I went out to my detached garage yesterday and noticed that the latch on the overhead garage door was bent pretty bad, meaning someone (or probably a couple someones) had tried to lift open my garage door and hope to break the latch off of the wall. It's just screwed into the sheet metal of the door and then to the wood on the wall and locked with a padlock, so they could potentially come back with bolt cutters and get in. This happened sometime in the past week, and I have no idea if it was during the night or during the day. I do have a motion light out there, but that isn't necessarily "security". For now I think I'm going to back my truck up so it's covering the lock and door, but that's not a long term solution. The good thing is, I don't keep any smaller tools out there that are expensive and easy to run off with (like chainsaws). Most of the stuff is larger like my garden tractor and mower, but I still don't like the idea of someone trying to break in. So has anyone else put up a DIY security system? The whole shed is wired with electricity. What I'm thinking is a loud siren, and it'd be even better if I could hook it up to my wireless network (which just barely reaches out there) so it somehow alerts my phone. But what should be the trigger to set it off? Motion detectors inside the building (after someone's already broken in)? Or is there a way to set off an alarm when someone tampers with the door, that isn't so sensitive that wind blowing the door would set it off? I don't want to put motion sensors outside, as my 70lb dog or deer would set it off. And I'm looking to keep this under $200, without paying monthly for a service.
I have no idea if this is feasible, but could you wire up motion lights ON the shed and tie the alarm into that? So when the lights come on the alarm goes off? I don't know where your current lights are but if they're on the house that could be annoying if the alarm went off every time you got home Like I said, that may be a bad idea. Just spitballin
I've read good things about this: https://www.dropcam.com/cloud-recording You get motion alerts for free and you can talk through the camera at whoever happens to be in range.
The motion light is mounted on the detached garage but is pretty sensitive, enough so that either rabbits normally set it off most nights.
I really just want an alarm to scare people off, not a camera that hopes to see a face or license plate and deals with the problem afterwards.
Years ago my landlord bought a motion sensor alarm with a siren after my house got robbed. It was cheap, worked well, and you could hear it a long distance away. Looking for a link now.
Hmmm, I think something like this hooked up to a siren would probably fit my needs. I could add a phone alert later, but really I just want a loud alarm to go off if someone tries to pry open the door. http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-Ademco-958-Overhead-Contacts/dp/B0006M1I1W I'm not sure how to deactivate it though, so I could get in the garage without setting it off.
I have this one: http://t.harborfreight.com/wireless-driveway-alert-system-93068.html Adequate for me.
I don't know if you have an alarm system for your house, but I installed a wireless security system on our house and put a wireless motion detector in the detached garage. We set the alarm for 'stay' mode at night and never have to worry about whether we locked the door. The system paid for itself the first year compared to what we were paying ADT and does a much better job. I also got a wireless driveway sensor on amazon that lets me know when someone comes close to the house. It's pretty sensitive though and if it's not positioned properly, the local critters will set it off at night.
When my great grandfather was living we had the cheap kind that went on the door and wall. I think they work off magnetic fields. Pretty loud. Also had the driveway alarm. More to make sure he was in the house though.
I don't have a home security system, other than the dog that stays in the house most of the day. But it's something I might add myself in a couple years. Right now I just want something with a loud alarm that will hopefully scare off anyone messing with my shed. It's more important that an intruder hears the alarm than me, since there's a good chance I'll be at work anyway.
The wife knows of 2 people through work that have been robbed recently. One lived in Burlington, Ky, the other in Villa Hills. Both low crime neighborhoods. The first person has already moved. One of the reasons we moved from your side of the river was from being robbed. I once had a false sense of security about being robbed, but never will again, even with a good system. Seeing your house after someone ransacks it and goes through your personal belongings gives a feeling that can't be imagined. Luckily, no guns were stolen, that would be my worst nightmare.
I say put about 4 rabid badgers in there and let them break in send video to AFHV and win their $10,000 weekly prize.
I'm out in the country past Batavia, but still know a handful of people out in my area that have had their barns, sheds, or detached garages broken into. If anything is stolen, it's normally things like chainsaws, weed trimmers, or backpack leaf blowers. I've only heard of one house break-in around here, which was one of my buddy's 90 year old grandma that lives a mile from me and had someone stop at her house and talk to her about cleaning up some trees in the back yard, and while they were back there his buddy went through the house and stole old coins, jewelry, and a small safe with more jewelry and an old Rolex watch in it. I'm lucky that I share a driveway with neighbors that are retired and help watch the place, but they still aren't home 100% of the time and my shed is out of their view. I've had 3 different trucks pull back my driveway when I was working from home during the week (one stole a bird feeder that was sitting in the driveway), and I've seen tire tracks show up in the snow while I'm away at work, so I know people come down my driveway more than I'm aware of. I guess I should really plan out an entire home security system. Long term I'd love to fence in the yard and get another dog and leave them outside during the day.
120v hooked directly to the handle and ground... the yelp let out by the would be thief can be the siren. I am currently seeking a similar system for my camper/campground, have had 2 B/E in the last 2 years.
http://www.wimp.com/caucasiandog/ Just if it's that bad.... watch the whole video though. They can be great animals.
Where you have a dog, be cool if you could rig up a continuous audio loop of a 120 lb snarling, snapping watchdog... have it on a motion detector outside the garage. Anytime anyone got near, the "dog inside goes ballistic"... juz like the real thing. Most jugheads looking for an easy score, know big dogs ain't easy. That about right rottiman ... ?
Question, how many people with dogs have been had their home broken into? My two dogs are in an area where they can see out, and hear anyone attempting to get into the garage or house. I keep the garage doors closed and I don't have yard sales. Not going to give anyone an invite to steal my stuff.
