security system IF you leave high-speed internet running in your apartment while you are away. IP-cameras can be found on eBay (search for FOSCAM). These cameras contain a complete ucLinux system with an internal web server. You can access the camera remotely and, on th PTZ versions, remotely control the pan/tilt to look around the room. These cameras contain security capabilities where you can set it to email you 6 photos (taken a second apart) of whatever tripped its integral motion detector (based on a percentage of pixel change). Also there are external contact closure contacts that you can hook to any external sensor that will cause it to send an email or an email with 6 photos. Finally, there is a set of external contacts that you can use to remotely operate any device that detects a contact closure, such as an electric door lock. For a simple, cheap security system that also gives you photos of the intruder that you can provide the police, a $80+/- IP-camera is a viable choice.
Bu the dog can be trained to reduce false positives, as well as learn which people are ok to mass, and which aren't. Also good for alerting people when robots hiding in human skin show up at the door.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
Step 1: dog with a loud bark. Not even a guard dog, or a big dog, just a dog with a good bark and a predilection to use it. Step 2: Glock 19, the easiest-shooting, multiple-use handgun on the market. Concealed carry or home defense, it'll have you covered. Step 3(this can be step 2, also, depends on your exposure to firearms): Take a firearms and self defense training course. Hell, even if you don't do either of the suggestions above, take a defense course. You'll meet like-minded people who can help you with home security ideas.
Bullshit. 7/8 oz (or more) of #8 lead pellets flying in tight formation will seriously fuck up thin-skinned animals like people at across-the-room distances. I have seen the results.
Thats not fair, it also applies to the mentally handicapped.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
Cats are useless against burglars. They are complete cowards. Dogs are much better, and not cowards. I had a break a few years ago and had to get new doors. The old doors were easily kicked in. I don't find cameras or alarms to be all that useful, except for maybe identifying burglars after the fact. So I installed heavy doors with steel frames and deadbolts. The heaviest door on the market is still not to difficult to kick in. I re-reinforced everything with 1/4" steel and angle iron. Then I installed security doors outside of the main doors, which also have deadbolts and require at least a large heavy duty pry bar to get open. The burglars were not interested in things that they couldn't get rid of easily. They ignored $40k worth of vintage electronics, some very nice hunting rifles, a very nice and expensive long range target rifle, yet they did manage to steal 40 rounds of hand loaded ammunition which will only fit one gun! Not sure what they plan to do with that. So, to keep these things safe, and out of the wrong hands, I also installed a folding steel security gate that prevents anyone from entering the 'expensive' part of the house. It is anchored into concrete and uses a tungsten shielded lock. All of this cost around $300. Physical barriers are probably the best deterrents. If it takes too long, too much work or too many tools, they're going to give up.
An electronic alarm which when triggered plays an "amazingly realistic" barking dog sound
http://www.amazon.co.uk/X10-DK10U-Barking-DM10E-External/dp/B000KB2DFO
"Don't belong. Never join. Think for yourself. Peace." V.Stone, Microsoft Corporation
Start with a moat. When people come by to look at it, you hit them with your mind control rays. Send them off to empty their bank account into yours, then have them do sentry duty, and build more defenses, like pit traps. It's especally satisfying when you catch a would-be theif and turn them into one of your minions.
The only real problem occurs when they hit critical mass. Your minion staff is growing rapidly, and more traps are being built than you can keep track of. At this point, it's time to escape before you end up caught in one of your own traps. The mind blasted minions usually get confused without your leadership, and end up calling themselves scientologists.
Who would win this election: Andrew Weiner vs Andrew Weiner's weiner.
Just let me know your address, and what time you leave for work so I can meet you.
BTW - how big is your residence? A small van's-worth? A small moving truck size? Bigger?
1. They tend to over penetrate and exit your house
2. it is easy to miss compared to a shotgun.
Load the shell with rock salt. Bird shot (never seen #40 parent probably meant #4) is too fine even magnum goose loads won't do much to a person. Rock salt probably won't kill them but it will stop them. Also a shotgun slug has similar or greater penetration to that of a handgun. Buck shot is another good choice and doesn't require hand loading the shell, but there is a good chance of kill the intruder. As the parent suggested a firearm for home defense is something to be taken serious. Also laws on shooting at intruders vary state to state so this is also something to keep in mind. I wouldn't recommend a firearm for home defense if you have small children as remember you need to be able to get to the firearm before the intruder can get to you and easy to access fire arms kids seem to believe are wonderful play things. I do advocate training for a fire arm such as a conceal carry course, hunter fire arm safety, or even the NRA "Personal Protection" firearms course (never heard of this one before) so as to become familiar with proper handling, storing, and usage of a fire arm.
As a side note even thought I own several fire arms I wouldn't be using them for home defense for the above mentioned reasons. They are either too powerful (both hunting rifles) for the purpose of home defense and all including the shotgun are locked up and stored properly
Time to offend someone
From your cited site: "Lessons learned: A car door doesn't protect you against shotguns either."
My personal protection weapon is a 20ga. shotgun with #4 birdshot (aka "goose loads"). At close range it blows a hole in flesh that you can put both fists into. It's still lethal at house-or-yard distances (up to maybe 30-40 feet). I've used it to kill large animals with heavy haircoats; humans are, if anything, less well protected by average clothing and flesh. (I don't imagine most burglars put on their kevlars before going out for a night's work. Tho maybe there should be an OSHA regulation about that. ;)
Now, light birdshot at 50 yards or so, all that does is sting or at most puncture skin. But point-blank it will still put a serious hole in you. Even a popper or blank can kill at close range. Ask Jon-Erik Hexum if you don't believe me.
~REZ~ #43301. Who'd fake being me anyway?
It does not get the needed penetration, I have fired into clay to test this.
That sounds like what we used to call "rat shot" in a .22 cartridge. I think it's technically size 12 shot. Not much penetration but good for killing snakes and gophers. I'm all out of 'em and haven't been able to find any more. :(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratshot
~REZ~ #43301. Who'd fake being me anyway?
Sure, they're traceable... to you. Not to the guys who stole them from you, or to the guys the thief sold them to. So when they get used in a crime, and either the shell casings or the weapon itself are recovered... it's your door the police will be knocking on.
The biggest source of weapons used in crimes is various sorts of illegal sales, but still, around 10% of them are no kidding stolen weapons. It's hardly unheard of.
The downside of guns, is they tend to attract criminals as they are useful tools in committing other crimes and have a ready black market: for a stolen item, you get the most buck for the bang as opposed to trying to flog the action figures, comic books and decrepit hardware with weird OS's that most geeks tend to hoard.
Guns are light, easy to transport (as opposed to a large LCD) and unless you're into shooting sports the large investment leave you unprepared to defend your home. And even if you are a good shot, chances are it's either not at hand when needed (locked in the other room), the breakin occurs whe you won't be around to use it and just have it straight out stolen, or worst case ontario have it or use it on yourself in the heat of the moment.
The one time I had a home invasion, the first thing I did was hide my gun, a beautiful Israeli AK-47, as I didn't want it to be involved in the pending brawl.
I come from a family with a long tradition of shooting and piss off my ATF cousins when I outshoot them at family get togethers. Still I don't own anything more than a pellet rifle. Shooting anything beyond that is an expensive sport that I don't find compelling enough to invest in either the time or gear.
There have been a number of break-ins recently in my area. The place two doors down has had three. In general, the targets had one thing in common: gun owners.
The fact that I have a yard full of sled dogs and my house is clearly visible from the road are probably two factors I have not yet been victimized. And to be honest, would appreciate some kids hauling off my collection ancient hardware just to avoid the recycling fees.
Ditch the pistol and just go with the shotgun. Even well-trained police don't hit the target that well with a pistol - your chance of doing it in the excitement of a home invasion is pretty minimal. It's a lot harder to miss with a shotgun.
I do a lot of hunting and I've never even heard of #40 - the smallest I've ever seen is #8, and that's pretty fine.
I think that would be a good idea. #8's are really quite small - #40 would have to be like dust.
Shooting to kill is not a matter of avoiding legal consequences - it's your own safety at risk. If the situation is so far gone that you need to shoot someone to make them stop what they're doing or about to do - shooting to wound just won't do. You almost certainly won't be able to do it - about your only choice would be to hit them in the leg, and you're highly likely to miss.
If you need to shoot someone to protect yourself, you need to put two bullets in their center of mass, and that's probably going to kill them. If you can't deal with that, don't shoot.
Good neighbors beat a security system any day of the week.
Realistically, there are two aspects to the security problem: one is defending your property, and the other is defending your person (and family). The approach discussed above is for the situation of burglary when you're not home, and it works fine for that. But when someone breaks in while you're home... who knows what they're going to do? In that situation, you really need a dog or a gun or something.
When thinking about a gun, though, bear in mind that the cure can be worse than the disease. In most US neighborhoods, a home invasion situation is tremendously unlikely. How likely is it that your kids are going to get ahold of your pistol? Or that you'll accidentally shoot a family member coming in late at night?
The only systems I'm aware of are the military's "Active Denial" and LRAD systems. Active Denial is essentially a microwave beam, and the military describes it as "less lethal". Obviously, there's a very serious risk of severe burns at the ranges you'd be talking about. Probably illegal, and dangerous to have in your house in any case - what if you set it off yourself?
LRAD is an acoustic system that emits very powerful sound beams. No real risk of lethality, but deafness is certainly a potential problem, both for you and any intruders. Again, probably illegal. And your neighbors are likely to get pissed off in the event of false alarms, when the 100dB device goes off in the middle of the night.
I'm not sure if you were just kidding about the locking in the thieves part or the whole pain-field thing.
Given this was 9 shot not this mythical 40 shot spoken above, what is that? dust?
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090313044828AAvUOoT
http://www.firearmstactical.com/briefs10.htm
CS: It is all sink or swim...oh and did I mention there are sharks in that water?
Took a look: Looks like it WAS #8 and my memory was faulty.
This is a life-or-death issue. Please ignore my previous pushing of the illusory #40 and substitute #8 wherever it occurs in the remainder of my posts above.
With that substitution, does anyone have a problem with the stopping power of a 12-gauge load of #8 at under 15 feet?
Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way
[Quotes from Texas laws permitting use of lethal force to defend property and codifying a "fleeing felon" rule]
Indeed, Texas was the main exception I was aware of when I included "in most jurisdictions" in the earlier post.
Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way
I can't believe nobody mentioned this yet (or maybe its buried in the comments), but I replaced my ADT system with about $100 in arduino parts and some free time. I bought an Arduino, an ethernet shield, a $5 piezo, some $3 magnetic reed switches, various cheapo parts and with some wiring and time, I made a alarm that sounds the piezo whenever a door goes off. I have a button to press to silence the alarm, and I have wireless Ip cameras that it can attach images from whenever an alarm goes off so i can see who triggered the alarm. Right now I have it email my smartphone!
First place to start is listing the stuff you own. I have mine on a Google Docs spreadsheet, with tabs to categorize it. I can access it even if my computer gets stolen.
This will be useful for the insurance. Insurance won't replace anything, just pay you some, so prevention and common sense is really the key:
Securing the points of entrance, adding deterrents such as cameras and sirens, neighborhood watch, random lights and music, not publishing when you're going to vacations in the social sites, having your mail redirected or picked up, having a large mailbox big enough for parcels, automated shutters, etc.
Store your documents offline, like a scan of your passport and important papers. Digitalize as much as you can: I have ripped all my CDs and have a backup at my family's. I started ripping my DVDs too, although it's too big for backups. But at least I won't lose too much if someone steals my CDs or DVDs. Try to rip the most valuable ones, or the rarest.
It's really too bad that with all the technology around, there is no world standard for home automation and security.
It makes the whole thing far too complex to setup for the average joe.
Lol at all those who keep repeating dogs and guns, like the former is an option in an apartment, or like the latter is useful when you're away to anything else but getting your gun stolen too.
If you keep things at home which can be replaced, insure them.
keep valuable afap in a bank vault.
Keep a low profile and make your home ( and yourself ) lokk rather lowly.
burglars will investigate - most break-ins are actually targeted and not by chance!
And if you want to be bored and annoyed, install an alarm system which alerts you by SMS
then look up via the Internet you surveillance cam.
OK, lets get some things straight.
All this dogs and guns nonsense applies mostly to the US where
a) You have lots of space.
b) You worship guns irrationally.
for the rest of us, who mostly live in urban environments, often in cramped conditions (try buying a flat some time in London, count yourself lucky if you can afford something of 50 or 60 sqm, great living conditions for you and that mastiff you want to live with) and where guns are forbidden or heavily restricted, all the USian chest thumping about dogs and guns is farcical posturing.
In the UK your home alarm guarantees you will have a cop in 10 minutes or less. The police (not a security firm, but the Police itself) are understandably very thorough to ensure false alarms are kept to a minimum.
As for guns, thieves know you don;t have them so they rarely use them, and anyway most people would make a bad situation worse.
So protection number one are locks, closely followed by quality doors and windows. It is shocking to see how many doors have hinges in the outside of the property, waiting for the kind screwdriver that will liberate them form their oppressive frame.....
IANAL but write like a drunk one.
How about having a sign "The current resident is a lawyer and you are being monitored"
But which *kind* of "bunny rabbit" would you like?
I'm a security system installer from FL and I have to say that oppose to the claims in some comments a camera system will actually can do you a lot of good.
I've also tried many DVRs and PC based cards and also Zoneminder. IMHO zoneminder is more of a proof of concept and is not really usable in it's current state.
Personally, I dislike to purchase cheap sh*# so my best advice will be to keep away from kits you can get @ costco or frys.
If you have a Windows machine with good specs I'll load on it a GeoVision DVR card. you can get a GV800 4CH for around $400 nowadays. If you need a dedicated system and you don't want to use your PC you can purchase a decent standalone DVR for around $100 each channel or video feed.
Nuvico makes some entry level quality DVRs and Digital WatchDog has some nice features as well, however if you want the good stuff with email alerts and nice GUI I'll get a GeoVision DVR Card.
Anyway when you choose a DVR you want to consider 2 most important factors which are Frame Rate and Resolution. a good frame rate for NTSC(US) system is anywhere from 15 FPS to 30FPS Per channel. The size of the captured video is also important, with bigger resolution meaning more details in the scene. D1 (720x480px) is the most you can get for Analog system. CIF is 1/4 of the size of D1.
The specs on the DVR will tell you both, but you need to remember to divide the frames per Qty of channels. ie a 4 channels DVR which stats 60FPS is actually 60/4=15FPS per channel.
As for the cams, you should expect to pay ~$200 a cam if you get the good stuff like Samsung or Nuvico.
You could also get a cheap kit from costco for $400 which will include the (not-too-good) DVR and cams but expect a disappointment in features and in the video that you will provide the police.
As many things in life, a security system is also something to do right or don't do it (now).
Newton disagrees. Place the butt of a shotgun on your chest and pull the trigger. The same force moving that shot forward is moving the gun back. This ain't the movies, kiddo.
People are not made of fruit.
I have never heard of #40 until now, my tests involved #6 and modeling clay.
The following from your own link agrees with me.
Birdshot, because of its small size, does not have the mass and sectional density to penetrate deeply enough to reliably reach and damage critical blood distribution organs. Although birdshot can destroy a great volume of tissue at close range, the permanent crush cavity is usually less than 6 inches deep, and this is not deep enough to reliably include the heart or great blood vessels of the abdomen. A gruesome, shallow wound in the torso does not guarantee a quick stop, especially if the bad guy is chemically intoxicated or psychotic. If the tissue crushed by the pellets does not include a vital cardiovascular structure there's no reason for it to be an effective wound.
Humans cannot be disabled without killing. You need him to stop now, that requires 12" in gelatin.
The FBI agrees with me.
http://www.firearmstactical.com/briefs10.htm
So do the above.
What size rooms do you have?
Either your rooms are convention halls, or you don't have any experience to be making these claims.
I don't have any rooms bigger than 30 feet long. #7 bird shot is devastating at =30' (even without a choke in,) and like he said, will not go through the 'baddie' to be able to hit a neighbor.
I've had my house burglarized three times in the past ten years.(Okay, one time was the detached garage.) Two of those times were in Ohio. This past time was in an urban county in Maryland of about a million souls (375,000 households or so) where according to police reports, over 160 residential burglaries happened every month in 2009. That puts the odds of being the victim of a residential burglary at about 1 in 190 over the course of a year.
As for what they take, anything that can be relatively easily converted to cash, digital video records and iPods, laptops, jewelry, etc. While the pawn shops may be overly filled, things like these move quite easily on Craig's List, eBay, or on the streets and in the schools.
"Birdshot is not good even at across the room distances. It will not attain needed penetration."
I can't believe he made this statement. Birdshot will not only penetrate, it will blow the crook's head off at some distance. If you happen the miss his head, you will blow the crook's inners out. He doesn't know the power of a shot gun.
"You don't want to hurt the bad guy you want to stop him."
I would never be concerned about the welfare of a bad guy.
"00 is fine, slugs are better."
A shot gun slug is a bad choice. Your aim has to be perfect. A sawed off shot gun is best, if you can own one as we can here in Texas. Other than that, a shot gun with an 'improved cylinder' is probably best.
Correct, the link does agree with you slightly, I think you said that there was no penetration, perhaps you were alluding to it not penetrating organs. The shot would penetrate just fine, it just wouldnt kill unless you got lucky. #6 or #8 would cause enough damage to cripple all but the drugged up perp.
CS: It is all sink or swim...oh and did I mention there are sharks in that water?