The economy and theft/security

[Lippyp]

My In-laws live in southern Spain and down there crimes getting absolutely rife. They've been burgled two or three times, my mother-in-law has had her bag stolen from her shoulder at a gas station. They can be quite violent too and its not uncommon for them to introduce some kind of sleeping gas into the house A/C system at night and then break in. They have alarms tied into a security company but it always seems to happen when they have a "staff shortage" A lot of the robberies are north african gangs although now the eastern europeans are also getting in on the act. It just seems you can't win these days.

 

[jkeyser14]

I checked the local crime reports website after reading this and things aren't really any different. Two to three thefts from motor vehicles and one breaking an entering per month seems to be the standard in my zip code.

 

[Joe69]

When I was married to my ex, she had credit cards and bank cards stolen out of her purse, which was sitting on our kitchen table. One of her son's friends did it. He was caught at a local mall trying to use the cc's. The clerk asked for ID, etc. It was even caught on video, and the cops still would do nothing. It was an open and shut case, and the local police did nothing! We were furious.
Her son was a bit of a troublemaker, and hung with the wrong crowd. His friends even broke into our house twice, almost exactly 1 year apart. I have been paying Brinks $35 a month for 9 years now because my homeowners insurance cancelled me after the 2 break-ins. Getting an alarm was the only way I could get another policy. The pisser was between the 2 claims, they only paid out about $500, which was a fraction of the loss.
I hate thieves and insurance companies.

Joe

 

[CarCrafter]

Yeah, burglaries have gone up over this side of the pond too, but we're not allowed guns.

No offense, but I am glad to be an American and I can still possess firearms. I feel sorry for your countrymen who have been turned into nothing more than victims in waiting. Its like that here in some states too, CALIFORNIA just to name one. I have a CCW and I carry, although not as often as I wish I could. I now live in a state with Castle Doctrine, yet I hope it never has to come to that because I will fire as many times as I feel necessary.

 

[CarCrafter]

I have cctv cameras, Electric fence, Pit Bills and a bunch of guns but none of that keeps my wife safe when she is out.

Once you have been victimized, there are few things that will allow you to feel secure again. I don't know if your wife is opposed to the idea, and I don't know what the laws are where you are, but you might want to look into getting some personal defense training for the two of you. There are so many places out there that offer this type of thing these days. Frontsight out in LV is popular, theres also the Gunsite Academy, and Sigsauer Academy to name a few. My wife was afraid of guns growing up, but she now embraces that its no different than my air tools. Its nothing more than a equalizer. All she may ever need to help regain her security could be as simple as the training, along with a lady smith with that pretty red dot.

 

[sstruckguy]

Funny,(and not haha funny) the power of a little red dot.

Then again, a hammer click or shotgun shuck(the pump action) will flat put the fear into anyone. Even when its dark

 

[bahamasair]

Once you have been victimized, there are few things that will allow you to feel secure again. I don't know if your wife is opposed to the idea, and I don't know what the laws are where you are, but you might want to look into getting some personal defense training for the two of you. There are so many places out there that offer this type of thing these days. Frontsight out in LV is popular, theres also the Gunsite Academy, and Sigsauer Academy to name a few. My wife was afraid of guns growing up, but she now embraces that its no different than my air tools. Its nothing more than a equalizer. All she may ever need to help regain her security could be as simple as the training, along with a lady smith with that pretty red dot.

Hand guns are illegal here but I carry anyway. I got her a PF9 and am trying to convince her to carry it but its not easy. She is coming round to it but we will see.

 

[onewaydave]

Grrrr. I wrote up a long response and the login timed out before I could post it. See the following post.

 

[walrus]

a friend of mine Dad lived on a remote island off the coast of Maine. He was retired Colonel and drank like a fish. It was a dry island, you couldn't buy any liquor or beer, you had to go off island to buy it. Every day he went to his moms house for dinner, the scum on the island knew it. He started to notice the liquor in the bottles was going down, huh. One night he drove over but walked back through the woods. Sure enough the scum walked in, the colonel had a .357 in his hand, started yelling, they ran, he fired over heads, one dropped and pissed himself. Needless to say they stopped

 

[onewaydave]

I have not noticed an increase in local crime, maybe in the city. I'm inclined to think its more from social values (criminals versus victems rights) and poor upbringing rather than the economy. Here are some of my approaches:

1. Situational awareness. Never presume that you are safe or protected.
2. Dogs trump electronic alarms. If you do have to go to alarms, get the most annoying, the loudest, the most flashingest-lights that you can afford. A silent alarm with a 5 minute response (and I think that isn't realistic) will only catch the drunks that are looking for a place to sleep.
3. Use motion detectors creatively. They don't have to be connected to lights.
4. Neighborhood watch. When I was 17, my motorcycle was stolen. I looked everywhere, talked to everyone. I found it in the shed behind the house of a neighborhood "friend". I stole it back, and yes I did.
5. DON'T shoot in the AIR. It wastes ammo. I am very accurate in placing .308 rounds and am only 200 yds from the shop.
6. In most states you can wear a side arm on your property. If you have people comming and going, subtly wear a side arm, under a coat, inside the pants. You don't necessarily have to brandish it but it does send a message.
7. Signs. I had trouble with trespassers and talked to the county sheriff. He asked if I had signs up saying that the judge would probably not do anythin to them if I didn't have signs. I took that to mean that I would have to take care of my own problems. The only sign I have is a "We Don't Call 911" sign, with a bunch of large calibur holes in it.
8. Booby traps are illegal. Dogs sleeping in the shop are not.
9. I have to ****** poachers (deer and turkey) off the property every few years. News gets around and I don't have to for a few years.
10. Motion activated cameras (game cameras are cheap) document the crime and the criminal. If the lights are motion activated also, the chump won't realize that his picture was taken also.
11. Remember that locks only keep the honest out. You can buy a pick gun from mail order for $49.00 that picks most residential locks in seconds.
12. Razor wire and hot wire fences are only good if they try to pee on it. Well it does establish a good demarcation of the perimeter.

Sorry for the rant but I get really ticked off at cowards, cheats and bullies.

 

[CarCrafter]

Hand guns are illegal here but I carry anyway. I got her a PF9 and am trying to convince her to carry it but its not easy. She is coming round to it but we will see.

Great, some needle____ politician wanted the criminals and thugs to have an upper hand !! Watching an episode of COPS earlier with the Mrs, I remarked how practically everything was illegal to own in the golden state. In response to her question, "well what did you have when you were growing up?"........


" a California victim id card so the authorities would know who the chump was"


I am not fond of carrying illegally, but I'd rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6 any day.

 

[m289271]

Crime is actually down here too. The bad economy has forced a lot of the illegals to move on. Even $5/hr jobs are hard to find.

 

[OccupantRJ]

Do you guys think that an exterior alarm keypad with an obvious blinking red led would turn most thieves away, looking for easier prey?

 

[boro_boy70]

Reading this thread made me re-think my garage security. Installed a new dead bolt yesterday on the small door. What do you guys use to secure the overhead doors?
The regular locks that come with the doors are junk. Is a padlock thru the rails good, or is there a better way?

 

[jmack]

Sooo moral of the story, DO NOT LET PEOPLE FROM CRAIGSLIST IN YOUR SHOP. Meet them outside. Meet them at a local store. Just not at HOME.

I am still replacing these tools, every time I see a deal it seems to get snatched out from under me (Even on here).

Your lesson learned should be not to use craigslist at all. I don't understand why people would even want to use it given the risk.

When structured markets like eBay exist where you can carry out the transaction without buyer and seller ever meeting face to face, why not take advantage of it?

 

[snorky18]

Like I explained to my neighbor when he asked if I thought the chains and locks on my trailers made them theft-proof... "no, but why would they bother when your trailer is 20 ft away unsecured?"

Nice, haha. Like surviving being chased by a bear in the woods - you don't have to be faster than the bear, just faster than your hunting partner.

This has been a huge concern of mine since losing my job and working from home (mechanic)

At least you will be at home with your stuff, making you less likely to be a target.

One of the few benefits I can name for my being laid off a while back, is that we now have a live in security guard at our house. (He's also the dishwasher, laundry doer, home handyman, dog walker, and sometimes even the cook).

 

[Stuart in MN]

Reading this thread made me re-think my garage security. Installed a new dead bolt yesterday on the small door. What do you guys use to secure the overhead doors?
The regular locks that come with the doors are junk. Is a padlock thru the rails good, or is there a better way?

I simply wedge a short piece of 2x4 between the top of the door and the bottom of one of the roof trusses above it. I also have no outside hardware on the door - no latch or handle.

 

[Lippyp]

Security is about layers IME, so security lights and fences will deter the causal thief, good locks and an alarm the slightly more experienced BUT nothing will deter someone determined to get in, hell you can't stop someone putting a chainsaw through your door or a grinder or whatever. That said I leave my holiday home in France for months at a time and so far to date after six years no problems. It has good locks and wooden shutters over the windows but thats about it, its sat in the middle of nowhere although after last year we now have a neighbour at the bottom of the drive. If I did that in the UK it'd be stripped bare by now.

 

[M3Pilot]

Fire warning shots into the ground. Never shoot into the air. QUOTE]

That's always worked for me & it's less likely that a bullet will fall from the sky where it's not welcomed nor deserved if you fire into the ground. This advice may not be so appropriate for those of you with rocky ground.

 

[Vinko]

Reading this thread made me re-think my garage security. Installed a new dead bolt yesterday on the small door. What do you guys use to secure the overhead doors?
The regular locks that come with the doors are junk. Is a padlock thru the rails good, or is there a better way?

I've been thinking about this too. I like what someone else suggested somewhere: a pair of visegrips on the rail. stop the door from moving.

 

[TAMPAGT07]

I've been thinking about this too. I like what someone else suggested somewhere: a pair of visegrips on the rail. stop the door from moving.

I just use a padlock..

 

[Art From De Leon]

I just use a padlock..

bolt and nut.

 

[GreyOwl]

I just use a short length of chain and S-hooks when I leave for any extended periods of time.

[/IMG]

Charles

 

[Firetacoma]

I put up signs around my building that say "Warning: Experiment in progress, BIOHAZARD, Do Not Enter!"

Be aware that if you have a fire at your property this will most likely slow down suppression activities while the fire department attempts to contact you.

 

[TAMPAGT07]

Be aware that if you have a fire at your property this will most likely slow down suppression activities while the fire department attempts to contact you.

Very true. How bout something like this; "WARNING: HOT AND ***** **** WOMEN, WHO WILL DO ANYTHING FOR FIREMEN, AT THIS RESIDENCE."

 

[mrjsl]

I keep two **** hounds which are extremely loud, and I built their run on the backside of my shop. They can smell something coming from a long way off.

My shop also can't be driven up to because it's in the backyard, which is inconvenient lots of times, but makes it hard for someone to steal stuff too.

On the other side of my property, I have a neighbor. My neighbor is a little old lady - 80 or so, and if anyone comes up on that side she will come out an ask them what the hell they are doing. They won't sneak by her either - she is more alert than the dog.

I am also armed, usually armed to the teeth.

As an added bonus, on the dogs side of my property, they look out onto a strip of woods. Just through the woods I have another fairly wealthy neighbor who has a large piece of property for in town - probably 10 acres. The woods belong to him too. He is a divorced guy, and lives by himself most of the time, and he hates varmints, and randomly shoots at them off his porch with a shotgun, so no one who pays attention would want to go near his place.

So I have the dogs/old lady/limited access/locks/guns/unpredictably violent reclusive neighbor security system.

 

[Vinko]

I just use a padlock..

I find vice-grips quicker to remove than a padlock or a bolt and nut.

 

[Vinko]

bolt and nut.

what grade

 

[TAMPAGT07]

I find vice-grips quicker to remove than a padlock or a bolt and nut.

Get one of those combination locks, takes me 5 seconds, and I don't have to walk around the garage when I need my vicegrips.

 

[Tech Guy]

I agree that when the economy started to tank, crime went up. It always happens that way. West of Toronto, house burglaries did not really go up but commercial/industrial burglaries climbed by almost 30%. As the economy got better it has slowed down a bit. Thats why my business is considered recession proof to a certain degree. As I have mentioined here before since I do it for a living, if anyone needs advice on security, cameras or locks, feel free to PM me

 

[dodgepolara500]

Yeah, burglaries have gone up over this side of the pond too, but we're not allowed guns. I always keep my garage and shed locked, I have automatic security floodlights and my trailer has a tow hitch lock and is chained to a phone pole. in the back garden. A bigger problem over here has been fuel thefts, particularly from trucks. They just drill a hole in the bottom of the tank, take what they can carry and let the rest run away (diesel) They have also been atrgeting domestic heating oil in rural properties, the really well organised thieves have a big van with one or two of those pallet based tanks in the back and an electric fuel transfer pump to move the oil. That and metal thefts, just a couple of weeks ago the publicly owned building next to me was having some work done on it so was surrounded by scaffolding, dumb idiots didn't fence it off and someone got up there one night and took all the lead flashing from the roof. The post office next door to that building has had that happen twice in the last 18 months.

Must be Albanians. Your version of our illegals

 

[bahamasair]

I just quoted a guy for a set of gates and motors after someone waited for him to go out on his boat then broke out one of the panels of his hardwood front door and cleaned him out. Because they never opened the door the alarm didn't go off and for some reason he didn't have motion sensors inside so they were able to take their time and pile everything they wanted by the door. They then reversed the van up and opened the door and loaded up while the alarm delay counted down. By the time the alarm went off they were pulling out.
From my experience the majority of people will wait until something happens before they get serious about security.

 

[Tech Guy]

I just quoted a guy for a set of gates and motors after someone waited for him to go out on his boat then broke out one of the panels of his hardwood front door and cleaned him out. Because they never opened the door the alarm didn't go off and for some reason he didn't have motion sensors inside so they were able to take their time and pile everything they wanted by the door. They then reversed the van up and opened the door and loaded up while the alarm delay counted down. By the time the alarm went off they were pulling out.
From my experience the majority of people will wait until something happens before they get serious about security.

How true. Most think they do not require security systems or proper locks or even locking the door for that matter. When I first got started in this industry, systems that are common place today were luxury items back then. Nowadays it pretty much a necessity to protect yourself and your assets properly.

What type of gate operators are you using ?

 

[southpier]

If you're outside city limits, fire some warning shots in the air next time. The criminals might consider if it's worth dying for.

is it worth killing for?

 

[nathank]

is it worth killing for?

This is exactly the question they posed to us in the Texas concealed handgun course. The instructor told us that if you shoot someone, kill or not, your looking at 15k minimum in legal fees right out of the gate.

Sometimes it's cheaper to replace the tools (I guess it depends on the toolbox)

 

[TAMPAGT07]

This is exactly the question they posed to us in the Texas concealed handgun course. The instructor told us that if you shoot someone, kill or not, your looking at 15k minimum in legal fees right out of the gate.

Sometimes it's cheaper to replace the tools (I guess it depends on the toolbox)

15g's....Ok so why not hide the body after you smoke him? Just call up Kusty, he'll give you a hand.

 

[m289271]

It's been mentioned before, but if you have a fiberglass garage door, that is your weakest link. You can have all the locks you want on the windows and man door, but a battery powered Sawzall will cut through fiberglass like a hot knife through butter.

 

[Bigrhamr]

15g's....Ok so why not hide the body after you smoke him? Just call up Kusty, he'll give you a hand.

Yeah, it sounds like they should include a course in the three S system.(Shoot, shovel and shut up)

 

[eborcim]

is it worth killing for?

You have to take a stand and put a stop to this irresponsible activity.

 

[Jaguar Fan]

Sometimes, the answer is yes, you need to shoot. "Some bad guys just need killin'."

http://www.lvrj.com/news/brother-didnt-act-alone-sister-says-70263292.html

and

http://www.lvrj.com/news/police-suspect-link-to-family-70263262.html