A Question of Security.

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ga. prime

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Suppose a couple of houses and equipment shelters, etc. had an open driveway to a seldom traveled dirt road for years and years and years with no problem of theft or vandalism. Someone always living there. In and out, but living and residing there. Now, due to circumstances, suppose no one is living or residing there except for five or six days of the week or less. Would it be prudent to build a fence and locked gate at the driveway entrance, or would that be a signal that no one is there and consequently an invition for a break in?
 
Good fences make good neighbors. And a good gate with a lock on it help, too. I don't think it is anything but good sense. It is just too tempting for some folks. We had an incident recently where a car was stopping in front of houses and roads to barns kinda checking them out. It happened several times until one of my neighbor's took off after him and called the cops once they got into town. He is a known drug dealer and although he got a citation because he had expired dealer plates on his car, there was nothing that could be done about the other. BUT, law enforcement is now aware of what is going on, and better yet, we know where the little sucker lives. No one has seen him around, but you can bet that if anything goes missing we will know where to look first.
 
We have a entrance gate to our property. We usually keep it closed 24/7 and only lock up when we are not home. We do have a burglar alarm system as well. I think it is a good policy.
Tom.
 
ga. prime":3p60iaxi said:
or would that be a signal that no one is there and consequently an invition for a break in?

My thinking is that being there has been no fence or gate for so long, that putting one in now would be a "signal" that something has changed and that perhaps no one is around anymore.

If someone wants to break-in and steal, they will do so with or without gates and locks. Gates and locks do help, but a determined criminal will do it anyway.

On the other hand, a couple of years ago we starting locking our 'shop' building 'just in case'. We never had any problems and still don't, but we liked the 'feeling' of security.

Katherine
 
kerley":1abs8hbt said:
We have a entrance gate to our property. We usually keep it closed 24/7 and only lock up when we are not home. We do have a burglar alarm system as well. I think it is a good policy.
Tom.

We have a gated entrance, too, with an electic gate. It makes me feel a little safer even though I know that it is more for show than anything, if someone really wanted to get in. We live on a busy road, too, so it cuts down on the "idiot in the driveway" factor.
 
We also have a electric gate that runs off a deep cell RV battery with a charger in the gate box. We installed it about three years ago after the meth heads hit our house for the second time and our barn for the too many time. The gate is opened by remote in the car, since we put it in... not one problem (knock, knock, knock on wood). I'm not really sorry about this, but my theory is to make it easier to break into someone else's place, not mine. With a gate there is no quick easy exit. As far as throwing up a sign to the low life with a new gate... I don't thinks so, they will go somewhere easier. The meth head scum that got us first was simply going around asking about a "lost dog".... no one answered the door he was in.

JMO,
Alan
 
I think a gate is a good thing but I also think a well groomed and maintained entrance is a good deterrant as well. The appearance itself can deter a lot of things.
 
Jogeephus":24k9zawl said:
I think a gate is a good thing but I also think a well groomed and maintained entrance is a good deterrant as well. The appearance itself can deter a lot of things.

I went the other way... I have cleverly camouflaged my place to look like an abandoned land fill, All the rusty old implements, trucks, and other junk, The crooks think there is nothing worth stealing...

Most folks don't see the brilliance of this plan :cowboy:
 
Orerancher":20er3dhd said:
Jogeephus":20er3dhd said:
I think a gate is a good thing but I also think a well groomed and maintained entrance is a good deterrant as well. The appearance itself can deter a lot of things.

I went the other way... I have cleverly camouflaged my place to look like an abandoned land fill, All the rusty old implements, trucks, and other junk, The crooks think there is nothing worth stealing...

Most folks don't see the brilliance of this plan :cowboy:

With high scrap metal prices that would get you in trouble here. It would draw them like flies. Some of the people who have come up to the farm wanting to haul off metal have made me very uncomfortable especially when I see their prison tatts.
 
Interesting comments. I think a gate is a good thing in the long run, but an attention grabber initially.
 
Might depend on how far a thief would carry stolen property to the vehicle. If he had to park on the road he might attract attention from neighbors or a passing deputy sheriff. Around here they are lazy.
Tom
 
Workinonit Farm":1bo9hsyr said:
ga. prime":1bo9hsyr said:
or would that be a signal that no one is there and consequently an invition for a break in?

My thinking is that being there has been no fence or gate for so long, that putting one in now would be a "signal" that something has changed and that perhaps no one is around anymore.

If someone wants to break-in and steal, they will do so with or without gates and locks. Gates and locks do help, but a determined criminal will do it anyway.

On the other hand, a couple of years ago we starting locking our 'shop' building 'just in case'. We never had any problems and still don't, but we liked the 'feeling' of security.

Katherine

I agree if I closed the gate to the house it would be a red flag. When we are gone I ask the neighbor to drive in so there is fresh tracks in the road. The best security system is a Model 97 with Double Ought Buck, the others just make you feel good.
 
Caustic Burno":tnh4belh said:
The best security system is a Model 97 with Double Ought Buck, the others just make you feel good.

True, but GP was talking about a place that's unoccupied part of the time. A shotgun won't do much good if there's no one home to use it.
 
thats when having a reputation for being crazy and trigger happy comes in handy. i would know.
 
VanC":1sbxrahv said:
Caustic Burno":1sbxrahv said:
The best security system is a Model 97 with Double Ought Buck, the others just make you feel good.

True, but GP was talking about a place that's unoccupied part of the time. A shotgun won't do much good if there's no one home to use it.

That was my point nothing else will do any good either, just makes you feel good when you leave.
 
you need a gate like my Dads. Went there this morning to go to the barn, grabed a hold of the lock on the gate and got a shocking surprise!!! There is a short some where and it on its running the gate. Needless to say I didn't touch it anymore and went to another gate.
 
kerley":1w50mptj said:
We have a entrance gate to our property. We usually keep it closed 24/7 and only lock up when we are not home. We do have a burglar alarm system as well. I think it is a good policy.
Tom.


yep..thats the way we do it...nobodyaround and nothing to stop em otherwise

on the brite side criminals are lazy and wont drive from town..its almost always someone close by that does ya in...seen it more than once
 
About three years ago we had someone going around opening gates and letting cattle out.
Started putting locks on all gates by the roads.
Neighbor had ,I think three cows hit out on the HWY.

Cal
 
hang baskets of silk flowers from the porch . Put out big dogfood and water bowls by the porch. Hang windchimes and whirlagigs.
Anything to "show" it's lived in.
 

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