Security people coming by my house

Cherokeekid88

Cherokeekid88

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2007
Location
High Point, NC
We moved in our house about two months ago and we have had a few people from ADT and Honeywell come by to see if we were interested in a security system. Well tonight, guy came by at about 7:30 from Honeywell....and was giving me all these statistics about break ins and what not. Asked me how many back doors we had in which I told him I didn't feel comfortable giving him that info. I sent him on his way with a "no thanks I'm not interested"

Here is my questions...you guys have security systems? I really don't want another monthly bill and we have guns in the house and a pit in the house who is very protective of us, but I know during the day while we are at work, none of that matters.

Thought about getting a sign to put in the front yard and some stickers to put on the windows. Thoughts?
 
Awhile back we had an ADT guy come by. I asked him if I could just pay him $50 for the sign and stickers.
He was adamant about the fact that they don't do that, it's key to protecting their name and reputation.
Told him to forget it.

A while later, I was traveling a lot and wife really wanted one, so we got ADT.
After a few months we cancelled. Kept the signs and stickers.
So it panned out in the end....
 
I think the dog will deter most theives if it barks at strangers, and signs won't hurt, "Beware of Dog" signs work well as do ficticious local security signs. I had a CPI sign in the front yard for many years. I've also always had at least 1 or 2 running cars/trucks parked at home while nobody was home and i'm sure that helped keep theives away, especially when my Toyota was camo'd for 10 years and I would move it at least once a week to a different spot. I had a sign on the backdoor of one scetchy place we rented that read " There is nothing here worth your life " and an image of a large pistol.
 
Our pit is not a barker, but when she hears anything outside near the house. She jumps up out of bed and gallops downstairs and lets out this crazy deep growl/bark...scares the shit outta me. I think I might load up on some signage. Just wish I knew of a place where I could go and get some..I hate ordering stuff like that online and hen get it and it's not the real deal.

Anyone have any extra signs?
 
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My dogs are huge and bark alot at anyone who comes in the yard or to the door, hell they bark at me sometimes when I come home and I praise them for it. Fix a front window so the dog can look out it and show itself to potential theives. Also works well to send solicitors back down the driveway before reaching the door!!

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Can't beat dogs that love your kids like their own....but when the pizza man rings the door bell...he quickly gets back in his car. The white one is my pride and joy Holly. The fawn is our puppy Chowder. (im still working with her)
 
We have had a security system for 11 years now, since we built this house. It's from a local area company (with a good rep), not one of the national deals. Twenty five a month has been real good peace of mind, since we travel a lot.

Yep, we've paid $3300 total in monthly fees since we put it in (no install fee, monthly contract fee), but it's nice being gone and knowing things are OK at the house. I think it paid for itself the first month we had it...got a call it went off, one of the workers from our builder had kept a key after the final locks were put in, and he came back "to check the lights", so he said. My neighbor heard alarm and held him, luckily cops showed up at same time I did.

Having the monitored fire alarm is a good benefit to. We get a discount on our homeowners that helps offset the annual expense.

It's separate from my alarm system, but I also self-installed an autodialer tied into flood sensors. Have a sensor in each bath, under the washing machine, fridge, and dishwasher. If there is a leak, I get a call to my cell and my wife's cell immediately. It also calls if there is a power failure, and power is off for more than 15 minutes. That way, especially if we are gone, we know when an outage starts, and to keep an eye on how long the fridge/freezers go without power.

I'm not paranoid....just ready.

EDIT: I got security cameras too....in shop and house. When we are on vacation, (dogs not in house) I set them up so they email me if they detect motion, and record to PC.

Maybe I am paranoid after all.
 
The house I live in is on a street with 4 houses. Me and my roommate both have many guns, one neighbor is a cop another is a marine... Caught a guy casing out all of houses circling each one real slow... I walked out with an ar then both neighbors came out with guns. Guy ran we got in car and fallowed him till cops got him had 5 Warrants for his arrest for b&e security systems might be worth it never know who is watching your house.
 
One more thing...if you do put in a system, look it over very carefully with a criminal's eye after the install. Think about how you can beat the system. I can get by 90% of residential installs in just a few minutes because it seems they all make the same mistake/shortcut.
 
kaiser715 said:
We have had a security system for 11 years now, since we built this house. It's from a local area company (with a good rep), not one of the national deals. Twenty five a month has been real good peace of mind, since we travel a lot.

Yep, we've paid $3300 total in monthly fees since we put it in (no install fee, monthly contract fee), but it's nice being gone and knowing things are OK at the house. I think it paid for itself the first month we had it...got a call it went off, one of the workers from our builder had kept a key after the final locks were put in, and he came back "to check the lights", so he said. My neighbor heard alarm and held him, luckily cops showed up at same time I did.

Having the monitored fire alarm is a good benefit to. We get a discount on our homeowners that helps offset the annual expense.

It's separate from my alarm system, but I also self-installed an autodialer tied into flood sensors. Have a sensor in each bath, under the washing machine, fridge, and dishwasher. If there is a leak, I get a call to my cell and my wife's cell immediately. It also calls if there is a power failure, and power is off for more than 15 minutes. That way, especially if we are gone, we know when an outage starts, and to keep an eye on how long the fridge/freezers go without power.

I'm not paranoid....just ready.

EDIT: I got security cameras too....in shop and house. When we are on vacation, (dogs not in house) I set them up so they email me if they detect motion, and record to PC.

Maybe I am paranoid after all.
Click to expand...
Sounds paranoid. I like it!
 
I'll put on my ''snowden'' hat here..and leak a lil' info. This is some crazy info I am about to tell you guys.

Back in the mid 90's I thought I could get rich selling adt alarms. Actually the hardware and installs were free and monitoring was around 35/mo. I made 225.00 for each monitored install I sold. After I ran out of family and friends to sale to, the leads slowed down and the the newness wore off and it was time for door to door,cold calls, and looking at papers for reported break ins. (not my cup-o-tea)

One day, at the sales office, the boss told me to look through old files, contact the folks and ask if they were satisfied with their service. Which was just a ''beat around the bush'' way of asking for new leads.

*the scary part* Each file contained the pass word and security codes to every install this particular company serviced. AND the S.S. numbers of the purchaser. ( you had to pass credit check for free install)

* the even scarier part* It was common practice for sale reps to dig through these unlocked files in search of possible new leads from past customers.

I could not believe my eyes! That gig only lasted a month or so and I went back to real work. I just thought that was a lot of secret info to be in a file cabinet beside the door to the break room.
 
I am a well armed stay at home dad with almost too many cars to keep track of another bonus to my location is that my house is about 100 yards from the highway with no other homes on my driveway so if you come down it you better be invited. I always answer the door with a gun in hand I have had three incidents of unanounced unknown people coming to my house midday.the first was a (beggar) im sure he was looking for shit to steal but knocked on the door to see if anyone was home I quickly sent him on the way casually letting him know I was armed.the second time two guys with guns knocked on my door they heard me run through the house both set their guns on the ground to there surprise I came out the door very aggressivly with ak47 turns out they were tracking a bear and wanted permission to cross my property. The third was some old man with a busted looking moving van with a weak story about trying to deliver some furniture to an address that he couldn't find but it was no where near my house im pretty sure he had a van full of homeboys about to do some breaking and entering.another night I was having a small gettogether at my house and a random truck pulled up to my house by the time the poor kid got to my front door I had six armed dudes standing on the porch wondering what his deal was as soon as he walked he said(I think I have the wrong house)I said yes you do how can I help you I guess my next door neighbour a preacher was having a church dinner party oops.my point is my situation doesn't require a security system but the bad guys are out there even in the country so take whatever steps you need to for peace of mind
 
I remember when breakins almost never happened in the country. Now it happens all the time and the best security systems do'nt deter many theives cause they know they can get in set off the alarm, grab what they want and be long gone before a deputy arrives. I spoke a while back about a miday breakin, at the corner of my street. These guys were sophisticated, had a van w some company name on it and one guy drove the van while 2 others went door to door claiming to be selling/installing HOME SECURITY SYSTEMS!!! The deputy told me they had hit alot of homes in the area,recently but had not been caught, and that they move from town to town to avoid being caught. I think a good secure safe or cleverly hiding valuables is a better deterant than any security sys. hidden/secret caches in floors, walls, etc. are good ideas too, the crooks want to get in and out quick and likely are'nt gonna spend a long time searching for well hidden items.
 
Our new house is about 600 feet from the road, and not visible from the road. We are getting a security system including cameras from a local secutity company.
 
I (along with at least a few others here) spent more than my fair share of time in the electronic "security" industry.

1- Glad you have a dog. If a guy breaks in your house there is somewhere north of a 70% chance he has a gun. He is already B&E...do you think he will hesitate to kill your dog?
2- Security system will help more when you are not home than when you are.
3- Good system design costs more than most are willing to spend
4- The only thing these companies sell is peace of mind, not security. They will tell you this


That said I do not have an alarm system and never have had one I paid for.

But...

Dylan W. said:
I'll put on my ''snowden'' hat here..and leak a lil' info. This is some crazy info I am about to tell you guys.

Back in the mid 90's I thought I could get rich selling adt alarms. Actually the hardware and installs were free and monitoring was around 35/mo. I made 225.00 for each monitored install I sold. After I ran out of family and friends to sale to, the leads slowed down and the the newness wore off and it was time for door to door,cold calls, and looking at papers for reported break ins. (not my cup-o-tea)

One day, at the sales office, the boss told me to look through old files, contact the folks and ask if they were satisfied with their service. Which was just a ''beat around the bush'' way of asking for new leads.

*the scary part* Each file contained the pass word and security codes to every install this particular company serviced. AND the S.S. numbers of the purchaser. ( you had to pass credit check for free install)

* the even scarier part* It was common practice for sale reps to dig through these unlocked files in search of possible new leads from past customers.

I could not believe my eyes! That gig only lasted a month or so and I went back to real work. I just thought that was a lot of secret info to be in a file cabinet beside the door to the break room.
Click to expand...


Dylan, if you have an axe to grind and can prove that story then you could costs some folks their alarm license.
1- Master Code (4 digit pin) can not be stored by installing company (even the electronic snapshot has to encode this)
2- Verbal pass code has to be kept locked and unaccessible to not monitoring personnel. (Though to be fair this is frequently violated)
3- Anyone storing SSN is a dumbass.

All 3 of the above violate NBFAA guidelines and in NC would result in revokation of your alarm license.
 
If you have neighbors that are close make friends with them. You'd be surprised what they might see happen in your neighborhood. Besides most people wouldn't mind keeping an eye on your stuff if you do the same. That is to say they are honest like you.
 
Our next door neighbors have been leaving in their house for about 20 years and said that they have only had one break in and it was my house about 3 years ago. Some kids from the high school came and broke in the back door and stole a couple things and left. All in all, I feel its a safe neighborhood and there are some retired folks around my area and people who work 3rd shift, so I feel pretty safe but still doesn't mean anything.
Not really able to make friends with our next door neighbors though....we have only been in the house 2 months and already having problems with them. They let there dog run free with no leash and come a pee and chit in our yard, we have asked them many times to stop but just the other night, I walk out my back door to my back yard and I hear a whistle from next door and a little white dog running accross our yard....
 
1st time that dog runs loose, catch it and take it to the local animal shelter
2nd time, take it to the animal shelter, without tags
3rd time, animal shelter in the next county over
problem solved
 
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