[InventIt]

Well, this past weekend marked the second time in 2 years we had a theft at the shop. I'm really getting irritated about this. They took about $2000 worth of tools and a dirt bike I had in the garage. Lucky for me they didn't haul off with the cnc!

Of course the police have little to offer. They took a few prints but basically told me not to expect them to recover anything (or find out who did it).

So, I think it's time I made a "mousetrap" and catch the thieves in the act. I looked into video surveillance but the systems are cost prohibitive. Instead, I thought maybe I could put together an old computer and a few cameras around the area on motion detectors. If someone set the motion detector off it would trigger the computer to record the image from the camera. Maybe even have some lighting set to trigger when the camera starts recording.

I know there are some brilliant minds on this forum. Together we could easily outsmart these crooks.

Any ideas how to setup a good security system would be appreciated.

Thanks, Rob

[sbrpollock]

Sorry to hear about that Rob, I know that stuff is frustrating. I grew up in Gary IN but now live out in a small country town (This kind of thing is starting to happen out here now). I worked with a guy recently who still lives in Gary, and I once asked him "How is it you keep from getting robbed and such?". He replied "After the third time I shot someone trying to get in my garage, they started leaving me alone". I'm not sure I recomend shooting three people as a viable solution, but it is kinda fun to fantasize.

I hate to say it, but this might not be the best place for technology either. If you set up cameras they'll just learn to shut the power off to the shop, or get around it some other way. In the end we just end up educating the thieves and creating higher tech criminals. Plus, if you set up cammeras, and IF you get pictures of them in the act, it does NOT guarantee that you will get your stuff back IF and when the cops track them down after the next time they do it. All the cameras do is increase the odds that they will be caught and go to jail AFTER the fact. Don't ask how I know this!

Most of the guys who have shops around where I am now use the "Big Black Dog" solution. Shop dogs. I'm not a Rottwieler or Dobberman kind of guy. A couple of big black Labs will do. They're great with the family and don't eat the neighborhood children. The important thing is that they be RAISE FROM PUPPIES OUT IN THE SHOP. The shop is where thier food bowls are, and the shop is where they sleep. When they mature, you can give them a "doggy door" to get in and out if you want. This has some added benifits too. They'll keep the animals out of the shop, and they'll protect you while you're working late with the door opened and concentrating on what your doing more than who may be walking up the driveway. But, the shop HAS to be thier home for it to work.

You cant beat having some companions out there either.

And best of all, it no longer looks like I'm talking to myself!

[abasir]

Here's something I learnt -- the 4D principle in security; Deter, Delay, Deny & Detect.
I suggest simple deter approach... Dummy CCTV casing with motion-trigger flood lights (possibly coupled to rottwieler barking sound ). If the thief still wants to do it, there really not much you can do to prevent it If you still wants to capture the images, there are some camera with built-in image capture and storage but once the thief knows it's there, he/she'll just rip it apart and adds to your loses!

Taking insurance would probably be the easiest wasy out

[cncadmin]

What was their point of entry? Can you add bars to the windows a bigger lock? Can you plant cactus around the perimeter,or barb wire a fence? Do you have a alarm system now?

[jphagen]

X-10 used to sell a 3 camera system with motion detectors etc. RF feed to vcr module
about 180$. I use one to toggle vcr and TV when they enter the yard..
I have about 2 acres so it works very well.
Except the time they stole the pasture gate?? Have no idea why..

[sendkeys]

I think your best would be a Set of big dogs .

Sharpies make really good guard dogs. If you want to know about them give me a pm

[turmite]

I think your best would be a Set of big dogs .

Sharpies make really good guard dogs. If you want to know about them give me a pm

No no no noooo..Huh uh, no way......now you got to tell all of us about Sharpies! What is a Sharpie?

Mike

[svenakela]

My friend has an alarm and security company and he sells a system that fills the room with really really thick white smoke (but harmless though). The liquide is blown out with a powerful blower and reacts with the moist in the air and I can guarantee you, there is no bloody way to see more than 4 inches!
A pretty large workshop would take a few seconds to "whiten" and if the burglers have x-ray/radar googles they would find the way out - but else...

It's the absolutely funniest alarm add-on, but it works as a charm! Add a sirene to it and anyone would panic.

Cheers,
Sven

[mvaughn]

No no no noooo..Huh uh, no way......now you got to tell all of us about Sharpies! What is a Sharpie?

Mike

Is it possible he meant Shar-pei ?

[InventIt]

Patrick, I know what you mean. My shop is in a small town on an 80 acre farm. You would not think these problems would persist here. My family has been here for generations, we never had these problems until recently. Believe me, if I had the opportunity to shoot at them I WOULD!

Sven, now that is funny! I can picture that.

I like the big dog idea, but there's just no way I could do that here.

[pminmo]

If you just want to capture video, a used laptop that has a USB port, a simple PC camera, and some survalence software. for example: http://www.homewatcher.com/
is algorithm based and stores images when there is a change from the previous image.
http://bobday.vze.com./ is a freebee.

Phil

[turmite]

Is it possible he meant Shar-pei ?

I hadn't thought of that. Hey sendkeys just in case you might have gotton the wrong idea, I really was interested. I was walking on a sidewalk in a town not far from my home on my way to an electric motor shop. BAM! something hits a big plate glass window I am next to and I almost had a heart attack. It was a dog that looked like it was 40" at the front sholders, tan in color and had a head that was huge. It was much more massive than a Great Dane. Anyway I went in the shop and the young lady behind the desk had to go into the next room to make the dog be quite. She said it was some kind of guard dog from Brazil. It is used to capture run-a-way prisoners. I though maybe that was the dog he was referring to.
Mike

[sbrpollock]

"capture run-a-way prisoners"

That gives me an Idea!

Living out in the country or on an eighty acre farm.....Rather than shooting them we could capture and enslave them. Yes, That's it, any time we catch someone breaking into the barn, we could just catch them and shackle them to the lawn mower or the snow blower and get some work out of them!

On second thought I'd probably just have to buy a new lawnmower or snowblower.

Actually I like the Idea Phil pointed out with the pc cameras and the motion sensing software. That sounds as though it could be done very inexpensively and could be manipulated easily to do additional things if desired. Like changing the TV screen to a camera shot when someone is walking up the driveway.

Edited to add:
Now if we could interface that motion sensing software to a CNC controlled, turret mounted shotgun.....or a lazer.....I wonder if anybody's allready working on this?

[sendkeys]

hehe ya i ment sharpei
here are some picture of some you can also get black/grey/white and brown/tan long and short hair.

Shapei were breed for fighting other dogs. They really dont like other animals unless they are raised from a puppy with them or as for other dogs. they must be a puppy so one will learn the other is "the bigger dog" when growing up.So if you want another dog for hem later on it will have to be a puppy or they will fight.

They are very smart. They have a very deep bark so really good at night makes them sound like there 6 foot long.They really dont like people other then there owner/family.THey also have a very very high pain tolerance when dealing with there skin.Guess that helps them fight better. My two love to fight with anything but even so they have Never bite/growled or anything to me or my family (oldest one is now 10).

Why i believe they are good guarddog is,They like to fight but love there owners more then anything and dont "flip out".

[sendkeys]

I She said it was some kind of guard dog from Brazil. It

Ahh sounds like a mastif Maybe it was a bull mastiff? For what im told there nice dogs too There like 10 types of mastifs and they all look different it's very cool. Some day i want to own a Neopolitan mastiff. he is the one that is all blue. Only problem with mastiff is coming up with the 800-1,500 bucks for one sharpei run around 200-400

[sendkeys]

bytheway.... Would a camera system even really help unless you know the person? most breakins i seen are just random people who take something and never come back.
Would the cops even care? would they even take the video ?

What about just a loud alarm "trip ir sensor" type system ? seen alot of them at yardsales for almost nothing. i would just make sure it turns off after 30 mins or so. Dont want to drive anyone crazy when someone forgets to turn the fan off and blows some paper over the sensor :P

I dont think the" ir loud speaker" type system would really help stop people. But i do thiink is would cut there time they want to stay around and pick stuff out that they like

What about some big metal cases with locks .To put the high priced tools into? Could build some or pick some up at a auction Bolt them to the ground or make sure they're to big to put in the truck hehe.would also keep the shop clean

Might also be a good idea to put the bolt cutters in the metal cases rofl hehe

Just somthing to think about goodluck with everything

[JRoque]

People that steal are parasites. They are weak and are not capable of surviving on their own so they take what others have rightfully earned.

...and they should all be shot. How about wiring your shop with 120V to metal stuff like tool boxes, inside metal doors, etc? Releasing tear/poisonous gas instead of sounding a siren would be my preferred method. Leaving a piece of wood with a bunch of rusty nails facing up under windows, etc would also be good - thieves love this stuff.

If all else fails you can always use the old reliable method of dumping a bucket of glue on top of them and a big bag of feathers... followed by a picture.

c-ya,
Julio

[turmite]

InventIt for a real world solution a good fence with razor wire on the top will help. I live out in the country and so far do not have a problem but should the problem arise the first thing I will install is a security fence. My problem is and has always been money and you can very likely install a good camera system much cheaper than a fence.

Now on the "wish" side.......how about a system with infa-red (sp) tracking point a red dot laser that would always keep a red dot on the intruder. Recording comes on and says "This is your first, last and only warning. If you move more than two feet from you current position a .30 cal bullet will replace the red dot on your chest!" :stickpoke

Mike

ps sendkeys it was not a Mastiff. That was my first pick when I ask her the breed of the dog. I will try to contact the shop and find out the name.

[ESjaavik]

If you move more than two feet from you current position a .30 cal bullet will replace the red dot on your chest!"

It may not be legal to use a gun to make holes in people even if they trespass.

But if you leave the chuck keys in all your machines, and make them start at highest RPM when trespassing is detected. Could you be brought to court for that?

[buscht]

When I was a kid, a farmer got tired of having people break in his house and steal stuff. He hooked up a shotgun to the front door. Sure enough, some high school kid broke in and got shot. Guess who went to jail. The farmer!

I don't remember the law exactly, but it was something about using appropriate force. In his case, no one was home so there wasn't a life threatening situation and a gunshot was not appropriate force.

I was at a Target superstore last night waiting on the wife to buy some stuff. I noticed that they had some 90 db magnetic sensors that you hook up to windows or doors. Pretty low tech and they were in the clearance bin 4 for $9.95