I got broke into this AM, my shop, not my house....I'm thinking someone was after something they knew was in there.
No tire tracks in the driveway, and that is the only access for a vehicle.
Nothing was taken, I may have interupted them.
They just busted the entry door open with a crow bar. That was it. It happened between 9am -12 noon.

So what do you guys use for home/shop security?

 

Talk to a local alarm company. So many options to go with. I have motions and cameras in my place.

 

I don't live in a bad neighborhood.

Never needed anything like that, but I do have a dog and a few guns.

 

Remote cameras and loud alarms. The PD are worthless.

 

Call an alarm co. You can get a basic Honeywell (Ademco) system for under 1k. Get it monitored, lowers you insurance. Bill

 

The officer that came out today, was pretty straight forward in suggesting an 120+ decible alarm, with monitoring, as their response time to my house would average 15+ minutes on a good day. I'm in the corner of the county, and in a pretty good farming neighborhood...but crime is spreading out he says.

 

REALLY.... who is going to respond to the loud alarm? When the loud alarm sounds can you count on someone calling the "worthless PD" if it is not a monitored system. Also who is going to locate the criminal caught on tape? Funny how people think a policeman is "worthless" until they need one.

Rick

 

That's right...nothing bad every happens in "nice" neighborhoods....maybe like the farming area where the OP has his shop ??

 

Wire the active output terminal on your monitored shop alarm to a moderately loud overhead/external alarm AND a digital recording inside the shop of a large dog barking. Most people can recognize the sound of a German Shepard or Doberman since they have deep resonating barks. They're also the traditional guard dog since they're quick/agile, have natural protective instincts and are intelligent. Place a few "Beware Dog" signs around the premises and a large water/food bowl & chain/leash outside the door. Keep the shop (and house for that matter) windows & doors shaded when you're not home. Its like playing poker and should cause your new guest to fold and walk or at least hold them in the hedgelines wondering if you're bluffing for the 15 minutes until PD shows up to look around.

 

I was at dinner a year ago with some friends and got a call from my alarm company that a door on my house had been opened...turned out it was a false alarm but the police where there in 3 minutes and waited until I arrived and walked through the house with me before departing...

They can't always prevent a '****** & grab' but they do respond....in my town anyway...

When going on a trip I deactivate the garage door sensors for the remotes, physically disconnect them from the chain drive and then throw the metal 'bolt' that locks each door to its track. Do NOT keep garage door openers in vehicles parked outside the garage overnight.

 

motion detectors and door switches tied into a monitored alarm system coupled with 120db siren....

 

Your best bet is a sign. Hopefully they will see it and move on. You can add some motions and door contacts with a loud siren as your second line of defense, but if it takes 15 minutes for the police to show up, you can steal a lot of things. As Frank said smash and grab is over so quick the police just can't make it in time. The monitoring will lower your insurance rate and it is 30 bucks a month. We do the camera thing at the business along with the other security devices. The best you can do is the prevention route.

 

Here's part of my security system.....
cleverly disguised as an innocuous bunny rabbit.

 

I would suggest,

Motion lights outside

Alarm system with: PIR/Microwaves combos, pet friendly because a shop generally is not temperature steady and the shop might have some small animals running around it, pets or not. Order the Microwave portion of the detector for the correct footage range needed to cover. The Microwave will go right through solid walls. Door switches, glass break detectors.

Hide the control panel well. Set the delay time to disarm the panel as short as possible. Set the delay time for the central station to confirm the alarm to zero. Let them call.

Get as loud as horn/strobe as you can get.

Use a cellular back up for reporting. I smart thief will cut the phone lines before going in.

Install a 4 camera DVR with IR cameras. They will see in total darkness. Hide the DVR well. If your shop is near your house, put the DVR in the house. Put a good sized UPS on the camera power supplies and DVR so that it will operate if the power is cut.

Install signs.

Do not show anyone your system.

The price on all this stuff has really come down in the last 5 years. If you can work on car wiring, you should be able to install all the above. Programming might be a little hard, but who ever you get central station monitoring from should be able to help with that, if needed.

Monitoring should cost $15 to $20 a month. They only pay $2-$6 for it.

Have fun.

 

Agree with all of the above, but nothing stops a pro but one right between the eyes. And a couple more for good measure!

 

I have a security agency coming next week. We've come up with an exterior barrier penetration system. All doors and windows will be covered with either a hidden wire system or a wireless system. There are connecting control panels in the shop, and house, with audible alarms, and monitoring (17$/mo.) I will replace my service door with a re-inforced frame/door unit for extra strength, and protection around the deadbolt on the door/frame area. There have been quite a few breakins in the last 5 years I'm finding out, but all of them single hits. No-one has been caught.
My neighborhood is pretty quiet, and friendly. My house/shop is also somewhat secluded from the street by 250' of trees along the driveway, and in the yard. Once your off the road, the trees give a thief good cover,unless someone pulls in the driveway.
Thanks for the tips guys, hopefully I'll be able to keep my junk!

Check out my thread about theft prevention too if you care to comment on that.

Thanks, Zim

 

Zim,
Keep the faith with law enforcement, they DO care and want to keep the community safe even though some think they are worthless. It sounds like you are taking the necessary steps to keep your home and family safe in troubling times.

Rick

 

I also agree with all the above, including our law enforcement. Though in the many years we've been in business we haven't had a break-in, we have had a couple older employees who couldn't for the life of them remember the alarm code, and were on each occasion greeted by Farmers Branch's finest within 5-10 minutes of triggering the alarm. I appriciate the hard work and selfless dedication of the men and women that risk their irreplaceable lives every day to protect our replaceable belongings. -Jeff