Somebody broke into my house... iso security?

[Kulith]

None of my stuff was stolen, but both my roommates had their laptop stolen, and one of them lost their iTouch.

This happened at about 10am, because they both used their laptops before class. I got up at 11, which is really scary because that means somebody was walking around our house stealing stuff from rooms, and they must have seen me in my bed and not gone in my room.

They didn't "break in" because we normally leave the front/back door unlocked if one of us is home, since we go in and out a lot.

We already filed a police report. One of my roommates has lojack on his laptop, and he activated it so we'll see if that helps. They both have insurance.

Anyways, I was wondering what you people do for security. I was thinking about hiding a security camera but I don't know much about them, or if they are worth it. We're definitely paranoid about locking everything now, but our house wouldn't bee too hard to break into either way.

ideas?

[ssidbroadcast]

Sounds like you're in a college town. You're not in Bellingham are you?

[blitzy]

hmm, use encryption and a fingerprint scanner as your login? that would be pretty hard for an average burglar to get around

in terms of actually catching them, i guess a security camera would help a little. Phone home type applications are great for catching them if they ever connect to the internet

[TurtlePerson2]

I was thinking about hiding a security camera...

You're missing the point of a security camera if you hide it. You want a potential burglar to think that if he robs you, then he will be caught. In actuality, you need to buy fairly expensive security cameras to get a decent picture of the perpetrator.

You're probably best off getting some sort of 2nd amendment rights stickers and putting them on your doors and windows, or maybe a "beware of dog" sign. Burglars are going after low hanging fruit, if they think that there's an easier house to rob then they won't rob yours. The burglar probably just walked along and tried each door as he went, he found yours unlocked and came in.

[cass]

I was thinking about hiding a security camera...

You're missing the point of a security camera if you hide it. You want a potential burglar to think that if he robs you, then he will be caught. In actuality, you need to buy fairly expensive security cameras to get a decent picture of the perpetrator.

Bingo. At least get some nice looking "fakes" with the infrared leds and a status led.

You can buy a wireless four camera set for about $200 on ebay that work off a pci slot in computer. The cameras are good for about six months/two years, and then the thieves will study a way around them or just chance it. Augment the cameras with some fake "security" stickers from some made up service, or copy a real one. That gives you a little more bump. don't leave home at the same time all the time, and sometimes leave, turn around and ride back by and see if someones at the door or looking around. Don't leave windows open for folks to see in, if you see someone lingering on the sidewalk, go harass them in some way. Ask them personal questions, call the law do anything to make your space uncomfortable for them. Don't assume the fruit loop suit wearers bearing flyers are religious groups pounding doors, their religion might be thieving. Don't ever answer the door without a loaded gun ( not even if its the girl scouts).

If you have hosted parties or any kind of social function and anyone much showed up, you have been compromised and targeted. If any "friends" have been hanging around you have been compromised.

Definitely hide a camera on the entrances motion triggered on battery backup. You can scan it to see if someone starts visiting knocking on doors and scanning windows at a certain time.

It wouldn't hurt to hide a camera or two in your room that your roomies don't know about... you never know.

[blitzy]

woah isn't that a little too paranoid, there are a lot of a-holes around but not everyones out to get you!

[Fighterpilot]

Don't ever answer the door without a loaded gun ( not even if its the girl scouts).

Dude...I hope you are joking about that...if not....you need a new country.

[MixedPower]

Anyways, I was wondering what you people do for security.

Lock the doors. Is it that hard to turn a key a few times a day?

[emkubed]

They didn't "break in" because we normally leave the front/back door unlocked if one of us is home, since we go in and out a lot.

This. Since it was unlocked, I wonder if you can even file an insurance claim.

You've just learned, the hard way, the lesson of "lock your doors". Remember it well.

[cass]

Don't ever answer the door without a loaded gun ( not even if its the girl scouts).

Dude...I hope you are joking about that...if not....you need a new country.

No thanks, I am fortunate enough to live where I can still answer the door with a loaded gun.

You don't know who anyone is until its too late. There is no guarantee the person wearing a police uniform knocking on your door is a police officer.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/200 ... ting_N.htm

The girl scout knocking on your door could be fronting for many armed intruders hiding/standing by waiting for you to open the door, if you are not prepared, its over.

Folks its property crime and you are on your own. My sisters house was burglarized, My uncles, My employees, My car lot (4 times), My work place (3 times), My personal car (twice), and my truck (once). Now of course thats been ten years happening but still, the police view property crime as a waste of their time.

The only way my employee stopped his son and friends from toting everything he had off was putting in cameras and then the little piece of trash went to targeting the rest of the family that didn't have cameras.

[BoBzeBuilder]

No thanks, I am fortunate enough to live where I can still answer the door with a loaded gun.

HAHAHAHAA.

How is that fortunate? It just shows what a pathetic neighborhood you live in. Where I live, I never worry about such a thing, it doesn't even cross my mind. Now THAT is fortunate. I am grateful for it, and you are in denial.

[emkubed]

No thanks, I am fortunate enough to live where I can still answer the door with a loaded gun.

HAHAHAHAA.

How is that fortunate? It just shows what a pathetic neighborhood you live in. Where I live, I never worry about such a thing, it doesn't even cross my mind. Now THAT is fortunate. I am grateful for it, and you are in denial.

You can be grateful for your safe neighborhood, and cass can be cautious in his. Denial doesn't come into the equation.

He is fortunate in that he can protect himself in this way. He would be unfortunate if he both lived in a crappy neighborhood and couldn't defend himself.

[Fragnificent]

No thanks, I am fortunate enough to live where I can still answer the door with a loaded gun.

HAHAHAHAA.

How is that fortunate? It just shows what a pathetic neighborhood you live in. Where I live, I never worry about such a thing, it doesn't even cross my mind. Now THAT is fortunate. I am grateful for it, and you are in denial.

That's kind of what I was thinking. When it comes to this, cass, it's time to move. Thankfully, the ghetto can't get any closer to me since I live in a protected wetlands/woodlands thats several square miles in area.

[njenabnit]

When I lived in Norman, I had a guy walk into my house at about 2 or 3 AM. I was up playing some late night WC3 in the livingroom on my laptop and all of a sudden I hear the door open and hear someone walking in. All of the lights are off in the house so I'm not sure if he thought that no one was home or what the deal was. Anyways he walks in and looks down the hallways and then turns to see me sitting on a chair. He says something about "is so and so home?" and I said nobody lives here by that name. I asked him if he was looking for my roomate or anything and he said no. He then comes in and sits down on the couch and we didn't really say anything to eachother. After about 5 minutes of this, he gets up and says that he is going to go. I got up and walked him to the door and locked it after he left. I think he was just really drunk or high or something. He had no idea what was going on. I called the cops and they were kind of asses about it. They were like "what do you want us to do? he didn't take anything right?". I told them to send a patrol around in case he is trying to break in somewhere or turns his drunken walk into something destructive.

Anyways, after that I lock my doors. I also have a gun here now, but it is just a bolt action 22 rifle. Although I can put some bullets through it pretty quick (for a bolt action), it would probably be better used as a melee weapon (or a guitar, frying pan, night-stick, or machete).

[emkubed]

...it would probably be better used as a melee weapon (or a guitar, frying pan, night-stick, or machete).

If video games teach us nothing else, may we learn what we can use as handy melee weapons. Modern Art statues also work very well.

[Fighthouse]

When I had my house built earlier this year, I had a security system installed. This is my first time living with one, but the added peace of mind is priceless (don't tell my security company that! Regardless, I do keep a shotgun under my bed, and have possible melee weapons positioned throughout my house - ranging from a mag-light to an axe.

When I lived in Norman, I had a guy walk into my house at about 2 or 3 AM. I was up playing some late night WC3 in the livingroom on my laptop and all of a sudden I hear the door open and hear someone walking in. All of the lights are off in the house so I'm not sure if he thought that no one was home or what the deal was. Anyways he walks in and looks down the hallways and then turns to see me sitting on a chair. He says something about "is so and so home?" and I said nobody lives here by that name. I asked him if he was looking for my roommate or anything and he said no. He then comes in and sits down on the couch and we didn't really say anything to each other. After about 5 minutes of this, he gets up and says that he is going to go. I got up and walked him to the door and locked it after he left. I think he was just really drunk or high or something. He had no idea what was going on. I called the cops and they were kind of asses about it. They were like "what do you want us to do? he didn't take anything right?". I told them to send a patrol around in case he is trying to break in somewhere or turns his drunken walk into something destructive.

Anyways, after that I lock my doors. I also have a gun here now, but it is just a bolt action 22 rifle. Although I can put some bullets through it pretty quick (for a bolt action), it would probably be better used as a melee weapon (or a guitar, frying pan, night-stick, or machete).

A few years ago I stopped by my wife's house (gf at the time), before I went to work. It was about 7am on a weekday, and when I went in I saw a random guy sleeping on the first floor couch. He was about my age, and I really didn't think anything of it since she lived with 8 other girls in a large house. When I asked my gf about it in her room, she said he wasn't there when everyone went to sleep the night before. I gave him a very rude awakening, and I guess it must have been pretty frightening to wake up in a random house with a guy holding an aluminum bat over you. Needless to say, he left VERY quickly and nobody ever saw him again.
Someone had forgotten to lock the front door.

[Welch]

Wow, thats some low ****, while you were in the house that is.

I'd agree to get some fakes but ALSO get some a few real ones. I used to setup security camera's and they really are not hard at all to hook up. The "Worst" of it is to make sure you have a recording device. We used to setup a whole dedicated computer for this, but some camera's can come with their own DVR box that will record up to a week or so before over-writing itself. Depends on how much you are willing to spend on them, and how much you know about setting up things like that. In the event that you do decide to set a few up, and you'd like some help, feel free to PM me.

I also like the NRA sticker idea "I am a card carrying member of the NRA.... Come on in and let me show you my gun collection" ahaha, greatttt!

Stolen laptop.... 600.00
Ipod you jacked.... 150.00
The look on your face when your staring down the barrel of my 44 Magnum Super Black-hawk............... Priceless

[Kulith]

Wow, thats some low ****, while you were in the house that is.

I'd agree to get some fakes but ALSO get some a few real ones. I used to setup security camera's and they really are not hard at all to hook up. The "Worst" of it is to make sure you have a recording device. We used to setup a whole dedicated computer for this, but some camera's can come with their own DVR box that will record up to a week or so before over-writing itself. Depends on how much you are willing to spend on them, and how much you know about setting up things like that. In the event that you do decide to set a few up, and you'd like some help, feel free to PM me.

Yea I'm interested. I wouldn't mind shelling out a few hundred dollars for camera and some recording device. I'd use my computer but if they stole my computer..

Theres a good spot in my house where I would be able to see the front door/ bottom of the stairs and living room, and everybody who comes in would have to go through there, so I would only need 1 camera.

I don't know anything about setting things up like this, do you have any recommendations for up to $300 ish?

Also, I heard in my in my area lots of thefts occur during christmas break since most students are back home for 3 weeks.

[Thebolt]

Our house gets broken into a couple of times a year(college campus area that's near enough to the ghetto for the thieves to come in sometimes).

We lock the door when nobody is home/at night as a deterrent. It doesn't mean too much as it's easy enough to bust open a door or break a window. I've got renters insurance with a low deductible to cover whatever gets stolen, I have a gun safe in my room to lock up valuables when I'm not going to be around, and we've got a dog to make noise in case someone's breaking in. Everyone in the house sleeps with a pistol somewhere around their bed and there are a couple of shotguns hidden around the house.

Over the summer the house was broken into(window) and a laptop was stolen. The police caught the guy because a homeless person walking down the street with a laptop stands out apparently. The time before that everyone was out of town during the holiday season and a bum broke in apparently for a free bed and shower(nothing stolen). The winter before that some thieves took car keys and used a car from the house to transport their loot before ditching the stolen car a few blocks away.

[SpikeMeister]

Holy crap, America sounds **** scary

I don't know anyone who owns a gun. In a situation where you are being robbed, having a gun in the equation just makes things a whole lot worse to my mind. It elevates the situation from simple loss of property (it's only things) to potential death.

[Thebolt]

America is a lot like most other places. Where I grew up(suburbs) there was never any crime, a female could walk down the street at 3am alone and not have anything to worry about etc. In the inner city there are a lot more problems and criminals trying to make a buck.

I do understand your fears regarding guns. I think a lot of it comes down to the level of training individuals have with firearms and the manner in which they're stored. If a defender isn't confident and properly trained a firearm can be more of a liability than anything else. If a firearm is loaded and in a place that a criminal might get to first it can also present a problem. I wouldn't want my mother owning a gun if she lived in a bad area because I don't think she would invest the time in learning how to use it(she's pretty anti-gun anyways).

On the topic of bringing death into the situation: If a criminal is going to flee upon seeing you with or without the firearm then the only time a gun would cause a problem is if the individual wielding it is out for blood. If you wouldn't act that way then there's nothing to worry about. If the criminal would break in knowing that people are home then a properly used firearm is a good thing as it helps the lawful homeowner defend themselves against a violent intruder. It's not uncommon for burglars to break in and be held at gunpoint until police arrive. If they know that a person is home and intend on harming the residents a firearm would actually reduce the injury caused to all parties in such a situation.

[sironomus]

I think a lot of it comes down to the level of training individuals have with firearms and the manner in which they're stored.

I totally agree. I live in an apartment in a relatively low crime area and choose not to have a gun. I have been shooting since I was young and know gun safety. That said, I am not confident enough with my shooting ability to use it in a pressure situation. I have neighbors behind two walls and the floor and would just as likely end up shooting my own TV as a bad guy. Also it would take me some time to clear any jams or reload in the dark. During that time I would be defenseless. Since my apartment is relatively small I feel a baseball bat is a much more practical option. From my bedroom door I can close the distance to anywhere in the apartment in less than a second(told you it was small) and lay down some hurt. Also, I have never heard of anyone killing themselves with a baseball bat because they thought it was unloaded.

[Kulith]

well I don't want to have a gun around here for other reasons.

particularly because of alcohol

[Rakhmaninov3]

Remington steel.

[FireGryphon]

They didn't "break in" because we normally leave the front/back door unlocked...

I was wondering what you people do for security.

I lock my doors, first of all. Even if I'm throwing out the garbage, I lock my door. I also keep windows locked, especially those that are accessible from ground level. Most of the time simple deterrents like that are all it takes to thwart crime. A determined thief will probably get your stuff one way or the other. In your case, the thief was probably a thief who either knew the door was left unlocked, or went up to random houses, tried the doors, and found yours opened.

[Welch]

Most other countries outlaw guns, BUT a gun does not make the situation worse.... google search a bit and you will find listings about the history of countries who outlawed owning a gun. Crime rates increased... this has happened in the past (over the last few 100 years in some counties) to more recent like Australia. Here is a link that will give you some insight on why Guns are not a bad thing, unless in the hands of a criminal or an idiot.

http://www.nraila.org/issues/FactSheets/Read.aspx?ID=78 - Gun Laws, Culture, Justice & Crime In Foreign Countries

The fact is... assume you are the criminal. If there is a law for you to turn over all of your weapons, do you comply? Hell no... your a criminal and you make your living by being such. Why turn over one of your best tools that help to enforce your way of life? Especially if no one else has a gun to oppose you.

Now, you... that same criminal knowing that you live in a place like America.. and knowing that any given person could be packing (The chances someone is depending on where you live) your going to think twice about your career choice ... No future in that kind of business if your shot down dead.

This isn't to say that we American's are crazy gun loving folks who eat breakfast, lunch and dinner with our fingers bound for the trigger. It simply means that in order to protect our peaceful way of life, we are not afraid to stand up for ourselves and use a gun in the event that someone threatens our lives equally. May be hard for someone to understand who has never shot a gun or has never had the right to bare arms.

I live in Alaska, everyone here owns a gun for hunting, that's its primary purpose. Very rarely do we have people shooting, they never know if the person they are shooting at has a gun and how much better of a shot they might be. Think of it as the Cold war , did we ever fire any nukes at Russia... Nope. Would they have fired on us if we had nothing... More than likely.
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ANYWHO. Kulith, you have a few options and it depends on how you want to go about it. 300.00 should be enough to get you an entry level setup for just one camera, possibly even cheaper (i will look into whats available nowadays). For that price range and the fact that you should have it setup in a manner that it is not visible (you can also puke fakes if you wish) and you dont want to spend too much, I'd look for a system that does not require a computer to host the storage, a DVR box may be cheaper. I'd also opt for "Night Vision"(no they arent expensive actually ). For reliability I'd avoid things like Wireless camera's... the ones that actual work and dont drop signals are not cheap and what they connect to shouldnt be a cheapo either.

Let me give a look at what is in your price range and fits the bill and i'll get back to you. For that room you are talking about, the entry way, if there a place to hide a camera. Also.. do you have rights on this apartment for drilling and doing things like camera systems... might want to check in on that with your land-lord. You may even get an insurance break by having camera's installed.

[steelcity_ballin]

A bottomless well of rage for anyone who would dare. State farm renter's insurance as well. If they do it when I'm home, I hope they didn't like anything they brought with them; arms, legs, what have you.

Check craigslist in your area first, lots of small time jackasses sell it there, or try pawnshops as well.

[eric93se]

You can have everyone pitch in ~$50 bucks for a PC and have one of the tech orientated students that know a little about linux install ZoneMinder. If you were able to go with running network cable to the cameras you can get the cable from monoprice.com. Then its just a matter of finding inexpesive cameras. You could probably build the PC for ~$400. But like others have said, a few security stickers and some fake cameras, just make sure very few know they are fake.

edit: also pinhole cameras are the best if you can't find a good place to hide a regular one.

[Kulith]

You can have everyone pitch in ~$50 bucks for a PC and have one of the tech orientated students that know a little about linux install ZoneMinder. If you were able to go with running network cable to the cameras you can get the cable from monoprice.com. Then its just a matter of finding inexpesive cameras. You could probably build the PC for ~$400. But like others have said, a few security stickers and some fake cameras, just make sure very few know they are fake.

edit: also pinhole cameras are the best if you can't find a good place to hide a regular one.

well what if they steal the pc?

I'd much prefer a camera that has some form of storing the video remotely, either by sending it to a gmail account (has 8gb free space) or some other way of storing it on the internet, or saving it to a external hard drive.

[Philldoe]

See.. I just use a regular home security system... and my .45 Handgun. Plus half the people in the area all know I have my CCDW Permit, and people avoid my home at night. So far my home is the only one that hasn't been broken in to down my road.