Opinions on home security systems

[tolkien1]

My colleague's home has been broken into twice in two weeks. He's considering various home security systems: ADT, Safe Touch, Ring, etc. Curious if any folks here have had experiences, good or bad with any of these systems. Are there others you'd recommend?

Thanks

 

[Imtotallynottribe]

All I can say is 100% of the time I’ve been free of robbery so it must be working (knock on wood). I won’t say what system because some of you know where I live. ;p

 

[LT4PLY]

We have safe touch. They are good. The 2 way communicator is a big sell because they can hear in the house when the alarm goes off. We personally haven't had any issues but I work with a lady that hates them so take it FWIW.

 

[PoopandBoogers]

Get a couple of these signs and some fake adt signs and put them around the trailer.

 

[JohnnieHolmesNole]

Huh?? We have people in the LR who don’t live in gated communities??

 

[Imtotallynottribe]

Huh?? We have people in the LR who don’t live in gated communities??

Nah a bunch of us live in Southwood and we allow the riffraff in on occasion.

 

[Squirrel J.]

Best bet is to get a pitbull and a handgun, then a burglar will be the least of your worries.

 

[West Duval Nole]

I had SafeTouch. But this is how they get you, you get signed into a long term contract (2-3 years) that auto renews at a long term if you do not contact them before it renews you would be autolocked in. Also if you do want to just switch companies for monitoring month to month at a lower rate after your contract is up, they do not give you the master code needed to reprogram it as needed even though the equipment is yours. And that was BS. I will probably be trying SimpliSafe next.

 

[PoopandBoogers]

Arent these home security companies scams anyway? By the time the cops come, the bad guys are long gone and the companies still wants a check by basically doing nothing except slapping a sticker and $7 motion detector inside.

Good lighting and locks, along with making sure you secure everything is much cheaper and probably has the same detterence and effectiveness.

 

[DanC78]

I don’t like my Ring.

Takes forever for the live video to load. I have a canary and amazon camera as well, all work better imo.

 

[SoddyNole]

This will protect you.

This too

 

[LesClaypool]

This will protect you.

This too

Lame

 

[funksouljon]

This will protect you.

This too

Thats my neighbor. He even had a labradoodle, now has a full blown Poodle.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

Arent these home security companies scams anyway? By the time the cops come, the bad guys are long gone and the companies still wants a check by basically doing nothing except slapping a sticker and $7 motion detector inside.

Good lighting and locks, along with making sure you secure everything is much cheaper and probably has the same detterence and effectiveness.

I look at alarms as another deterrent. Also keeps the thieves from spending 2 hours going methodically through your house.

 

[TallyNole93]

9MM and call it done.

 

[West Duval Nole]

9MM and call it done.

When you aren't home is a 9MM going to fire itself?

 

[seminole97]

When you aren't home is a 9MM going to fire itself?

I get the idea of liking that an alarm should prevent someone from taking their time to rob a place.
I just see cost of alarm system > insurance deductible if I had a burglary.

 

[West Duval Nole]

I get the idea of liking that an alarm should prevent someone from taking their time to rob a place.
I just see cost of alarm system > insurance deductible if I had a burglary.

That depends on if the burglary is when you are home or not. And whether you can put a price on the time it will take to repair any damage etc. It can give you advanced notice someone entered your home or wake you up to allow you time to protect the family. As opposed to them breaking in quietly enough to sneak you and assault and do horrible things to you or family. And the alarm can reduce your insurance premiums thus paying itself off if you have it for awhile.

 

[NoleGrad83]

After getting burglarized in my last house, I got Safe Touch and even got it in the new house. Haven't had an issue since.

 

[mcgrawfsu]

Get motion sensing lights focused on any dark areas of your house. Then cameras by your sliding doors and front entry-way. Unless burglars know you have some prized possession in your house, they will look for an easier target. Most burglars break in through glass doors that have an obstructed view from any neighbors.

 

[PoopandBoogers]

break in through glass doors that have an obstructed view from any neighbors.

 

[nynole1]

Best bet is to get a pitbull and a handgun, then a burglar will be the least of your worries.

Agreed, that's why I have a German Shepherd and a shotgun.

 

[nynole1]

When you aren't home is a 9MM going to fire itself?

Apparently that all depends on who you ask

 

[LT4PLY]

Get motion sensing lights focused on any dark areas of your house. Then cameras by your sliding doors and front entry-way. Unless burglars know you have some prized possession in your house, they will look for an easier target. Most burglars break in through glass doors that have an obstructed view from any neighbors.

What the heck are lights going to do if they come during the day when you aren't home????

My sister in law, who happens to live on my street, got broken into a few years ago. It happened during the day when they were at work. It's not hard to figure out if someone isn't home. A security system is just a deterrent to get the criminals to go to someone else's home that doesn't have one. I agree on the cameras but it's pretty easy to wear a hoodie and sneak in a house still.

And 'most go through glass doors' is not correct. This is what people assume happens. A real burglar is using a lock gun or a bump key and will be in without a scratch in a few seconds. It's stupid easy to get past regular home locks. So easy it's likely easier to go up to the front door, ring the bell, and go in that way if no one answers. Once a pro gets in they will strip your beds of their pillow cases and load em up fast and get out.

 

[West Duval Nole]

What the heck are lights going to do if they come during the day when you aren't home????

My sister in law, who happens to live on my street, got broken into a few years ago. It happened during the day when they were at work. It's not hard to figure out if someone isn't home. A security system is just a deterrent to get the criminals to go to someone else's home that doesn't have one. I agree on the cameras but it's pretty easy to wear a hoodie and sneak in a house still.

And 'most go through glass doors' is not correct. This is what people assume happens. A real burglar is using a lock gun or a bump key and will be in without a scratch in a few seconds. It's stupid easy to get past regular home locks. So easy it's likely easier to go up to the front door, ring the bell, and go in that way if no one answers. Once a pro gets in they will strip your beds of their pillow cases and load em up fast and get out.

You sound like you have done or are still doing this.

 

[ericram]

I had SafeTouch. But this is how they get you, you get signed into a long term contract (2-3 years) that auto renews at a long term if you do not contact them before it renews you would be autolocked in. Also if you do want to just switch companies for monitoring month to month at a lower rate after your contract is up, they do not give you the master code needed to reprogram it as needed even though the equipment is yours. And that was BS. I will probably be trying SimpliSafe next.

What do you know about SimpliSafe?

I wanted to move away from SafeTouch when they were offering new customers cameras, touch screen pads, glass breaks, etc for free. I called up and wanted them to upgrade my older system and they said no.

 

[West Duval Nole]

Here is CNET's review:

https://www.cnet.com/products/simplisafe-home-security-system-2018/review/

What do you know about SimpliSafe?

I wanted to move away from SafeTouch when they were offering new customers cameras, touch screen pads, glass breaks, etc for free. I called up and wanted them to upgrade my older system and they said no.

 

[ericram]

Here is CNET's review:

https://www.cnet.com/products/simplisafe-home-security-system-2018/review/

The problem I have with this one is it doesn't have monitoring, correct? With ST I have the monitoring at $25 month for police and fire.

 

[Spenser1]

What do you know about SimpliSafe?

I wanted to move away from SafeTouch when they were offering new customers cameras, touch screen pads, glass breaks, etc for free. I called up and wanted them to upgrade my older system and they said no.

I got simplisafe about a year ago and i am very happy with it, it's a bargain IMO. They often have 'specials' where you can bundle things like cameras and smoke detectors at a discount. Pretty easy to install by yourself, I had a couple of questions and the customer service is actually GOOD! Very knowledgeable and patient unlike most other so-called 'customer service'. The monitoring service is excellent, screwed up a couple of times and set it off myself and the deputy was there in 5 minutes. AND they have a satisfaction guarantee so you can get your moola back if you don't like it (but you will).

 

[West Duval Nole]

The problem I have with this one is it doesn't have monitoring, correct? With ST I have the monitoring at $25 month for police and fire.

It is optional. It says $15 a month for monitoring. And it is month to month. No long-term contract. If you want to control from phone app, it's $25 a month. In article it states:
You can run SimpliSafe's system with no monthly fees if all you want is a localized alarm that will sound a siren if someone ever breaks in. If you want to add in professional live monitoring, the fee is $15 per month, which is about as fair a price as you'll find in the home security space. Make that $25 a month, and you'll also be able to monitor the system from your phone using the SimpliSafe app.

 

[mcgrawfsu]

What the heck are lights going to do if they come during the day when you aren't home????

My sister in law, who happens to live on my street, got broken into a few years ago. It happened during the day when they were at work. It's not hard to figure out if someone isn't home. A security system is just a deterrent to get the criminals to go to someone else's home that doesn't have one. I agree on the cameras but it's pretty easy to wear a hoodie and sneak in a house still.

And 'most go through glass doors' is not correct. This is what people assume happens. A real burglar is using a lock gun or a bump key and will be in without a scratch in a few seconds. It's stupid easy to get past regular home locks. So easy it's likely easier to go up to the front door, ring the bell, and go in that way if no one answers. Once a pro gets in they will strip your beds of their pillow cases and load em up fast and get out.

We had a 3 or 4 year stretch with a high number daytime burglaries in Martin County committed by burglars driving up from South Florida. The SO actually caught a number of them and they've pretty much come to a stop over the past couple of years. They didn't use a lock gun or bump key. They used heavy objects on the patio in most cases to smash through the glass. They rang the door bell. Nobody answered, they went around back. If they didn't see dogs or movement inside the house, they broke the slider and started taking as much as they could. And, during police interviews with several that were apprehended, they said if they saw cameras they would move onto the next house. They targeted homes that backed up to preserves.

If you are known to have some prized possession or large amounts of cash in your house, I'm sure a more sophisticated burglar using the tools you mentioned would be ransacking your home.

The burglaries around here were crimes of opportunity and easy targets. As I said, if it is a targeted burglary, they are probably more sophisticated than the fellas doing the burglaries around here.

 

[helmetnuts]

We have several cameras throughout the main areas of the house and outside that are set up to notify us when there is movement (tested it out and get responses in a few seconds) and allow us to record and take pics that save to our phones. Also has two way voice in them...

 

[fsu1jreed]

I use TSI............and I have solar powered LED lights on every corner of my house and porches. I don't live in the greatest neighborhood, but I've never had an issue.

 

[cfbfan23]

We have several cameras throughout the main areas of the house and outside that are set up to notify us when there is movement (tested it out and get responses in a few seconds) and allow us to record and take pics that save to our phones.

I assume these are mostly in the guest bedrooms and guest bathrooms, right?

 

[ReliableOstrich]

Best bet is to get a pitbull and a handgun, then a burglar will be the least of your worries.

This is true, you'll be too busy trying to shoot the pitbull that is attacking you.

 

[ericram]

It is optional. It says $15 a month for monitoring. And it is month to month. No long-term contract. If you want to control from phone app, it's $25 a month. In article it states:
You can run SimpliSafe's system with no monthly fees if all you want is a localized alarm that will sound a siren if someone ever breaks in. If you want to add in professional live monitoring, the fee is $15 per month, which is about as fair a price as you'll find in the home security space. Make that $25 a month, and you'll also be able to monitor the system from your phone using the SimpliSafe app.

Thanks man for clarifying.

 

[PoopandBoogers]

We had a 3 or 4 year stretch with a high number daytime burglaries in Martin County committed by burglars driving up from South Florida. The SO actually caught a number of them and they've pretty much come to a stop over the past couple of years. They didn't use a lock gun or bump key. They used heavy objects on the patio in most cases to smash through the glass. They rang the door bell. Nobody answered, they went around back. If they didn't see dogs or movement inside the house, they broke the slider and started taking as much as they could. And, during police interviews with several that were apprehended, they said if they saw cameras they would move onto the next house. They targeted homes that backed up to preserves.

If you are known to have some prized possession or large amounts of cash in your house, I'm sure a more sophisticated burglar using the tools you mentioned would be ransacking your home.

The burglaries around here were crimes of opportunity and easy targets. As I said, if it is a targeted burglary, they are probably more sophisticated than the fellas doing the burglaries around here.

Those crews were gangs from Jamaica and Haiti. They would come from SFL, up 95 and hit a bunch of houses in Brevard also. Targeted homes along the interstate, in subdivsions near exits. Couple of crews got caught here, one in a high speed chase. As far as I know, they haven't been back.

 

[PoopandBoogers]

I assume these are mostly in the guest bedrooms and guest bathrooms, right?

These are called "nanny cams". Friend tells me there is plenty of "real" footage if you'd like to see how they work for research purposes.

 

[fsunole025]

Don't use Cox. Poor design and weak functionality. No quality.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

Best bet is to get a pitbull and a handgun, then a burglar will be the least of your worries.

This is true, you'll be too busy trying to shoot the pitbull that is attacking you.