Home Invasion

[echnidna]

I know someone who has suffered repeated home invasions from a circle of druggies.
I am looking for economical ways of preventing invaders coming in through windows whenever they feel like it.

[Carpenter]

Whay type of windows? Break & enter? How high off the ground? How serious a deterent are you after?

[echnidna]

normal ground level house
normal house windows.
they just smashed their way through the windows.
serious deterrent needed.

[Carpenter]

Ahhh, smashing, thats the clue I was looking for. If they're just pushing windows open there's a lot you can do. However, break & enter is another story, & you have to physically stop forced entry & that means bars. If your friend has some old rabbit traps laying around that would be funny, or maybe the old Vietcong pit trap? A dog?

[glock40sw]

Wire up an Electric fence around the window or even use aluminium fly screen that is wire up to it. as the derro touches it he gets zapped.

However, a 12ga full of rocksalt would be better.

Hooroo.
Regards, Trevor
Grafton

P.S. window bars would have to be the most secure method.

[DanP]

A 12ga full of SG would be better.

[Bob Willson]

25 mm hardened steel bars in all window frames
Moat with monsters
Moat with piranha, portcullis and drawbridge
Armed guards patrolling the house

You will develop a siege mentality if you go down this path. If they want in, they will get in. After the windows the next easiest is the roof. Are you going to line that with steel too?

However, if you insist, then the best way is to have the sliding steel roller doors type light excluders over the windows. They are great if you do shift work as they eliminate 100% of the light when fully closed.

There is also available a special steel flyscreen that is made of a very high strength steel but is virtually invisible. It cuts out some light but only dims the rooms rather than darkens.

[DanP]

Just remember, it is illegal to set a 'man trap' in Victoria. That would include any electric fence set ups, bear/rabbit traps, hammering nails half in at the point of entry and filing points on them etc.

[E. maculata]

Australian Cattledog, German shepherd, Alaskan malamute, Male uncut bordercollie, I'm sure others will kick in with other breeds but these are the ones I'm familar with. And I'm deadly serious very little outlay initailly, and these breeds are very territorial and if treated well will defend you & yours with their lives + you get a friend for life.

[Bob Willson]

Bloody law makers. Can't have any fun any more can we?

Just a minute, I'm sure I saw a rabbit run across my louge room floor, can I set a trap for it? Just a bit of cheese in a rat trap or 10000.

[Grunt]

Bruce is right. Dogs are excellent deterents for would be thieves. Rotties, Dobermans, Boxers and Ridgebacks are excellent guard dogs. Even smaller dogs that bark work well.

I've got two Boxers that are great dogs, very family oriented and won't let anyone in the house without my permission.

[DanP]

Just a minute, I'm sure I saw a rabbit run across my louge room floor, can I set a trap for it?

Can't see why not. :D

Good to see you're on the ball, Bob.

[echnidna]

The scum have done a lot of physcological harm to their victims and it seems that something like the roller shutters is necessary (though they are expensive).
I might price out the stainless security flywire as it would be unobtrusive.

[echnidna]

Might have a look around for a shepherd or two.

[Dan]

I might price out the stainless security flywire as it would be unobtrusive.

I think 3M make a security film for windows as well, might be worth a look.

[zathras]

Bloody law makers. Can't have any fun any more can we?



Seems if you're a previous agent that did prosecuting in South Australia you can merrily kill an innocent cyclist with your car, leave them for dead at the scene, report the accident 6 hours later (convenient for BAC), and then plead guilty and only copy a $3100 fine.

Seems we do need man traps amongst some portions of the law enforcement area as the "Justice System" obviously treats manslaughter as a trivial event these days. :mad: :mad: :mad:

Eugene Mcgee is the name if you have not heard the recent news.

[Aussiebruce]

I have seen a super strong fly screen mesh at Hardware and General in Sydney. The in-store display has an attached hammer for bashing the screen. Either the stuff is really tough or some little person secretly replaces the mesh every few minutes.

Is this the same stuff referenced earlier by Bob Wilson?

[ozwinner]

Bob you can have all these bottles of wine Ive got.

Pour them into the moat, sure to keep even the most hardend crook away.
Bleeeeech

Al :( :p

[bitingmidge]

http://www.crimsafe.com.au/product/whatIsCrimsafe.cfm

Good stuff if you need it! Looks like heavy insect mesh, will keep all but the tiny Biting Midges out!!

P :p

[Gingermick]

German shepherd, Alaskan malamute, .
I have a German Shepherd X Malamute and we are looking after the in-laws dogs; a rotty and a ridgeback. Of course they are all about as viscous as lady bugs but 150kg of dogs should act as a deterant.

[Harry72]

Find out where the offenders live and do it back to them!

[soundman]

3M make a security film, profilon is an other brand.
for cheap & chjeerfull security grills 3" reo in a steel frame powdercoated looks better than it sounds.
Old style window boxes make it harder to get closer to the window, particularly of you don't make em real strong & fill em with bits tin of old tinplate. Low life grabs window box to pull self up, wondow box colapses spilling noisy tin stuff, pots, potting mix(with dynamic lifter) and nasty spikey cactus all over low life. I won't stopp em, it wont hurt em (much), but it will be noisy and funny.
I had a customer who planted one of those big suculents with the reeeallly sharp pointy spikes on the ends of the leaves under one window. They reconed the never botherd locking it.
Plant bogonvillia. stinging nettles.
Encourage paperwasps.
motion detector flood lights.
Burgular allarm siren cover & alarm stickers.

[bsrlee]

Of course, there is the other method - move out of the area. If may be conceeding a small victory to the scum (sorry to any scum reading this) but it saves a heap of stress & greif.

A small illustration: some acquaintances of mine decided to get a house. They purchased a des. res. in a older suburb - primarily 'fibro', but their place was brick. Some local decided to break in (#1)thru' the front door. So they got dead locks etc. Local comes back & breaks in again (#2) by kicking the front door in breaking the locks out of the door. A new heavy dudty door was purchased & fitted - guess what? Door kicked in again, frame collapsed (#4). A bit upset, the lads had an industrial strength steel door frame & steel lined door, with all the trimmings installed. A few days later they come home to find the front door, complete with the steel frame still locked in place, sitting in the front hall & the house emptied again (#5). BTW the house was on the corner of 2 major roads, low fence etc. so all this had to go on in full view of hundreds of people. After #5, they sold up and left.

Which is a realy long way of saying, if the B's want in, they will get in. And usually they have nothing, so even if they mangle themselves in the yard, the time they spend in hospital is a plus to them (free food, board & prescription drugs). And they'd probably steal the dog too. :o

[MathewA]

My choice for crime prevention has been the German Shepherd - in pairs nothing will mess with you. Unfortunealtly Jet my German shepherd is very nervous around strangers so I won't risk his mental health with a 24+ hour flight and 30 day quarantine otherwise I would be bringing him. He is on gaurd 24/7, he especially puts my wife at ease when I'm out working late. Up to 2 years ago I had two and they seem to be even more protective over their domain - I guess it has something to do with the pack mentallity and they're much more brave in numbers. When I get established in Aus I will be looking for at least one.

[John99]

A couple of the deterants that I use !

[Bob Willson]

Can't see why not. :D

Good to see you're on the ball, Bob.

So would you say then (hypothetically of course) that you can do all sorts of nasty things such as stakes in the bottoms of pits etc., so long as you are not setting a man trap but are instead hunting for lions or something?

[rodm]

You will be surprised at what dummy security cameras and a few signs will do.
I have a couple with a red LED and I get a lot of comment from visitors but you have to make out they are real. It seems that nobody wants to be identified so hopefully they move to an easier target.
I view bars as a danger to the inhabitants if there is a house fire and why should we live in a cell when it is the intruder that need to be there.

[echnidna]

You will be surprised at what dummy security cameras and a few signs will do.

I have no doubt they will help deter thieves.
But the scum I am talking about are intent on causing mayhem.
I am aware of one of them who violently assaulted a 17 yo girl in front of 2 cops. (on camera to boot) He's still walking around freely.

Can you imagine the effect on little kids who have truly seen the "boogey man"

[Pulse]

What's wrong with a real alarm and some window bars. Some sensor lights would also help. What's the boundary fence? Is access from the street easy. Are plants obscuring the points of entry from passers by? If you keep upgrading security, they will look elsewhere. I don't think the argument "that if they want in, they will get in" makes much sense. You just need to make your house look more difficult than the one next door. Druggies are opportunists, if a house is easy to rob, or valuables are on display than you are a target.

Cheers
Pulse

[JDub]

Im with Pulse.

A real back to base alarm system that screams at the top of its lungs when tripped is what I would do.
I have one on my place (not cause Ive had problems, just cause I like peace of mind), when it does go off the flashing blue lights and the VERY loud siren is enough to stop theives IMO.

Sure they may break a window initially but with that much noise and comotion going on they wont stick around long and probably wont do it next time, they will simply pick an easier target (some other poor bloke).

A dog is a good idea as well, and you dont even need a german shepard, a lab or anything with a little size that will bark occasionally will probably do the trick.

Just my 2c :D

[E. maculata]

I'm very sorry to hear that this sorta stuff is happening, I will go back to my original statement, except go 1 further 2 Dogs.
Why am I sure this will work.
Why did dogs & humans befriend each other in the first place? a trade off, I'll guard you & yours' and you'll feed me some of that wooly mamouth you're cookin!
My personal evidence, there's lots more but this should give an idea why I trust dogs over people.
Mate (securtiy guard checking a tripped alarm)whos' live was saved by his German Shepherd from a screwdriver weilding drugcrazed scumbag and his mate after they hid in the premises & pounced on him and he's 6'4" and 125 kg Martial arts exponent yet a snarling angry 45 kg shepherd tore them new........
Father in laws German Shepherd & Blue heeler cornered a bloke just last yr trying to rip off his F-100, Bloke discovered cowering on roof of vehicle.
My Large (for a Border 35 kgs/ 600 shoulder height)Male B/Collie, saved my wife from an attack(don't know what the scum wanted he didn't get a chance anyway) when he was only 12 months old, latched onto a burglar going thru the next door kitchen window and pulled him down, chased a fella out my yard at 2am.(this partly is why we moved away from that town)
And the bit that always convinces me that dogs have an edge, One of my friends has dogs..BIG BIG dogs (pig chasers) He's a fairly rough bloke nothing fazes him, except got a phone call one day asking me to chain our fella up quote "he's F*ckin insane that mongrel,.. wanted to kill me.. had to jump the fence to get away from him" this friend came thru the gate will we where out.
This very same dog lets children pull his tail, wags his tail at all visiotrs if I'm home looks like the biggest fluffiest sook, but is Jekel & Hyde inside.
My point is He's not unique, most dogs are like this given the right homelife (not mistreated) and negates the need for bars and will let you know if the house is on fire or the kids are upset.

[LineLefty]

What about the front yard? Most dogs dont roam freely around the front yard.

Don't get me wrong, dogs are a great deterrent but if they just kick your bloody front door in............

At the tennis club where I'm the esteemed VP, we've been broken into at least 5times in 2years. We've got evey sort of security mesh, alarms cameras you name it.

It makes no difference though, when they bring a sledge hammer and go straight thru the brick wall :(

We even had one guy try and sue us after he jump through the roof and fell 5m too the floor. Broke his ankle, and couldnt get out until the cops came. Tried to sue us!! Turns out we dont have a duty of care to warn potential intruders that the roof, which is 6m high from the outside, is the same height from the inside :)

[E. maculata]

Adam, mild cultural difference, not only do ours roam the front yard one sleeps in the entry doorway at night, the other one sleeps in the hallway outside the bedroom doors, being a canine person yourself you know what this indicates. BTW we also have a monitored alarm, solid doors, and mesh, but they're not sentinent beings, and aren't proactive measures.

[Pat]

Eliminate the problem . . . give 'em hotshots!


Sorry, just experiencing a bout of self righteous outrage, bloody limp wristed, good for nothing poly's. Argh! :mad: The wallopers probably would like to do something to the individuals but are not backed up by the rest of the "justice" system and their political "masters". Rant Off.

[DavidG]

Who cares.
Dog (red heeler) sleeps on the floor beside my bed.
I and the rest of the family sleep well. :D
Don't even shut the back door on hot nights.
No problem.
No-one is going to get in (or out in one piece).

[shaunburgess]

I have 3 dogs, don't need to look workshop or house. My dogs are big sooks if iam home but when i'm not will not let people in. One of our dogs (norweigan elkhound) even had his bark recorded for an alarm, whenever someone came to the door recording started (dog barking) and warned people off.

[journeyman Mick]

I realise that moving may not be an option (and I hate to let anyone or anything get the better of me) but I reckon with kids, staying there should not be considered an option. However this is what I reckon I would do:
Slowly empty, or partly empty the house, but don't make it obvious. Go down to the local Harvey Norman or similar and get a whole heap of appliance boxes. Parade them in (preferably so that the scumbags can see it) so that they think you've loaded the place up again. Get a heap of mates around and sneak them in. Remove the family. Wait. Let the scumbags break in again. Trap them in the house (some of the mates come around from the back and bar their access) lay into them with boots and bats, and tell them they'll be killed if they're seen in the vicinity again. :eek:

Okay, flame away.

Years ago at school, a bully walked up to me as class started and told me to move as I was in his seat. I knew that if I complied that I'd cop s**t from him forever (or at least for the rest of school, which is forever at that age. I told him I wasn't moving, he (without warning) smacked me across the mouth with a cricket ball and kneed me in the face several times (apparently). I came to in the sick bay with blood all over my shirt. The deputy quizzed me and I said I must have had a fall.

The next week I got a cricket bat out of the sports store and brained the guy with it. When he came to I told him that he might be bigger than me, but if he F###ed with me again I'd kill him. He and any other potential bullies stayed clear of me after that.

Mick

Disclaimer: I do not condone or promote violence as a solution to problems, any problems should, of course, be referred to the police.

[ozwinner]

:o
http://instagiber.net/smiliesdotcom/otn/love/smlove2.gif

Al :p

[jow104]

Seems like an ideal opportunity for an up an coming aussie entrepreneur to start up a new business.

Sometimes known as "protection business"

Bob have a word with one of the current members he should know one or two.

Otherwise Bob dogs are the only solution in my opinion. Or invite my wife back. :D