Home security (especially those in rural locations)

[PinkPheebs99]

Just moved to isolated, rural detached house.
Any tips on home security as reviewing this at the moment. Thanks

Locks on all external buildings ( shed/garage) and make sure all tools etc are kept well out of sight.

Get a dog!

Lucky you !

I found being rural wasnt a problem at all. I would happily leave the door and windows open. But obviously dont get complacement.

Now we live in suburbia and I am a nervous wreck !

Thanks. I actually read that getting a dog was not a good idea, as if burglars see signs of dogs or cats in a house they know it is likely that the alarm won't be set......

Make sure you have limited access to oil tank. Theft is a big problem in rural areas right now. (If you have oil of course!)

good doors, good windows, and good locks on them. A yale nightlatch isn't.

an alarm that (at least) phones you on your mobile and a trusted local keyholder.

same as you would anywhere. Decent locks that you use, secure sheds.

a dog that barks when anyone comes near is quite a good deterrent but is a bloody nuisance the rest of the time, and of course there's all the responsibility and work of owning a dog.

the oil tank point is a good one - not much you can do (if you lock it they just drill through) but make sure your oil is covered under house insurance. And that the insurers understand - I had one ask if we kept the oil inside.

My PIL live in a similar location and they have been broken into after being very complacent for years.
The perpetrators will be in a vehicle so try and stop access to the back of the house where they could park out of sight and loot away.
Your neighbour's nosiness is your friend.
High hedges are your enemy. People notice strangers' cars.

I would also think you're far safer in a rural location than you are in an urban one. Not completely, but most theft is opportunistic and petty, and burglars just can't be bothered to go to remote places like yours.

The Police Force round my way offers a service where they will come and assess your home for security and offer advice on how to secure it. This is free of charge. Might be worth asking your local Police if they offer something similar.

Round our way (rural) its more opportunist breaking into cars for sat navs etc as they are usually parked in long drives, etc and left unlocked!

We have a dog who barks and sounds terrifying even though he'd lick you to death and an oil lock.

Our patio doors could be easily lifted off the runner which is a worry.

I am quite complacent though and should be more careful but it's a bit of a hike for a burglar, not many buses and so quiet you'd hear a car stopping/starting/opening doors.

I was half joking about the dog, but seriously nobody can get near our house without my dog woofing his head off, so I feel safer leaving the door unlocked during the day. Our alarm is zoned, so I can leave the dog in the kitchen and the alarm won't go off.

You might also look at outside motion sensitive lighting, but it can be a pain as every passing fox will set it off, but at least have outside lights that you can activate if you are suspicious.

But as others have said, good locks on all doors and windows, sensible precautions about keeping things locked/out of sight etc. I think contacting your community policeman for advice is a great idea.

Large Dog. I would never be without one absolutely serious about that. Don't keep a routine. Timers for lights and radios when you are out. Take registrations of any cold callers or 'lost', never invite anyone in unless you know who they are or you have big dog shadowing you or someone else with you capable of getting them out. Always ask people who they are and what they are doing if they are parked up nearby. Make friends with your neighbours and talk to them regularly, they are your spare eyes. If you're really nervous take advice from a professional security adviser....

You can get an alarm for the oil tank that registers a rapid change (decrease) in oil level and sets off an alarm in the house.

We have experienced far more crime (mainly shed/oil theft) in our rural house than we ever experienced in town. We have a monitored alarm for the house and are seriously considering CCTV for the garage and sheds.

Oh, and we were advised to get good external lights all around the property. These are on all night - forget motion sensitive if you are in an area with foxes/deer.

I agree about getting to know your neighbours and also contacting your local police force who should be able to offer advice.

Agree, oil theft seems to be a big problem. Somebody has interfered with ours and luckily the level was low. Of course now they know it's due a refill.

We have exterior lights and beautiful German Shepherd Dogs.

We've lived in a rural area for 10 years and have never had any problems, nor do we take any of the precautions listed here. I'm now worried that we are one of the " complacent" households

Elansofar - do you live in the Bronx?

I've never heard of thefts from cars, oil tanks, sheds .....I'm wondering where all you posters with alarm systems, large dogs and professional security advisors live but I'm scared to ask?

Dearie me!
I have lived in more or less rural areas all my life apart from a two year stint in Toxteth as a student and I too am worried about being complacent!
I'm more careful that I used to be (we used to leave the car keys in the car when I lived on Exmoor as it was the easiest place to find them!) but I leave my cottage windows open in the village I live in now, doors wide open (postie leans in and puts the post on the stairs) when I am in the house and I'm sure everyone in the village knows where we keep the spare keys!
My partner once left the front door wide open from 9.00 in the morning till late at night tho it was an accident and I did tell him off!
And we don't have a dog.......
I do have a lock on my oil tank mind you - I'm not THAT stupid!

I live on the outskirts of a small coastal town. The disused railway line has been turned into a bridleway. People with gardens backing onto it are the ones who most often get chancers climbing over the fence and looking in sheds or trying back doors.

When I lived in a house with a cut-through next door, I once heard someone rummaging in my garage when I'd come into the house to wash after working on the bike, and left the garage door open. I went out and spoke to him.

Oil theft is the big problem round here. Locks on the oil tanks apparently make very little difference as they'll just drill through the tank wall and leave you with an additional bill.

Locally, we compensate by being pretty nosy about who's doing what, what that van is, etc etc.

My neighbours know that I always shut the garden gate, for example, and that so does the postman, and when one saw that the gate had been left open, he immediately took the dog and went to investigate... only to find the local planning officer making an inspection.

I wonder whether to some extent, the security cameras are a bit of an advert as to which houses are worth breaking in to?

DH works from home and has possibly spotted a couple of people nosing around our house and garage - but they may have been genuinely lost due to the lack of house numbers / road signs.

No I live in a rural area frequented by opportunists and I am friendly with a few people with travelling blood. I've learnt from the best!

If you can afford it get a camera system. Hubby does this for a living. Check out local firms and get quotes.

We have gravel one the drive so no-one can approach house without making a noise. Also motion sensor lights and an alarm. Having said that I feel very safe here, but we do have some neighbours so not too isolated.
A couple of years ago when there was lots of snow I found footsteps all round my car one morning. It's a 4x4 and there had been a spate of car thefts but luckily I had remembered to lock it!