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Use WiFi cameras, non-WiFi ones, get ADT or similar surveillance IF your location and LE presence make it worthwhile which often doesn’t apply in rural areas, fencing, signs warning of hidden surveillance (e.g., “The cameras you see aren’t the only ones around”), and BE THERE A LOT—no vacation home absences.
Want more ways to discourage riffraff? We met someone whose wife frequently patrols their land while wearing a bandolier kind of ammo belt, carrying a very intimidating gun. And she is competent in their use.
Get a reputation as prone to violence against intruders, or just plain loco. That’s another way.
I can think of a few mind-effing ways to make sketchies wonder what would happen to them if caught, but I’m not posting them here.
It’s not just what you have to stop them, it’s whether you can make them afraid of what you might have and what you might do to them, given that LE could be a long time coming.
Mean dogs could be one tool, but they have minds of their own. If they harm a legitimate passer-by...
There're a lot of rural places where people don't even lock doors. In my extensive travels all over America I found that it makes sense to stick to one of those areas; if there's a crime problem and one needs cameras, signs, etc, it's not even pleasant or peaceful to live there. When I look for a place to buy, if I see one "no trespassing" sign I know I'm done with that hood.
If you see shady riff raff at your door ask them for money... say you're broke and need help.
I always try to make everything look trashy...they should feel like they might break their leg tripping over banjos laying round the house.
Witnesses may not respect the sign, but it makes it easier to "trespass" them in the eyes of the law if not the lord
Quote:
Originally Posted by castlelake
if there's a crime problem and one needs cameras, signs, etc, it's not even pleasant or peaceful to live there. When I look for a place to buy, if I see one "no trespassing" sign I know I'm done with that hood.
I had a "no trespassing" sign, took it down when the local Kingdom Hall finally closed.
I had a "no trespassing" sign, took it down when the local Kingdom Hall finally closed.
Answering the door in nothing but underpants and sitting on the front porch makes them uneasy. If that doesn't clinch it I go to the van and pick the best looking young woman and request she be left here and the rest come back in about an hour. I have never seen the same van twice. No clue why
There're a lot of rural places where people don't even lock doors. In my extensive travels all over America I found that it makes sense to stick to one of those areas; if there's a crime problem and one needs cameras, signs, etc, it's not even pleasant or peaceful to live there. When I look for a place to buy, if I see one "no trespassing" sign I know I'm done with that hood.
If you see shady riff raff at your door ask them for money... say you're broke and need help.
I always try to make everything look trashy...they should feel like they might break their leg tripping over banjos laying round the house.
There were a lot of doors left unlocked in our two previous home regions and undoubtedly in this one, too. None of them was high crime. The crime blotters show that criminals do target unlocked buildings and vehicles, and they don’t always “just” commit property crime.
People are free to lock or not, and we choose to throw as many slowdowns and obstacles in the way as reasonable for our place. So far, I have not felt the need to employ all the things I listed and probably never will. But no way will I leave either home or auto unlocked. Why make life easy for the scum of the earth?
Deter burglars by making your neighbors appear a better target than yourself
Quote:
Originally Posted by castlelake
If you see shady riff raff at your door ask them for money... say you're broke and need help.
I always try to make everything look trashy...they should feel like they might break their leg tripping over banjos laying round the house.
That's an extreme way of implementing the adage to "Make yourself a less attractive target than your neighbors".
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dingo Gibby
This does have poor failure modes.
Take the ruse too far, and they'll break in on the assumption that anyplace that trashy must be cooking meth (or otherwise into "pharming").
We’re been in the house since mid-December. So far, so good. Getting internet service was interesting. Long story but anything connected to Verizon won’t wouldn’t with MrsK7’s business computer…but Verizon is fast. I was getting 60 mbps earlier today. I kept it for “household” use. We also have AT&T via Trifecta Wireless. Good service, 25 mbps down today. It’s used exclusively for her work needs.
For security: we have an internet-based security system that, should WiFi go down, switches to cellular. Everything related to the internet is backed up by UPS devices. We get “blips” on a regular basis so it’s nice when MrsK7’s computer, monitors and connections continue to operate normally.
I also installed several panic buttons that are tied to the security system. They’re logically arranged so they we can access them as we retreat to the tornado room. There’s one in the garage also. If someone comes down the driveway and there’s an issue, I can hit it.
Guns…yes. We have plenty. Driveway alarm? Yes and we love it. The driveway is gravel but it’s almost impossible to hear a vehicle coming down the driveway. It has gone off several times at night and that initially bothered my wife. I told her that it was probably deer. I moved my game camera to that location and yep, deep.
The generator has been nice. A tree took out our electricity a few weeks ago and it kicked right in. We also removed enough trees to open up the views quite a bit and, remove the risk of one hitting the house. We’ll make a little from the sale of the trees. I also confirmed that we have a few walnut trees. They’re a little too small to harvest so we’ll enjoy their nuts for the next few falls.
Clearing the trees and brush also us to see our neighbors on one side and, future neighbors on the other side. We’ll see what happens when spring comes and everything greens up again.
MrsK7 hasn’t really shown any fear about taking the dog out even in the middle of the night. That is, until he barked at something on Friday night. They both ran in so fast that the doorbell camera failed to trigger. We laughed ourselves silly at that one.
We “feel” very safe here. I love it and MrsK7 is slowly adapting to life in the country!
I find rural less risky that cities. My wife I were burglarized 5 times when we lived in Los Angeles. We had moved three times after the first two burglaries, and still got hit each time. Circumstances occurred, we divorced and a couple of years later I found a new BFF, and we moved out of CA to rural Colorado with no issues.
A decade later we moved to a rural area in Maine south of Bangor. One day when I was on the road for contract work, my wife noticed a car back up to the front door of our house. She watched a guy get out and walk around the house, while a girl stood next to the car. When she opened the door, the girl was shaken, and said something about needing 'directions'. The conversation was uncomfortable, and my wife went inside and called the police. The car left, and was stopped by a trooper about 20 minutes later. It was filled with stolen merchandise and some meth pipes. Turns out they were wanted for a string of burglaries starting in north Boston, and ended up in jail on multiple charges. That was the only time in 12 years we had an issue there.
We feel very safe up here in Michigan, the only 'security' issue we have had was some bear tracks outside our back door in September of last year. There was no attempted entry; it moved on and we haven't seen it again.
Rural has very different risks than urban, not only due to lower population density
Quote:
Originally Posted by MichiganGreg
I find rural less risky that cities. My wife I were burglarized 5 times when we lived in Los Angeles. We had moved three times after the first two burglaries, and still got hit each time. …
We feel very safe up here in Michigan, the only 'security' issue we have had was some bear tracks outside our back door in September of last year. There was no attempted entry; it moved on and we haven't seen it again.
I suspect all would agree the threat model for "rural" differs significantly, I know I never had concerns about bears and big cats when I lived in the city, but now that I live out in the boonies they are my most common intruder.
On the upside, as compared with LAPD and their ilk, our local Fish & Game warden is very "understanding" about doing what needs to be done when an unwanted guest tries a B&E
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say you're broke and need help.
Witnesses may not respect the sign, but it makes it easier to "trespass" them in the eyes of the law if not the lord
Deter burglars by making your neighbors appear a better target than yourself
