Inexpensive burglar deterrent

[john east]

A friend lives in a road that seems a place of choice for low-life ringing door bells early in the afternoon, and if no one is about they are breaking in.

They don't have the finances to buy any sophisticated alarm system. So are there any simple ways that might deter these thieves?

We know about leaving the television on, but that would mean leaving it on all day which perhaps is a bit obvious. We thought having a loud recording of a dog barking might be good, but how might that be set up to activate at the right time?

Perhaps someone might have some better suggestions? Thanks.

[Nick Odell]

- Don't have anything worth nicking. Burglars once gave up jemmying open my front window when they spotted the top-loading VCR.

-Get a real dog

-Talk to the neighbours and the police about Neighbourhood Watch. Worn-out posters on lamp posts don't fool anybody but a new, active and obvious scheme will give the scroates second thoughts.

Nick

[stuart noble]

As ever, the only real solution is not to have anything worth pinching, which is where the old/impoverished usually score. I think mugging is more lucrative than burglary these days.

[Nick Odell]

PS. A real dog will probably cost less in dog food than a real telly will cost in electricity if it is left on all day.

N

[The Natural Philosopher]

Well, you should switch the dog off and unplug it from the wall.

Any fule no that!

[Chris Hogg]

You can get door chimes that sound like a dog barking. Google for 'door chimes' 'dog barking'

[Nick Odell]

The dog barking door chimes that I've heard sound like a door chime pretending to be a dog barking and wouldn't fool anyone.

Nick

[ARWadsworth]

It might fool a police officer.

[Brian Gaff]

The dog device used to be sold. I remember it. I saw one in Tandy once. that dates the idea!

I'd have thought a pir could set it off. The trick of choice round here by the south american gangs is a lady. usually young, with a pocket full of tennis balls. She bounces them off windows. If nobody shouts at her, she signals the burglars. Brian

[Mentalguy2k8]

Like those fake alarm boxes, it tends to give the impression that you have stuff worth nicking but you haven't spent much on protecting it.

[Gazz]

as do the sound activated dog barking recordings, pretty easy to figure out it's fake when it repeats the exact same bark every time you press the bell or bang on the door.

now if you were to get a large solenoid or 2, and have them bang against the door making the whole door shake along with varying barking and growling sounds, it might seem a little more realistic,

Or, how about connecting the bell push to something like a fog horn on the roof, or even a cop car siren, it should shit the scrotes up enough to bugger off sharpish, and might make others in the street look out to see whats going on...

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Electronic door chimes don't even sound like real ones, so I doubt they'd manage a convincing dog. Would probably sound like an emasculated Chihuahua.

[ARWadsworth]

Will the TV answer the door when they knock? And a TV will not stop them knocking.

DIY alarms are not expensive but are only as good as the friendship with your neighbours.

Better locks?

[ARWadsworth]

I assume that most houses on the same street will have about the same value of things to pinch. People that were not prepared to buy an intruder alarm used to say "If you have an alarm it means you have something to steal". What happened was that the burglars broke into the houses without the alarms.

So how do you spot a fake alarm box?

[Phil L]

Fake security cameras in poundshops, had a look at one recently and they do look very real, also a sign saying, 'smile, you're on camera!' will put most thieves off

[McGyver]

It happens that john east formulated :

The best deterrant is bars on the windows and steel security screen doors. Once your friends spend that money, there will be no monthly fees. The fact that a determined burgler with power tools could get through is no problem because they don't try. The bars act as a deterrant so well that the bars never get tested as a physical barrier.

McGyver

[The Natural Philosopher]

they don't try if you are in and the dogs are barking, either.

If you offer any resistance and they counter, that's now robbery with violence - a bit more than just burglary, sentence wise.

BTW is deterrent. No 'A'.

[Andy Champ]

The neighbourhood watch officer told us a tale of a jeweller who kept stock at home. He'd got bars, and a reinforced steel door.

The burglars took a sledge to the wall.

Andy

[Vic]

This works well and is really cheap. You just need a few props: Old second hand workman's boots, size 15, a giant dog food dish or two and some copies of "Guns & Ammo" magazine.

Leave these prominently in view in the porch. Then pin a note to the door:

"Bubba -- Me and Joe went to get more beer and ammo, be back soon. Don't mess with the pit bulls, they got the postman bad this morning. I don't think Killer took part, hard to say with so much blood. I locked all four of them inside the house. Best wait outside until we are back."

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[jgharston]

Nah. English too good. Needs to be something like:

Bubba -- Me an Joe go get more beer and ammo back soon. Do'nt mess with the pit bulls, they got the postman reel bad this morning. Think Killer do'nt took part, ca'nt hardley tel with so much blood. I locked all four off off them inside of the house. Best wait outside till we is back.

JGH