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Post by mellyw on May 22, 2022 17:02:56 GMT
Middle of a major city with a skyrocketing crime rate. We've always kept our doors and windows locked at all times as well as been much more security conscious than most people. It's the result of having lived in some unsafe countries and having been robbed once. So we make no apologies for going overboard. Some of the things we have done in the past couple of years: changed out all exterior doors to ones with triple deadbolt system, LED exterior lighting around the entire perimeter of the house under the eaves that are on all night, new iron gate on driveway that is stronger, added iron gate to other side of house which helps secure the a/c unit. We do have exterior cameras and a local security system (doors/windows) that is monitored. Will be upgrading the system next month for one with more exterior camera coverage. Several years ago, after DH had the exterior mirror covers stolen off a 1 week old car, we cleaned out the garage and made room for the cars. That is when we added a gate opener to the driveway gate as well. We now keep our cars in the garage and the doors down. There have been multiple cases of neighbors who have had their cars not garage kept being broken into and/or all four of the tires stolen with the cars left on blocks. Even with that happening, I am amazed the same people continue to leave their cars out at night on the street or in the driveway! I don’t worry too much about security. We have an alarm system but almost never arm it. We keep a TV on the covered patio year round and no one has messed with it. I feel as safe here as anywhere else. We moved here in 1991 - that same year you keep hearing talked about on the news as being the worst ever crime rates here...until now. So I don't think I have ever felt 100% safe here! Until the recent uptick in crime I did feel more comfortable, but never complete safe. This is me to. Add in having grown up in the Detroit area and many times it was just me and my DD in those foreign countries, I am in fact paranoid about safety. My house is always, without fail locked. I happily open windows when I can (like this morning), but I’m fully awake and aware of what’s going on. We have a 6 car garage, so the cars are in the garage, and I still tend to lock them. We live in the suburbs of a major city and like most areas there’s been a rise in crime. We back up to a beautiful common green area with farmland behind it, no fences. People walk across my backyard all the time, the neighborhood kids know our yard is a great spot to sled or run down the hill in the summer. But we knew all this when we bought the house, that the backyard wouldn’t be private. I have no problem with that, I’m definitely not a “get off my lawn” person, it’s fun seeing the little ones out there playing Just the thought of my doors not being locked gives me hives. If one inadvertently was, and someone walked in? It would get ugly
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peabay
Prolific Pea
Posts: 9,891
Jun 25, 2014 19:50:41 GMT
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Post by peabay on May 22, 2022 17:27:29 GMT
Same. Small town, rural area but considered a suburb of NYC (actually more of an exurb.) No fence, no security system. We have a motion detector light in the front of our house but that's more for our benefit when we come in after dark than to thwart intruders. Our doors are only locked at night. We have a very barky dog who would probably scare away anyone - if they didn't know all he would do is lick them if they came in. Our town is the safest one in CT and the biggest crimes are the occasional stolen car - so we don't leave the keys in the car that is parked in our driveway. That's the extent of our security. Do you let the dog out unsupervised or have an invisible fence? What about when you’re kids were little—when could they play outside unsupervised? I’m taking advantage of this thread to ask the questions that run through my head when I visit parts of the country with unfenced yards. 😂 We let the dogs in and out about a 100 times a day. And the kids could play in fenced back yard a few years before they were allowed to play out front unsupervised. Invisible fence - he totally respects it. Kids played outside all the time unsupervised. We have a large side yard and it is lower than our driveway and house and surrounded by trees - no one from the street could see them but again, there's never been any reason to worry. I get that many of you think I'm cavalier about this and that I have some delusion regarding safety but robberies, kidnappings etc... just really don't happen here frequently, if ever. Now, if you want to talk about keeping our kids, who have too much time and too much money, off drugs; kids who are stressed out over college admissions and making varsity teams and keeping their grades up? Those are the dangers of my town. Those are the things that keep me up at night.
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Post by voltagain on May 22, 2022 18:02:22 GMT
This is a spin off of the power washing thread. How secure do you keep your property? Do you have fences? Do you lock doors/windows? Security cameras/lights? And put where you live, general area. I live in So. Cal. and have all my life. I would say it is very rare to find a home without any backyard fencing in the cities and suburbs. Homes here have at least three sides fenced off, in many cases it is a shared fence. Some homes do have their front yard fenced too, you see it more in older neighborhoods. I am so used to having fencing that when I read about homes not having fencing in their backyard it sort of blows my mind. I chuckle at the thought that I could be relaxing in my backyard and waving to the neighbor next door who is also in their backyard. We do have a security system, but we don't have outdoor security cameras/lights, yet. We are planning on it. One neighbor has a house that looks like a fort. Besides building a 10-foot tall stucco gate, instead of the generic 6-foot tall wooden gate, he also has a lot of cameras hooked up. And yes, we lock all doors and windows. Even when we are going to just hang out in the backyard, we make sure the windows and door at the front of the house are closed and locked. We don't have neighbors, or even family, that just walk into the house. Growing up, our home had bars on the windows. Central Oklahoma. 6 foot "stockade" fences are the normal here. It is unusual to see any other kind of fencing. I don't have a lock on my gate, not sure how many other people lock their gates. I do have some blink cameras up at the front door and on the back patio. The one on the back patio is the only one I consider a security camera. The one at the front door is so I can see who is at the front of the house and talk to them if they ring the bell without me having to leave my work station (I telework). Fedex drivers often ring and walk away. I installed two security screen doors so I can open them to let fresh/cool air in and not worry about some one just walking in if I am asleep. I do keep my windows and doors locked at all times. eta: All windows have blinds that stay down.
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Post by peano on May 22, 2022 19:13:35 GMT
I’ve never lived in a house with a fence. I’ve always lived in a suburb. I love open windows and sleep with my bedroom window open and leave doors unlocked if I’m home. I do lock them though if I’m gone and try to remember to shut windows at least on the ground floor. Same. Small town, rural area but considered a suburb of NYC (actually more of an exurb.) No fence, no security system. We have a motion detector light in the front of our house but that's more for our benefit when we come in after dark than to thwart intruders. Our doors are only locked at night. We have a very barky dog who would probably scare away anyone - if they didn't know all he would do is lick them if they came in. Our town is the safest one in CT and the biggest crimes are the occasional stolen car - so we don't leave the keys in the car that is parked in our driveway. That's the extent of our security. What peabay said. Our town is pretty safe too except for car break-ins. Invisible Fences are common here for dogs but actual fences not so much because we have largely 2-3 acre zoning.
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Kerri W
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,790
Location: Kentucky
Jun 25, 2014 20:31:44 GMT
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Post by Kerri W on May 22, 2022 19:25:12 GMT
Same. Small town, rural area but considered a suburb of NYC (actually more of an exurb.) No fence, no security system. We have a motion detector light in the front of our house but that's more for our benefit when we come in after dark than to thwart intruders. Our doors are only locked at night. We have a very barky dog who would probably scare away anyone - if they didn't know all he would do is lick them if they came in. Our town is the safest one in CT and the biggest crimes are the occasional stolen car - so we don't leave the keys in the car that is parked in our driveway. That's the extent of our security. What peabay said. Our town is pretty safe too except for car break-ins. Invisible Fences are common here for dogs but actual fences not so much because we have largely 2-3 acre zoning. Same for me. We have an invisible fence for the dogs but fences are prohibited in our neighborhood. We lock doors when we’re away from home and at night but honestly don’t even have a key to our house. I lock my car doors when I’m out shopping but not when they’re in the garage at home. If a car is left out overnight, it would be locked. Our kids play outside unsupervised. Obviously we’re aware they’re out and check every few minutes or so (when they’re younger) but we don’t sit outside the entire time they’re playing. When 11yo DGS goes to play with other kids in the neighborhood, he checks in every 30 minutes.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Oct 7, 2024 3:25:44 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2022 20:12:06 GMT
Now that it's just DD and me living here, we lock every door. I was never fearful when my husband was with us, but suddenly I'm thinking about how an intruder could break in. We have a screened-in lanai with a glass door (it has a lock). That leads to our front door. It has 2 locks, one of them is only locked from inside (no key). When we had the police here (emergency for DH a few years ago), they noticed the locks and asked if we installed it. I told them that every apartment here had them. They said, "That's very dangerous if there's an emergency. Your management can't open the door if you lock that lock!"
So, yes, we lock all locks, even on the windows. We've had break-in's in the complex, etc. I worry more about people breaking through the windows to get in. I think it's safer to live on a higher floor.
One more thing: I had to make a police report when I never received a cellphone (replacement) that was due a few weeks ago. I asked neighbors and they didn't see it. I asked management if they got it, and they didn't. They DID say that Fed Ex routinely drops off packages at our mail station (all in a pile for anyone to take!!) because they can't locate the buildings or apartments. Lovely. The policewoman I spoke to DID say that if packages were taken more than once (they have), that I should think of installing a camera. She said, "While it doesn't stop the thief, we might get a description of the person". (I finally received the phone--they rang the bell, knocked and had DD sign for the package! However, the phone was broken, so I'm sending it back and a new one should be here soon.) Fun!!!!!!!
I'd LOVE to still be living at my house where I raised my children. It was so nice. I'd lock the doors but I didn't worry like I do here.......
One more thing for anyone possibly missing a package mailed to them: The police told me that lately some drivers (FedEx, Amazon, etc...) have been leaving packages, taking the pic of it and sending it to the recipient, and then STEALING it themselves!!!!! Who'd think of that??? Someone stole a package I bought and they must have known it was a tech device, but it was just a new landline. They ended up putting the opened package back at my front door! LOL!!!!!!!
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Post by supersoda on May 22, 2022 20:14:15 GMT
Do you let the dog out unsupervised or have an invisible fence? What about when you’re kids were little—when could they play outside unsupervised? I’m taking advantage of this thread to ask the questions that run through my head when I visit parts of the country with unfenced yards. 😂 We let the dogs in and out about a 100 times a day. And the kids could play in fenced back yard a few years before they were allowed to play out front unsupervised. Invisible fence - he totally respects it. Kids played outside all the time unsupervised. We have a large side yard and it is lower than our driveway and house and surrounded by trees - no one from the street could see them but again, there's never been any reason to worry. I get that many of you think I'm cavalier about this and that I have some delusion regarding safety but robberies, kidnappings etc... just really don't happen here frequently, if ever. Now, if you want to talk about keeping our kids, who have too much time and too much money, off drugs; kids who are stressed out over college admissions and making varsity teams and keeping their grades up? Those are the dangers of my town. Those are the things that keep me up at night. I wasn’t judging, just curious. I was thinking about issues like a kid wandering off or into the street or critters coming into the yard. We get snakes, coyotes, and bobcats in a fairly urban area.
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peabay
Prolific Pea
Posts: 9,891
Jun 25, 2014 19:50:41 GMT
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Post by peabay on May 22, 2022 20:24:41 GMT
Invisible fence - he totally respects it. Kids played outside all the time unsupervised. We have a large side yard and it is lower than our driveway and house and surrounded by trees - no one from the street could see them but again, there's never been any reason to worry. I get that many of you think I'm cavalier about this and that I have some delusion regarding safety but robberies, kidnappings etc... just really don't happen here frequently, if ever. Now, if you want to talk about keeping our kids, who have too much time and too much money, off drugs; kids who are stressed out over college admissions and making varsity teams and keeping their grades up? Those are the dangers of my town. Those are the things that keep me up at night. I wasn’t judging, just curious. I was thinking about issues like a kid wandering off or into the street or critters coming into the yard. We get snakes, coyotes, and bobcats in a fairly urban area. Sorry - I didn't mean you! I just meant in general!
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Post by sabrinae on May 22, 2022 21:59:13 GMT
I live very rurally. We have 6ish acres and the surrounding 220ish are owned by in-laws. The extent of our security is motion activated lights, locked doors and two large protective dogs. Dogs were allowed to run around the property until last summer when my in-laws failed to appropriately supervise and check on the dogs and one of our dogs and one of my SIL dogs scared a neighbor. We’re talking about fencing in a portion around our back porch so the dogs can be out with us without worry when we’re grilling or hanging out back there. The doors are locked during the day mostly because the boxer has figured out how to open doors and will let himself and the other dog out.
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