Home security/defense
 

Spinoff of the woman getting beaten in her home. That thread got me thinking, and I wondered what everyone had to protect their loved ones/family. I have an ADT security system with motion detectors, I also have two pitbulls, both the wife and I have numerous firearms and have taken firearm training.

That thread really made me more content paying $50 a month for 24/7 monitoring/protection of my family and home.

I'd say your good with guns and dogs personally. Our dogs go batshit at the slightest noise.

Edit...not "you" etc. I should've said "one"

I'm kind of anti-home-security, personally. I know that's a weird thing to say, but I've always found it irritating that videos like the one you're referencing scare people to death when the fact of the matter is that you're safer in your home today that people have been at pretty much any point in history.

Scary shit happens in the world, but that doesn't mean I'm going to live my life scared.

EDIT: Just for fun, here's a chart I put this together a while back when discussing the Sandy Hook incident with some family members.

http://i.imgur.com/rHXLZxv.jpg

Security system, outdoor cameras, 4 Labrador retreivers and multiple Glocks.

Anti-freeze in steak, pitbull threat eliminated.

I got eleven motion lights, 26 guns and nine attack dogs.

AINT NOBODY GONNA GIT ME!

I understand that, but $50 bucks a month is worth it IMO. I got the setup and install free.

RPGs! Keep one in every room and it will **** shit up!

Seriously though, like cops a security system isn't going to prevent someone from breaking in. It will just allow you to catch them after the fact and hopefully in process. Even guns aren't useful unless you actually train to be able to use then AND are willing to use them if you have to. The simple reality is outside of certain areas home invasions are uncommon! That's not to say you shouldn't be prepared but being prepared requires work!

One of my dogs is Schutzhund trained.

I have a dog, but I think she is too sweet to do anything. Unless a bird intruded, than that bird is gonna get ****ed up.

but she does bark ferociously when someone is walking their dogs outside. That at least lets people know, hey, there is a big dog in here.

I completely disagree, security systems will prevent break ins, it has been shown that just home security signs can be efficient. Most robbers would leave a house when the siren of the alarm goes off (if close to other houses).

Pretty much. Even guns are a false security blanket; you're much more likely to get shot in your home if you have a gun in the house, period. I don't fault people who have either - the peace of mind has a definite value for some - but the fact of the matter is the increase in personal safety is negligible.

I live in the crappiest house in a nice neighborhood, so I don't really worry about anyone picking my place to come in and steal shit. There's much better targets around here.

I think it depends where you live.

We have some close friends that lived in Hancock Park that never used their security system. They have easy street access (unlike the Hills) and one night at 2am, two guys broke into their home. He doesn't own a gun but he grabbed a baseball bat and was hitting them as they were trying to find loot. Their dogs were barking but didn't attack (although the dogs surrounded his wife to protect her). Finally, the attackers left. They were so spooked that they couldn't even live in their home for two months and later sold it. From that point on, I began using my alarm system every night.

In 2009, someone tried to break into my home while we were visiting KC. We're we barely gone 8 hours before the attempt, so they were definitely casing my home. The alarm went off at 4am but by the time the police responded, they were gone.

In 2010, it happened again. Same window, no theft, but attempted break in. In 2011, not only did the alarm go off but my phone box was found wide open, as the burglars were attempting to cut the phone wires, so that ADT and the police would not be notified. It's 12 foot up the side of the house so they had to bring a ladder. I put a heavy duty padlock on the box when we returned to town.

Since then, I added another seven foot gate with spikes on top so they can't access that window and additional gate out back. I've added the ADT Pulse system, which includes a cell phone to call ADT if the phone lines are cut, cameras, along with numerous other safety features (dead bolts, security doors, more external gates, etc.).

The oddest part is that my house is a fort and I have no idea why anyone would want to walk up or down 50 stairs, in the dark, without knowing where they're going. But, I'm not a thief, so I can't possibly understand that mindset.

All I can do is protect my home and belongings the best I can.

The issue to me is just that you're not starting from a high probability that you'll be broken into in the first place. You're definitely correct that a security system (or even the sign as you mentioned) is a deterrent. But (purely making up numbers here) if 99% of people will never be broken into in their lives and the security system cuts your chances of being broken into in half, you just increased your chances of being broken into by 0.5%. The value of that 0.5% is the question.