# We we're robbed last night. Please recommend a security system. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 24, 2015, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-robbed-last-night-please-recommend-a-security-system/723393 "2015-06-24T20:27:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-robbed-last-night-please-recommend-a-security-system/723393/21 "2015-06-25T04:09:29Z")
Sorry, but I just find this whole thread amusing: Dopers: Get a dog. Poster: Our landlord doesn’t allow dogs. Dopers: Get two dogs. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-robbed-last-night-please-recommend-a-security-system/723393/22 "2015-06-25T04:31:49Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > Sorry, but I just find this whole thread amusing: > > Dopers: Get a dog. > Poster: Our landlord doesn’t allow dogs. > Dopers: Get two dogs. Three dogs. 🙂 Seriously my parents house was broken into several times. Got a dog, never happened again. My house 11 year old daughter home alone. Bad guy walks in the fucking door. No knock no doorbell, just walks in. Dog goes ballistic. Daughter holding on to collar and says I’ll turn him loose if you don’t leave. Guy leaves. Dog gets rib eye that night. Talk to your landlord. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-robbed-last-night-please-recommend-a-security-system/723393/23 "2015-06-25T05:00:26Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > Sorry, but I just find this whole thread amusing: > > Dopers: Get a dog. > Poster: Our landlord doesn’t allow dogs. > Dopers: Get two dogs. Why thank you Leaper. Gabba Gabba Hey! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-robbed-last-night-please-recommend-a-security-system/723393/24 "2015-06-25T05:02:22Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Pump-action for the racking sound, but if you slept through this break-in you may not be a good candidate. And for God’s sake, learn how to use it! We don’t want to hear about you blowing your foot off because you thought you heard someone. > > Dog’s still better. Never thought I’d say it dropzone, but 2-day I joined the NRA. $25 per year. I hear they know something about training people in the use of fire arms… F@ck their politics though. ---
**Author:** ![Why\_Child](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b782af/32.png) [@Why\_Child](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_Child)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-robbed-last-night-please-recommend-a-security-system/723393/25 "2015-06-25T05:30:58Z")
I’d recommend motion sensor lights outside, and if they could be wired to light up your bedroom, that would be even better. Better chance that you’d wake up, and better chance they’d see lights go on in a room in the house and just leave. (Depending on what kind of animals you have living around your house, it might have to be adjusted for height. I’d hate to wake up every time a cat, dog, possum, raccoon, etc. walked past the house.) About the dog, it would help, but it’s not foolproof. When my apartment got broken into, they just stun-gunned my dog and took what they wanted. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-robbed-last-night-please-recommend-a-security-system/723393/26 "2015-06-25T05:43:50Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Pump-action for the racking sound, but if you slept through this break-in you may not be a good candidate. Thats what dogs are for, they wake you up. Handguns are better tools at most household ranges. Even straight bored shotguns have almost no appreciable spread at the ranges you will encounter inside most houses. They will also very easily penetrate walls due to sheer mass. And forget pumps, if you are in a shoot situation, you dont want a gun you have to “work” full of adrenaline and overwhelmed by the unprotected blast effects of a shotgun in a confined space. (since you are probably not going to have hearing protection) ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-robbed-last-night-please-recommend-a-security-system/723393/27 "2015-06-25T06:13:00Z")
I’d also suggest taking a “planned failure” approach. This means that if whatever security measures you come up with fail, the damage will be minimal. Ex. put valuables in a safe. Inventory and label items to help police recover them. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-robbed-last-night-please-recommend-a-security-system/723393/28 "2015-06-25T06:56:22Z")
Scary! I’m glad nothing serious happened. Be sure to discuss with your landlord if any of these anti-theft devices have to be installed. Can they stay when you move? Or will you have to remove them, possibly leaving some damage and impacting your deposit? Our local police department has a gun safety/training program. You might check with yours. I know you can’t get dogs, but others might find this useful. A friend of mine has two goofy corgis, who aren’t very big at all and whose mission in life is their endless quest for food. They might be able to bite a kneecap if they tried. But those two dogs sound like they top 100 pounds each when they’re barking. Very deep woofs! ---
**Author:** ![edwardcoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cab0a1/32.png) [@edwardcoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwardcoast)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-robbed-last-night-please-recommend-a-security-system/723393/29 "2015-06-25T09:39:57Z")
> [@Little\_Pig](#): > > We we’re robbed last night. Please recommend a security system. > > Criminal broke into my wife’s car which was parked on the street. They found a garage door opener in her car and used that to get into the garage. All that was stolen was my Acer Chromebook, no biggie. They also stole the wife’s Insurance card and Vehicle Registration from the glove compartment. (Why?) The garage abuts our kitchen door to the garage. While in the garage, the criminal could have jimmied the lock on the kitchen door and gained entry. > > We didn’t hear a thing. Spooky. > > Questions. > > 1). What is to be gained by stealing the wifes Insurance card and Vehicle Registration? > > 2). Need suggestions (pros and cons) of a home security system. > > Please advise. Sorry to hear this. Get a monitored home security system. Getting a dog isn’t the answer, because dogs have to be taken to the vet or you go for a walk or whatever, and the dog isn’t at home. We had a dog, and ended up getting a security system. We’ve had home security systems by Honeywell (Ademco) for years and always monitored. Besides all the doors and windows, it detects smoke and there is a sensor to detect water in the basement. The only Con to have a security system is that you and the family must get in the habit of putting it on, and not just at night, but it should be on 24/7. We have done that and gotten into the habit and don’t have false alarms after we got use to it. We sleep soundly, because if we hear a noise outside unless the alarm is on, we know it’s not entering our home. Also, you can get a wireless alarm button and keep it in your pocket. If you are on your property and need to set off the alarm, you can do this easily by putting your hand in your pocket and push the button. All of this depends on the level of personal safety you are concerned about and where you live. Speaking of dogs, if you have pets you leave at home while you are away at work or shopping, then if there is a fire it will alert the alarm company which calls the fire dept for you. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-robbed-last-night-please-recommend-a-security-system/723393/30 "2015-06-25T10:48:41Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > And for God’s sake, learn how to use it! We don’t want to hear about you blowing your foot off because you thought you heard someone. > > Dog’s still better. I can’t disagree more strongly: Do. Not. Shoot. The Dog. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-robbed-last-night-please-recommend-a-security-system/723393/31 "2015-06-25T12:16:50Z")
> [@Stuffy](#): > > Identity theft probably. You should flag your credit report. The registration card might be sufficient for one of those payday type loans. No shit Stuffy! Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-robbed-last-night-please-recommend-a-security-system/723393/32 "2015-06-25T12:21:36Z")
> [@drachillix](#): > > Thats what dogs are for, they wake you up. > > Handguns are better tools at most household ranges. Even straight bored shotguns have almost no appreciable spread at the ranges you will encounter inside most houses. They will also very easily penetrate walls due to sheer mass. And forget pumps, if you are in a shoot situation, you dont want a gun you have to “work” full of adrenaline and overwhelmed by the unprotected blast effects of a shotgun in a confined space. (since you are probably not going to have hearing protection) drachillix. Recommended fire arm please. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-robbed-last-night-please-recommend-a-security-system/723393/33 "2015-06-25T12:25:05Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > I’d also suggest taking a “planned failure” approach. This means that if whatever security measures you come up with fail, the damage will be minimal. Ex. put valuables in a safe. Inventory and label items to help police recover them. Urbanredneck Lock Box rental: 5" x 5" x 24" ,600 cu. in. $398.00 annual fee. Is this a reasonable deal? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-robbed-last-night-please-recommend-a-security-system/723393/34 "2015-06-25T12:27:28Z")
> [@Helena330](#): > > Scary! I’m glad nothing serious happened. Be sure to discuss with your landlord if any of these anti-theft devices have to be installed. Can they stay when you move? Or will you have to remove them, possibly leaving some damage and impacting your deposit? > > Our local police department has a gun safety/training program. You might check with yours. > > I know you can’t get dogs, but others might find this useful. A friend of mine has two goofy corgis, who aren’t very big at all and whose mission in life is their endless quest for food. They might be able to bite a kneecap if they tried. But those two dogs sound like they top 100 pounds each when they’re barking. Very deep woofs! Helena330. Our landlord is a Total Prick. But thank you for the tip on the local police. Will check. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-robbed-last-night-please-recommend-a-security-system/723393/35 "2015-06-25T12:28:56Z")
> [@Count\_Blucher](#): > > I can’t disagree more strongly: > > Do. Not. Shoot. The Dog. Count Blucher. Will. not. shoot. The Dog. May. shoot. The. Cat. though …🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Orwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/dfb087/32.png) [@Orwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orwell)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-robbed-last-night-please-recommend-a-security-system/723393/36 "2015-06-25T12:33:57Z")
While I have no problem with either a dog or gun solution, they both have drawbacks. A dog isn’t allowed in your lease, and you might not have a lifestyle that suits owning a dog. A gun is fine when you are home, but doesn’t do a thing when you’re not, other than become part of the loot being stolen. I bought a Simplisafe alarm system last year, and am very pleased with it. Look around on the web and you will see lots of favorable reviews. You can use it either as a monitored system (at a monthly rate much lower than ADT’s), or as an unmonitored system. The base unit has a siren, and you can add additional, louder sirens. It all works wirelessly, so you are not drilling holes into your apartment walls, doors and windows. You can take it with you when you move. The “brains” of the system are not contained in the keypad, so a miscreant smashing the keypad won’t shut off the alarm. You can add all sorts of sensors for doors and windows, motion sensors, smoke alarms, water sensors, etc. I’ve had mine for a year, and we haven’t had a false alarm (or a real alarm!) yet, but I’ve tested it numerous times, and both the door/window sensors and motion sensors work. We ended up not having our system monitored, instead relying on the sirens to scare away anyone who might trip it. So I can’t comment on the monitoring, but it gets good reviews, too. [http://simplisafe.com/feel-safe](http://simplisafe.com/feel-safe) ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-robbed-last-night-please-recommend-a-security-system/723393/37 "2015-06-25T12:34:09Z")
> [@Little\_Pig](#): > > No can buy dog as we rent the house. Also, as an ex-criminal said on TV, “If your dog is cute, we’ll take him too.” Question I had was, “Define Cute.” First off, no they won’t. Second of all, that’s not the point. The point is that a dog would have woken you up. NO ONE, is breaking into my house without my dogs waking me up. If a burglar was at home thinking about breaking into my house, my dogs would already be barking up a storm. There’s been a few times when I’ve thought ‘what was that noise’ in the other room. Then I realized that there’s no possible way a person could have removed the screen, jimmied the lock on the window, opened the window, moved the window dressing (blinds/shades) aside and made their way into the house all without the dogs hearing it. Two dogs that are already looking out the window when I drive down the block on my way home from work (no, they don’t look out the window every time anyone drives down the block), are going to hear someone breaking into the house and since I have terriers they go nucking futs every.single.time someone enters the house. Dogs like these (little yappers) aren’t going to hurt or bite anyone, but they make a lot of noise. Enough noise that it would certainly wake me up and enough noise that I’m confident that as soon as a burglar tried to break into my house and heard them they’d probably just move to the next house. Why break into a house with dogs when they can break into one without them? That reminds me of something my dad said years ago. Back before car alarms were standard on cars but they were becoming popular as an aftermarket item, I heard one blaring in the street and I commented to him ‘does anyone even pay any attention to those anymore?’ to which he responded ‘I don’t know, but there’s probably no one standing next to it right now’. As in, if someone was trying to break into it and that’s why it’s going off, they’ve since left. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-robbed-last-night-please-recommend-a-security-system/723393/38 "2015-06-25T12:36:14Z")
> [@swampspruce](#): > > 120 lb rottweilers can be pretty cute; or 90 lb dobies. Failing that are you wanting a monitored system or something stand alone? My aunt runs a dobie rescue. One day I asked her why her door wasn’t locked and she said something like ‘when you knock and 25 dobermans come running towards the door barking, you’re probably not going to break in’. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-robbed-last-night-please-recommend-a-security-system/723393/39 "2015-06-25T12:38:14Z")
Obviously mounted real or dummy security camera plus real hidden cameras that upload to the cloud and also loop on a micro SD card and or store to a well hidden networked hard drive. It does not sound like the thiefs knew what they were doing, or just were out of their comfort zone coming into your home with the one item taken. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-robbed-last-night-please-recommend-a-security-system/723393/40 "2015-06-25T12:53:22Z")
When the house I used to live in was robbed years ago, I got a security system, but I also took a layered approach; small things that wouldn’t make a huge difference on their own but together served to make it highly inconvenient to rob my house again. I replaced the doors with steel doors and reinforced the deadbolt lock frames because doors are often very easy to kick in; I added motion detector lights; I kept the fence gate to the garage/backyard padlocked at night and when I was at work; I made sure the windows were secure; I replaced the basement windows with glass block; and I added security stickers to most of the windows (which is as important as the security system itself). If your house looks like too much of a pain in the ass to break into, they’ll probably move on to more easy pickings (sorry, neighbors). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-robbed-last-night-please-recommend-a-security-system/723393.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-robbed-last-night-please-recommend-a-security-system/723393.md?page=3)