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Burglar alarm

5/2/16       
Joel

I recently had someone over my shop to look at something I had stored there. I always put the item in the back of my truck and leave the door shut so they can't see what I've got. This guy didn't call first and was super shady. I had to run and had an employee do the deal and the guy tried to short him by $20 then tried to take the stand and say he was going to return it (Boat motor) I'm puttin 2 and 2 together and getting concerned. Any recommendations? Only 2 doors need to be alarmed. No windows. Thanks for the input....Joel

5/3/16       #2: Burglar alarm ...
Mark

How is the police response time?

I would consider getting a few decent quality security cameras with audio. This goes along way proving your side of the story to the police when random druggies and crazy people show up at your shop to cause trouble.

5/3/16       #3: Burglar alarm ...
joel

Response time is my concern with the high dollar systems. By the time they get there the guy is probably gone with my stuff. Maybe something with a buzzer that would wake the dead. This guy also showed up without calling which is odd to say the least. That is why the motor wasn't outside.

5/3/16       #4: Burglar alarm ...
Mark

I bought into a professionally installed system with commercial monitoring.

I decided to cancel the monitoring because the state police here are upwards of 45 minutes away, and understaffed. People know this and they will go on a spree of 4-5 break ins in one night before the police even respond.

If police response were good, I would pay for monitoring in a heart beat.

Otherwise you can setup your own alarm, have it dial your cell phone. Key is having IP enabled cameras so you can check up on the situation remotely from your home PC, or smartphone app. Police might be more willing to respond if you can tell them you are witnessing a break in from your cameras.

5/3/16       #5: Burglar alarm ...
cabmaker

A pressure sensitive door mat that turns on a recording of snarling doberman pincher might do the job.

You could also augment this with a tape recording:

"Pour me another bourbon Marge........I've got this one covered"

5/3/16       #6: Burglar alarm ...
Pat Gilbert

Speaking anecdotally I was broken into a while back they got about 10k worth of stuff. I had no alarm or anything in the way of security.

My neighbor on the other hand did have an alarm, he lost nothing even with tools in plain sight. His break in occurred at the same time.

The cops told me it was important for them to have to break through a second locked door. Apparently they don't want to be slowed up.

A long while back it was popular to back a pickup through the roll up door and a bunch of guys would do a Chinese fire drill to load the truck and they would take off quickly. We and others installed poles in the foundation to prevent this from happening.

Word of caution if your building is a tilt up be very careful about drilling into the pour strip as this is where the electricians run the wires.

A pour strip is poured between the foundation and the tilt up wall to connect the wall to the slab. It is poured after the walls are raised and the foundation is poured,

Criminals are usually not to bright, i.e. they don't know about response times.

5/4/16       #7: Burglar alarm ...
Puzzleman Member

My building is a concrete block building with windows starting at 4 foot from the floor. There are bars on every window. Was like this when I bought it ( actually part of the reason I bought it).

My alarm is 2 motion detectors aimed at the doors. I have them set up that they have a delay of 15 seconds and then I have a siren on the roof that goes off. As my shop is next to a residential area and just 1/4 mile down the street from where the police fuel their cars, I think that this would work if it was ever tripped. I am not hooked up to any service.
The neighbors do have my cell phone if they hear it go off.

5/4/16       #8: Burglar alarm ...
ozan

from NYC since i install HD surveillance system, Nobody i can see. i have been robed heavy machinery they come with pickup truck and load it up. sometimes they can use your forklift. Now anything moves my cell phone rings and shooting photos licance plates and storing over the i clouds. nyc stile :-)

5/5/16       #9: Burglar alarm ...
Mark B Member

My building is alarmed similar to Puzzleman. Motion's covering the entire shop. No cameras. Ear piercing alarm. Neighbors close by but not sure they are close enough or diligent enough to even act if they heard the alarm. I have no exterior siren for the fact that I have had several customers and been on several jobs that have periodic false alarms. I think my neighbors would get fairly irritate if they had a siren going off that woke the entire downtown (very small rural area).

Im in a spot where someone could leisurely break in and take their time with the siren blasting and get out long before any law enforcement would arrive (Id guess an hour if I were lucky). And I am 45 minutes away myself. I have a local friend who is on the call list if there is an alarm and he can be here in 15 minutes.

Personally I think the deterrent factor alone of having the system, placards, window stickers, helps in most areas other than those prone to smash and grabs. Here, to date, they are only going to take that risk for an ATM machine.

I have had items stolen from outside my shop and would love to have some cameras. That will likely happen in the future but I'd imagine all I'd get would be some footage of a punk in a hoodie walking off with something I should have locked up.

Mark

5/7/16       #10: Burglar alarm ...
David Waldmann

We have a monitored system. Switches on all doors, strategic motions (no delay on motions).

We've never had a successful break-in in 12 years. Did once have an alarm that could have been an attempt, when the police got there there was no one around and we never found anything missing. Likely they were scared off.

We are in the middle of down town, about 1/4 mile from police station, so I imagine that is a big deterrent. We also do have signs stating that we're alarmed and have video cameras (we don't have cameras yet, but do plan to add some).

Check with your insurance company - the cost of monitoring may be more than offset by a reduction in premiums.


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