Home security recommendations

[TameRacingDriver]

Recently a family member was burgled in the middle of the night while they were asleep and her car was stolen. They got in by prising the door handles and presumably that let them unlock the doors to gain entry.

Got my thinking about our security now.

A mate of mine thinks:

Get a burglar alarm (got one, but disconnected as it started going off in the middle of the night and the previous householder failed to leave the code).

Camera (especially at the back, you'll see why below).

Doorbell cameras front and rear (again you'll see why).

Security light at the back.

Our house is in the middle of a village. Access is possible either by the front or back, we have a peculiar arrangement where the front door is on the main street of the village, and our back door is actually fronting on to the main cul de sac of the estate, it's kind of weird as we have a yard with a gate (no lock) which looks out onto the cul de sac, the houses opposite have their front doors facing our back gate.

Thus when we get deliveries, they can knock either on the front or back door.

We've lived here for years and had no bother. Doesn't mean it won't happen though.

Our back doors are these French style UPVC doors, about 10 years old, will these be secure? There are no other windows at the back apart from upstairs.

The cul de sac gets very dark on a night and as things stand someone could just walk into our yard and try the door without really anyone seeing.

Just wondering what are the best things to do here. It would be nice to feel secure, but at the same time, making the place look like fort Knox might make it look like we have something worth stealing (I don't really, other than a few gadgets).

Also I don't want to break the bank here if I can help it

Thoughts?

[Actual]

I have fitted Ring Doorbell cameras at all our external doors as compared to a full-on CCTV camera they are very unobtrusive. Indoors I have multiple Ring Chimes so anyone approaching the house will hear them and know that they have been detected. We get false alarms in the middle of the night caused by cats frolicking on our front doorstep.

Ring cameras are not completely secure assuming the Wi-Fi can be blocked or jammed but it's better than nothing and other precautions are in place.

[defblade]

Recently replaced all our (Euro-cylinder) door locks with keyed-alike Avocet ABS ones. A quick google/youtube will show you how easily standard euros can be bumped or snapped.

I specced thumbturns inside on the patio doors and garage door - there's a lot of discussion about this on the forums... fire brigade say thumbturns everywhere so you don't have to find a key to get out; police/locksmiths say a thumbturn on a door with a letterbox is an open invitation. And others say thumbturns with no letterbox is still bad if they are near glass. I've decided if anyone's going to put any glass through, they're coming in no matter what.

[Huzzah]

Crap cars, and dogs.

Edited by Huzzah on Wednesday 20th November 14:14

[SlimJim16v]

Add higher security door handles to the 3 star cylinders.

[GuigiaroBertone]

defblade said:

Recently replaced all our (Euro-cylinder) door locks with keyed-alike Avocet ABS ones. A quick google/youtube will show you how easily standard euros can be bumped or snapped.

I specced thumbturns inside on the patio doors and garage door - there's a lot of discussion about this on the forums... fire brigade say thumbturns everywhere so you don't have to find a key to get out; police/locksmiths say a thumbturn on a door with a letterbox is an open invitation. And others say thumbturns with no letterbox is still bad if they are near glass. I've decided if anyone's going to put any glass through, they're coming in no matter what.

Yes- update the lock cylinders to anti snap and ensure they are not protruding from the handles. Also get handles that protect the cylinder if possible.

Instead of thumbturns just leave the key in- which you can turn with your thumb.

With an added bonus- when you go away on holiday,you can take the key out!

[NorthDave]

The french doors stand out to me - they are generally pretty insecure.

Id get one of these padlocks for it

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/614-bKjW0yL._A...

[TameRacingDriver]

Thanks all - some food for thought here. I recently got one of my locks changed as I lost the key so I'm wondering whether that one is OK. Sounds like the handles might do with beefing up too. Doorbell cameras seem like a good shout too. I still think a security light might not be a bad idea?

Not too sure about those padlocks; I'm sure they work, but not sure the Mrs will want those, and also, we often go out the back door when we go out anyway as our cars are at the back.

As for crap cars and dogs, well, I have a Mini which isn't crap but doesn't exactly seem like it's at the top of a thieves wishlist, and I'm not having a dog!

[Huzzah]

TameRacingDriver said:

As for crap cars and dogs, well, I have a Mini which isn't crap but doesn't exactly seem like it's at the top of a thieves wishlist, and I'm not having a dog!

Sounds like you're 1/2 way there.

[TameRacingDriver]

Huzzah said:

Sounds like you're 1/2 way there.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Gravel is a big deterrent. You'd be surprised how noisy it is to walk on!

[CTO]

so, some of ours include

Gravel everywhere
Dusk til dawn lighting
Motion sensors linked to the house alarm
Shed doors and windows included in house alarm as a zone
these locks on our external doors: https://www.ultion-lock.co.uk/ultion-locks/

and my latest addition.... Alarm mines...

[ferret50]

No street lights where we live, so porch light on a timer and a sodium on the drive,

Round the back lighting is all on Pir's, OK. the local cats set them off but I'm sure they work well as a deterent.

But there again, back in the days when we got a Parish magazine the Community Bobby struggled to find anything to write!

[gmaz]

I have one of these solar wireless cameras covering the back yard and it works very well. No need for subscription etc.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/eufy-Security-Continuous-...

[macron]

Actual said:

I have fitted Ring Doorbell cameras at all our external doors as compared to a full-on CCTV camera they are very unobtrusive. Indoors I have multiple Ring Chimes so anyone approaching the house will hear them and know that they have been detected. We get false alarms in the middle of the night caused by cats frolicking on our front doorstep.

Ring cameras are not completely secure assuming the Wi-Fi can be blocked or jammed but it's better than nothing and other precautions are in place.

Similar but Eufy as 1) I am not paying sodding fees for a camera or doorbell, YMMV, and 2) I didn't want unobtrusive. I wanted people to SEE we had cameras.

Glasgow mind, and I've been mooned at on camera, such is the care those in the inner city have for these things.

[TameRacingDriver]

gmaz said:

I have one of these solar wireless cameras covering the back yard and it works very well. No need for subscription etc.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/eufy-Security-Continuous-...

My mate was on about those solar cameras, nice idea, and yeah, not paying for a subsciption would be a definite bonus I reckon.

[Alex_225]

NorthDave said:

The french doors stand out to me - they are generally pretty insecure.

Id get one of these padlocks for it

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/614-bKjW0yL._A...

I have two sets of Patlocks on the back of my place, one set to the kitchen/diner and one to the living room. Even with them being unlocked you can't move the handles and I think even if you managed to get the doors to move, they'd keep the handles held together. I'm sure they're not unbeatable but definitely a help.

[balham123]

My parents have those door bolts on internal doors ( think called rack bolts ) you twist them with a little key.

They lock all the internal doors when they go away.

They have been broken into twice while on holiday and the crims didn't make it out of the room they broke into.

Last time a neighbour was shouting at them saying he had phoned the police as they were battering away at the kitchen door. They gave up and ran eventually.

I was amazed the door ( standard cheap and light internal door ) held up to repeated kicks

[Actual]

GuigiaroBertone said:

Instead of thumbturns just leave the key in- which you can turn with your thumb.

I find with Euro locks that leaving the key in on the inside prevents a key being inserted on the outside.

[BrokenSkunk]

Actual said:

GuigiaroBertone said:

Instead of thumbturns just leave the key in- which you can turn with your thumb.

I find with Euro locks that leaving the key in on the inside prevents a key being inserted on the outside.

Yes, it does, but I found that leaving the key in on the inside of Eurolock provided the burgler with the perfect means of entry. They simply smashed the door glass (10.8mm) and turned the key.
I try not to repeat my dumb mistakes.