What are your opinions on the best security safe for these expensive cameras?

[rpcrowe]

We made a very bad choice in selecting the company to install our pool...

This company sub contracted almost all the work and as such, we had numerous suspicious (in my opinion) looking characters working around my property. I could just imagine one or more of these characters returning with the idea of robbery...

At that time, my big dog was a German Shepherd - Golden Retriever - Wolf hybrid, who is the first image I posted on this thread. She was quite large and weighed about 85-pounds (~38.5 kilos). However she was a very gentle and well trained dog but was not happy with anyone intruding on our property unless I introduced them to her. I would walk my dog around the construction site several times each working day to show her off to the crews working. She did not growl or show any aggressive behavior but, it was plain from her body language that she did not like having these characters on our property. Result: with the dog - no theft. Without the dog, who knows?

One time I had a disreputable guy come by collecting for some bogus charity. My Maltese barked at him. He laughed and said "Them are cute dogs but they wouldn't scare away no robber!" Right then my wolf who thought he was a danger to her little dog friends charged up and hit the fence with her full weight with her jaws open. The little Maltese wouldn't scare away a robber. However, they were just my early warning system - the wolf hybrid was my strike capability...

Before we began totally rescuing dogs, we would breed and show Maltese. Maltese puppies are very expensive and readily sold, thus they are are pilferable. Whenever we had prospective buyers come by to see our puppies, I would also introduce them to my wolf-hybrid. That was just to let everyone know what would await them if they ever returned to break into my home.

Regarding guns, I don't have anything personally against firearms as a deterrent to theft. However, I don't believe that a gun is a panacea against theft. Guns themselves are items that thieves aim at. As far as having them in a gun safe (required in some venues). You might as well store a feather pillow in that safe for all the protection that a gun in a safe affords. But, if you are not expecting to use the gun as a self defense weapon, a gun safe is probably the best way to store it (and is required in some venues).

I don't have a need for a gun safe. However, I do have a fireproof (fire-resistant) safe in which I keep many of my valuable and non-replaceable items. This safe is secured to the wall behind it. I keep our passports, insurance documentation (copies are kept off-site), personal items such as a copy of my military service record, our birth certificates, vehicle titles, home mortgage documentation and other valuable items as well as a supply of ready cash (in case the ATM's are not working due to an earthquake or some other disaster).

Additionally, I strongly suspect that most persons would have a hard time killing someone, even an intruder. Unless, you are willing to kill an intruder with your gun, you might as well revert to the feather pillow as a defense weapon. Using a gun to "scare off" an intruder is an absolutely stupid idea and will, most likely result in the gun being taken from you and perhaps used on you!

I will not even get into the various laws in different locations which make owning and using a gun very difficult and often totally illegal. I also would never carry a gun outside my home for defense. The laws regarding shooting in self defense outside of one's home are often quite ambiguous. However, in most jurisdictions within the USA, shooting an intruder within your home (especially at night) a bit less ambiguous..

But a dog, combined with a security system is probably the best choice in preventing robbery/intrusion. Actually, even the signs announcing that this premises is protected by the XYZ Security Company can be a deterrent, whether or not the security contract is in effect. I once had signs on my gates with a picture of a guard dog and a notation that read, "I can make it to the fence in 3.5 seconds, can you?"

[Scott Stephen]

Seems to me a safe is an obvious target. I have thought about creating a drywall pocket in a wall or even in the ceiling, using an air vent to conceal what it is. What burglar would rip every air vent in a house out of the walls?

[kaneohebud]

I agree Richard. When I had two German Shepherds, I never had a problem. Beautiful dogs, both.

[AB26]

If some one has problems from time to time a monitored alarm system will soon deter them.
John
-

And that is what saved me from losing my equipment, five months ago. They were inside my house when the alarm went off and they left with NOTHING as the armed response was onto them to quickly.

They were actually caught half an hour later, with valuables stolen from another house.

[William W]

‘Originally Posted by ajohnw
If some one has problems from time to time a monitored alarm system will soon deter them.
John’

And that is what saved me from losing my equipment, five months ago. They were inside my house when the alarm went off and they left with NOTHING as the armed response was onto them to quickly. . .

Andre, I don’t understand, could you please clarify.

Does your premises have a local alarm? - i.e. you said “the alarm went off” so does that mean there was a noise maker on the premises ? And then did the ‘would be burglars’ flee BEFORE the armed response arrived at your premises or did they IGNORE the alarm and continue rummaging through your house UNTIL the armed response arrived?

My point being that if you have a noise maker on the premises (i.e. it is NOT a SILENT ALARM), then it would be more logical to conclude that it was the Local Alarm that saved your gear.

There is a subtle, but quite a distinct difference.

Thanks in anticipation of your definitive reply.

WW

[AB26]

Andre, I don’t understand, could you please clarify.
WW

William,

A Local Alarm only scares honest burglars. A Local Alarm has but one purpose only and that is to let burglars know the Armed Response a neighbor or the owner is en route.

The red light that goes on when the alarm is triggered is there so people will know where the alarm is sounding. The razor spiked fence around my property is the first line of defense, the outside beams the second and the burglar bars and security gates the third line of defense. The alarm system is the fourth line of defense and the Armed Response the last line of defense, when I am not at home. A dog is not a factor as they ignored the Jack Russel going crazy and if the dog was any bigger they would simply have poisoned it.

What really scares them is the owner of the little dog with the .357 in his hand and the Armed Response guy with the SSG Buckshot in his shotgun (and this only applies to those without AK47’s). In most cases the burglars know they have less than four minutes to get out before the Armed Response will be there.
If there is no Armed Response and the burglars know it, they simply ignore the sounding alarm doing what they do best, rob you of your valuables.

No monitored alarm system – no insurance cover! Ask the insurance companies, why?

I guess John knows what he is talking about and there is no reason at all to doubt his view on good security for your equipment. However, I doubt that this kind of security would be needed in Texas, depending on who your neighbors are.

Without monitoring a security system the system is worth NOTHING!

[ajohnw]

Some monitored commercial premisses alarm have a delay before they make any sounds after they are tripped. The idea is that the police are alerted, can get there and then catch the thieves as they run out. Home alarms generally don't have this delay. What I had the installers do was to monitor a window which the thieves were bound to try and open. It's a sash window that has a stop which prevents it being lifted more than an inch or so while the stop is in place. The monitor on that trips if there is more than 1/2 in of movement. There usually is a type of silent alarm facility on home alarm for if some one is forced to disarm it - just key a different number into it or a panic button.

They also installed fire detection. Not smoke but carbon monoxide. It's so sensitive to this that some people find that central heating etc has been installed incorrectly. Way better than the type that picks up smoke. No false alarms - we did have one shortly after it was installed and 2 fire engines turned up rather rapidly. A fault in the key pad messed up the arming. Glad to say this only happened once in the 12 years we have had it. My lathe upset one of the indoor sensors when weather conditions were suitable and that was soon fixed. The sensors pick up both body heat and movement - the latter makes a huge difference to reliability. Dogs left in a room can be a problem even with the type of sensor that ignores things close to the ground - we decided to skip monitoring that one. Out GS is 5ft plus tall standing on her hind legs. Having been burgled when there are dogs around I don't think it pays to assume they always deter thieves. Depends how used to dogs they are. Pro's are likely to know what to do.

It also has a back up battery and is wired. I don't think I would fancy the wireless ones.

John
-

[mknittle]

Smith&Wesson.

[AB26]

Dave,

One of the safest places to hide anything of value is in a kitchen cupboard. I do not know of a single instance where Tupperware was taken from a kitchen. A false panel inside a kitchen cupboard with Tupperware packed at the front – should be safe.

NEVER, NEVER EVER leave camera gear in an unguarded car!

[William W]

Thanks Andre for taking the time to respond, but within it I could not find the answers to my two questions, but no matter, thanks anyway.

WW