# Intruder Alert - Yes, No, maybe or Oh, Darn, who's knocking



## tmttactical (Nov 23, 2015)

Recently we had threads "Opsec Awareness" LazyL wrote a wonderful story "The Projects". We have discussed the amount of ammo to store and we have had discussions about N.Korea. So in keeping with this thought pattern, I wish to discuss "Intruder Alert" or perimeter protection. Now for the sake of simplification, let us state this is a WROL situation and eliminate the discussion of what is legal and what is not and what the judge would say. Think "The Projects" situation, only you are the good guys.

I wonder how many have truly given detailed thought to how they would know if the mutants where on their property or near their homes. There are motion detectors, noise makers, smoke alerts, Laser sensors, and virtual Radar fences and of course the semi trusted Fido. 

Just to start this off, the THH project incorporates all of the above except Fido and the radar, way out of the budget price range (okay Fido is semi cheap but only semi efficient too). Just to add some interest, there are several technologies I did not list,so which are they and would you use them?

So are you prepared (perimeter wise) YES -- No -- Maybe or is someone knocking on YOUR door?


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

Presuming we have some kind of power source and I bugged in, I have a number of things going for me. We live on a cul de sac, the front yard is pretty large with a long driveway. I can see people coming from a distance. The back yard has a 6' tall reinforced fence around it and is much lower than the house (house is partway up a hill that levels off about halfway through it). Pretty much every yard in this neighborhood has a fenced in yard and there are many dogs around. I have an exterior night vision video surveillance system that is 1/2 visible cameras and 1/2 concealed cameras, a series of exterior motion lights, a whole house alarm system, reinforced doors with reinforced hinges and strike plates, high end heavy duty deadbolts on every door, 3M security film on lower level windows and Uline security film on upper level windows and I most recently added security bars to the most vulnerable ground level windows (mostly basement windows). Plus of course I have the three 90lb German sisters with sharp teeth and strong jaws and a small but very capable MAG.

But I would still want a Sentry (pun intended). In a situation like you described I would want people on look out on a rotating and somewhat random schedule. Probably each with a Rottie at their side. At minimum I would want someone watching the video feed with a couple people ready to respond if the perimeter is breached. I could also see putting up a rolling barricade of sorts at the entrance to our cul de sac to control who can and cannot drive in.


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## bigg777 (Mar 18, 2013)

In WROL, I've got plenty of suplies to set up trip wires with noise makers, Fido and creaking decking under all but one of the accessible entry points.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

Caribou said:


> Sentry, why the different brands of window film?


I bought the 3M film when we first bought and remodeled the house. I didn't do the upper windows because I did not consider them to be as high of security risk. Then we arrested a burglar with a ladder and decided to upgrade the second stories windows too. At the time (and probably still) the Uline security film was 90-95% as good but at about 65% the price. It was all about economics.


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## 21601mom (Jan 15, 2013)

Sentry18 said:


> I bought the 3M film when we first bought and remodeled the house. I didn't do the upper windows because I did not consider them to be as high of security risk. Then we arrested a burglar with a ladder and decided to upgrade the second stories windows too. At the time (and probably still) the Uline security film was 90-95% as good but at about 65% the price. It was all about economics.


Did you install the film yourself or hire a company to do that? I've gotten a few prices, but they're all around $4-5K for the 3M film. Haven't produced ULine installed. I wondered if installation would be a good DIY project.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

21601mom said:


> Did you install the film yourself or hire a company to do that? I've gotten a few prices, but they're all around $4-5K for the 3M film. Haven't produced ULine installed. I wondered if installation would be a good DIY project.


I hired someone to do it, a college kid actually. He had an ad for window tinting and said he did both cars, commercial buildings and homes. I called him and he provided me with references, I went and looked at an office building he tinted and hired him to do the job. I was pleased with the results. But I also think it could be done as a DIY project if you have the time and inclination.


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## 21601mom (Jan 15, 2013)

Sentry18 said:


> I hired someone to do it, a college kid actually. He had an ad for window tinting and said he did both cars, commercial buildings and homes. I called him and he provided me with references, I went and looked at an office building he tinted and hired him to do the job. I was pleased with the results. But I also think it could be done as a DIY project if you have the time and inclination.


Thank you!!


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## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

tmttactical said:


> ...I wish to discuss "Intruder Alert" or perimeter protection. Now for the sake of simplification, let us state this is a WROL situation and eliminate the discussion of what is legal and what is not ...


I'm doomed.

Wife, her "handicapped" sister and their 80ish mother, my 80ish mother and my sister will all be:

1. Telling me what to do, then doubting their decision, reverse themselves and all talk about the situation simultaneously without listening to each other.
2. Tripping the alarms because they forgot, don't see the need or didn't remember me telling them what the alarms are for.

I'll be spending as much time as they allow me to:

1. Outside watching from a thorn bush overgrowth.
2. When I hear one of the ladies scream it will be ether a home invasion or a 1/4" spider attacking.


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## rhrobert (Apr 27, 2009)

If you work from home, like I do, there is no reason not to be ready


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## HardCider (Dec 13, 2013)

Our 2 LSGD's in the field, sound the alarm whether our problem is 2 or 4 legged. Our second layer of in the house guard dogs are capable but not as fierce as the field dogs. Having said that, as effective as guard dogs are, I realize the first thing to die in a total meltdown would be the dogs. If I wanted to take down a farm the first thing I would do is poison their dog and circle back a couple weeks later. I have never lost a bird, sheep or goat since having dogs out in the field with the flock. During normal times for predator control, a great guard dog just can't be beat. We had friends visit last week and I don't think I could have called the dogs off if they ever got loose. That's a little worrisome. They are what you would call undomesticated.


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## hashbrown (Sep 2, 2013)

My old dog is fairly efficient but the 9 year old with the itchy booger hook is down right dangerous.


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## cqp33 (Apr 2, 2012)

Remember dogs take their lead from you, Domesticated types do anyways! If your spidey senses are heightened they feel that and they step up their game to. Animals have abilities we do not and will respond accordingly. My dog is all peace, love and happiness....read that lick the hell out any hand that pets him....but when he feels me uneasy about someone in the driveway he will lay at my feet, hair raised up and growl until I tell him it's ok. He is 3/4+ wolf and a big baby that can turn in a second if allowed, he is also trained very well.

But other then that the best watch we have is guineas, pigs and cows....in that order! Those are our alive watches/sentries, as for the others, we have some electronic means as well. Been watching these products for potential future uses....

https://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/sunflower-home-awareness-system/

(EDIT - I will add that I am not confident in the drone system yet as I have yet to first hand see it's capabilities. It is a capability I am keeping an eye on but right now it is very limited on range if you are watching more than a half an acre maybe 2 acres at the most, but we live on over 30. Also how painful would all the nuisance trips of the system by cows, wildlife/live stock be before the system is ineffective?)

I guess the biggest problem I have is acreage vs watchstanders! If a true WROL situation occurred my ability to protect my acreage would depend on a few things:
1. How many of my planned/allowed attendees will be able to make it here (we live remote and my planned/allowed folks live 200+ miles away)
2. How many of my neighbors are interested in protecting the area or taking mine!
3. There are other 'fallback' plans in place I will discuss in open forum
4. Since I travel for work am I home and able to get here? If sudden this could take some time!!!!!! I have been carrying a get home bag in my luggage but I fly a lot and this presents a problem since my 'flying get home bag' is really limited on what I can carry! This would be most problematic for me if this occurred!


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## RedBeard (May 8, 2017)

I choose the dog. My dogs right now will alert me when a critter is in the yard. In fact im completely deaf in my left ear and my chow mix lui i lean on hard for his hearing. He has great judgment and i trust him completely. To me the best tool on the planet is a dog. A few trained dogs and nobody is getting in my zone. Don't believe me, go try and take a goat or sheep that's being guarded by a livestock dog.....


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## fteter (May 23, 2014)

Any intruder encounters three layers of defense at our house. Layer 1 is simply locked doors and windows well light with solar-powered security lights. Layer 2 is a very large, very vocal, very territorial Rott/Sheperd/Malmut mix named Sam. Layer 3 is our Remington 1100 20 gauge (so the wife can handle it too) filled with #3 buck.


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## Mase92 (Feb 4, 2013)

To answer OP question.

Not enough, no amount of planning survives first contact. Let's hope we never see.

I really like these threads because no matter how good you think you are protected you'll always come away with an idea.


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