Securing After the Fact

[reecie]

FFS first time ever had a burglary. Smashed the lower panel of a bi-fold to get in and out. My Aerospace bought from this very forum gone (see Lost and Found post). Wife and daughter have lost jewellery. So time to shore up for the future. Have some fence and outdoor light updates in mind now. Basically the cops advice is make your house less attractive than your neighbours. If they really want in then they will anyway.

So with regards to alarms I need a pet safe unit. I was thinking of something like the Yale Easy fit range that can dial up. They generally appear to get good reviews. The HSA6400 has the pet safe sensors.

Secondly, some cameras like the Arlo maybe? If nothing else to deter a bit more and maybe provide some evidence.

Any other thoughts?

[doebag]

Sorry to hear about your break in. I've seen another two or three posts on here this week of similar stories, attempted or successful. So when I was woken up at 4am by a massive clattering sound downstairs I reached for the baseball bat under the bed almost instinctively.

As for alarms/CCTV, I can recommend the Yale Easy Fit stuff as being fit for purpose, it's very much tamper proof and even protects against burglars blocking the frequencies that the sensors transmit by. Just for the love of christ follow the instructions carefully, I went partially deaf for a day when I accidentally triggered the sounder in the kitchen when trying to change the disarm code from the stock one to our own. As for CCTV, I can't speak for the Arlo system (but I know a few here do have it), but I found that you have to pay above what might be considered a 'decent price' to get decent results. Otherwise you get cheaply built DVRs with hard drives that are prone to failing, and footage which is either really low resolution, or a low frame rate which would make identification of a suspect quite difficult.

If you were looking to combine two in one then the Yale Smart Home Alarm kits, which integrate with your internet router to allow you to remotely log in and arm/disarm, also have a PIR Sensor/Camera unit which can be set to record footage when the alarm is triggered. It can also be remotely viewed when the alarm is armed/disarmed and used as a nannycam type device.

Best of luck.

[Captain Morgan]

I can't confirm the Yale cam/pir option but I have this option on a Visonic alarm and it's really only fit to confirm if you have a real alarm or a false alarm not suitable to id perps imho.

I'd look,at separate systems for that.

[Phil Lee]

One of our neighbours had a burglary a couple of weeks ago at the same time as we were getting new double glazing. Our alarm had been out of action for a couple of years so I was keen to get a new one installed after the new windows and doors were fitted. I went with a local firm who installed a Texecom system with the following sensors:

Control equipment
1 x Texecom Premier Elite 48 Panel
1 x Texecom Premier Elite LCDP Keypad (including 5 prox tags)
1 x Texecom Premier Elite 32XP-W - Wireless expander to be fitted adjacent the Panel
2 x Texecom Premier Elite Smartkey Wireless Fob
1 x Siren box

Wired devices
2 x CQR Wired Panic button - Front door and Bedroom
2 x CQR Wired Door Contact - Front and back doors
3 x Texecom Premier Compact wired Quad PIR - Kitchen, Lounge, Landing

Wireless devices
2 x Texecom Premier Elite wireless Dualtech - Conservatory, Garage
3 x Texecom Premier Elite wireless Quad PIR - Hall, Dining Room, Garden Office
1 x Texecom Premier Elite wireless Shock Sensor - Garden Office

This cost £1200 and took a 1.5 days to install and programme. I don't think I'd want to do this myself, especially as you have a specific pet requirement. If I were you I'd get some quotes from local installers before going down the DIY route.

[paule23]

To all the people who read this and think it's a good idea, or have thought about strengthening home security, can I encourage you all to bite the bullet and do it?

We normally wait until after an incident had occurred until we take action. If we're lucky if might be a neighbour being burgled that prompts action, but if we're unlucky it's us and after the event is too late. OK it reduces the risk of a future break in, but you've already lost a load of stuff and had your home invaded.

On that note I'm off to buy an Arlo system.......

[thieuster]

Very sorry to read this! Make sure you step up your security quickly. Burglars now know their way in, they know the current state of you security and are easily tempted to try again... Make it visible to 'others' that you're taking measures. As far as I know, this scum searches for the easiest way. Better security will make them turn away.

Menno

[Shakir Khaja]

So sorry to hear above your break in. Definitely worth investing in a good alarm and cameras. We were broken into a few years back and had the rims off my Limited Edition M3 taken. I installed high electric gates, an alarm and cameras within a week and so far so good. Once again sorry buddy my thoughts are with you.

[Barton Red]

Sorry to hear this. From our experience with alarms I'd recommend you Give a couple of local installers a call for quotes and go for a maintained alarm from an insurance approved installer.

The maintenance contract isn't that expensive (we pay £80) and had a dialler fitted (calls us if I the alarm goes off). This isn't to be confused with a monitored system which dials a call centre who may investigate, it's an annual inspection to confirm it's all working.

I've a feeling your home insurance will go up so if you have an approved alarm on a maintenance contract will perhaps reduce your premium. I don't think many insurers recognise diy fit alarms, the professional systems aren't much more expensive, but it depends on your set up.

[MB2]

Depending upon the pet I would be a bit wary of "pet safe" detectors. If you can have the kitchen or someplace zoned so you can set the alarm with the kitchen on/off depending if you are leaving the dog in or taking with you.

My system (Honeywell Domonial) has "pet safe" detectors but the dog sets them off (Staffy).

[5avvy]

No. You would need motion sensors too.

[Integrale]

ADT monitored £35 per month. Free installation and annual inspection.

[catch21]

Sorry to hear this, but thank you for posting and giving me a kick up the bum to do something about my own security. Thank you...

To anyone who knows the Yale Easy Fit range, is there any wiring involved or is it all wireless?

Edited to add: I think I have answered my own question, thank you.

[Chicken Pox]

ADT monitored £35 per month. Free installation and annual inspection.

The Trustpilot reviews appear that they aren't a good company to deal with, is that why others are recommending using local firms?

[catch21]

The Trustpilot reviews appear that they aren't a good company to deal with, is that why others are recommending using local firms?

Personally, I wouldn't use ADT.

[Oysterman]

Personally, I wouldn't use ADT.

Slightly off topic, care to say why?

[aldfort]

Slightly off topic, care to say why?

Any number of reasons if you think about it. They like to sell monitored systems. Great if their patrol is 1 min away. Not so useful if they are 30 mins away. They may be quite expensive relative to a local firm.

[greasemonkey]

sorry to hear of your break in.we have have had a Yale wireless system for 6 years now no problems so far,change the batteries now and then and thats about it.i dont know about the pet safe thing as we dont put the alarm on when our pet is in the house.he's a 12 stone rottie called Diesel.

[IAmATeaf]

Isn't the idea of a fob sort of self defeating? Lose your keys and assuming they know where you live they can enter and use the fob? Spare fobs in the house and again if they find it they can disarm?

When I had my system installed they asked about a fob and I gave them the above, answer was to have a fob and a pin? I opted just for the pin.

[MB2]

Isn't the idea of a fob sort of self defeating? Lose your keys and assuming they know where you live they can enter and use the fob? Spare fobs in the house and again if they find it they can disarm?

When I had my system installed they asked about a fob and I gave them the above, answer was to have a fob and a pin? I opted just for the pin.

The benefit of a fob is if you need to grant say the plumber access you don't have to give them your PIN or set up/cancel another PIN but agree key loss could be an issue. Although I have a record of which fob is on which keys so if I lost a set I could disable that fob.