Rural home security advice

wordisbond

What would you say the ideal setup is here for an elderly member of the community who is quite isolated.

Hidden cctv, blatant cctv, ip cameras, dummy cameras, beware of the dog signs, community alert signs, alarms, lights?

I have been trying to get into the mind of a burglar in this situation and part of me thinks that a lot of cameras and signage would just draw attention to a place. I am a bit overwhelmed by all the options.

I realise that some security is needed but I am hoping for some advice and a good balance on this.

Thanks guys.

KoolKid

A good alarm covering all accessible points of entry with A working internal & external bell and some form of monitoring would be the first option.
After that good lighting & a good CCTV system. I don't believe too much on signage although technically it may be a requirement.

Are you working to a budget here or have you a figure in mind?

Evolution1

I checked this out re signage. you must have it displayed that CCTV is in operation. Anything will do. e.g a small sticker on the glass pane beside the front door. doesnt have to be flashy or big. The sign is really to cover the homeowner in the event of the footage being used in court.

wordisbond

KoolKid wrote: »

A good alarm covering all accessible points of entry with A working internal & external bell and some form of monitoring would be the first option.
After that good lighting & a good CCTV system. I don't believe too much on signage although technically it may be a requirement.

Are you working to a budget here or have you a figure in mind?

A couple of hundred? I've never been a huge fan of alarms. People tend to ignore them, and in an isolated area would anybody hear? We already have dogs which are in a sense an alarm anyway. I'll consider it though.

I like the idea of a camera linked to my phone that I can check whenever I want and that alerts me when there is movement. Maybe there is even an app that let's me speak in the phone and have that message relayed to would be burglars through a speaker?

I guess what I am actually more concerned about is becoming a target. My thinking is that if I have CCTV everywhere and lots of signs I look like I have something to hide. Any thoughts on that?

KoolKid

Because it is isolated that is why I suggested some form of monitoring.
I would always recommend an alarm before CCTV for a domestic application.
The theory that you have something to rob if you have CCTV can also be applied to an alarm. In fact it can be applied to anything. A nice car, new windows, house looking well, a big shed..... ... .

Kevin McCloud

Speaking from experience here, cameras and alarms are a waste of time. A god cross dog is what you want a doberman or rottweiller will put the run in all the boys in the hiace vans.

kub

Kevin McCloud wrote: »

Speaking from experience here, cameras and alarms are a waste of time. A god cross dog is what you want a doberman or rottweiller will put the run in all the boys in the hiace vans.

Pity dogs eat poisoned meat isn't really? Besides us professional security system installers haven't a clue, have we? :rolleyes:

Kevin McCloud

kub wrote: »

Pity dogs eat poisoned meat isn't really? Besides us professional security system installers haven't a clue, have we? :rolleyes:

I never said anything about your profession, a .22 with a silencer can make quick work of cctv cameras and by the time a monitored alarm has its first responder chances are the burgler has gone out the gap.

kub

Kevin McCloud wrote: »

Speaking from experience here, cameras and alarms are a waste of time.

Kevin McCloud wrote: »

I never said anything about your profession, a .22 with a silencer can make quick work of cctv cameras and by the time a monitored alarm has its first responder chances are the burgler has gone out the gap.

I am not sure, if what we do is a waste of time then you are speaking volumes of our profession.
By the way the vast majority of burglaries in this country are done by opportunists not by armed gangs. The armed gangs are involved in more fruitable crimes.

Kevin McCloud

I meant as speaking from experience of living in rural Ireland and knowing what its like to live in a rural area, knowing the guards if we want them would take 2-3 hours.
Big difference to having a monitored alarm in Dublin city and a rural area.

2011

Kevin McCloud wrote: »

I never said anything about your profession, a .22 with a silencer can make quick work of cctv cameras

It could also make quick work of the dog that you seem to have so much faith in.

Kevin McCloud

2011 wrote: »

It could also make quick work of the dog that you seem to have so much faith in.

Very true, have you any solutions?

Frog Song

I do think a dog is a good deterrent though. 3 houses on our road were broken in to last year. The only three houses that didn't have a dog. Maybe a coincidence but I do think it helps.

Also our dogs are trained to only take food from us but that's not possible for everyone obviously.

Kevin McCloud

Frog Song wrote: »

Also our dogs are trained to only take food from us but that's not possible for everyone obviously.

Any watch dog i ever had was the same and current one is too.

2011

Kevin McCloud wrote: »

Very true, have you any solutions?

Don't take a dog to a gun fight

If you are up against an armed individual my advice would be to let them take whatever they want, and move out.

In terms of making an isolated rural home secure I would think that it is best to make the property look as though breaking into it is simply not worth it to a burglar. Then hopefully they will move on to a "softer target". To achieve this I would consider an alarm, sensor lights, CCTV, electric gates, a dog or two, window locks and common sense.

Kevin McCloud

2011 wrote: »

Don't take a dog to a gun fight

What does this mean?

In terms of making an isolated rural home secure I would think that it is best to make the property look as though breaking into it is simply not worth it to a burglar. Then hopefully they will move on to a "softer target". To achieve this I would consider an alarm, sensor lights, CCTV, electric gates, a dog or two, window locks and common sense.

You seem to miss the principle point of a rural house, some one triggers an alarm so what, guards call 3 hours later, sensor lights only helps me where im going, very easily cover up for the cctv, con saw the gates hinges or put a strap onto them and pull them down with the jeep, window locks waste of time, common sense?
The only common sense you have posted there is a dog or two for security.

2011

Kevin McCloud wrote: »

What does this mean?

Simple, don't expect that a dog will protect you from a man with a gun

some one triggers an alarm so what

Immediately the home owner becomes aware. They can then call for assistance from neighbors / farmers that don't take to kindly burglars.

guards call 3 hours later

That could be a problem if you are only relying on the Gardaí.

sensor lights only helps me where im going, very easily cover up for the cctv

They are a deterrent and frequently get registration plates or lead to a vehicle/ person being identified.

con saw the gates hinges or put a strap onto them and pull them down with the jeep

I am not going to give a lesson in defeating electric gates, but it is only done this way on TV

In general people are more reluctant to cross locked gates.
Opening them can trigger a (silent or otherwise) alarm.
Home owner can then take action before the intruder approaches the house.
If it can be seen that they are armed (as per your suggestion) on CCTV and the Gardai are told thier response time will be dramatically improved.

The only common sense you have posted there is a dog or two for security.

I have lived much of my life in isolated rural areas.
Most of my friends live in rural areas and have not had thier homes broken in to. However they all have alarms, electric gates and sensor lights.

The Gardaí disagree with your position on CCTV, intruder alarms and electric gates. I know this because I have been present when crime prevention officers have assessed security in rural homes. To be honest I think that thier opinion is worth listening to.

kub

You don't have to walk, feed or clean up after your electronic security system

Evolution1

It would be way easier to secure a rural home than a suburban home. You can use external detectors on the front of a rural home as they mostly all have fencing\gates. If you tried using an external detectors on the front of houses in an estate you'd be plagued with alerts.

oppenheimer1

Kevin McCloud wrote: »

What does this mean?



You seem to miss the principle point of a rural house, some one triggers an alarm so what, guards call 3 hours later, sensor lights only helps me where im going, very easily cover up for the cctv, con saw the gates hinges or put a strap onto them and pull them down with the jeep, window locks waste of time, common sense?
The only common sense you have posted there is a dog or two for security.

I really don't think you understand what the purpose of a home security system is. Very few security systems are going to stop a determined criminal armed with a con saw or willing to pull down gates. Sure they could even bring a bull dozer or dynamite a hole in the side of the house. Nothing will stop a determined criminal armed with the correct tools, not even two dogs.

The purpose of extra security is to deter not to stop. Security systems add an extra level of difficulty and increase the possibility of being caught, and reduces the appeal for opportunists. Most criminals will weigh up the risk reward ratio and determine that the hardened target is not worth it, when they can go down the road for something softer which will likely have contents of the same value.