My house was broken into yesterday, any security system suggetions?

[Pastore]

No way in hell they will hit the same house twice...

That is the last thing a burglar would ever do...

Now hitting another house in your neighborhood is something that could happen, and happened in my situation...

Just because they left behind TVs, stereos, computers, doenst mean jack... If they were going to do this, they need more than one person... A jewelery box only takes one person...

They would take a chance with the stuff being at another house before they hit yours again...

 

[herself]

OMG!!! STOP WAIT DON'T BUY ADT!!!!!

<~~~ Used to work for a sub-contractor for ADT... the response time through their monitoring is one of the worst in the business... regardless of what they tell you! Plus, the systems are *very* easily broken and manipulated.

Get a system through ITI, and check out the monitoring services offered in your area. In this instance, cheaper is DEFINATELY not better.

Tamara

 

[TheVrolok]

Sorry to hear your loss. My security system is a big 110 lbs German Shepard. Too bad you don't have room for a dog, great animals. Don't know too much about security systems, just wanted to say good luck in finding the criminal and aquiring a security system.

 

[Time2Kill]

security systems are a joke...
all you have to do is snip the phoneline, and then break into the house (well maybe not quite that easy but you get the point)...i know someone that used to work for guardian alarm...and he can break into just about any house w/o the alarm going off etc...

if the burglar wants to get in, he will get in, doesnt matter if there is an alarm or not

 

[myputer]

<< I don't have much land for a dog. ADT is in my area. Do you have good service from them. >>



When my alarm went off (my cat set it off) the police were here in 6 minutes. The only problem I had was the tech that installed it went into my telephone interface and disconnected my lightning protection. I was having a problem with my phone, so the phone company sent a tech out. He said ADT performed an illegal action by entering the interface, and they charged me 50.00 to fix the problem. I sent the bill to ADT and they paid my entire phone bill for the month, not just the service call.

 

[Jfur]

Do have someone look at the access points in your house. Often, simple modifications to windows, doors, etc. can be made that make it much harder to get in. Sorry to hear about that horrible experience. I hope that none of the jewelry was heirloom

 

[FettsBabe]

I would be very concerned about a second break-in. When burgulars learn your work pattern, etc. they know when and when not to strike. They left a lot of items. Get something to safeguard your home. I don't know to much about security systems, but my co-workers house was broken into the other day while they were asleep. Her husband saw them walk down the hall. He didn't move because he didn't want them attacking him or his wife.

 

[daveman]

thanks for all your suggestions. I think I'll have a few different companies in the area come out to show me their systems. From that I'll make the decision.
Thanks again

 

[Sigity]

if you don't want to get a security system(ADT etc)

do this.

get a timer for your lights...make sure certain lights are on after 7ish...living room, bedroom, etc.

also, get a deadboldt and a dog.

AND GET YOUR MAIL EVERYDAY

its easy to be a target...simple things help out tremendously.

OH-And lock your windows, especially in the summer, when they are usually left open

sig.

 

[Bozo Galora]

my take on the above:

Police really dont care about your breakin, they see you as being lame for being a victim, tho if they stumble across your stuff, they will give it back to you.
ADT sucks - but I guess it depends where you are.
burglars DO come back within a 2-3 week window, this is well known.
security systems are easily got around, if you are going to waste money for this route you need a wireless unit that transmits via radio waves directly to alarm co/police
burglars know they have 5-9 minute window to get in and out, by police response time, dont really care about alarm, a pipe wrench up the sleeve, on your koorknob, bingo, they are in. Or those $600 electric lock picks/zappers.
this was DEFINITELY an inside job by someone you know.
NOBODY LEAVES MONEY. He was spooked.
dogs are good, but pros just give them poisoned or tranquilized meat
booby traps mean YOU will go to jail

the best defense is a &quot;spy cam&quot; like parents use to check on their babysitters etc. They fit in a clock or thermostat etc., and record to a vcr. Then you will have a PICTURE of the guy for the cops so they can do something. They know most of the players in the given area.
The second best defense is a really annoying nosey neighbor.

Edit: However loathesome it is to think about, you must consider your own sons friends as suspect. If you install spycam, dont tell him.

 

[yasha]

Time to look through this catalog

 

[daveman]

<< Edit: However loathesome it is to think about, you must consider your own sons friends as suspect. If you install spycam, dont tell him >>



My son is only 7. The only people I know of that has entered our bedroom are family members.
They may have seen what they wanted from the window.

 

[Bozo Galora]

oh, o.k.
didnt know his age

but how about recent work done at house?
pool cleaner, bug killer guy, yard worker, etc., they all have min wage helpers
also dont know how close your neighbors are, but same workers over there might see something at your house.

this whole thing is just too &quot;cute&quot; to be random

knocking down the door seems excessive - where is the door, and how was it done?

 

[Dually]

Yes, a big dog.

 

[frizzlefry]

Yup. Spy cams are good. motion activated is better. Sorry to hear about the loss. Security systems are easy to get around. I used to play around with the one we had installed in our house when I was a kid and also the one at my office. Pretty easy if you know what you're doing. Offices are easy targets because most of the time, they have their system hooked up to a phone line (also like most residential plans). I'm not saying I can break into a house, but I know I can get around some alarm systems.

Timing lights was a good suggestions. I say somewhere some timing lights that would kind of be random so as not to be too on time. It will turn on 10 min b4 set time one day, and 5 minutes after the next. Stuff like that.

ADT sucks. Brinks is a little better IMO.

 

[daveman]

<< oh, o.k.
didnt know his age

but how about recent work done at house?
pool cleaner, bug killer guy, yard worker, etc., they all have min wage helpers
also dont know how close your neighbors are, but same workers over there might see something at your house.

this whole thing is just too &quot;cute&quot; to be random

knocking down the door seems excessive - where is the door, and how was it done? >>



Looks like they tried to pry it open with a screwdriver but the deadbold was locked then they must have hit it pretty darn hard because it broke the doorframe and the molding around the door.
This was on the front door, they should have used the side door because I didn't have the deadbolt locked on it(it is today though).

We don't have a pool, I do my own yardwork, the bug killer is my best friend for about 20 years and he works alone. I honestly have no idea who could have done it.

 

[daveman]

<< Yup. Spy cams are good. motion activated is better. Sorry to hear about the loss. Security systems are easy to get around. I used to play around with the one we had installed in our house when I was a kid and also the one at my office. Pretty easy if you know what you're doing. Offices are easy targets because most of the time, they have their system hooked up to a phone line (also like most residential plans). I'm not saying I can break into a house, but I know I can get around some alarm systems.

Timing lights was a good suggestions. I say somewhere some timing lights that would kind of be random so as not to be too on time. It will turn on 10 min b4 set time one day, and 5 minutes after the next. Stuff like that.

ADT sucks. Brinks is a little better IMO. >>



do you hook the spycams up to the pc. If so how much harddrive space does it take for about 24 hours.

 

[Soybomb]

I agree, I think spending money on security companies is a waste. The only person they will stop is some kids breaking in. If a professional crook wants in, he's getting in and out just fine. Buying the stickers for teh windows isn't necessarily a bad idea though Its good for the preventative thing.

 

[daveman]

<< I agree, I think spending money on security companies is a waste. The only person they will stop is some kids breaking in. If a professional crook wants in, he's getting in and out just fine. Buying the stickers for teh windows isn't necessarily a bad idea though Its good for the preventative thing. >>



will they sell you just the stickers?

 

[mrCide]

There's a lot of spy cameras that use standard vcrs/recording devices.. computer ones arent exactly the most reliable..

there's many 'spy' stuff web sites to look into. I have a friend who personally has a few cameras mounted around his house hooked up to his TV.. I plan on having him do that work on my place when I get one.

 

[perfectlysane]

one of my friends has a interesting security system. he recorded himself (with the computer)and friends sitting around the house talking and watching tv, then burned it to a cd and leaves it in a stereo on repeat..

 

[daveman]

<< one of my friends has a interesting security system. he recorded himself (with the computer)and friends sitting around the house talking and watching tv, then burned it to a cd and leaves it in a stereo on repeat.. >>



thats not a bad idea. It would be good for when were not in the home.

 

[Pretender]

<< do you hook the spycams up to the pc. If so how much harddrive space does it take for about 24 hours. >>

If you're gonna do it, I'd suggest having it transmitted via a SECURE connection to an external computer, in case they steal the PC that it's being recorded to. That'd truly suck.

 

[OutHouse]

do like that one guy in Austrailia did.

His house was broken into several times so he hooked up a webacam to capture images every 15 seconds and was on a motion sensor too.

The scumbags broke in again and his cam took dozens of pictures of the crooks.

 

[JohnnyKnoxville]

Move to a better neighborhood