I recommend installing cameras, reinforcing your door to make it harder to kick in, and getting a shotgun, in that order. Also if you are in the market for a guard dog I recommend the Rhodesian Ridgeback. They keep the salesman, Jehovahs Witness, Mormons, thieves, etc, from hanging around for more than a few seconds. Mine barks continuously when a person or another dog gets within 100 feat of the house until she is called off or the disturbance leaves. If you do plan on letting them into a fenced yard the fence must be at least 8 ft tall as anything less they can jump.
Camera has been ordered today
. I ordered one with a IP66 waterproof rating and the selling point for me was that it is completely wireless. No wires going up around my house and stuff. I am extremely excited about it. It runs off a solar panel that is sold seperately. 2 brackets, solar panel and the camera. Both on the overhang of the porch. Directly at the steps going to the door. If you walk up the steps you will be seen. Full and clear facial features. Both having incredible reviews and it gives you up to 7 days of footage in cloud storage
. It has night vision, motion detection and it will alarm my phone if someone comes anywhere near the door. Which is probably worth its cost just for packages lol. It will be installed in 2 days along with the sign that I ordered that says "Warning, 24/7 camera survielance" If they break in now and are one of my neighbors they are extremely dumb because i'll know them. And for now, i'll stay home just in case until I can get her set up. My brother also gave me a different security camera. it runs off wires and goes to a monitor. I will use this for inside the actual house to monitor if anything did actually get in and come up the stairs.
As for the shotgun, I actually do have one along with a few other guns. It's a Mossberg 500 tactical. It was bought for the sole purpose of being my home defense gun.
I know people can be scared of guns and it's a very controversial topic, so I won't talk too much about them. But I definitely would feel very worried in this city without one. And I definitely support them. Many armed break ins and rapes happen in this city. With a family to protect, I have to be ready for the unexpected.
Thank you for the suggestions 98dgreen, I do want to look into door jamb armor too. And to fortify all the doors better. I wish I had enough money right now to put all metal doors. I think maybe I should invest to do it. The metal rear door is almost impossible to get into as it stands.
Because they often also break in (not brake...) in the middle of the night. Criminals are getting more brazen, having something like a shotgun isn't a bad idea.
I doubt that trying to locate and load the gun while still being sleepy is a helpful solution strategy for any problem. You only pose a threat to yourself.
The gun is kept loaded at all times. A home defense weapon is pointless if it isn't always ready. The reaction window is very small and the robber isn't going to wait.
The only way you really pose a threat to yourself with a gun is if you practice extremely poor gun etiquette or are not properly educated in handeling them. If a robber is armed, he is more of a threat to you than absolutely anything else.
But I understand if you have different feelings towards guns. I know it's not for everyone and it's ok for us to disagree
. I hope you have a happy week.
I recommend installing cameras, reinforcing your door to make it harder to kick in, and getting a shotgun, in that order.
And how is a weapon ("shotgun") supposed to help when burglars and robbers usually brake in during your absence?
Because they often also break in (not brake...) in the middle of the night. Criminals are getting more brazen, having something like a shotgun isn't a bad idea.
To the OP- if your neighbors know you loathe them, they are more likely to look the other way if something is happening to your home. It's always a good idea to play nice with the people you live near.
They don't know I loathe them yet, I only think it to myself lol. I never be mean to them or go out of my way to be abrasive. I just keep to myself. They think i'm some shy gamer wierdo. I probably am but I really rather keep to myself in most instances in life. I don't be snobby, I always say hi and try small talk. But i'm pretty weary of the stuff the neighbors do. A lot of narcotic siezes near the house by the FBI and a lot of prostitution. The city has a opioid crisis and many of the neighbors get desperate for drugs.
I have been starting to warm up to one of the neighbors though. He's a old vietnam war veteran. I'm sure he hates thieves as much as the next. And recently he came into my driveway and introduced himself. we talk every day now. I will try to chalk his mean treatment to a misunderstanding. He has cameras set up. I should ask him to keep an eye out for me and vice versa. We seem to be friendly now. And he has opened up and we talk about cars and lawns and stuff
The other neighbors are half on drugs, half loud alcoholics and a ton of hookers. and their is one jacked up woman who punches like Mike Tyson that I try to avoid. She punched her car door once when arguing with her girlfriend and it left a dent like it was hit with a bat. I do not want no problems with her when she's mad lol. But in fairness she has a lot of money, works a lot and doesn't bother anyone aside from her rages outside. She seems nice.
I think you might be right about getting in the good graces of the few good neighbors so they will keep me in the know about the many bad ones. I think we should all look out for eachother.
we couldn't understand that those kids weren't like us, they'd been trained by older siblings to essentially befriend people and scout their homes for valuables so that thefts can be planned later. Sure enough, when we all routinely went out one time we came back to all of our gaming equipment gone. Clearly the work of idiots, who walked right past laptops and other things worth more than what they chose to take, but they took things they either wanted or knew the value of I guess. Filed a report with the police the same day, including a full inventory. That's the last we heard about that.
I'm very sorry that happened to you. It's so crazy how kids can prey upon the unsuspecting. Especially as kids they can be very manipulative and decieptful. One time little kids tried stealing my smash bros melee. They literally thought they had conspired some heist too. They were silly enough to come up to me and say "Your Smash is missing, what happened to your smash". I literally said, none of you are leaving until the smash is back where it was. Because I knew for a fact where the smash always was, and I hadn't played it. They tried lying for a while. I went back to playing my game. Then one of them pretend "found it". Why for the life of me they told me it was missing I will never know. My collection is to a size even back then where someone could steal any one thing and i'd not notice until later. But it was funny how kids are trained by their older brothers or even parents to steal. It's sad that it creates the monster that probably tries kicking our door in at 35.
Like oldgamerz said, it's essential not to let randoms into the house. Even if they seem nice. I didn't learn that until real later on and after that incident. It's hard sometimes to keep friendly neighbors or friends of the families from coming in.
I had a long talk with them and tried to teach them to ask nicely before stealing. But they didn't really listen and kinda made a ass of me. I was never good with kids lol.
I wish the police had notified you of the outcome. Did you ever bump into the kids in the neighborhood again?
I hope you have had safer times since
Thank you everyone for all the suggestions and kind words. It means a lot to me. I love these forums very much for the community of loving friends we have. I feel much better and confident handling the situation
