Home security/defense

[El Jefe]

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.

[Dayze]

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"

[DaFace]

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.

[El Jefe]

Originally Posted by DaFace

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.

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

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by DaFace

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.

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.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

I think it depends where you live...

I think that's fair. Some neighborhoods are more prone to issues than others for sure. And you probably have more stuff to steal than the average Joe might as well.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by DaFace

I think that's fair. Some neighborhoods are more prone to issues than others for sure. And you probably have more stuff to steal than the average Joe might as well.

The strange thing is that our neighborhood was deemed the safest in the USA just a year or two ago (90068). I guess maybe they didn't take into account robbery attempts?

[Fairplay]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

The strange thing is that our neighborhood was deemed the safest in the USA just a year or two ago (90068). I guess maybe they didn't take into account robbery attempts?

Sounds like someone pulled some strings to raise the property values up would be my assessment.

[crispystl]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

The strange thing is that our neighborhood was deemed the safest in the USA just a year or two ago (90068). I guess maybe they didn't take into account robbery attempts?

It was probably Lindsay Lohan all wasted

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

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.

Jesus Christ - sounds like somebody's really got a hard-on for your stuff.

You might want to add a shotgun to your home defense plan.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by frazod

Jesus Christ - sounds like somebody's really got a hard-on for your stuff.

You might want to add a shotgun to your home defense plan.

I've thought about it but the good thing is that the attempts have occurred when we've been out of town. The Labs would scare them away because they are LOUD.

I'm not anti-gun in the least but I've never shot or even held a gun. I think I recall telling you that the former head of SWAT (now a SWAT trainer) has offered on numerous occasions to teach me, but life always gets one way.

Someday...

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

I've thought about it but the good thing is that the attempts have occurred when we've been out of town. The Labs would scare them away because they are LOUD.

I'm not anti-gun in the least but I've never shot or even held a gun. I think I recall telling you that the former head of SWAT (now a SWAT trainer) has offered on numerous occasions to teach me, but life always gets one way.

Someday...

Just remember, it's better to have a gun and not need it than to need a gun and not have it.

I'd take that guy up on his offer. You can't beat that level of training.

[Fairplay]

Originally Posted by frazod

You might want to add a shotgun to your home defense plan.

Reminds me of a youtube video on home defense called Double Barreled Shotgun VS. AR-15 by this guy named hickok45. He has lots of gun videos I'm sure some of you are familiar with this man's work, he is fun to watch.

Check out this video at the 30 second mark, he shoots at a target 10 feet away and missed, lol. But the point is just because you have a shotgun at close range doesn't mean you can't miss.

Long story short in the video the AR-15 wins the contest hands down.

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by DaFace

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.

LOL

Sometimes I think I'm a number monkey nerd, but I've never compiled a chart of 20 years of data to settle a family discussion.

Anyway, DaFace, I don't have a gun in the house, but always intended to. I think in my house I have a pretty significant tactical advantage if I have to defend myself. That being said, if I had my shotgun inside, it'd be pretty tough for anybody to get the best of me in my house as long as I'm there.

I understand your statistical approach. And for the most part, I agree. That's why I haven't made it a priority to get my shotgun inside. Scott is a pretty small town. For the most part, it is pretty safe.

That being said, wife was one of those statistics on your chart when we were in college. She got her apartment broken into while she was staying with me. It sucked bawls. She was freaked out. I was furious. I think I know who did it and it took a LOT of restraint not to kick down the door and start curb stomping ****ers. It was pretty hard on her. To me, it was just stuff. I'm not scared, but she was. What scared me was if she'd have been in there and if she had gotten hurt or raped. That was a pretty significant event in our lives, even though from a dollars perspective, it was virtually nothing.

I can certainly understand people doing whatever they can to avoid being in danger, even if the probability is fairly low.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by Buehler445

I can certainly understand people doing whatever they can to avoid being in danger, even if the probability is fairly low.

Yeah, but that's where the issue lies as I see it - you're far more likely to shoot someone on accident (or on purpose in some case) than you are to ever actually have to defend yourself. Even in cases where it does happen like did with your wife, a vast majority of burglaries happen when no one is home, so the gun wouldn't have made a difference anyway.

Again, I don't fault people for wanting the sense of security that having a gun around brings, but you're fooling yourself if you think you're substantively safer by having one.