How does everyone make sure their tools and other prized possessions stay safe at home? My garage is attached to the house. The first line of defense is the garage door/electric opener itself the second line of defense is my 12 gauge. I'm thinking I need something in between.
Home Garage Security
- Thread starter prsmd
- Start date
Toolhorder
Well-known member
skeletonizer
Well-known member
1: Live in a small upper midwestern town.
2: Be a good neighbor that knows everyone within three blocks by name.
3: Be as vigilant for your neighbors as they are for you.
4: Get to know the cops that work your area and make sure they know where you live and what your normal activities are at home.
5: Have a dog with a big bark.
6: Have a wife that would pull the trigger on a dirt bag without a second thought.
7: Keep the doors shut and locked, even when your home mowing the lawn.
Just a few off the top of my head.
2: Be a good neighbor that knows everyone within three blocks by name.
3: Be as vigilant for your neighbors as they are for you.
4: Get to know the cops that work your area and make sure they know where you live and what your normal activities are at home.
5: Have a dog with a big bark.
6: Have a wife that would pull the trigger on a dirt bag without a second thought.
7: Keep the doors shut and locked, even when your home mowing the lawn.
Just a few off the top of my head.
autoist
MEMBER EMERITUS
Keep the doors locked
let in only those you trust, be leery of everybody, your kids friends maybe alright but what about their friends? or friends of friends.
no windows, if possible, cover if you do. No prying eyes.
keep the overhead doors shut at all times.
get an alarm.
Luckily, the wife is a dispatcher for the SO, sometimes at night, deputies will sit in our driveway and run traffic.
let in only those you trust, be leery of everybody, your kids friends maybe alright but what about their friends? or friends of friends.
no windows, if possible, cover if you do. No prying eyes.
keep the overhead doors shut at all times.
get an alarm.
Luckily, the wife is a dispatcher for the SO, sometimes at night, deputies will sit in our driveway and run traffic.
e-tek
Well-known member
Skeletonizors TIP # 7 is key - ASK ME HOW I KNOW.
It's the little "****** and grabs" by opportunistic F()CK WADS that are the most annoying. Only time we've EVER had anything stolen was when someone walked in the open front door - while I was on the deck out back - and stole my laptop and camera. Coulda been much worse - I didn't come in for 3 hours that day.
A lttle while later I was home in my office when Mrs E-tek came home and surprised some dude trying on my shoes in the garage. He had to come around the back, though a gate and door, past our dumb dog. Beside a pair of nice shoes (******* had good taste) he also stole the radar detector from my van that was parked inside.
LOCK ALL THE DOORS, ALL THE TIME! I'm thinking of switching to auto-lock doors with key-pads - no more issues!
It's the little "****** and grabs" by opportunistic F()CK WADS that are the most annoying. Only time we've EVER had anything stolen was when someone walked in the open front door - while I was on the deck out back - and stole my laptop and camera. Coulda been much worse - I didn't come in for 3 hours that day.
A lttle while later I was home in my office when Mrs E-tek came home and surprised some dude trying on my shoes in the garage. He had to come around the back, though a gate and door, past our dumb dog. Beside a pair of nice shoes (******* had good taste) he also stole the radar detector from my van that was parked inside.
LOCK ALL THE DOORS, ALL THE TIME! I'm thinking of switching to auto-lock doors with key-pads - no more issues!
Torque1st
MEMBER EMERITUS
Keep the doors shut and locked. Cover the windows with translucent material so they let in light but nobody can see in. Get a motion detector light and wire it to a light inside the house in addition to lights in the garage.
Good quality deadbolt locks. Security film on windows. Motion sensors on exterior lighting. Monitored alarm. Doorjamb reinforcement (StrikeMaster, etc.). Lock electric-open garage doors when not in use. Keep personal belongings out of the cars parked overnight in driveway. Don't blab about stuff in garage.
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TAMPAGT07
Well-known member
No way??? Was it your white thigh-high leather boots that you wear around the shop? The *******?
nate379
Banned
Live in a place that doesn't have pieces of **** I guess. My folks never lock their doors and never had an issue. Keys stay in the vehicles as well.
gatchel
Well-known member
My inlaws are the same way. Unfortunately, eventually, if your near any sort of population your bound to get a few "a holes" at some point.
noslo04
Well-known member
Security video cameras.
Falcon67
Well-known member
Lights, loud dog, electric fence, doors closed, seemingly odd hours.
67 455 Bird ragtop
Well-known member
I have my garage wired into the house alarm system. I have motion lights al around the house and garage as do most of my neighbors. I also have on elight inside the garage connected to a motion switch. It comes on when I pull my car into the garage. Was a nice tip from a poster on here. I forget who. I also have a seperate motion alarm inside that has it's own alarm near all my tools and stuff. Plus the chief of police lives next door on one side and the fire department is behind me.
But the main part of my security is you can't see the garage from the street. I live in a flag lot and the house beside me hids the garage. You don't know it's there untill you are almost to the house. And by then about a half dozen or so flood lights have come on and the neighbors dogs start barking.
But the main part of my security is you can't see the garage from the street. I live in a flag lot and the house beside me hids the garage. You don't know it's there untill you are almost to the house. And by then about a half dozen or so flood lights have come on and the neighbors dogs start barking.
eldirector
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2008
- Messages
- 608
- lock/deadbolt on steel side door. Dead bolt fits into a steel pipe set into the studs and braced with a steel plate.
- "Dinger" that sounds if the side or overhead door opens. Can be set to trigger an alarm as well (nice for vacations)
- Overhead door can be locked down, and the opener is on a kill switch
- No windows (though they would be nice!).
- Two sets of motion-sensing floods (driveway and side door)
- video camera (can be set to record)
- Once the fence is done, you'll have to climb it to get to the side door. The overhead door faces the street, so pretty obvious if it is up.
- Quiet neighborhood, where folks watch out for each other. A few retired folks that will give neyer-do-wells the "evil eye" if they cruise the neighborhood!
best advice i could give everyone is to lock your doors. a common thief will be detered by it, but your seasoned b&e crook will get in no matter what as long as he deems the prize good enough. i can't tell you how many times reports are done because someone did not lock their doors to the house, garage, or car.
as far as myself, i keep the doors locked. deadbolts are reinforced and i have a electric garage door opener. i also live in a small neighborhood with one entrance, less than 15 homes, and it's a small cop land. there's a lawyer or two, nurses, firefighters, and three cops. it also helps to have a patrol car in my driveway. everyone here is close and we all talk frequently. anything that happens we are well informed due to being close and the law enforcement who live here.
my back door is enclosed by a screened in deck, my truck blocks the entrance to the side of the garage and we park any cars outside close to the garage door. anything you grab out the garage will be small and cumbersome to take due to the little room allowed to get out.
as far as myself, i keep the doors locked. deadbolts are reinforced and i have a electric garage door opener. i also live in a small neighborhood with one entrance, less than 15 homes, and it's a small cop land. there's a lawyer or two, nurses, firefighters, and three cops. it also helps to have a patrol car in my driveway. everyone here is close and we all talk frequently. anything that happens we are well informed due to being close and the law enforcement who live here.
my back door is enclosed by a screened in deck, my truck blocks the entrance to the side of the garage and we park any cars outside close to the garage door. anything you grab out the garage will be small and cumbersome to take due to the little room allowed to get out.
Keep
Well-known member
Inside I have 3 german shepherds to take care of things. In the garage there is just the main door from the outside, electric door opener with the remote and outside key pad disabled.
It also helps that I have really nosey retired neighbors so I pretty confident that if anyone was in the garage they would be calling the cops. It does help to having a couple of them in the neighborhood but they cannot drive the cars home like the Sheriffs can in the US.
It also helps that I have really nosey retired neighbors so I pretty confident that if anyone was in the garage they would be calling the cops. It does help to having a couple of them in the neighborhood but they cannot drive the cars home like the Sheriffs can in the US.
gatchel
Well-known member
In my experience dogs are not a good security measure as most of them can be defeated with treats, steaks, etc., etc., I have proven this to several of my past customers. Unless your dog is trained as a watch dog of sorts then they usually aren't good with people.
Security cameras just show you the people you can't identify (If they are smart) removing your goods. really not a deterrent to the determined theif.
Usually, nosey neighbors and a layered monitored security system are the best approach.
I know people who have been caught that would see the "stupid" signs and just rip them off the wall and throw them in the trash just to spite the "owner". Kinda funny if you ask me.
Security cameras just show you the people you can't identify (If they are smart) removing your goods. really not a deterrent to the determined theif.
Usually, nosey neighbors and a layered monitored security system are the best approach.
I know people who have been caught that would see the "stupid" signs and just rip them off the wall and throw them in the trash just to spite the "owner". Kinda funny if you ask me.
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willymakeit
Well-known member
I have good neighbors with dogs and guns. If someone is snooping around after dark there is usally a phone call to the other, to see what is going on.
Gary S
Well-known member
Just put together your own system of making things secure....................and don't post it here so the world knows what you do.
Be different. Don't follow the mob and do what the bad guys expect.
Be different. Don't follow the mob and do what the bad guys expect.
nate379
Banned
True. They have been living there for almost 30 years and never had a problem. I don't think the garage has a lock on the door even.
hetkind
Banned
an armed society is a polite society. we have a multilayered security system with the shop not being visible from the nearest public road, having the only access to the shop for a motor vehicle coming right past the house (there is an old logging road, but it is very steep and muddy), OSB under the metal skin, no windows and other features...
Howard
Howard
gatchel
Well-known member
I can see it now...When they bust the door in the buckets with hot tar and feathers fall and scald the perp(s). That would be awesome
That's pretty funny.
Cobra4B
Well-known member
Shopdog takes care of all would-be intruders...
hetkind
Banned
by attacking their ankles?
Hearselover
Well-known member
My garage is kept closed with the power to the motor turned off (not sure if that helps at all) its also alarmed and access is limited as ive got a boat blocking part of it which is clamped and is chained to a security post and a Dodge Ram blocking the rest, and if someone did get in and I had'nt noticed my best mates would let me knoww soon enough once they had finished eating the bits they wanted.
Brokk
Mist
Brokk
Mist
Take the emergency release rope off of your opener if the garage door has glass at the top panel. I throw mine away immediately upon install. If that rope needs to be used the opener has an issue.
Those are in arms reach if they pop the window.
If your opener does not have a remote lock out feature. Get one that has one.
Lots of cars were broken into a while back. They would open the garage from the opener in the cars.
Then open your attached garage door only to just lift your wife's purse off the counter after they have grabbed what they needed from the garage.
Just something to think about.
How many of your wives leave their purse right on the counter when they come in the door?
I am willing to bet that the number is quite high.
Those are in arms reach if they pop the window.
If your opener does not have a remote lock out feature. Get one that has one.
Lots of cars were broken into a while back. They would open the garage from the opener in the cars.
Then open your attached garage door only to just lift your wife's purse off the counter after they have grabbed what they needed from the garage.
Just something to think about.
How many of your wives leave their purse right on the counter when they come in the door?
I am willing to bet that the number is quite high.
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tcianci
Well-known member
I guess we have it pretty good here. Over 30 year and no problems. Usually leave most everything unlocked. But you guys have me thinking....
gatewaysysop
Well-known member
Excellent points, but it's amazing how many people never consider these things. I have neighbors directly across the street, they leave their garage door open sometimes overnight, with the light on inside for everyone to see. They have no alarm except on their cars, but they set it off so many times themselves that nobody takes it seriously.
They've been robbed at least two or three times of everything in the daughter's car. Of course it was some POS with more money in the stereo than the heap was worth. Last time, about a week after it was replaced, it got ripped off again. Gee, I wonder why nobody else in the neighborhood has this problem.
I cannot imagine having the door up like that at all hours, but apparently some people see nothing wrong with it. I can count off at least half the people on our street that I have seen doing this on several occasions. What is wrong with people? I wouldn't leave it up for 5 minutes to go inside and get a drink, in broad daylight, much less 5 hours unattended at night. Unbelievable.
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I have done several things to deter dirtbags from stealing anything but the cold hard fact is that the locks only keep the honest people honest. If someone wants to get in bad enough they are going to get in. Mike.
gearsmithy
Member
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2008
- Messages
- 5
Good discussion topic. I live in a bad part of Chicago (Humbolt Park), I'm also a security consultant by trade here's what I've done with my garage and plan to do in 2010. We've had our house burglarized at least once in the past year, and since my neighborhood is full of wannabe gangsters, I have to run a tight ship.
I have a stand-alone brick garage it has 2 entrances/exits and 3 windows. The front door (main entrance) and 2 small windows face West (towards sunlight and the house) and are crowned with a blindingly-bright motion activated floodlight. The two smaller windows (about 2.5 feet by 1.5 feet - too small to fit anything of value through) are covered with translucent window film and burglar bars. I have 1 large window facing south which I replaced with heavy glass blocks with my extremely heavy welding table parked just beneath it.
My main entrance door faces west and uses a deadbolt combo, and an additional external padlock. The overhead door is also padlocked from the inside. Access to the main garage entrance is restricted by a barely-legal fence that surrounds my property with 1 gate at the front of the house - no rear gates to the alley. My bedroom is on the east-most side of the house with a bird's nest view of the garage main entrance. The head of my bed is near the east-facing window so if the flood light trips at night all I have to do to assess the situation is sit-up.
Even with all of that, my system is still defeatable. So this year I plan to make the following changes:
1. Replace thin-metal door with heavy-guage steel re-enforced door. Multiple-solenoid actuated cam locks with steel backing plates embeded into the brick wall.
2. biometric authentication for all entrances.
3. solenoid-activiated deadbolts to the overhead door.
4. security gate covering the main entrance door with crop-proof padlock.
5. PTZ cctv nightvision cameras in and around the garage, with dedicated underground power circuit and video feeds into my home office. These cameras will be web-enabled, allowing me to survey the garage from my phone. I have a 2 terabyte storage area network that will continuously record activity in the garage with a data retention cycle of 1 year.
6. Internal motion sensors that trigger text message notifications of garage activity.
7. Loaded rifle near my bedroom window.
And those are just my perimeter defenses. Everything in my garge gets locked in a container when I'm done with it, and anything under 500 lbs is bolted to a permanent fixture. So if someone does somehow manage to get into the garage they won't be able to remove anything of value without a torch and a forklift. The weakest point in my system is the overhead door, and the only way to defeat that is to back a heavy truck into it, which would be difficult since my alley is very narrow.
I have other controls in place, but am not willing to discuss them with anybody.
The important thing when designing any security system is to think in terms risk and compensating controls. If there is a risk that a theif could enter through a window, then you should design a preventative (proactive) control to mitigate that risk, where preventative controls are not feasible detective controls should be in place to notify you of anomalous activity.
I have a stand-alone brick garage it has 2 entrances/exits and 3 windows. The front door (main entrance) and 2 small windows face West (towards sunlight and the house) and are crowned with a blindingly-bright motion activated floodlight. The two smaller windows (about 2.5 feet by 1.5 feet - too small to fit anything of value through) are covered with translucent window film and burglar bars. I have 1 large window facing south which I replaced with heavy glass blocks with my extremely heavy welding table parked just beneath it.
My main entrance door faces west and uses a deadbolt combo, and an additional external padlock. The overhead door is also padlocked from the inside. Access to the main garage entrance is restricted by a barely-legal fence that surrounds my property with 1 gate at the front of the house - no rear gates to the alley. My bedroom is on the east-most side of the house with a bird's nest view of the garage main entrance. The head of my bed is near the east-facing window so if the flood light trips at night all I have to do to assess the situation is sit-up.
Even with all of that, my system is still defeatable. So this year I plan to make the following changes:
1. Replace thin-metal door with heavy-guage steel re-enforced door. Multiple-solenoid actuated cam locks with steel backing plates embeded into the brick wall.
2. biometric authentication for all entrances.
3. solenoid-activiated deadbolts to the overhead door.
4. security gate covering the main entrance door with crop-proof padlock.
5. PTZ cctv nightvision cameras in and around the garage, with dedicated underground power circuit and video feeds into my home office. These cameras will be web-enabled, allowing me to survey the garage from my phone. I have a 2 terabyte storage area network that will continuously record activity in the garage with a data retention cycle of 1 year.
6. Internal motion sensors that trigger text message notifications of garage activity.
7. Loaded rifle near my bedroom window.
And those are just my perimeter defenses. Everything in my garge gets locked in a container when I'm done with it, and anything under 500 lbs is bolted to a permanent fixture. So if someone does somehow manage to get into the garage they won't be able to remove anything of value without a torch and a forklift. The weakest point in my system is the overhead door, and the only way to defeat that is to back a heavy truck into it, which would be difficult since my alley is very narrow.
I have other controls in place, but am not willing to discuss them with anybody.
The important thing when designing any security system is to think in terms risk and compensating controls. If there is a risk that a theif could enter through a window, then you should design a preventative (proactive) control to mitigate that risk, where preventative controls are not feasible detective controls should be in place to notify you of anomalous activity.
But when your thieves are heroin addicts trying to make a quick score for their next high, even a simple lock will go a long ways asa deterent.
Cobra4B
Well-known member
One word comes to mind, "overkill"
If I lived in an area that bad I'd rather move than worry about people constantly trying to steal my stuff.gearsmithy
Member
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2008
- Messages
- 5
One word comes to mind, "overkill"
Well the neighborhood was a strategic real estate purchase. In downtown chicago, it's not exactly easy to find a garage that's not co-located. So if you want to have a garage in the city, you're pretty much limited to multi-million dollar properties or bad neighborhoods.
regguy1
Well-known member
I had some vandalism at my shop years ago. The cops suggested cameras so they could catch them etc. My thoughts were I didn't want to catch them, but prevent the crime in the first place. I found an outfit that installed a "voice alarm" when the motion sensors outside the building detect movement instead of a light going on it triggers a voice message over an outdoor speaker that says (you record whatever you want to say just like a telephone answering message) "You have entered a secured area...video cameras are recording your activites...this system is monitored and police are being alerted...You must leave immediately" I haven't had any trouble since 1994. The system is realy just a regular alarm with a "voice module" that plays the message over the speaker, you can also activate lights in addition to the voice message. I put up a couple of fake camera enclosures with wires going out for effect. This is quite effective as it surprises anyone and they just get out of there quick.
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OccupantRJ
Well-known member
How do you enter yourself, without setting it off?