Stupid high school kid tried to kick in my door.

[Haruspex]

I was out of the state for a week, and when I got home the back door to my house was damaged. Someone tried to kick it open, repeatedly, doing damage but ultimately failing to gain entry. I've since fixed the door and installed additional hardening counter-measures to make it more kick resistant.

My high-school age kid said he overheard some other kids talking about it. A suspect was named, a troubled kid I'm aware of who lives in a troubled household near me with a criminal dad who is on probation. The kid knows where I live, and was probably aware we had left.

I suspect the same kid also body-slammed my garage door, doing some degree of damage there as well.

I'm not bringing a case against the kid, since all I have to show is a damaged door and some teenage hearsay. It's got me thinking about home security though, particularly when I'm not home.

Other than the door hardening, I ordered some wireless security cameras. I installed a couple of motion-sensing security lights. I'm thinking about security screens and shatter-resistant window film. I'm also thinking about door and window alarms. For the garage door, less than $200 can buy a steel door reinforcement designed to resist hurricane winds, and a couple of bolt-locks for the edges.

People around me are saying, "You should buy a gun.", but really? I do not want to blow away some 15 year old, even if he is trying to break in. I'm not against gun ownership, but I'm not sure I could live with myself if I straight-up ended up killing a kid.

Any other security measures you guys could recommend? I'm looking to keep things low-key. I don't want my house to scream, "Hey criminals! This house has security measures in place because it's filled with valuable things worth stealing!" I've kept my house on the down-low for years, but my teenage kid talks to other teenage kids. He mentions nice stuff we have. He talks about the cool vacation he's going on. These other kids may mention it to other kids, some of which might be stupid criminals.

I've had a discussion with my own kid about op-sec and not leaking valuable intel about our household to others.

[Downtown DK Company ✅]

Can't take a 15 year old boy on physically? What are you, a woman in the USA's professional soccer team?

[Xero_Daxter]

Trying to kick open a door is forced entry and you can defend it with proportional force at that point. Some states are different from others so do your homework.

[Haruspex]

Цитата допису Plaid:

what will cameras and lights do without using it as evidence?
You think that will scare him off?

Lights might, but the camera's purpose is for evidence collection. As I mentioned, I have nothing but a damaged door and high-school hearsay ATM. If he tries it again, (or someone he knows and bragged to.) I want something solid I can actually bring to law enforcement.

[Haruspex]

Цитата допису West Wario Company ✅:

Can't take a 15 year old boy on physically. What are you, a woman in the USA's professional soccer team?

Sure, If I were home. But I wasn't home. The ones saying I should buy a gun I don't understand. I'm not interested in ending the life of a teenager.

[Lune]

A kid breaching into your personal property? Isn't that breaking the amendment rights if so you should defend your rights and property as the intruder has no rights to breach into your private property by force

[Haruspex]

Цитата допису 8bitter:

A kid breaching into your personal property? Isn't that breaking the amendment rights

So I should just post a copy of the Constitution to the front door as a reminder to the kid not to violate my rights then. lol.

[Xero_Daxter]

15 or 150 years old. Doesn’t matter. If someone is trying to break in or do any damage to my property then I will defend it accordingly.

[Sarge the doggo]

Цитата допису Haruspex:

Цитата допису West Wario Company ✅:

Can't take a 15 year old boy on physically. What are you, a woman in the USA's professional soccer team?

Sure, If I were home. But I wasn't home. The ones saying I should buy a gun I don't understand. I'm not interested in ending the life of a teenager.

just set up booby traps like home alone, non lethal just humorous, that will teach a lesson to young and old my friend!

Can we all agree Home Alone was peak cozy times?

[Lune]

Цитата допису Haruspex:

Цитата допису 8bitter:

A kid breaching into your personal property? Isn't that breaking the amendment rights

So I should just post a copy of the Constitution to the front door as a reminder to the kid not to violate my rights then. lol.

Well to be fair you can decorate your house to look like one of those bear armed militia bases but that's a little bit of a hassle but could work tho

[Haruspex]

Цитата допису Sarge Ghost Doggo Extraordinaire:

Can we all agree Home Alone was peak cozy times?

Ah yes. Realistically though, Marv and harry probably would have been killed more than once by some of those booby traps.

[Xero_Daxter]

Цитата допису Haruspex:

I was out of the state for a week, and when I got home the back door to my house was damaged. Someone tried to kick it open, repeatedly, doing damage but ultimately failing to gain entry. I've since fixed the door and installed additional hardening counter-measures to make it more kick resistant.

My high-school age kid said he overheard some other kids talking about it. A suspect was named, a troubled kid I'm aware of who lives in a troubled household near me with a criminal dad who is on probation. The kid knows where I live, and was probably aware we had left.

I suspect the same kid also body-slammed my garage door, doing some degree of damage there as well.

I'm not bringing a case against the kid, since all I have to show is a damaged door and some teenage hearsay. It's got me thinking about home security though, particularly when I'm not home.

Other than the door hardening, I ordered some wireless security cameras. I installed a couple of motion-sensing security lights. I'm thinking about security screens and shatter-resistant window film. I'm also thinking about door and window alarms. For the garage door, less than $200 can buy a steel door reinforcement designed to resist hurricane winds, and a couple of bolt-locks for the edges.

People around me are saying, "You should buy a gun.", but really? I do not want to blow away some 15 year old, even if he is trying to break in. I'm not against gun ownership, but I'm not sure I could live with myself if I straight-up ended up killing a kid.

Any other security measures you guys could recommend? I'm looking to keep things low-key. I don't want my house to scream, "Hey criminals! This house has security measures in place because it's filled with valuable things worth stealing!" I've kept my house on the down-low for years, but my teenage kid talks to other teenage kids. He mentions nice stuff we have. He talks about the cool vacation he's going on. These other kids may mention it to other kids, some of which might be stupid criminals.

I've had a discussion with my own kid about op-sec and not leaking valuable intel about our household to others.

Better quote him before he deletes it.

[Haruspex]

Цитата допису 8bitter:

Цитата допису Haruspex:

So I should just post a copy of the Constitution to the front door as a reminder to the kid not to violate my rights then. lol.

Well to be fair you can decorate your house to look like one of those bear armed militia bases but that's a little bit of a hassle but could work tho

Fly a "Don't Tread On Me" flag and install concertina wire along my fence.

[Sarge the doggo]

Цитата допису Haruspex:

Цитата допису Sarge Ghost Doggo Extraordinaire:

Can we all agree Home Alone was peak cozy times?

Ah yes. Realistically though, Marv and harry probably would have been killed more than once by some of those booby traps.

The tool chest falling down the stairs, maybe it depends on how hard and fast it went but two bodies blocking it.... idk

HOME ALONE 2 WHEN MARV gets electrocuted and it shows his skeleton? Absolutely deadly.

just dont do the deadly ones lmao.

[Vince ✟]

Just be aware man traps are largely illegal and can land you in a bit of trouble with the law, so don't try anything too dangerous. I didn't know and had several around my property before learning.

[Xero_Daxter]

Цитата допису "MD":

Just be aware man traps are largely illegal and can land you in a bit of trouble with the law, so don't try any.

Put signs saying “No Trespassing”. You gave them a warning and if they still pass through you can charge them.