Porch Light, Yard Light, and Security

[Conan71]

I've heard that thieves will specifically target homes with security signs in the front yard.
It tells the thieves a couple of things, that by virtue of you spending $ for an alarm system, it's likely that you have items in the house worth stealing...
Something to consider.

I'm not saying alarms are bad or anything but putting the sign out seems to me to be the very definition of a false sense of security.

Even if I didn't have a system, I'd still call BS on that one.  The type of thief who would cruise my hood will likely stay away from alarm systems.  Just guessing, but I'm thinking most of them are tweakers and crack-heads looking for enough stuff to pawn to buy a few rocks and an Egg McMuffin.

[Red Arrow]

My brother put a sign out in his garden that resembles one of those 'protected by xyz alarm company' signs.

Only his reads 'Protected by Smith & Wesson'.

His (your real) last name is Smith and he keeps a pan of boiling Wesson oil on the kitchen stove?

[PepePeru]

Even if I didn't have a system, I'd still call BS on that one.  The type of thief who would cruise my hood will likely stay away from alarm systems.  Just guessing, but I'm thinking most of them are tweakers and crack-heads looking for enough stuff to pawn to buy a few rocks and an Egg McMuffin.

Hey, more power to you if you believe your sign provides a deterrent to burglars.  Your example of 'crackhead tweakers looking to score $ for a rock and eggmcmuffin' will break into cars, not houses.  I'd think of a better example.

If I were a professional / decent burglar (you know...the type that breaks into houses in broad daylight and be gone in 5 minutes) I'd just know you had some good stuff in there because you're willing to pay extra to try and keep it protected.

What I'd be more likely to call BS on is the claim that homes without burglar alarms are 2.7x more likely to be burgled.  Which you admitted was directly from an alarm company...

[Conan71]

Hey, more power to you if you believe your sign provides a deterrent to burglars.  Your example of 'crackhead tweakers looking to score $ for a rock and eggmcmuffin' will break into cars, not houses.  I'd think of a better example.

If I were a professional / decent burglar (you know...the type that breaks into houses in broad daylight and be gone in 5 minutes) I'd just know you had some good stuff in there because you're willing to pay extra to try and keep it protected.

What I'd be more likely to call BS on is the claim that homes without burglar alarms are 2.7x more likely to be burgled.  Which you admitted was directly from an alarm company...

There's an alarm on my truck as well.

Either what I've done my whole adult life is working or it's just dumb luck.

[patric]

I mentioned a type of motion detector that brightens lights (from a dimmed position) when motion is detected.  I've had good luck with a wired version of this, but of late, Heath-Zenith has been offering a wireless version, where you replace your light switch with a receiver and add one or more wireless motion detectors.



Upside is much less wiring, downside is you will be replacing the AAA batteries every year.  Both wired and wireless versions are at places like Home Depot, Walmart, Lowes.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Heath-Zenith-Motion-Light-Set-with-DualBrite-White/13029287
http://wirelessmotionsensor.org/wireless-motion-sensor/heath-zenith-sl-6053-wh-wireless-command-motion-light-set-with-dual-brite.html

A description of the "Dual Brite"
http://www.motionlightsensor.com/motion-sensor-light-articles/understanding-the-dual-brite-feature-on-motion-lights.html

[patric]

One of our catty corner backyard neighbors has a mercury vapor street light on the property line.  Not close to their house, it just lights the area.  It's not quite so bad in the summer since we have trees that block a lot of it.  It really su#ks in the winter.  I wish they would move it closer to their windows.  I don't think it helps their safety and it makes it difficult to see stars, the space station going overhead, etc.

Lets be practical:  It also probably makes it difficult for them or their neighbors to spot people that dont belong, with everyones drapes closed because of the nuisance.
Sometimes people just dont think that through, or act like a big glarey light has magic power to repel evil.
If it's on their property line, about half of that light is trespassing, so they are making security lighting decisions for their neighbors, as well.

[nathanm]

My neighbor is apparently rather paranoid. In addition to the thirty "I've got a security system" signs, the flashing light on the side of his house that goes off when his alarm does, and the more recently added HPS yard light, and the dog, he just recently set up a camera to keep an eye on at&t's U-Verse box that's outside his fence in the side yard.

Cree. Pee.

I guess it could be worse. He could add a farm light to the mix.

[patric]

I guess it could be worse. He could add a farm light to the mix.

"Have a nice dog that makes a lot of noise and makes a lot of racket, noise deters burglars more than light," Tulsa Police Sergeant Brandon Watkins said.

I could get to like this guy...

"Residential burglaries happen almost exclusively during the day, very rarely do they happen overnight," Sergeant Watkins said.

On the opposite end of the scale, the misinformed midtown neighborhood block captain:

"I've had PSO put in a security light, it lights up the whole front"

FAIL

But Captain outranks Sergeant 
http://www.fox23.com/news/local/story/Tips-To-Keep-Burglars-At-Bay/JHqsdOBkqkyy8PuQwDiobg.cspx

[Conan71]

My neighbor is apparently rather paranoid. In addition to the thirty "I've got a security system" signs, the flashing light on the side of his house that goes off when his alarm does, and the more recently added HPS yard light, and the dog, he just recently set up a camera to keep an eye on at&t's U-Verse box that's outside his fence in the side yard.

Cree. Pee.

I guess it could be worse. He could add a farm light to the mix.

Ever smell any odd chemical odors coming from his house?

[patric]

No revelations, but newer numbers:


Trend shows burglars strike during day

http://www.tulsaworld.com/specialprojects/news/crimewatch/article.aspx?subjectid=450&articleid=20110704_11_A9_Police763109

Police have identified several new trends in home burglary and auto theft hot spots, weekly reports from Tulsa Police Department show.

In the Gilcrease Division, which patrols northern Tulsa, there have been at least 56 burglaries in the last two weeks. The areas hardest hit seems to be between Lewis and Harvard avenues and from Tecumseh Street to Dawson Road, police reported.

Also, the days when most of the burglaries are occurring are Sunday and Monday between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Officers report that the burglars knock on the front door to see if someone answers the door. If no one answers, the burglar breaks into the home.

EDIT:  I dont think those figures included the 5 police cars that were recently burglarized, where it was initially reported that at least one shotgun was taken.

[nathanm]

Ever smell any odd chemical odors coming from his house?

After talking to the guy he rents his garage apartment to, it turns out he's ex-DEA.

And if some jackass tries to rob my house during the day, they'll have a surprise waiting for them if the dogs don't scare them off...

[Breadburner]

Motion lights dont detect movement they detect heat.....

[Hoss]

Motion lights dont detect movement they detect heat.....

Not completely correct..true, most home units detect heat.  The others use radio emitters.  But both work on the same premise; a disruption in the constant over a given period of time will trigger the switch.  I just installed one and my brother helped me with that and installed hundreds before since he used to do commercial electrical work.  I got a pretty good education on them out of it.

[Vashta Nerada]

More police cars broken into, vandalized

Four more Tulsa Police Department vehicles were vandalized overnight, which brings the total number of cars broken into or vandalized to nine this weekend.

Three of the TPD patrol cars were parked in the lot for the Joe Station Bark Park, in the 2200 block of Charles Page Boulevard, police said. Two were broken into and the third, along with another was at the main garage, near the intersection of South Union Avenue and Charles Page Boulevard, were vandalized, police said.
The cars had a broken back window, like the five that were discovered in the main garage lot Sunday afternoon.

[nathanm]

Sounds like it's time for a stakeout.