Home burglarized while I was camping
I was burglarized while off camping for a week. While enjoying the beautiful beaches of the Florida panhandle I was hit. The Tv's and stuff like that are easy enough to replace but the heirloom jewelr...
Forum Discussion
To the OP: I am sorry about your loss. Hope the stuff shows up soon, perhaps with some perps in the local lockup as interest.
As braindead0 said, security comes in layers. I prefer some type of DIY alarm system that goes to a monitoring station. I also prefer the type of alarm that uses a fog machine and strobe lights. If the burglars can't see anything, they can't take anything, and they are not going to stand around and wait for the stuff to dissipate. I made the mistake before of going with a "free" install service and having to pay some good cash monthly on a long contract. Wouldn't do that again. I'd rather buy a system and pay for the monitoring, so I can upgrade it, and not depend on some alarm tech to fix stuff.
Smash and grabs are very common. Just a few weeks ago, in a matter of seconds, some people were out of their vehicle and trying to lift a generator out of my truck (which they took off quite quickly as soon as they noticed me.) Were it not for the fact that I had multiple security chains and locks imported from Europe (If the lock says "insurance lock", it actually has real security), that generator would probably be sitting in some pawn shop's "wait to sell until heat is off" section by now.
I also use security containers. I wouldn't call them "safes", because when I think of a true safe, I think of something with burglary ratings, glass relockers, actual boltwork, and so on. However, I do keep items of value locked up.
At an extreme, one can do what a friend of mine (who lives several states away) does with his place when he leaves for periods of time. Every door inside his place is reinforced steel, and have "secure classroom function" mortise locks on them. This way, if one is in a room, the door will open to allow exit, no matter what. However, when the owner is away, a burglar not just has to smash the front door, but the hallway door, the door to the kitchen, multiple bedroom doors, and in each bedroom, anything of value is stashed in a secure cabinet. The computer desk has doors that close and lock. Even things that one doesn't think about, such as the external A/C unit are put in metal cages. Of course, this won't stop a determined thief, but combined with an actively monitored alarm system with CCTV, it will slow them down enough for the police to arrive.
As braindead0 said, security comes in layers. I prefer some type of DIY alarm system that goes to a monitoring station. I also prefer the type of alarm that uses a fog machine and strobe lights. If the burglars can't see anything, they can't take anything, and they are not going to stand around and wait for the stuff to dissipate. I made the mistake before of going with a "free" install service and having to pay some good cash monthly on a long contract. Wouldn't do that again. I'd rather buy a system and pay for the monitoring, so I can upgrade it, and not depend on some alarm tech to fix stuff.
Smash and grabs are very common. Just a few weeks ago, in a matter of seconds, some people were out of their vehicle and trying to lift a generator out of my truck (which they took off quite quickly as soon as they noticed me.) Were it not for the fact that I had multiple security chains and locks imported from Europe (If the lock says "insurance lock", it actually has real security), that generator would probably be sitting in some pawn shop's "wait to sell until heat is off" section by now.
I also use security containers. I wouldn't call them "safes", because when I think of a true safe, I think of something with burglary ratings, glass relockers, actual boltwork, and so on. However, I do keep items of value locked up.
At an extreme, one can do what a friend of mine (who lives several states away) does with his place when he leaves for periods of time. Every door inside his place is reinforced steel, and have "secure classroom function" mortise locks on them. This way, if one is in a room, the door will open to allow exit, no matter what. However, when the owner is away, a burglar not just has to smash the front door, but the hallway door, the door to the kitchen, multiple bedroom doors, and in each bedroom, anything of value is stashed in a secure cabinet. The computer desk has doors that close and lock. Even things that one doesn't think about, such as the external A/C unit are put in metal cages. Of course, this won't stop a determined thief, but combined with an actively monitored alarm system with CCTV, it will slow them down enough for the police to arrive.
