Home Security (poll and recommendations)

[M L]

Hi everyone. I thought we could make an informative thread about how to secure your home. 

Things in the Western Cape are escalating and quickly catching up to the crime levels of Gauteng. This has raised concerns over how to secure your home and premises.

So. Let's create a poll for what you prefer to use and what you have found to work and those things that don't work. I think most people have the basic in-door alarm system with burglar bars of some sort and maybe a few security gates to covers doors or passages. What I think most people are more interested in is how to secure your home and premises above and beyond the basics.

Please message any items/tech I have forgotten to add.

Then in the comments section it would be nice if you guys/girls could mention some specific products/dealers/websites that you recommend. To keep this more clear, please add a Location if necessary.

Let's try and keep spam to a minimum? I think a lot of people are looking for advice, dealerships and expected cost of installation so let's try and help people with something informative. Lekker lekker.

[zaslayer]

First bit of advice: make your neighbours houses look like easier targets..

[fanievb]

First bit of advice: make your neighbours houses look like easier targets..

 

this

 

 

you don't have to have the best security, it must just be better than your neighbors'

[Imploder]

Critical to home security, is a wholistic approach. I'm sure you've all heard that by the time the perps are over your wall or in your driveway its too late. So key to home security is a security concious street, block, suburb. In other words an outward-in strategy. 

We've got a street whatssup group. A street captain that is on the CPF security group for wider suburb related issues. (Cops and Security company reps are on the CPF group). Also part of securing your street is a offsite monitoring system, thankfully fibre is now pretty ubiquitous so many security companies have an offering in this regard.

 

My list would read something like:

1) Active, engaged neighbours. A Whattsup group notifying each other about suspicious individuals and vehicles in the neighbourhood - Goes without saying a good security company

2) Lift proof and locked electric gate - NO PEDESTRIAN GATE (huge security problem)

3) Electric Fence

4) DOGS

5) If no dogs then outdoor sensors

6) Armed response Alarm

[Mojoman]

Decent camera set....got 8 around and in the house.... Adding some IP cameras in Dec....also have a cheap wireless alarm system...I'm literally 5 minutes from home where I work so I can get back quickly...after being robbed twice in one day I had had enough...cops did next to nothing...last time I caught the guy...took a day off work...drew some money....handed it out with a pic of the thief and within an hour I had him...bit of jungle justice for him (local community also gave him some when they saw the video) and since then...touch wood....no issues ..it is nice to be able to check your property out on your phone. Makes a big difference...although the last idiot saw the cameras and thought by ducking and crawling around he wouldn't be filmed....Muppet....!

I should add that my robberies have all been by druggies looking to steal whatever they can quickly get down to the scrap yard with. If I manage to catch one in the house one day it's tickets for him. I've had enough.

[forkie]

bull terriers. lots of them

[Eddy Gordo]

U dont have fence spikes. Those long thin extremely sharp ones.

I have cut myself a number of times on mine, lol

[Eddy Gordo]

Decent camera set....got 8 around and in the house.... Adding some IP cameras in Dec....also have a cheap wireless alarm system...I'm literally 5 minutes from home where I work so I can get back quickly...after being robbed twice in one day I had had enough...cops did next to nothing...last time I caught the guy...took a day off work...drew some money....handed it out with a pic of the thief and within an hour I had him...bit of jungle justice for him (local community also gave him some when they saw the video) and since then...touch wood....no issues ..it is nice to be able to check your property out on your phone. Makes a big difference...although the last idiot saw the cameras and thought by ducking and crawling around he wouldn't be filmed....Muppet....!

I should add that my robberies have all been by druggies looking to steal whatever they can quickly get down to the scrap yard with. If I manage to catch one in the house one day it's tickets for him. I've had enough.

Do what I did, threaten the moron with a sword, tell him he will be chopped up and thrown down the drain for the rats to eat. This after said moron told me I cant do anything to him because of the law. He quickly realised he was in k@k. Since then, a good few years ago, thank god, no more issues with attempted break ins.

[Mojoman]

bull terriers. lots of them

dogs help but they get poisoned...they actually broke a window at a friend's place and threw the poisoned meat in for her dogs...waited half an hour then broke in...if I could catch one he will be savouring that same poison.

[Eddy Gordo]

Critical to home security, is a wholistic approach. I'm sure you've all heard that by the time the perps are over your wall or in your driveway its too late. So key to home security is a security concious street, block, suburb. In other words an outward-in strategy. 

We've got a street whatssup group. A street captain that is on the CPF security group for wider suburb related issues. (Cops and Security company reps are on the CPF group). Also part of securing your street is a offsite monitoring system, thankfully fibre is now pretty ubiquitous so many security companies have an offering in this regard.

 

My list would read something like:

1) Active, engaged neighbours. A Whattsup group notifying each other about suspicious individuals and vehicles in the neighbourhood - Goes without saying a good security company

2) Lift proof and locked electric gate - NO PEDESTRIAN GATE (huge security problem)

3) Electric Fence

4) DOGS

5) If no dogs then outdoor sensors

6) Armed response Alarm

Critical to home security, is a wholistic approach. I'm sure you've all heard that by the time the perps are over your wall or in your driveway its too late. So key to home security is a security concious street, block, suburb. In other words an outward-in strategy. 

We've got a street whatssup group. A street captain that is on the CPF security group for wider suburb related issues. (Cops and Security company reps are on the CPF group). Also part of securing your street is a offsite monitoring system, thankfully fibre is now pretty ubiquitous so many security companies have an offering in this regard.

 

My list would read something like:

1) Active, engaged neighbours. A Whattsup group notifying each other about suspicious individuals and vehicles in the neighbourhood - Goes without saying a good security company

2) Lift proof and locked electric gate - NO PEDESTRIAN GATE (huge security problem)

3) Electric Fence

4) DOGS

5) If no dogs then outdoor sensors

6) Armed response Alarm

Our area only has armed response, for people who are signed up.

Biggest key to our are is that, if you caught trying something, you will be dealt with. If anyone is seen pushing a trolley or a bin around, it gets taken away.

[madbradd]

I have a few of the listed items. Some of my observations and recommendations:

 

Hadedas set off my beams (straight line) and sometimes my area IR sensors. If my beams are activated during the day I get loads of nuisance trips.

 

Positioning of cameras is crucial. I have some badly positioned ones which need to be moved, and I need 2 or 3 more as I get frustrated not being able to see certain areas. IP cameras are the way forward. Make sure you can see them on your phone. ALSO have a screen somewhere in the house that lets you see them easily, opening the app waiting to connect etc. can lose you 30s that you might need. Continuous recording is a must - the "motion detect" and cloud services type recordings often miss things which may be necessary later on.

 

Pedestrian gate/similar - you NEED a way to get into your house when the gate won't open. This could be a number of options, but make sure a)you can get in, b) it is secure (not these electronic latch type pedestrian gates as they are too easy to pop open). Actually, just make sure your wife can get in, because it will only break when you're away on business or at a stage race.

 

You need a way to allow access to your property for armed response. Some areas use a key-alike access, I'm not a fan. Other option is an intercom which calls your cellphone, or something like this. But when armed response arrives at your house and you're away, you want them to do a search, not just leave a note saying the gate was closed. If you can pair this with a "gate open" notification that's great as sometimes gates do get left open.

[Mojoman]

I have a few of the listed items. Some of my observations and recommendations:

 

Hadedas set off my beams (straight line) and sometimes my area IR sensors. If my beams are activated during the day I get loads of nuisance trips.

 

Positioning of cameras is crucial. I have some badly positioned ones which need to be moved, and I need 2 or 3 more as I get frustrated not being able to see certain areas. IP cameras are the way forward. Make sure you can see them on your phone. ALSO have a screen somewhere in the house that lets you see them easily, opening the app waiting to connect etc. can lose you 30s that you might need. Continuous recording is a must - the "motion detect" and cloud services type recordings often miss things which may be necessary later on.

 

Pedestrian gate/similar - you NEED a way to get into your house when the gate won't open. This could be a number of options, but make sure a)you can get in, b) it is secure (not these electronic latch type pedestrian gates as they are too easy to pop open). Actually, just make sure your wife can get in, because it will only break when you're away on business or at a stage race.

 

You need a way to allow access to your property for armed response. Some areas use a key-alike access, I'm not a fan. Other option is an intercom which calls your cellphone, or something like this. But when armed response arrives at your house and you're away, you want them to do a search, not just leave a note saying the gate was closed. If you can pair this with a "gate open" notification that's great as sometimes gates do get left open.

agree on the continuous recording...my hadedas also set my alarm off but at least with cameras I can check what's happening before racing home..when I first installed my cameras I left cables hanging as it took a week before I was happy with the various positions....we have armed response in the area but they are more or less useless....guys have been caught less than 60m away from the security office stripping cables....

[Stoffel76]

I lost track of the number of 'petty' incidents we had... Taps being stolen, weber braai disappearing from back yard etc...

 

Then we raised our walls and that helped, and the number of intrusions onto the property reduced significantly but were still occurring.

 

Then we had a break in to our garage and the bastards stolen my bike! The insurance money from that didn't get used to replace the bike (sadly) but got used to upgrade the alarm system (including a beam in a courtyard area) and electric fencing linked to the alarm around the perimeter.  

 

Touch wood, since then we haven't had any incidents...

 

To be fair, if a crow bar type gang wanted in, they'd get in but the majority of incidents in our area are opportunistic tik koppe looking for a quick score, so I think the electric and high walls are keeping them out.  

[Let's Ride]

Live in a complex.

 

Complex has electric fencing but everybody has remotes and pedestrian code. Majoy downfall as pedestrian code can be used all hours. Remotes we know who has and numbers written down.

 

Burglar bars and trellidoors everywhere.

 

Cctv cameras.

 

Dogs that sleep inside.

 

Alarm system.

 

Outside cheap ellies alarm next to cars as people come in to complex and check all the cars at night time. Not often but often enough. Dogs did bark last time but we checked cameras and guy had just passed our house.

 

Complex living isn't secure like we all think. If it was up to me the gate code would be changed every week.

 

Most people wait for the gate to close which is good.

[Let's Ride]

Guy was in last week so we want to catch him now and I am sure the siren will make sure he won't come back to our house at least.

[Grease_Monkey]

Move to an estate.

 

Crappy in terms of price, size, and just about everything else. But... I have not switched on my alarm once since moving into my current house, I have no burglar guards, I have no electric fences. I pay my levies and sleep well knowing there have been no incidents on the estate since it was established 10 years ago.