Carelessness cost me...I got hit...

Fastb

Known around here
Joined
Feb 9, 2016
Messages
1,342
Reaction score
934
Location
Seattle, Wa
I am going to experiment with some type of PIRs
Look into {PIR + Microwave}
They have very few false alarms. And the dual technology is better than just Passive Infra Red.
I use the Bosch OD850f1, and am pleased.
Intruder Test: External Space Detection - Benchmark

You can use an electric sprinkler solenoid as your alarm output. Wire it to a relay/timer.
LOL!
I had deer chowing down in my garden.
I took a normal PIR driveway light. I tapped into the power line to the floodlight sockets, and wired it to a regular outdoor junction box, and used an outlet.
I grabbed a dishwasher solenoid. (or washing machine water solenoid? Doesn't make a difference.)
I put an AC plug on the solenoid, and plugged into the outlet.
I plugged a boom box into the same outlet.
I plugged a cheap clip-on fan into the outlet. On the fan, I attached those mylar streamers used to keep crows from a garden.
The outlet of the water valve solenoid went through a garden hose to a couple of sprinklers. One had a spinning diverter which was noisy.
Total cost: maybe $15

The Deer Trap:
When the deer visited in the dawn/dusk hours, they'd trip the PIR.
  • The floodlight would come on.
  • The water would start spraying, noisily.
  • The boom box would blare Rock & Roll. (Deer hate R&R, they prefer Classical)
  • The fan would make the multi-colored mylar strips blow like carzy.
I wish I had my camera system back then! I never witnessed its effectiveness.
The deer stopped chomping in our garden!
And wifey had new-found respect for my geekiness, salvaging parts (me: "this solenoid might come in handy someday") and my work to save her garden.

Fastb
 

Fastb

Known around here
Joined
Feb 9, 2016
Messages
1,342
Reaction score
934
Location
Seattle, Wa
I am going to experiment with some type of PIRs and Audio speaker.
ChooChooman,
Deterrence is preferred.
a) Avoid the crime in the first place, vs
b) using video footage to solve the crime after the fact (with uninterested LEO).

I used a deterrence approach to help a Gen'l Contractor.
If someone was detected on the job site, then immediately.
  • Strobe lights.
  • Sirens (local laws apply)
  • Flood lights.

I found a device that would issue warnings over a speaker.
Audio FX Mini Sound Board - WAV/OGG Trigger - 2MB Flash

It's an inexpensive widget, for hobbyists, frequently used by folks to startle their young Halloween visitors.

You can record multiple sound clips. They're played by random when the "trigger" input signal is activated.
ie: trip a sensor, the widget announces your custom message, eg:
- "You're being recorded",
- "My neighbor shot the last thief",
- "the police are on the way",
- "Boris Karloff is watching"
- etc.

Have fun,
Fastb
 
As an Amazon Associate IPCamTalk earns from qualifying purchases.

ChooChooman74

Getting the hang of it
Joined
Jan 20, 2017
Messages
129
Reaction score
83
Location
Tiverton, RI
Just want to give everyone a little update. My social media campaign seemed to work. Police are setting up to grab a suspect. I have been in constant contact with the detectives (which they admit, love my Starlights). Here are some pics of the suspect from his Facebook account.


This one appears to have the identical hat on.


Just look at how he does his lips.


Same shoes, although looks like different laces.
 

jcc

n3wb
Joined
Mar 12, 2018
Messages
19
Reaction score
8
Just want to give everyone a little update. My social media campaign seemed to work. Police are setting up to grab a suspect. I have been in constant contact with the detectives (which they admit, love my Starlights). Here are some pics of the suspect from his Facebook account.


This one appears to have the identical hat on.


Just look at how he does his lips.


Same shoes, although looks like different laces.
A victory for us: cameras do work, after all...
 

Firefighter

Getting comfortable
Joined
Jun 18, 2014
Messages
206
Reaction score
305
Awesome, Glad to hear some positive news.

I've considered a higher mm lens aimed between our cars on top of the regular overall coverage of the parking area just for this reason. :/
 
Joined
Apr 21, 2014
Messages
12
Reaction score
4
In this situation I think it's safe to say that if the average homeowner doesn't have anything stolen, if they chase the perp away then I think it's a win for the homeowner.

Don't know about you but nothing in my car is worth getting shivved over, facing charges over etc.

Yes it could turn out a "win" but there are many many ways it could go very bad for the homeowner and the risk/reward simply isn't there. Keep your vehicles locked, call the police etc going outside and getting into a physical confrontation over property is stupid.
 

fenderman

Staff member
Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
36,897
Reaction score
21,250
Don't know about you but nothing in my car is worth getting shivved over, facing charges over etc.

Yes it could turn out a "win" but there are many many ways it could go very bad for the homeowner and the risk/reward simply isn't there. Keep your vehicles locked, call the police etc going outside and getting into a physical confrontation over property is stupid.
yes, lock yourself in your safe room...this is why it keeps happening...
 

Mike

Staff member
Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
2,982
Reaction score
2,725
Location
New York
Don't know about you but nothing in my car is worth getting shivved over, facing charges over etc.

Yes it could turn out a "win" but there are many many ways it could go very bad for the homeowner and the risk/reward simply isn't there. Keep your vehicles locked, call the police etc going outside and getting into a physical confrontation over property is stupid.
Simple, don't run after them empty handed. Protect yourself, your family and your belongings.
 

RobertM

Getting the hang of it
Joined
May 2, 2017
Messages
192
Reaction score
91
Homeowner's sensibilities are varied. Some homeowners would run out their door in an effort to engage a suspect, while others would keep safely tucked behind a locked door and call for someone else to do the dirty work. Depends on the situation, and the mood of the homeowner at that moment.
 
Joined
Apr 21, 2014
Messages
12
Reaction score
4
yes, lock yourself in your safe room...this is why it keeps happening...
Nah, it keeps happening mainly because people don't lock their vehicles and don't have the vigilance of the OP including recording video and continuing to follow up. Stay inside, call the police, and recognize the obvious legal/ethical/safety related differences between defense of self and defense of property. I'm extremely pro gun / pro self defense / pro individual responsibility wrt this stuff, but going outside to confront a thief who poses no imminent threat to people is stupid and advocated only by those who don't understand violence, crime, or the criminal justice system.
 

fenderman

Staff member
Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
36,897
Reaction score
21,250
Nah, it keeps happening mainly because people don't lock their vehicles and don't have the vigilance of the OP including recording video and continuing to follow up. Stay inside, call the police, and recognize the obvious legal/ethical/safety related differences between defense of self and defense of property. I'm extremely pro gun / pro self defense / pro individual responsibility wrt this stuff, but going outside to confront a thief who poses no imminent threat to people is stupid and advocated only by those who don't understand violence, crime, or the criminal justice system.
You are misinformed about the law...no state requires that you wait inside as your property is stolen, every state allows you to confront the thief.....to even suggest that there is a legal or ethical problem with confronting a thief is idiotic.
....all you need to do is open the door and yell and he will go running...
 
Joined
Apr 21, 2014
Messages
12
Reaction score
4
Simple, don't run after them empty handed. Protect yourself, your family and your belongings.
You don't get to claim you were protecting yourself after you've run after someone, it doesn't work like that.
 
Joined
Apr 21, 2014
Messages
12
Reaction score
4
You are misinformed about the law...no state requires that you wait inside as your property is stolen, every state allows you to confront the thief.....to even suggest that there is a legal or ethical problem with confronting a thief is idiotic.


....all you need to do is open the door and yell and he will go running...
No, it doesn't require you to stay inside, but if you go outside and he doesn't "go running" you've very likely just escalated the situation way beyond what anything left outside in your vehicle is worth. You have no way of knowing who will run, who is armed, who will put up a fight etc., he very well might "go running" but might not and to assume as much is naive.

Why don't you ask George Zimmerman how good his "win" felt for him - what he did was 100% allowed under FL law, he won his day in court yet still had his life ruined while racking up a seven figure legal bill. How much is the stuff you keep in your vehicle worth exactly?
 

Mike

Staff member
Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
2,982
Reaction score
2,725
Location
New York
You don't get to claim you were protecting yourself after you've run after someone, it doesn't work like that.
Not what I meant....I mean if someone is going through my car, I confront them and they start running, how do I know they haven't taken something from my car? I'm going to protect my belongings by making sure i get whatever was taken back.

It's personal opinion and preference. If you want to stay inside while someone is trying to steal from you, that's your choice. It's not mine though.
 
Joined
Apr 21, 2014
Messages
12
Reaction score
4
Not what I meant....I mean if someone is going through my car, I confront them and they start running, how do I know they haven't taken something from my car? I'm going to protect my belongings by making sure i get whatever was taken back.
So you run after him and say you catch him, what are you prepared to do if HE then chooses to defend himself? Recognize if you use force at this point, you're going to have a very steep and very expensive uphill battle arguing self defense after you have chased the guy. Plus the obvious risk to yourself of injury or death.

What from the pictures in the OP makes you assume the thief is unarmed? What makes you assume he isn't more acquainted with violence than you are? Or have you not made those assumptions and would choose to go outside anyway?


It's personal opinion and preference. If you want to stay inside while someone is trying to steal from you, that's your choice. It's not mine though.
Sure, all of our actions are personal choice. Some choices are good and some are bad. What makes people chase after thieves in these situations is a combination of naivety and ego, any rational consideration of the situation would conclude the risk/reward simply isn't there.
 
Last edited:

fenderman

Staff member
Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
36,897
Reaction score
21,250
No, it doesn't require you to stay inside, but if you go outside and he doesn't "go running" you've very likely just escalated the situation way beyond what anything left outside in your vehicle is worth. You have no way of knowing who will run, who is armed, who will put up a fight etc., he very well might "go running" but might not and to assume as much is naive.

Why don't you ask George Zimmerman how good his "win" felt for him - what he did was 100% allowed under FL law, he won his day in court yet still had his life ruined while racking up a seven figure legal bill. How much is the stuff you keep in your vehicle worth exactly?
George was not in front of his house while someone was rummaging through his car - get your facts straight, ....and there was no video of the event....but yes, go into your safe room...
 

Mike

Staff member
Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
2,982
Reaction score
2,725
Location
New York
So you run after him and say you catch him, what are you prepared to do if HE then chooses to defend himself? Recognize if you use force at this point, you're going to have a very steep and very expensive uphill battle arguing self defense after you have chased the guy. Plus the obvious risk to yourself of injury or death.

What from the pictures in the OP makes you assume the thief is unarmed? What makes you assume he isn't more acquainted with violence than you are? Or have you not made those assumptions and would choose to go outside anyway?




Sure, all of our actions are personal choice. Some choices are good and some are bad. What makes people chase after thieves in these situations is a combination of naivety and ego, any rational consideration of the situation would conclude the risk/reward simply isn't there.
 
Joined
Apr 21, 2014
Messages
12
Reaction score
4
George was not in front of his house while someone was rummaging through his car - get your facts straight,
It makes no difference if he was in front of his house or not - the law did not require him to remain in his vehicle. The law also justified his ultimate use of force.

The law can justify each and every thing you do up until the point violence unfolds - your life is going to suck for a good period of time from that point forward, even if you make it out unharmed and are found to be justified. It simply isn't worth it for "stuff" (and stuff that is likely covered under my comprehensive policy).


....and there was no video of the event....but yes, go into your safe room...
You mean the video showing you going after a thief who poses no imminent threat to people? You think that video will help you?
 
Last edited:
Top