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Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsWe have alarmed our house. Our next door neighbor had a 3 am break in by a couple of men who
might have considered our house but chose their house for reasons I cannot know.
So we got an alarm system and sign outside the company gave us.
A friend of ours said he would have just gotten the sign and that would be enough of a deterrence. But the invaders just ripped off their sign and threw it on the lawn.
Would just a sign saying our house is alarmed be enough? Our friend says yes, it probably prevented some would be marauders to go elsewhere.
Any proof that just the sign is good enough?
piddyprints
(14,600 posts)Those signs belong to the alarm companies. You cant usually get one without signing up for service. And if you can, it may or may not be illegal, but is definitely unethical.
Also, most homeowners insurance companies give a discount if you have alarm service.
CTyankee
(63,773 posts)I don't know where our friend got his fake sign. But he figured that with any other house on the street WITHOUT a sign, marauders would just move on to another house. He never had a break in so that is his proof.
piddyprints
(14,600 posts)It would say, Beware of dog. My dogs are more of a deterrent than my alarm system, I think. Our neighbor has a fake alarm system sign, and his house was broken into while he and his wife were still living somewhere else, even though there were cars parked in the driveway. Now they have dogs who bark constantly (and I do mean CONSTANTLY). Theyre mean little shits, too. I love dogs and those are the only dogs I have ever disliked ... maybe because one of them came after me while I was walking in my driveway.
In any case, burglars generally dont like to target houses that come with dogs.
TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)He has two Great Danes, and one of the burglars will never father children.
piddyprints
(14,600 posts)and some burglars are just stupid. Hopefully that one learned a valuable lesson.
If someone really wants your stuff, theyll get in and get it. Locks, alarms, and dogs mostly deter the mischief makers. Professional thieves can get in no matter what you do.
Polly Hennessey
(6,747 posts)Scout and Alexander have hearing for the ages. They bark if a leaf falls on the ground. Alex is a Great Pyrenees and takes his job of protecting the flock (us) seriously. Did I mention he is excellent at his job. I may give him a promotion. 😊
piddyprints
(14,600 posts)Ours live outside with the horse, all with access to the barn. The horse feels comfortable enough that she will lie down for long naps, even though she doesnt have the protection of a herd. She absolutely knows that they will alert her if anything moves.
The only thing they dont bark at is the UPS truck. I think they think it lives here. It goes in and out more than our own cars do.
We also have a house alarm, but I feel completely secure with the dogs. Also, you cant see our house from the driveway entrance and there is only one way in and out, so it would be a huge risk for someone to come down the long driveway and hope no ones home, no alarms, no dogs, etc. We dont live in town or in a gated community, or even a remotely wealthy neighborhood ... and I use neighborhood rather loosely, as its just individual houses on some acres, some divided by cow pastures and hay fields.
bamagal62
(3,218 posts)Alarm sign was left there. One house I moved into had 2 -two different companies. Im not sure marauders care about those signs. I had a friend, while at my house picking up her kid, had theives kick in her back door and steal every electronic device in her house. She was gone for about 30 minutes. She did not set the alarm as she was only going to the other side of the neighborhood. But, they were so fast, Im not sure it would have mattered.
Frustratedlady
(16,254 posts)had yet to put the house up for sale. It was pretty modern with walls on the ravine side almost entirely glass/glass doors. The people broke in and spray-painted the windows/doors with black paint so they could turn on the lights. They ripped off all the electronics and stole whatever they could load up.
When the kids found out what happened, they installed cameras. In a few days, the people broke in again, but tore out the cameras first. This was in an area of similar houses and the thieves were so good at what they did, none of the neighbors saw anything suspicious, so we figured they must have come in via the ravine, which would have been tough at night. They couldn't park in the drive or in the street without being seen.
I've never heard that the police arrested anyone connected to the break-in.
multigraincracker
(32,532 posts)Found some great cheap ways to stay safe. Like 3 inch screws in all door hard ware. Put a giant dog food bowl on the porch that says Cujo on it. They make a film you can apply to glass windows that make them almost impossible to break in, plus they make your windows more energy efficient . Number one is lighting, motion lights are great along with dummy cameras.
They most likely will pick the home that looks easy to break in and not get caught.
Good luck and stay safe.
mitch96
(13,822 posts)with speakers by the motion detectors. A recording of Dobermans barking would go off near where motion was detected. If the "perp" moved so did the sound. Corner? woof. Side? woof.Backyard? woof.. Worked like a charm... Personally if I had to do this stuff or gates on the windows, I'd move if I could.. Like others have said robbers are opertunists.. if it's easy they will go for it.. Like car thieves most likely wont steal a stick shift car cause they don't "do " stick... YMMV
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TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)Several schools of thought on this:
Some say that the sign indicates something of value in there.
Some say that there are plenty of houses without the sign, so they will just pass by the houses with one.
I say that actually having an alarm and camera is being safer than sorrier.
I also say that there are plenty of neighborhoods (like mine) where such break-ins are rare enough that it may not make a difference. It really sucks when that changes.
CTyankee
(63,773 posts)We also have strong outdoor lights that automatically go on/off.
Scrivener7
(50,774 posts)were they sleeping?
Right next door! That is terrifying. I'd pay for the full service and ask for extra signs.
CTyankee
(63,773 posts)He confronted them after they had rifled through the wife's purse and found the keys to their SUV. They then ran out, started the car and drove it across OUR front lawn (I saw the track marks). The police department found it deserted in another area of town.
This all happened when we were sleeping. It freaked out my husband so much that he called the house alarm people right away and we now have a fully "armed" house.
The only problem I have is that I have to remember to disarm the system before I get the morning papers.
Scrivener7
(50,774 posts)on the part of the culprits in burglaries, and god knows what else, so anything can happen.
Your husband is a smart guy.
So glad they passed you by.
MontanaMama
(23,242 posts)to ask that question.
Lochloosa
(16,019 posts)Even if you don't have a dog put a few of those up.
bamagal62
(3,218 posts)RainCaster
(10,691 posts)She greets everyone who comes down our driveway. I'm sure our house gets crossed off the list.
llashram
(6,265 posts)to contemplate a home invasion, no. They will look for other proof the house is wired. Wi-Fi and other types of battery-operated noise-making alarms work best against bold thieves. My windows all have warnings applied. Enter uninvited at your own risk. After that...
Our neighborhood has a security patrol. I dont use them, but many neighbors do. We have never had an issue- we bought the crappiest house in the nicest neighborhood and no matter how much we make the house nicer itll never be as nice as the many beautiful estates here.
There is a neighborhood Facebook page that many residents are active on, including the security patrol.
If someones car breaks down in the neighborhood it wont be there long- the patrol will get it towed. If someone is lurking about, the security patrol gets called. Ive called them before for those sketch door to door magazine saleskids where the van drops them off. Most of us have no soliciting signs and the terrain of the neighborhood is unfriendly to casual salespeople. No one wants to walk the hills unless theyre actually out for exercise.
But dogs- they seem to be the best deterrent. I have two and one is always on guard. We are finishing up the fencing of the property this summer and he will have full range of the half acre. He does not like strangers on our property.
When we moved in there was an alarm sign. We took it out.
MOMFUDSKI
(5,209 posts)(can't remember his name) but I remember him saying the BIGGEST deterrent is a DOG. Said then he would just go on to the next house that was dogless. Every dog I have had was always a great guard dog. Currently dogless now but sure wish I had one around just to alert. One summer we were all asleep ( husband, me, both kids) and our dog slept on the floor next to my side of the bed. There was a creepy high school kid lived around the corner with really bad home life that had previously stolen a load of bikes around the neighborhood that the cops found when they opened the shed. So it was summer and we had all the windows open and all of a sudden the dog jumps straight up barking at the window, my husband runs to the window to see the kid running across the yard. He was window peeping until the dog heard or smelled him and stuff hit the fan. Good Boy.