Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Pond Boss Security at your weekend cabin / house

Zep & FireisHot mention this in another thread and I was wondering what everyone does about security at remote or weekend properties that have cabins or houses. Our part of Texas seems to be the Meth capitol of E Texas and this something that is really been worrying me. We have installed a security-alarm system and have motion activated lights. What else could we be doing?

Thanks!

Regular yet unscheduled visits (ie..not just weekends)...lawn area being regularly mowed are the best....Hire someone to mow an area and tell them you pop in at odd times and may never be there when they are.

Bushwacker what happens when the alarm goes off?
Does the Sheriff go out there? How long does that usually take?
Can the alarm be re-set remotely? Or do you have to go out there?
Can you get a monitored alarm system in most rural areas?
I might be able to get my neighbor to go check if I had an alarm go off.

I have a battery powered alarm system that uses very little power. It has an internal, and external horns that sound at 165 decibels. Probably can be heard a mile away. Anybody inside would get out quick.

I think the company is called sun, wind, and ???. The company is in Jamestown Ny. The box is at my cabin. I remember it was hard to find something like that on the internet. I think I googled cabin alarms.

Dave,

So its from the same place you are and today is the first day you are on the forum, welcome, tell us about your place and your goals.

But what happens when the alarm goes off and I'm 60 miles away?
How are you notified the alarm is going off?
Who and how is the alarm shut-off and re-armed?
Does an alarm company or Sheriff's office monitor the alarm?

Bushwacker it can almost be impossible to keep someone from stealing that is serious about it.
I use visual warnings at my cabin, with security camera signs, and multiple dummy cameras with flashing lights, also ultrasonic motion alarms and some hidden game cameras, I think it helps keep out most people, but if someone is determined to steal there's not alot you can do to keep them out when you have remote property.

Also looking into adding a motion alarm that has a bright strobe light.

There is a timer that u can set for how long u want it to go off for. It does not notify police, but I have neighbors 1/2 a mile away, and they can hear it. It doesn`t let me know, but neighbors would. It`s so loud nobody would try and stay inside. I have no electric at cabin so I was limited to this. It cost 2- $300, and was pretty easy to install.

The security service calls the sheriff dept & me if the alarm goes off. But I'm 90 minutes away. I am planning to install a web based camera system, but don't have a clue which one. We also have a game camera that is hidden pretty well, it is set up to capture license plates. I have the ability to do limited background checks based on license plates and that has really alarmed me about the people that drive down our road. I have also looked at a system called x-10 that can control lights, tv, radio etc inside the house.

Larry, if you are in the "boonies" hide your entry and view of your cabin in the woody/brushy area with a weathered beatup gate.

Brian does a good job of hiding his entry, but I wouln't leave my gate open except for PBers!
G/

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=313989#Post313989

Larry, I think all rural counties are meth capitols. Montague County is loaded with labs.

Bushwacker...let me know if you run across something you think is worth doing. I am lucky to have a nosey neighbor that lives next door full-time. We allow him to run his donkeys/horses on our property so he watches the place pretty close...it also helps with our AG exemption.

BTW..We lost our part-time caretaker/retired guy who watched our place a little over a week ago to a very sudden pulmonary embolism. Very sad and a big loss...we're gonna sure miss him.

Zep, I am very sorry for your loss. It's not easy losing an old friend.

We are at the end of a 1/8 mile gravel road. There is a security gate with another 100 yard to house. But it would be easy to go around the gate. There is one neighbor on the road. I offered to put in another security gate at the beginning of the road with a remote control entry. But the neighbor didn't like the idea. She likes having her mail brought to her house instead out on the highway.

Right now, I just figure its a question of when not if the house is broken into.

Yeah ya kind of hate to put burglar bars on a country place,
reminds ya too much of the city. I guess there are lots of pieces to the puzzle. Good gates/difficult entry, cameras, alarm system, neighbors, and be smart like bring laptops/i-pads, things you can take with you....basically don't have a whole lot they can steal if they do get in....oh and good insurance.

ps: Thanks Bushwacker...Charlie was one of a kind

Several of my friends use what they call the security system that pays you back. They put in a Septic system near their entrance and a utility pole. Then they find them a younger reliable family that will put their own mobile home on that location. In trade for use of the land they perform some of the duties of a care taker alot cheaper than if you hired them out. It is often a good thing to let them use your equipment to keep up their place as well. These People tend to act pretty well cause they do not want lose the deal they have in place. Also the overhead of having to move their mobile home if someone was to upset you tends to make them keep their friends in check also.

I have been thinking about putting up those "smile your on camera" signs. Do ya'll think these would be any good?

One of benefits of setting up some type of web based camera system would be to put a camera overlooking the pond. It would be pretty niffy to check out the pond while sitting at my desk at lunch!

That's a good idea Tums. That's almost what we had until 10 days ago. This retired guy basically went by our place often...probably every day to just piddle around. He charged us to mow and cut down some dead trees, but he was more or less just thrilled to have something to do.

Bushwacker I've thought the same thing...how cool it would be to have a camera at my front gate and one at the pond that I could watch from work and home. I am sure that day is coming, because a lot of this stuff is really coming down in price.

Mark, friends like that are hard very rear and very special. I am blessed to have a friend or two like that out at our place, they are the greatest. In fact, I could not get the things I get done without them.

Heres to Charlie!!

Oh, and I agree, an IP based system is in my future to see the pond, download data, and keep a watch on the place.

The guy on the place nest to me has one at his deer feeder. It sends a pic to him and also to me. It's sending the pics over an AT&T cell phone line. To control the phone bills, he has an hour wait between pics.

That wouldn't work as a security cam.

That's cool Dave...and it's better than nothing to help watch and see if people are sneaking onto your property. I don't have a house yet, so I think mine would have to be over some kind of phone line to my phone or i-pad. I wonder if they make a remote live streaming camera that works just over cell phones...that doesn't cost and arm and a leg? That being a cost effective option may still be down the line a bit.

Here is an interesting security light with a built in video recorder. Wouldn't prevent anyone from breaking in, but might help in making an arrest.

http://www.spytechs.com/spy_cameras/outdoor-camera-smart-guard.htm

Mark, when we first started the whole farm project we had a neighbor named Paul Ray. He was an alcoholic, and generally worthless. But, he helped us more than words can describe. He knew everybody, and exactly who to contact for help we needed it. Any time he was brought up, people said, "that's just Paul Ray".

I really miss him, and am still sad that alcohol took his life, and kept him from ever being more than he was capable of being. He meant so much more to us than he ever knew.

Sorry about Charlie.

Mark, the problem is that it might take as pic of a bird or deer. The thieves could be in and gone before the next pic. Or, you could run up a big phone bill if set for a quicker duration.

I tried posting this morning but it appears to not be here.
I have a "Smile" sign and 8 cameras around the house and property that record everything on a digital recorder for months. It can also notify you if something triggers any camera. They are very affordable now. Look around for zmodo complete outfits.
I also have a farm gate at the end of my drive with a solar powered gate opener. For about $1100 it solves the power problem for the opener and because it is solar, it qualifies for a 30% federal tax credit. I found a coupon somewhere online for a discount on this unit.
http://www.automaticgatedepot.net/sentry-300-s-exclusive-package/

sean