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Just bought a house and on the very first day...

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I live in a good neighborhood. My neighbors are trash bags who leave their yard a mess. Didn't realize until I moved in :(. But cars get broken into a street over from mine. It happens. Could have been a fluke. And yes renters are looked down upon because they dont care as much about respecting others.

I suggest getting a dropcam in your house. And if you park outside just face it towards your car.
 
Best thing to do is have obvious cameras. Even if they aren't actually cameras! Just something that looks obvious and has a lens and a blinky light.

Motion sensor floodlights for night. A non-toy-sized dog helps a lot too.

I recommend a Dropcam or two; they are pricy but you can't beat the cloud DVR and night vision quality. Those are indoor-only however.
 
It's just bad timing. Get a decent security system and make sure to place the sign in your yard.
 
Got the keys to our new house about a week ago, been doing similar research. I would not go with ADT. They are well-known but customer service was atrocious and we wound up tearing three previous panels off the wall after trying to get help shutting off an alarm we didn't have the code for. Guy literally said "that's your problem." Told him to fuck off and that was that.

There are many options available. Good luck.

Do you have a garage?
 
This really isn't a huge deal, and certainly not something that should put a damper on your home purchase.

Extra security is fine though, just don't lose too much sleep over this.

Also no need to fear renters.
 
Get one of those fake security cameras on Amazon for $7.

Don't put batteries in it, the blinking red light is a dead giveaway. Install one aiming at your driveway.

I've been in my current ghetto neighborhood for 8 years and never had anything broken into. I blame the camera. It has fooled even the smartest of my friends.
 
Varna said:
Every situation is different, but typically home owners take special care in their property and neighborhood. I have seen it before and sometimes renters just don't care at all about thing like that.
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And I've seen the opposite as well. Homeowner leaving their shit unkempt while renter takes care of shit because they want their security deposit back. But stereotypes are a time saver I suppose.

It's not very welcoming to lump renters in your neighborhood as "those renters" with a look of disgust without knowing how they are as people. The idea that only people who own their home are capable of respecting their dwelling is pretty stupid.
 
We installed a home alarm system the same week we moved in. We wanted peace of mind. You can even connect smoke detectors and with a direct line to the fire department.

In terms of scoping out the neighborhood,
we moved into the same area as my sister in law, where we spend a ton of time. Still, we checked up on the house and drove around in the months leading to closing.

I didn't speak with neighbors... Do they really want to become the sole reason you backed out? Although, I suppose a maverick neighbor could speak up and throw up a red flag.
 
If you're looking for a cheap, reliable security system, go with SimpliSafe. The service is very cheap and you can install the home kit yourself -plus take it with you if you move- with no problems. There's no contract to get locked into either. Has worked great for us apart from an incident where our dog set off a motion sensor and the cops came. But it was good confirmation that the system worked, lol.
 
Houses kinda freak me out security wise.

At least in apartments you can have 24/7security, cameras and the like in good facilities.

Unless it's a gated community, it just seems super easy to just break a window and ransack your stuff.
 
BigDug13 said:
And I've seen the opposite as well. Homeowner leaving their shit unkempt while renter takes care of shit because they want their security deposit back. But stereotypes are a time saver I suppose.

It's not very welcoming to lump renters in your neighborhood as "those renters" with a look of disgust without knowing how they are as people. The idea that only people who own their home are capable of respecting their dwelling is pretty stupid.
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I agree. This, more than anything stuck out to me from original post. That says more about the neighborhood hood to me than the actual crime that took place.
 
Could just be an isolated event.

My wife and I bought our house in a great neighborhood and like 2 months after moving in someone went down the street one night slashing the outside tires of every vehicle parked in the street. We were worried, but 5 or so years later it'd been the only incident since we moved here.
 
entrement said:
Houses kinda freak me out security wise.

At least in apartments you can have 24/7security, cameras and the like in good facilities.

Unless it's a gated community, it just seems super easy to just break a window and ransack your stuff.
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I lived in a gated apartment complex. Nice area with a low crime rate. Still didn't make a difference- the gates did nothing to stop people from getting in and there were periods of time where apartments would get broken into at least once a week. Before we moved out I even saw someone's car get stolen and watched the guy try to chase after the thief. There were no camera anywhere. And again, this was in a good part of town. My parents also live in a very nice part of town and their neighbors had their car broken into more than once. It happens.

The condo I live in now is pretty quiet and there are no renters AFAIK. Feels much better.
 
Why does the first thought on defending yourself and home resort to owning a gun? I don't get this line of thinking, folks.

Pepper spray is incredibly effective and you could buy the kind that can hit your target from 20 feet away. I have several in my house and its way easier and cheaper to just grab and use. A gun you have to spend a great deal of money on, subject to all kinds of regulations depending on where you live, load, and you're shooting bullets at someone. Good luck on a legal defense when and if you do end up killing someone.

Here OP. I use this stuff. http://www.foxlabs.com/
Have your wife try it out on you, and then tell me what you think. Use plenty of water to wash it off.
 
First of all home defense is done in layers. Before even thinking about a firearm take time work on some methods of discouraging burglars.

As it's been said don't leave expensive stuff in your car. My wife had to learn the hard way repeatedly as she went from living in a nicer neighborhood prior to us getting our place. She'd go shopping and leave macy's bags in the car. Then be upset when it got stolen. Can't do that.

Check your front door and the locks. Are they old? Do you have a deadbolt? Look around the know area of the door...any signs the door has been banned on? Male sure the door is good. Odds are someone kicks in the front door if they're trying to break in.

Get a home alarm system. Adt or whatever. You can also get a do it yourself kit like simplisafe. 20 bucks a month for monitoring. Pretty good stuff. Oh and USE IT. Every day. Every night. Every time you're not home or going to bed. Set up some panic buttons.

Consider getting a dog. Burglars hate dogs. Even the little ones because they let everyone hear it and every dog around starts barking too.

Once all those are in place it's time to consider what you'd need to do if someone breaks in while you're home. But yiure not always home. And if you get a gun you'll need a bolted safe otherwise your gun would get stolen in such a break in when you're not home.

But there's nothing wrong with a gun for home defense but think long and hard if it's really for you. Try giving your girl some pepper spray and see how she feels about it. Perhaps a taser is legal in your area.
 
Mammoth Jones said:
First of all home defense is done in layers. Before even thinking about a firearm take time work on some methods of discouraging burglars.

As it's been said don't leave expensive stuff in your car. My wife had to learn the hard way repeatedly as she went from living in a nicer neighborhood prior to us getting our place. She'd go shopping and leave macy's bags in the car. Then be upset when it got stolen. Can't do that.

Check your front door and the locks. Are they old? Do you have a deadbolt? Look around the know area of the door...any signs the door has been banned on? Male sure the door is good. Odds are someone kicks in the front door if they're trying to break in.

Get a home alarm system. Adt or whatever. You can also get a do it yourself kit like simplisafe. 20 bucks a month for monitoring. Pretty good stuff. Oh and USE IT. Every day. Every night. Every time you're not home or going to bed. Set up some panic buttons.

Consider getting a dog. Burglars hate dogs. Even the little ones because they let everyone hear it and every dog around starts barking too.

Once all those are in place it's time to consider what you'd need to do if someone breaks in while you're home. But yiure not always home. And if you get a gun you'll need a bolted safe otherwise your gun would get stolen in such a break in when you're not home.

But there's nothing wrong with a gun for home defense but think long and hard if it's really for you. Try giving your girl some pepper spray and see how she feels about it. Perhaps a taser is legal in your area.
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Great post.

Home security and defense needs to be taught more thoroughly.

I know that's rarely gone over by any bankers or realtors.
 
Here's what you do:

1. Buy a hunting rifle, I would prefer the Ambush 300 Blackout because it will scare the fucking shit out of anybody who sees it.

2. Buy a can of orange spray paint and with the rifle slung over your back, walk the parameter of your yard and spray a few tiny orange spots.

3. Tell everyone that lives around you that you are a sniper. In fact, start buying sniper and hunter stickers and put a few on your car.

By this time, everybody will think you are a crazy sniper badass and word will spread quickly.
 
NuclearSpy said:
Why does the first thought on defending yourself and home resort to owning a gun? I don't get this line of thinking, folks.

Pepper spray is incredibly effective and you could buy the kind that can hit your target from 20 feet away. I have several in my house and its way easier and cheaper to just grab and use. A gun you have to spend a great deal of money on, subject to all kinds of regulations depending on where you live, load, and you're shooting bullets at someone. Good luck on a legal defense when and if you do end up killing someone.

Here OP. I use this stuff. http://www.foxlabs.com/
Have your wife try it out on you, and then tell me what you think. Use plenty of water to wash it off.
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More difficult to deploy on multiple attackers and doesn't have the instant incapacitation that a firearm discharged with a central nervous system hit does.

There are potential pros and cons to each choice. Each individual needs to decide. Pepper Spray or a firearm or a taser or nothing at all is a valid choice.

I'd start with pepper spray and see how it feels. It's not and either or situation.
 
If I'm not mistaken, a lot of experts actually say that smaller dogs are better for security due to the fact that their barking is more shrill. A thief doesn't skip a dog owner's house necessarily because they're afraid the dog will hurt them, really. They skip it because they don't want to draw attention to themselves. Of course, there's absolutely nothing wrong with having a big dog for security... my point is just that the small guys are useful too.

Same principle for the flood lights and especially the alarm. If ADT is anything to go by, the time it would take from the door being busted in to them actually calling the cops would be over an hour. When they first get the notice that the alarm was triggered, they call the house. Then they call again. Then they call the first "backup" number on your list. Then the second. Well, you get where I'm going with this. The real deterrent factor is the fact that it draws attention to the house. And yes, even car alarms are better than nothing. People do peek through their shades when they hear that annoying sound.

In my opinion, after thinking on the subject and doing quite a bit of research over the last few years (not to mention serving on a jury for a breaking and entering case), your best defense beyond "things that will scare them away" is a couple of good cameras appropriately placed. A picture of the person who breaks in is kind of a golden ticket even if their face is covered, because it gives the cops something to actually work with. Which means the chances are higher of them actually working on it at all, rather than throwing it in the pile. And, of course, if it gets to the point where a jury is looking at those pictures, a conviction is a lot more likely.

The old adage is absolutely true: just do what you can to make your house the most noticeably inconvenient one to break into.
 
We live in a very nice, safe area, but we have a couple teenagers that like to break into cars about once or twice a year. I left my car unlocked last May and someone stole my Zune HD. Ever since then, I lock my car every night and don't leave anything valuable in it.
 
bennywhatever said:
We live in a very nice, safe area, but we have a couple teenagers that like to break into cars about once or twice a year. I left my car unlocked last May and someone stole my Zune HD. Ever since then, I lock my car every night and don't leave anything valuable in it.
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I feel you. I don't live in a super safe area. It's more than a little sketchy. And there's a high school about a block away. Kids tend to break into the cars in the area.

It sucks. But never leaving anything in the car really is the best defense.
 
This can happen anywhere at anytime, upscale neigbourhood or not. Never leave anything of value in sight in your car.
 
The_Inquisitor said:
fry's sells fake security cameras that are just the casings. Indistinguishable from the real thing. I think they are fairly cheap too.
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Or you could just spend $160-200 for 4 cameras (with night vision IR) and a DVR.

It amazes me at how many people will spend all this money on a home and not spend a few more bucks for some cameras and a alarm system. Also, you can live in the nicest neighborhood in the world and still have break ins because shitty people aren't exclusive to shitty areas.
 
I feel your pain, but here is crime wherever you go OP. We lived right downtown in our city, and because of the crime in our neighbourhood*, needles in our yard, ect, we decided to move to a small town.
The first fucking month we move here there is a shooting death down the road from us, then there were two drunk hillbillies who have a honest to god old timey fucking "duel" in the middle of the road two blocks away, and then to top it off people find a burned up womans body down by the river just off the trail my wife runs down. We couldn't believe it, we just kept looking at each other like "What the actual fuck did we do?"
But other than one more murder a month later, nothing else has happened in six years. Just a fucked series of events really.

Hopefully your experience will be like ours and it is just unfortunate timing.

*I have some stories, but don't want to derail your thread.
 
bennywhatever said:
We live in a very nice, safe area, but we have a couple teenagers that like to break into cars about once or twice a year. I left my car unlocked last May and someone stole my Zune HD. Ever since then, I lock my car every night and don't leave anything valuable in it.
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The idea that anyone would leave their car unlocked - by mistake or otherwise - bewilders the hell out of me. How naive and/or forgetful are you?
 
Put up security cameras around your house and buy a shotgun. You also may want to build a fence around your yard
 
OP, i see your girlfriend is anti-firearm.

How does she feel about non-lethal approach? You can buy 12 gauge bean bag ammunition online and most firearm stores that don't have it will order it for you.
 
from a security stand point, corrective controls are the worst kind of risk mitigating controls because it implies or assumes a breach has already occurred. A gun is a corrective control.


An alarm system is a preventative control. Unless the person has the intent to breach and kill you specifically, they will run once the alarm is triggered or if they even see the sign outside your yard. a dog is also effective.

hope that helps
 
industrian said:
The idea that anyone would leave their car unlocked - by mistake or otherwise - bewilders the hell out of me. How naive and/or forgetful are you?
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I've had someone who obviously dug through my unlocked car, and then bashed in the window of the (locked) car parked next to me. If I have nothing to lose, I'm willing to risk it.
 
OP I have Frontpoint. We pay 45/month for three sensors and a motion sensor, plus mobile support. It's all wireless/3G. I have one sensor on my front door, one on my garage door, and one on my back window. I have the motion sensor in the hallway before my stairs. You can buy additional sensors from them and they have things like Glass Break Sensors if you want to guard let's say a patio door or another window.

With the 45 dollar plan, you can get their phone app and arm/disarm your system from your phone or check the status. This is great because sometimes I'll forget to arm it when I leave or when I'm already in bed for the night.

Customer service is excellent. I once had my motion sensor go off and Frontpoint immediately called me at work to let me know. They then asked if I wanted to send the cops out. I said yes and started driving home. I disarmed the alarm when I got home and Frontpoint called me agian asking me if I did that to make sure. I never saw the cops though, so maybe they came and left before I got there or never went out. That's less Frontpoint and more the cops though. Frontpoint told me they called and when I mentioned I didn't see them, they called again while I was on the other line.

For that situation, it turned out I had a faulty motion sensor as it went off again later in the week. Frontpoint sent me a new one right away to replace it.

I would recommend them honestly. Setup is easy and painless. It is DIY though, so if you're uncomfortable doing it, I would do more research. It was really easy though and the rep walked me though it when I had a sensor too far from the door.
 
Don't question your move it literally could've happened anywhere, just look after yours, proper outside lighting, nothing in sight in the vehicles, get around and meet the neighbors (a pain but they can be your best lookout and a way for you to gauge who should be hanging around) check web for neighborhood pedo's and get a dog.
 
I do lock my car anymore. Used to but had a window shattered and the cost of that an time cost a lot more than the absolutely nothing they stole. I don't see the point in locking my 100k plus mile 2002 Oldsmobile tbqh. I'd rather someone steal my excess gym shorts easily over replacing another broken window.

I live in Cleveland though so nicer areas I might bother locking up but not here
 
Aren't cars getting broken into a common thing no matter the neighborhood? Could've sworn I've even heard about criminals targeting more well to do neighborhoods in purpose to get better hauls.

Basically saying yes, your reaction is over the top. No harm in being cautious though.
 
acheron_xl said:
I've had someone who obviously dug through my unlocked car, and then bashed in the window of the (locked) car parked next to me. If I have nothing to lose, I'm willing to risk it.
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Yep, it's best to leave your car unlocked and nothing of value in it. Then you don't end up with smashed windows.
 
QuantumBro said:
That's just what the security companies want you to think. It's not uncommon for them to pay one of their cronies to damage a house or break into a car nearby a recently sold house. They're betting on getting a new customer out of the incident and more often than it works. It looks like they're about to play OP like another violin. Don't let them!
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Haha what? You're joking right, I can't tell anymore
 
OP, you know what to do:

aTFIAfw.gif


Complete with Wyatt Earp moustache and cargo camo pants.
MisterR said:
Yep, it's best to leave your car unlocked and nothing of value in it. Then you don't end up with smashed windows.
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Wouldn't they just steal the car then?
 
styl3s said:
Or you could just spend $160-200 for 4 cameras (with night vision IR) and a DVR.

It amazes me at how many people will spend all this money on a home and not spend a few more bucks for some cameras and a alarm system. Also, you can live in the nicest neighborhood in the world and still have break ins because shitty people aren't exclusive to shitty areas.
Click to expand...

I would love to see conviction/recovery rate on breakins on home properties with functioning cameras. I can't imagine it would be very high, at least in the populous cities. too many breakins too many suspects, cops with not enough time to compare videos to subjects in custody etc. what it would do is identify a neighbor punk if that is the perp, which is useful. I would bet in most situations it's someone coming to your neighborhood from outside, but I don't have stats on that.
 
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