How to secure an apartment from burglary

[McRhea]

Put a couple of cams outside your door, in plain sight.
Stream it and remote alert it to your mobile.
Put a "Smile you're on Camera" notice on the door.
Mention all valuables are ID'd for Identification.

Put another door lock on the door.
Make it harder than another door down the hall and put them on notice you're watching. They will seek out easier targets.

Oh yeah, actually doing that stuff really helps put it all over the top.

So what kind of cams should I get? Should I just skip cams and go for the security/alarm system that will alert the police?

I've thought about changing the lock on the door to a keyless entry one that will hopefully be un-drillable. Not sure if I'm allowed to change the locks though, will find that out.

MichaelD : Good advice, but that doesn't apply to me. I don't invite strangers over to my place, and only have my g/f and close friends over. I'm pretty sure the thieves are scoping the building during the day and watching to see who leaves and when before making their move. The windows in all units go from floor to ceiling, and many of my neighbors don't close their blinds I've noticed, so it's very easy to see into the apt from the street and determine if anyone is there.

 

[l0cke]

When my dad lived in Taiwan they would make concrete fences and brake glass on the top before it dried. Try covering your enterance floor in concrete and broken glass.

When you want to get in wear some of these gloves and handwalk inside.
http://www.hexarmor.com/

 

[Malfeas]

I'm curious, what apartment building is it and what part of town? I'm curiuos because I also live near downtown Seattle. Has the property owner been informed and are they going to install a camera system or other deterents?

 

[Kanalua]

Pretty much anything is useless in my apartment complex. I'm surrounded by old people. Our neighbor had TWO broad daylight breakins where the back door was kicked in. Nobody in the complex heard a thing.

Yet,i play some bluray movie too loud after 10 pm and it's like I'm committing murder!!!

 

[IronWing]

Mount a cross, a fish, and a "Footprints" plaque on your front door. Burglars will figure you're trailer trash with nothing to steal and move on down the hall.

 

[Farang]

Set up a booby trap swinging sledgehammer to the skull that drops from the ceiling when one opens the door. You will know the placement of the hammer and learn to instinctively tilt your head 4 inches right when you turn the doorknob.

 

[ConstipatedVigilante]

Electrify the doorknob.

 

[Red Squirrel]

having absolutely nothing worth stealing is a good start!

When the apartment is your main place to live that's kinda hard, where else to keep all your stuff such as computer, tv etc?

Best bet is probably better lock/deadbolt, and if the door is made of wood change it to metal. An alarm system and web cams help too. I want to fully secure my house with cameras in the future. I've worked too hard for everything I have to end up home one day to having it all trashed, and my cat deserves good security.

It pisses me off every time I hear of someone getting away with this crap. The latest major incident where I live involved a bunch of teenagers totally trashing a house and torturing the cats in the microwave (they survived but ended up having to be put down). This does not happen often, but it does happen.

 

[Rifter]

Bfd

 

[McRhea]

I'm curious, what apartment building is it and what part of town? I'm curiuos because I also live near downtown Seattle. Has the property owner been informed and are they going to install a camera system or other deterents?

It's the new Thornton Place apartments in Northgate, right next to the mall.

The property owner (Lorig), knows of the break-ins and they said "steps are being taken" to prevent any more break-ins, but I'm not sure exactly what they have in mind. Other than the alarms I mentioned in my first post, I'm not sure what else I can do. A keyless deadbolt that they can't drill might be a good place to start, but not sure if I'm allowed to install that myself. Something like this maybe? Keyless Deadbolt.

 

[sandorski]

Claymore

 

[arrfep]

http://www.faketv.com/

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11


That's been in my "To Invent" sketchbook for like 5 years now. 🙁


I am disappoint.

 

[jagec]

I'm an advocate of don't own much until you can move somewhere safe or carry good insurance. There is no securing. Any man can kick in a door or break a window and get out with what they want before cops get there. (avg response is 11 minutes nationwide)

A dog is good but only if his thoroughly trained in food refusal and man stopping. But that $5000 investment can be gone with one shot.

A PROPERLY secured home (of which there are very few in this country) is a little bit harder to get into than that. Bars over the windows, metal reinforced door/jamb and New York-style multiple deadbolts make it a bit trickier for a smash-and-grab.

But people don't like to live in houses like that for some reason.

 

[jlchoi]

A PROPERLY secured home (of which there are very few in this country) is a little bit harder to get into than that. Bars over the windows, metal reinforced door/jamb and New York-style multiple deadbolts make it a bit trickier for a smash-and-grab.

But people don't like to live in houses like that for some reason.

Probably reminds them too much of prison life.

 

[jagec]

Probably reminds them too much of prison life.

I submit that very few jail cells have problems with getting broken into, DESPITE there being a very high number of thieves in the neighborhood! 😀

 

[guyver01]

What kind of devices could I arm AFTER I leave for work that would hopefully scare the theives away?

 

[Zebo]

A PROPERLY secured home (of which there are very few in this country) is a little bit harder to get into than that. Bars over the windows, metal reinforced door/jamb and New York-style multiple deadbolts make it a bit trickier for a smash-and-grab.

But people don't like to live in houses like that for some reason.

Never been to NY but seen stuff like that in movies. It's true that will slow em down - course one chain around window bars and off they come.

I personally stopped worrying don't even lock house and insure the everything to max.

If I'm home - my dogs, labs, don't bite (do labs ever bite?) but they give well advanced notice of strangers so I can prepare.

 

[apac]

Kill bill solution ftw. Requires: rocking chair, beer, 12 gauge, shells loaded with rock salt.