Securing your workshop

[Fergie 307]

I've wondered about a loud as hell horn that simply operates on the door opening. Needs to be unlocked with a beeper like your car before you open the door.

Deafen the *****.

Only problem then is they have probably already wrecked your door!
My pirs are fitted behind the featherboards. The only thing you can see is a slot about 10mm high and 50mm wide, these are positioned under the wide part at the bottom of the board above. They are virtually invisible but each has a field of view of about 30 degrees side to side, and a range of about 12-15 feet. They will only detect something that's between roughly 4 and 5 feet off the ground, so the dogs, Muntjac etc don't set them off. These protect the side accessible from my neighbour's garden, the rest is protected by beams. As I say the beauty is that however you approach the building you can't get right up to it without setting off the alarm, so hopefully they piss off before doing any damage, and without knowing why or how they set it off.

 

[DBT85]

Any pics @Fergie 307 or links to the products?

 

[Davey44]

Well, after building my workshop over the past few months and sorting out all my tools (with a french cleat system), it seems I turned it into a veritable palace for some thieving b******s who broke in last night. Seven power tools were taken and I'm now looking at beefing up the security (was a single padlock on hasp) and keen to take any advice to prevent this happening again when I replace the tools.

So far this morning I've ordered an alarm and an extra door defender to block the double doors to the front.

Any tips/ideas welcome - I'm contemplating leaving my german shepherd in there overnight tonight in case they decide to return for more of my tools.

Hello Martin. So sorry to hear of your losses. I would say what I think and feel about such people, but it might offend some if I used the language they deserve. Since we'd been burgled twice within 5 years I bought and installed a full intruder alarm system. It wasn't inexpensive, but since we haven't had any attempts to enter since I installed it, it was worth it. A few years ago I upgraded the system and used the (now spare) external siren system on show in one of the higher windows in the workshop. It's a soler-recharged unit so it gets recharged when there's sufficient light, so it's pretty well maintenance free. With that, a powerful intruder light unit installed so that it shines over the door when triggered and a 5 lever mortise lock, I have never had any kind of issues!

Based on my experience, the most important things to achieve are DISCOURAGEMENT and DELAY.

If potential house (or shed) breakers can see something that looks as if it might advertise their presence as soon as they get close they're far less likely to spend very long there. That relates to intruder lights and obvious alarm systems.

Delaying them can also make them decide not to bother. There are almost always richer and easier pickings elsewhere. So, the use of steel bars bolted across any doors which the thieves think they could open, and secured either with a mortise lock or a substantial padlock through the eyes of the steel bars will certainly make them think twice. Reinforcing the areas around any fixed locks, such as steel plate bolted through the door or the shed itself is always a way of making life difficult for them. BTW., I say this as a resident of what is considered a 'pleasant part of the city'. Crime stats though tell a different tale! All the best mate!

 

[Spectric]

A simple solution for everyone would be for the UK to bring in the right to defend your property like the Americans have, then you could use real deterents which not only protect your property but could also prevent the scum reoffending, much harder for them with fingers and bits missing.

 

[Fergie 307]

Dorton003 sells some good beam based kits on e bay. Only link being as a satisfied customer. You can use pir etc with his kits, just so long as your sensors can send +12v back to the board. Most pir actually switch the negative so I had to put in a relay to give the correct output. Be aware that if you want to use a big horn as I have then you will need to use the siren output from the board to fire a relay to the horn, as it draws too much power for the board output. That also applies to most house alarm boards, they will generally only support the relatively weedy siren that comes in your typical bell box. The horn is powered by its own 20amp 12v supply, switched by the relay. If you use beams you need to think where you will put them. Always have the receiver on the building, and ideally positioned so you can't get to it without breaking the beam. The receiver will fire as soon as the beam from the transmitter is interrupted, either because someone breaks the beam, or If someone smashes the transmitter in an effort to disable it. Davey is quite right, if you use powerful pir activated flood lights, this will put most casual burglars off.

 

[Davey44]

A simple solution for everyone would be for the UK to bring in the right to defend your property like the Americans have, then you could use real deterents which not only protect your property but could also prevent the scum reoffending, much harder for them with fingers and bits missing.

It does rather make you feel that way doesn't it Spectric? Anyone who enters someone's premises (house, garden, garage, shed, workshop) deserves to get a salutary experience with a fit householder encouraging them to leave quickly, or better still being detained until the 999 wallers turn up to take them into custody.

 

[DBT85]

A simple solution for everyone would be for the UK to bring in the right to defend your property like the Americans have, then you could use real deterents which not only protect your property but could also prevent the scum reoffending, much harder for them with fingers and bits missing.

As long as you make sure that when you chop their fingers off it was just the heat of the moment you're fine.

In reality if you confront an intruder with a baseball bat they are going to leg it. We don't want to descend into the idiocy that is the USA where everyone sleeps with a gun in their kids sock drawer.

 

[Davey44]

As long as you make sure that when you chop their fingers off it was just the heat of the moment you're fine.

In reality if you confront an intruder with a baseball bat they are going to leg it. We don't want to descend into the idiocy that is the USA where everyone sleeps with a gun in their kids sock drawer.

Agreed about not wanting the UK to get anything like the USA. Mind you, not all of the population is quite as mad as those who promote the use of firearms, are they?

 

[DBT85]

Agreed about not wanting the UK to get anything like the USA. Mind you, not all of the population is quite as mad as those who promote the use of firearms, are they?

Not all of them are no. Though there is a gap between promoting use of firearms and walking around asda with an AK round your neck.

A lot of folk there just want to own guns.

 

[Davey44]

Quite true DBT85. Maybe it's something like 'male jewellery' for them? However, in that case how does one account for the female variety? Rhetorical question.

Yes, I'm sure you're right about wanting to own guns! So did I when I was 15, but I grew out of it!

 

[kinverkid]

You may want to look at sound bombs. You will need to look at the domestic versions and when and where you can use them They give out an ear piercing scream which is unbearable especially to younger people. As far as CCTV is concerned you want it hidden and low, around 1.7m. A PIR just above the camera will not only have the perisher look to move the light but should give you a better picture of him. The camera is only there to catch his image though. Never think of them as deterrents. He'll be Nike'd up in a hoodie and baseball cap in case there are cameras. An alarm of sorts does sound like a good idea but it looks like previous commenters have some good advice worth looking into.

 

[stevek]

On a low tech note, is anyone using one of the the cheap ebay alarms? there are pages of them but really only about 3 or 4 types, I bought the Defender one because it had a vibration sensor that would set it off if the door was shaken, and it all looked good in the photo but was a disapointing bit of cheap junk, and within a few days the siren which always went off before it could be keypad disabled turned into a pathetic squeek,,so I got a refund.
I had previously been using one of the Alarm Padlocks which our local council was selling and I have to say that it seemed good, beeped if if disturbded and was a reasonably loud siren if touched again, it lasted a couple of years befor the electronics gave up,,but I liked it because it would warn intruders off before damage was done. All I can see are either magnetic contact door alarms, which require the door to open, or the PIR type which would not go off untill they had broken in,,,Im also concerned that these pir jobs might be set off by spiders and the like..anyone got any ideas on what works?
I have been thinking of trying to create a trip wire type of thing, say just a bit back from the door so that it would be pulled by somone going towards the door and set off,,
Steve.

 

[Fergie 307]

We used to make something like that as kids. Wooden spring type clothes peg with drawing pins pushed into each side of the jaws. Get a piece of plastic, I used to use my dad's plant labels, and tie it to a piece of fishing line. Connect your drawing pins to a battery powered sounder so it works when the contacts are together. Now put the plastic between the jaws and tie the end of the line to something. If someone trips over it and pulls the plastic out viola. You could easily make something a little more sophisticated, but simple and it works.

 

[DiyAddict]

Don't put your dog in there if he's used to sleeping in the house. It's likely to cause him a great deal of stress and you'd have to do it for months to be effective. There's also the possibility the thieves could harm him. I'm sure you'd rather lose the tools than have anything happen to him.

 

[jcassidy]

A simple solution for everyone would be for the UK to bring in the right to defend your property like the Americans have, then you could use real deterents which not only protect your property but could also prevent the scum reoffending, much harder for them with fingers and bits missing.

So I train people in self defence (Krav Maga, mainly, with a bit of BJJ and Jeet Kune Do) and we always ask in the first class of the foundation course; what things are you willing to kill someone for?

Unsurprisingly, very few list cars, money, or any other possessions. Never mind spilt pints or a disrespectful slur. Its always things like kids, partners, etc.*

So yes, it's easy to say 'oh if only we could inflict violence on these thieving scumbags' yet the question is, and always has been, would you kill someone for your tools? For your car?

Because you can't inflict just a little violence and stop. Any violence has the likelihood of death and we as a social animal have profound legal, moral, and psychological barriers against murder, otherwise society wouldn't work.

The point.of the lesson being, decide now, calmly and logically, what exactly you would kill for, with all the consequences that ensue. And screw everything else.

That way, you don't have to try to think about it when some scrote is stealing your car, or wants your wallet, or is in your house at 4am. You just have to do what you have already decided to do.

*Edit: there are of course people who would kill over a car, but we don't train those people. You can usually find them down at the local MMA gym...

 

[stevek]

We used to make something like that as kids. Wooden spring type clothes peg with drawing pins pushed into each side of the jaws. Get a piece of plastic, I used to use my dad's plant labels, and tie it to a piece of fishing line. Connect your drawing pins to a battery powered sounder so it works when the contacts are together. Now put the plastic between the jaws and tie the end of the line to something. If someone trips over it and pulls the plastic out viola. You could easily make something a little more sophisticated, but simple and it works.

Many thanks Fergie, yes thats the sort of thing, because its outside I would have to considder things catching it, but if set up at say waist height at least it wouldnt be set off by the dog or stray cats,,

 

[Valhalla]

Buy a shotgun and a rocking chair and wait...........

 

[Inspector]

You guys don't have bears so bear spray is probably a little hard to come by. Be nice if it could be set to go off when near the door or window.

It was said earlier that electricity can't be used. Does that mean you don't have electric fences to keep livestock in a pasture? It is an unpleasant jolt but doesn't kill. A metal door in a plastic frame would keep all but Frankensteins monster from opening it. The neighbours dog will only pee on it once.

Kidding aside. Strong doors and widows along with good alarms and cameras are about all you can do.

 

[Sachakins]

This sort of detector, multi beam, requires at least two beams to be interrupted to trigger alarm.
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07SNTKJB3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_05E74EG41Z7CGGGKACYK

 

[Jonm]

I have a garage/workshop. When building it I gave some thought to what would happen if I had a fire whilst working inside. As a consequence I placed the small side door accordingly, which was not in the most convenient position for use.

So if you have more than one door it would be worth considering what happens if you need to get out in a hurry. Super secure external bars, still in place would not be good.

I may be over cautious but it is just something to consider.