Alarms and Diversions

Evening all, just been reading this thread with just a hint of concern. Use lights, very spiky plants and make "safe" noises to scare the herberts away. Please do not think of pyrotechnics of any sort, it will end in tears. Your local Constabulary will take a very dim view of such devices (trust me, I am a CSI) **LINK** If they have decided to come in you will not keep them out. Make entry as difficult as possible and hope they break into next door's shed instead - harsh but that is where society is at present. P.S. Make sure the hinge side of the door is as secure as the lock side. So easy to snap wood at the hinges and leave the expensive bullet proof padlock in place. Also secure the roof firmly, on most sheds these pull up and off with minimal effort!. Sorry to be so gloomy so early in the New Year,all the best. David

Currently thinking about something very simple. Remote webcam + running motion detection s/w. On detecting motion, system sends SMS to relevant people and transmits photo's of the "motion" detected.

Even if you don't intercept the villains, you will have pics for the Police so they can do their thing.

This can be done very cheaply now.

Steve

Hi, I had the ultimate deterant in a small shed that I have, this summer just gone, it was so good that even I decided not to go in and I have the key to the padlock. As I started to unlock it one day. I noticed a few wasps flying about, which within a moment became a bit of a swam. I very quickly decided that whtever it was I was looking for, it was tough luck if it was in there and I'd have to do without or find something else. Turns out when I looked in there the other day, that there were two rather large nests inside. Wasps all gone now of course and the nests cleared out.

Regards Nick.

Yes, Nick I keep finding wasps nests in strange places, seems only take a few days to start building. On a more serious note- I would guess that a lot of members on the forum have a bit of land or a big garden. If so get geese, 2 females and a gander are the best alarm and most people, even the head banging hard nuts, will not go near them. A gander guarding the nest will go for a dog or fox. Bonus could be a small extra income in eggs and goslings as well as free xmas dinner. BTW this is a serious sugestion

Good morning David, the latter part of your advice is very sound and actually, as creative people, we can easily fabricate bolts that go into the door jamb on the hinge side and then into pockets on the door itself, this way even if the hinges were ground or cut off the door would not open.

However, I am a bit concerned at the link you posted to the BBC website highlighting the case of three men who were charged with manufacturing a firearm.

This case ended with aquital of all three defendants. In my opinion, having a little knowledge of the case, the problem here was not only did the defendants (well, one of them anyway) actually place the shotgun blank into a tube (very bad idea) but that he actually used a shotgun cartridge and not a blank bought "off the shelf".

The difference was between a charge of "Manufacturing a Firearm" or using a Signalling Device - Poles apart. The type of signalling device being copied was the one sold by Henry Krank as shown. Also on Amazon UK if you do a quick search for Alarm Mine.

Sorry to be pedantic but I try to stick to the facts and the British Bonking Corporation report fewer and fewer of these as the weeks go by - facts that is. I am certain they only reported the "Harrowing Story" as opposed to the full story. What were these boys doing on the property? Not once but by their own admission multiple times? Were they charged with anything? (the answer is no by the way) Were they "given advice"? No, But God Forbid a homeowner tries to repel an intruder. We have a serious attitude problem in this country and those people we the taxpayer pay to do our bidding and keep us safe are no longer value for money. That is not a whinge, it is a fact sadly.