Page 2 of 8 FirstFirst 1234 ... LastLast
Results 11 to 20 of 72

Thread: Pre-SHTF Home Security/CCTV/Hardening

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    A-stan or MI or _________
    Posts
    3,652
    Feedback Score
    1 (100%)
    I have been looking at the Medeco Maxum 11WC60L Deadbolt for the price point. Anyone have any first-hand knowledge on these?
    Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. Psalm 144:1

    Owner of MI-TAC, LLC .

    @MichiganTactical

  2. #12
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    VA
    Posts
    7,826
    Feedback Score
    10 (100%)
    Yes, I think they have bump proof construction. which means if someone wants in they will use a sledge hammer and unless you have fortified the framework, the locks extra strength will help it tear through the woodwork.

    All of the break-ins that lasted for months and were done by teams of 2-3 were smash ins. As far as anyone knows, all were planned. They watch the house, learn the pattern and then simply go break in. Usually during the day. Often they would ring the front door bell to be certain no one was home.

    ... and that's the "key" so to speak. If your home is situated such that all your neighbors go to work, you are the center home, you have an access point that is somewhat hidden, you have a situation that if a contractor truck showed up no one would question it, all those things make you a target and a nice lock is not going to stop a determined thief.

    The latest thing is Indian families being followed while out at the Mall or what have you. They are known to have high quality gold as part of their life style so to speak. So they are being singled out, followed, and robbed when not at home.

    In fact,,, last weekend and Indian man was kidnapped going to work at a gas station. I think he owned it. He was found dead in the river yesterday.

    Around here it's fairly normal to hear about a shooting in a high crime area, but things are transitioning. The areas where one would have expected some security in the past are now fair game.

    I will say though, that the Police do not take it lightly. They have been very good at keeping the public aware and also in catching the bad guy ( sometimes going out of State to do so ).

    Nice locks are nice, but unless you live somewhere that break-ins are sort of "expected" and a strong lock will just make them go next door... beyond that, these guys are planning a lot further ahead.

    I'm not a professional but that's how I see it.

    -------------- In keeping with the thread about cameras. I think that a warning that cameras are in use might be one of the best deterrents. It's also something I rarely see. I visit hundreds of homes a year and can only recall one recently that clearly had cameras present.
    Last edited by tb-av; 09-22-12 at 07:41.

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Posts
    4,177
    Feedback Score
    3 (100%)
    Quote Originally Posted by Awesome1228 View Post
    The BUSINESS is a racket, alarms in general, not so much. Paying some company to monitor it for you on a monthly contract may not be the best idea, but if you have a system designed for you by a custom designer, it's a little different. It can get as complex and automated as you want, or as simple as you want.

    Pretty cool to have glass break sensors, motion sensors, contact sensors all connected to cameras. Say for instance you have a motion detector go off on the front gate. The system can be designed to automatically feed the video from the nearest camera directly to a device such as an iPad or a dedicated monitor. So, alarm goes off on the ipad, you roll over, pick it up and it's showing you what set off the motion detector. Have this set up to activate external audible alarm on the property and flood lights or not. Add IR cameras if you wanna be the best on the block. Substitute break sensor or contact point and you can see immediately what's happening anywhere you have sensors and cameras. Tie the system into an automatic generator if the power is cut. Some of the high end ones power on within a second or two of power loss, even standard auto gens bring power back up within 10 seconds.

    That is probably above what the average person would want, but it's still pretty cool. The wiring, controls and equipment can get pretty complicated and expensive though.
    I have most of what you mention above. I enjoy screwing around with it, and I used to be a designer. It doesn't cost THAT much if you DIY, but you have to have some idea of what you're doing.

    And you're right, alarms aren't a racket, the security business is mostly a racket.

    The problem is that most people don't actually want security, they want a security blanket. The same problem exists at the corporate level - security is seen as a liability, not an asset. Therefore, the only time you can get them to spend much money on it is if it's right after an incident took place, or if they're required by an outside agency to have good security (i.e. nuke plants, etc.). I worked in high-end corporate systems, and generally the only way you could get them to break off money for anything good was to either partner up with their insurance guy or just keep an ear open for something shitty to happen.

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Posts
    4,177
    Feedback Score
    3 (100%)
    Quote Originally Posted by Phila PD View Post
    Alarms mean nothing more then limiting the time inside the home a burglar has if your not at home.

    I have seen this play out numerous time and the game is simple.

    Internal sounding alarm only,
    Bad guy waits until the alarm company calls the home to verify if the alarm was tripped by the owner and if there is no response the police are contacted.The bad guy knows once the call comes its now time to hurry up and grab what ever he can and leave before the police respond. Always have the alarm company call the police directly as soon as they receive the alarm and not call to the home.

    External sounding alarm,
    The bad guy will only hit the sweet spots such as the master bedroom and any bedroom which appears to have a female in it. They are in and out in less then 3 minutes with mostly unsecured small items.

    Also bad guys will remove the meter head to cut the power then cut the phone and cable lines to knock out the phone service before entering the home. Most alarm companies delay contacting the police on power failures or phone outages and will most likely try secondary contact numbers or key holders allowing time for the bad guy to shop inside your home.

    Door locks don't really deter entry so much on a weak wood jam frame or a cheap hollow core entry door were a simple shoulder or kick will defeat both easily. People never think to close ventilation windows especially if they have pets or at night while sleeping which allows access inside the home. Bad guys will also push in a window mounted A/C unit or remove the vertical slats of a crank open door or window for simple entry.

    Physical deterrents such as steel doors on steel frames with the excellent Schlage Primus High Security Cylinder System stops kick ins and lock pick attempts. Closing and locking windows with inside mounted half window grates stop these easy entry locations and the correct security gates or folding scissor grates for sliding doors protect those areas.

    Don't forget second floor windows as bad guys will climb onto porch roofs or even use a ladder you left laying unsecured on the property to gain entry.

    Your best bet is lots of lights, no hidden windows do to bushes or small trees and front and rear external sounding alarms (Min 140 DB) and a alarm system which has a long term battery back up and a cell line dialer to call out if the phone line is cut. Just a little work and common sense can make your home a hard target and as difficult as possible for the bad guy to make a easy score.

    Most people make it easy for them selfs to become victims and with just a little work the bad guy will look for a softer target.
    alarm.com is 100% cellular.

    Security storm doors with a good lockset are a great thing to do. I just replaced my front one with an even heavier model and it only cost $400 installed - a local outfit custom-makes them to your specs. I substituted Lexan for the regular glass windows (I had to source the Lexan, but they cut it and framed it). The same company is fabricating custom bars for my basement windows, and the glass itself is getting the 3M treatment. It will be an exercise in frustration to get into those things.

    To address the fire concerns, one set per room will be QD. I designed a simple mechanism with 1/2" hardened cotter pins on lanyards that you can pull, and the bars will fall out of the frame. Then open and remove the basement window as normal, and exit. If you find a good local metal shop they can pretty much do whatever you can dream up, and then I have a place here that powder-coats truck parts and stuff like that. They're used to powder-coating weird shit for me.

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Posts
    4,177
    Feedback Score
    3 (100%)
    Quote Originally Posted by tb-av View Post
    I have always been fascinated with this stuff since I was a kid. My father was a foreman at a large construction company and rather than have master keys for small locks they would make a key.

    Those master bicycle locks where you file off the rear parts. or some small Yale locks which you can do similar. The "school locker" combos, and "bike chain" combos.

    I can also bypass some "lock-boxes" that are used to store keys.


    Of course when I lock myself out of the house, I never seem to have what I need to get back in.

    I guess I'll be the dummy again... what is DAME DASE?

    Army speak for Defense Against Methods of Entry/Defense Against Sound Equipment. We're concerned here with the first one, not so much the second.

    ==============

    I guess you have considered that with those fancy locks you mentioned that someone can still open your home with a battery powered saw. Provided it's not built of brick.

    I -thought- a lot of lock companies installed some anti-bump measures a couple of years ago when the "bump craze" went around the news.

    But again,,, if you are in a Kwikset type house,,, you can probably get in faster with a swiss army knife.
    Yeah...brick house, steel barred doors. You could get in with a serious Sawzall or a fire saw, but the alarm would be triggered way before you completely breached, and I'm a half-mile from the police station.

    What really put the fear of God into me was this summer, I forgot a key to a house I was working on, but I had a set of Bogotas in my wallet. I was in so quick it gave me cold chills. And like I said, I suck at this compared to some of the guys out there.

    Schlages aren't much better. Even the Security + line is pickable with a little effort. I put one on my practice board and messed with it for a couple of days and finally got it figured out.

    What really did it for me on the lock thing is that I forgot a key one day over the summer, but I had a set of Bogotas in my wallet. I was into that Kwikset-equipped house so ****ing fast

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Posts
    35
    Feedback Score
    0
    I had my house broken into when I was a kid. I walked in on the two scumbags. One of them was waring a high school jacket with his name embroidered on the front...you don't need to be smart to be a thief.

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Wakanda
    Posts
    18,863
    Feedback Score
    4 (100%)
    Quote Originally Posted by tb-av View Post
    Yes, I think they have bump proof construction. which means if someone wants in they will use a sledge hammer and unless you have fortified the framework, the locks extra strength will help it tear through the woodwork.

    All of the break-ins that lasted for months and were done by teams of 2-3 were smash ins. As far as anyone knows, all were planned. They watch the house, learn the pattern and then simply go break in. Usually during the day. Often they would ring the front door bell to be certain no one was home.

    ... and that's the "key" so to speak. If your home is situated such that all your neighbors go to work, you are the center home, you have an access point that is somewhat hidden, you have a situation that if a contractor truck showed up no one would question it, all those things make you a target and a nice lock is not going to stop a determined thief.
    Here in TX there are professional crews (3 to 4 guys) who drive around in delivery trucks/work trucks that blend in with all the day labor, landscapers, construction workers who do nothing but take down houses during the day.

    Quote Originally Posted by tb-av View Post
    The latest thing is Indian families being followed while out at the Mall or what have you. They are known to have high quality gold as part of their life style so to speak. So they are being singled out, followed, and robbed when not at home.

    In fact,,, last weekend and Indian man was kidnapped going to work at a gas station. I think he owned it. He was found dead in the river yesterday.
    Down this way a lot of foreign nationals (especially illegals) DO NOT have bank accounts/debit cards. They are paid in cash and keep it about their person until they do a money transfer to their families back home south of the border. Some of the gang bangers have caught on to this and will roll day labor guys after payday (Fridays).

    Quote Originally Posted by tb-av View Post
    -------------- In keeping with the thread about cameras. I think that a warning that cameras are in use might be one of the best deterrents. It's also something I rarely see. I visit hundreds of homes a year and can only recall one recently that clearly had cameras present.
    Even if one cannot afford a CCTV system they could always get the inexpensive decoys. They have a fake wire that leads to no where but they give the appearance of the real deal. Some even have a AAA battery in them so as to have a blinking red light. Most (not all) potential burglars will walk on by once they spot a camera(s).

    http://www.walmart.com/ip/Trademark-...Light/15603485
    "In a nut shell, if it ever goes to Civil War, I'm afraid I'll be in the middle 70%, shooting at both sides" — 26 Inf


    "We have to stop demonizing people and realize the biggest terror threat in this country is white men, most of them radicalized to the right, and we have to start doing something about them." — CNN's Don Lemon 10/30/18

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Posts
    1,995
    Feedback Score
    1 (100%)
    I just bought a Foscam camera to watch our front door. Will see how well it works or not. Main purpose is to allow us to see who is at front door: solicitor or threat or friend before we approach the door. Suppose to allow us to monitor on our computers or iPhones as well as have SD card.

    If this works out we will get more to monitor other sided of house. Also getting a security storm door so we can have a delay barrier when we open the door, and covering the sidelight windows with film and curtains.
    It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! ... Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" - Patrick Henry in an address at St. John’s Church, Richmond, Virginia, on March 23, 1775.

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Posts
    160
    Feedback Score
    25 (100%)
    My house got broken into Monday while I was at work. Bastards kicked in my door and ripped up my small pistol safe I had anchored under the bed which had a Glock 26 inside.

    They first tried to enter by knocking a hole through a glass paned door but gave up when they discovered it had a double cylinder deadbolt and simply went around to the other door and kicked in the door jamb with a few kicks.

    Harden your home by whatever means you can afford. Trust me, it is worth every penny.

    It sucks getting broken into.

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Posts
    4,177
    Feedback Score
    3 (100%)
    Quote Originally Posted by R.P. View Post
    My house got broken into Monday while I was at work. Bastards kicked in my door and ripped up my small pistol safe I had anchored under the bed which had a Glock 26 inside.

    They first tried to enter by knocking a hole through a glass paned door but gave up when they discovered it had a double cylinder deadbolt and simply went around to the other door and kicked in the door jamb with a few kicks.

    Harden your home by whatever means you can afford. Trust me, it is worth every penny.

    It sucks getting broken into.
    Damn it. Very sorry to hear that. Can you tell us any more (door construction, house construction, etc.)? Did they get anything else?

    No alarm, I take it?

Page 2 of 8 FirstFirst 1234 ... LastLast

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •