am1958, you said, "You're avoiding the problem just like the OP..." I am the OP and was asking you how I was avoiding the problem. I'm not leaving valueless items, but I can certainly see the strategy pullin2 is employing. They say locks only keep honest people out, so if he is offering up some sacrificial item in order to preserve valuable stuff it seems to have some merit. He also said he doesn't experience much crime, so I don't think his sacrificial items are even getting taken very often. So he won't run out of that stuff. But again, I wonder why you think I am avoiding the problem by employing my precautions?
PS I already have a big dog, but he's a black lab so he won't scare people off except by excessive licking. Maybe he can retrieve my stolen items though, I hadn't thought about that.