Home Security

**Darlene** · 05-13-2010, 07:56 AM

I feel pretty safe where I am. I live on about 5 acres and with our driveway alarm I know when people are getting close to my home so I'm not surprised by anyone on foot or in a vehicle. I love having that time to see and prepare for whatever.
Even though we aren't in city or busy place(I know crime can and does happen anywhere) I do lock our doors when we are not at home or if I am home alone.
Having guns in the house & a dog around gives me alot of peace of mind too.

How do you protect your home? Do you lock doors? Have deadbolts? Alarm systems? Do you feel safe? What can you improve on?

**Mom2-3** · 05-13-2010, 12:04 PM

I've always locked all the doors and windows when we leave the house.

Having a huge dog with a loud bark helps too

Scared away the home security guy last week

**nancycg56** · 05-13-2010, 12:16 PM

We had the city police come and do a security check and there were a couple of things we needed to do so we did those. The police officer told us the biggest deterrent was a dog ~ didn't matter the size. Burglars would rather burgle a house without a dog than with I guess.

Personally, I think if they want to get in, they will.

We've had stuff stolen from our yard and from our car, including license plates, but never an indoor burglary knock on wood.

I keep the doors locked and am considering an alarm system but haven't decided yet

**Natalie's Nesters** · 05-13-2010, 12:39 PM

We have an alarm system, I only use it at night. We also have 2 dogs that love to bark. I carry my cell phone on me at all times, we do not have local police. If we're lucky, the state police will show up in a 1/2 hour! We also have alot of guns. I got my own for Christmas 2 years ago. I took several classes on gun safety. I wish we had a driveway alarm, but the neighbor would mow over it!

**mek42** · 05-13-2010, 01:18 PM

We have two dogs. I'm also examining my budget for the right time to buy a Serpa retention holster for my 1911.

**zakity** · 05-13-2010, 02:15 PM

We lock everything up: the cars, the shop, the house, etc.

We own guns. Everyone in the household shoots. Two of the boys are better shots than I am. Someone is almost always home.

We keep the blinds closed when we are gone.

We are less afluent than our neighbors. Bad guys would get better stuff and more of it someone else's house.

Our house is sort of hidden. We are an acre behind an acre. And, what neighbors we do have, well, some are nice and keep an eye out for strange stuff (as we do for their properties since we are home a lot) and some are just nosy.

We also have two cops that live near. The city cop lives across the fence and the county cop lives across the road.

**kittykatstrong** · 05-13-2010, 02:40 PM

When I was on bedrest I watched a ton of Criminal Minds. It really started to freak me out so I had to stop watching it. My doors are always locked and my garage door is always closed. A few months ago I would not always have my front door locked, but now always.

**baxjul** · 05-13-2010, 03:07 PM

I have a huge dog, that is trained to protect me and dd. I had an incident a couple of months ago, where this guy came to the door and started yelling and swearing at me (long story, I called the pound on his dog), and my dog was just foaming at the mouth for me to say the certain words. I ended up calling the sheriff dept., and when the deputy came, he told me that since my dog is trained that well, that if anyone ever tries to come in just let the dog do his job.

We also have guns, and since I'm home alone with dd a lot, I know how to use them. I'm a pretty good shot also.

**McD** · 05-13-2010, 04:47 PM

I'm married to a police officer. We have plenty of guns. I am a good shot. A very good shot. I also have a triple action blend of pepper spray. We lock doors and windows. We have motion sensor lights in the backyard and a floodlight in the front yard.

**Michelle** · 05-13-2010, 06:42 PM

Originally Posted by nancycg56

I keep the doors locked and am considering an alarm system but haven't decided yet

Here too...I've read too many true crime books to feel 100% safe.

**frugalwarrior2** · 05-13-2010, 07:07 PM

We keep the door locked at all times and the windows too.
We have dogs and guns and can shoot.
4 sheriff dept. officers live in our neighborhood alone. I live across the street from ones parents.

I have given thought to all these empty houses because of the economy and safety. And all the new people who are renters coming and going. We always leave the gargae closed because I am concerned about someone hiding in the attic and coming out at night. All said,I do feel safe and wouldn't stay if I didn't.

**pollypurebred39** · 05-13-2010, 07:19 PM

I do not feel safe at all since our Suki Girl died last Sept. In fact we even had a break in through our basement door a few weeks ago. Nothing was taken, have to assume we scared them away when we came back home. We lock all our doors but they all have windows. We have a panic button alarm but it does not work anymore

We also have motion flood lights but the driveway one is broken. Glad to have some nosey neighbors, and one neighbor across from us who is a fire fighter, he'd be the first one over here if he saw anyone, he'd clobber them. Husband works all the time, makes me nervous being here just the boys and I in the evening. Never realized just how safe I felt having a dog until she was gone.

**shoiji** · 05-13-2010, 07:31 PM

Have all the usual stuff. Plus a little 7 lbs cat that scares the heck out of people while she acts "tough". Six foot men will stop in their tracks.

**Missourimom** · 05-13-2010, 09:38 PM

We've been robbed 5 times and we're gun owners, dog owners (3) and have motion lights. Our home hasn't been robbed....yet, only the garages and contents of our vehicles. Our neighborhood has gone to pots in the last 7 years and we NEVER see police drive down our street. We live in one of the cities with the highest crime rate in the nation (St.Louis) and sometimes I wonder if the police have just become numb to "little" crimes like the ones that happened here. Seriously, I'm afraid one day someone will break into the house. If they do, I hope I'm close to my gun because I will use it.

**nodmicks** · 05-14-2010, 07:50 AM

We sit on 10 acres and would hear a car coming up the drive. I do lock the doors and have 3 dogs. I think they are a great deterrent as they are loud! Dh put window al;arms on the main floor windows also for when they are open at night. Oh we have motion lights also.