Local burglaries

[gherkinpickle]

There have been several burglaries near us recently and I'm considering getting CCTV, or some other deterrent installed.

Wondered if anyone else has done similar, and what would you recommend?

TIA

We have cctv.

We live on a private road where no one who doesn’t live there or visiting should be. We fitted cctv last year as parcels went missing, plus bought a new car.

I have an app on my phone. So, when I get a delivery I can look back at work and see if they actually delivered it to my house, a neighbours house, or the next road (which they’ve done before).

Very handy to have. We have it at the front looking down the road (no houses just street) and the back garden.

CCTV. Plus a very long drive that is highly visible from the road so anyone coming or going can be seen and filmed. Plus a shotgun, a dog that can turn, and a short temper.

CCTV sounds good then. Is it obvious you have it? Ideally I want a deterrent rather than a way of capturing evidence (although this clearly has benefits)

I'm not sure I'm prepared for a dog and a shot gun...

A good quality alarm is a better deterrent than CCTV. My in-laws had really good CCTV but still got burgled while away on holiday - police couldn't do anything as they were fully masked and gloved. Criminals are too smart to be deterred by CCTV alone.

We have a Ring camera security light. So triggered by movement, light sets off and camera records plus you get a notification on your phone/watch.

You can set off a siren remotely too.

So far we're really pleased with it. You can speak through it too so on a couple of occasions it's useful to be able to give instructions.

I agree with a previous poster - a good quality alarm system from a reputable company (not a buy and fit it yourself job from Homebase) is much more of a deterrent than cctv.
Statistics show that houses with good quality alarm systems are much less likely to be targeted for burglary. That’s not to say it’s impossible, but much less likely.
We’ve got an ADT alarm. It’s something like £23 per month but it’s worth it for peace of mind imo. The sound it makes when it goes off is deafening (I’m looking at you DS) and no one would want to stay in the house too long with that blaring out. Plus the system automatically triggers a police call and a call from ADT to your nominated contacts to let you know the alarm has been set off.

There’s been a few break ins round my way too recently. My next door neighbours have an alarm and they still got broken into a month ago.

They also went away for the weekend once and their alarm went off for two full days non stop- I can’t tell you how stressful that weekend was for me but the police and the council did not care!

With the ADT alarm mentioned by PP, you set up emergency contacts who ADT automatically call when the alarm is triggered. If nobody can attend the address, police will. When anyone of the emergency contacts, or police, attend the address, ADT automatically disarm the alarm for you.

There's also an app so you can set the alarm or disarm the alarm when you're away from the premises.

There have actually been studies with former thieves who have said they would be least likely to attempt to enter a house with an ADT alarm box outside.

fluffygal - that’s the problem with DIY alarms. You don’t get any of those problems if you get one installed through a reputable security company.
I agree with everything HK20 said - the ADT alarm systems are regarded as one of the best deterrents in the industry and by the police.
Bottom line is, no house is impenetrable. All you can do is take steps to make it as difficult as possible to break in.

Thank you for this.
I was considering even getting a fake alarm box as a deterrent but if they're "professional burglars" I'd worry they'd know and figure there's something of value inside (which there isn't!)

I'll look into the proper ADT systems. I'm just worried it's going to be costing money we don't have but I'll be so cross if you did get broken into.

*we

ADT is expensive but SO worth it for peace of mind!

Security lights that have movement detector, alarm, crunchy gravel driveway, window locks, deadbolts on doors.

Can you record a dog barking and play it on a loop occasionally and randomly when you are out ?!

@bridgetosomewhere we have all those bar the dog noise. I wonder if Alexa would do this??

😂 that was exactly my thought too! "Alexa make a noise like a dog every ten minutes!"

Although DS once asked Alexa to miaow like a cat and she got stuck on cat mode for days. Every time we asked her anything she miaowed back at us!!