Hi All, a few months ago we moved to a small cottage in a very secluded and remote location in the Bedfordshire countryside. Yesterday Sally, my partner, came home from her morning`s work and disturbed a burgler in the house. Luckily they ran off so she was unhurt,none of our animals were hurt, not too much was taken and the place was not too badly messed up. We had already booked a burglar alarm installation to take place in a few days, sods law that we have been done just before installation. Anyway, because the house is so remote I`m considering extra security to all doors and windows and trying to choose between external roller shutters, external fixed bars and internal grille . Does anyone on here have these or deal with them and is in a position to offer advice ? Thanks in advance David
The trouble with shutters and grills is they might ruin the look of the place. CCTV and sensor lights are an option but are expensive. Cheapest option is a a big loud dog and a sign.
We've always had a Staffy (and a "Beware of the Dog" sign) and never been burgled - she does bark as well
We have cctv but the guy`s face was obscured although we do know height and build etc. It was a midday break in so the lights were irrelevant in this case. We also have a couple of dogs but according to the police they deter some but not all burglars. You are right about shutters and grills ruing the looks but from what I can see the shutters roll up in to a casing on the outside. We would paint the casing the same colour as the walls to minimize the impact. I wonder though if visible shutters would attract people thinking we must have something worth taking. The internal grills fold back behind curtains when not is use so not too bad visually when we are in.
I dont think so but it is a possibility. Our nearest neighbours are about 400 yards away so probably an opportunist who didnt know our regular work patterns or he would have gone before Sally gets home. According to the CCTV shows he was in the house for around an hour, amazing that he took so little really.
Wonder if he lived there at one point Being secluded you would wonder what he was doing there We lived down a mile long lane there was only my house so one way in/out We had a German Shepard wandering around, we didn't have set time patterns either and the occasional railway van having lunch The farm at the top of the lane got burgled which was on the country lane all dogs were in pens Windows were all doubled glazed with top openers and locks Front door had top and bottom lock as well as deadlock
I dont think he ever lived there as for the last few decades it has been rented to farm workers, pretty sure this scum bag is not the type to work. He smashed the front door in to gain access so a serious upgrade is required for that.
I'm also in a fairly remote location.......I have an alarm and all sorts of security locks on doors and windows; plus a dog. If someone did break in, regardless of the above (the locks IMO are pretty useless on most houses as who is going to bother with them if they can just smash glass, plus in my experience nobody appears to show any concern about an alarm which goes off, not even if it is connected to Plod)) they would have to run the risk of getting seriously bitten or, even I might just happen to be in and 'cleaning' my shotguns.
cctv connected to an uplink online, so you get it shown on your phone who is doing what.. Images of the scumbags are what the police really want.
This - Ring Video Doorbell for Your Smartphone | Ring - is presently being promoted like mad on the radio. May be worth investigating as it's also got a motion sensor.
The easiest way into any house is through the roof. Add to that that most people don't put PIRs for alarms upstairs and often keep valuables in or around the bedroom. Just saying.... Personally I wouldn't bother with the expense or ugliness. They will just go for the next weakest entry point. Installing an alarm that alerts a firm who will go and check the property would probably be a better investment.
A friend in the states has the new Nest system. I'm investing in it as soon as its available in the UK Meet the Nest Cam Outdoor security camera | Nest
We already have a couple of CCTV but are getting more, I`m leaning towards retractable grills inside the window and door frames as the alarm is being monitored. We`ll lock the grills as we leave the house and in theory if any of the sensors on the doors and windows are tripped someone will be alerted and well on the way before the grills are breached. I hadnt thought about access through the roof but we are having a PIR upstairs as well as sensors on windows. Hopefully the weakest entry point will be in another house.
Ive got a thing called a "soundbomb" in my garage. Its so loud apparently the human instinct "is just to get away". Its rigged in to the house alarm. It cant be installed outside as its against the law. I got one after my mate has his garage broken in "through the roof" i might add. He was on holiday in Spain....his alarm got tripped as apparently so his neighbour told him across the road...."one went in, the soundbomb went off and ive never seen anyone run so fast..." My mate was on the beach at the time...waited 20 mins and then reset the alarm from his phone...flash cunt. Apparently if you try to stay inside the room where its gone off your physically sick.... how does that sound pardon the pun....
I had a false alarm alert on my phone whilst I was up in Birmingham.... quickly checked the cameras on my phone to make sure nobody was there, then reset my alarm from the phone. All very handy and reassuring!
