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.

[Sarge the Comfy Gaming Doggo]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από "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.

Can you state the law? Deadly traps but humorous non deadly traps? Show me the law. Trespassing is absolutely illegal my friend.

[Haruspex]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από "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.

Absolutely. No booby trapping anything. Sarge Ghost Doggo What's-his-name was making jokes.

[Vince ✟]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Xero_Daxter:

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από "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.

Yea but I guess in some places if you say; put razor blades along the top of your fence and some kids hop over and lose fingers, you'll do time. Supposedly anyway. Same for the shotgun shells and mousetraps. Probably best anyway.

[Sarge the Comfy Gaming Doggo]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Haruspex:

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από "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.

Absolutely. No booby trapping anything. Sarge Ghost Doggo What's-his-name was making jokes.

CRIMINAL TRESPASS

You can be arrested for criminal trespass in the second degree if you entered a building or public lands knowing that you were not authorized to be there.

If leaving childrens toys in front of the door or having christmas ornaments with a tarred staircase ( it has to dry some how ) theres loose nails all over my fault? not really I know where the nails are dont trespass in my home. I'm not trying to kill anyone unless you come at me with a gun ( I live in a stand your ground state ) dont come in my home I dont sleep.

[Lune]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Haruspex:

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από 8bitter:

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.

Don't forget the ridiculous amount of trucks with the American flag to make it legit

[Xero_Daxter]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από "MD":

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Xero_Daxter:

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

Yea but I guess in some places if you say; put razor blades along the top of your fence and some kids hop over and lose fingers, you'll do time. Supposedly anyway. Same for the shotgun shells and mousetraps. Probably best anyway. :spacehamster:

You can put defenses on your fence but you have to make it visible and warn them about it. Razor wire for example.

My neighborhood is pretty safe and chill so I don’t have to worry about anything. It’s a small town.

[Haruspex]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Xero_Daxter:

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από "MD":

Yea but I guess in some places if you say; put razor blades along the top of your fence and some kids hop over and lose fingers, you'll do time. Supposedly anyway. Same for the shotgun shells and mousetraps. Probably best anyway. :spacehamster:

You can put defenses on your fence but you have to make it visible and warn them about it. Razor wire for example.

My neighborhood is pretty safe and chill so I don’t have to worry about anything. It’s a small town.

I live in the middle of nowhere. Most of my neighbors are nice old folks, and the nearest house to me is 150 yards away. It's just this kid in the trailer park down the street.

[Sarge the Comfy Gaming Doggo]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Haruspex:

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Xero_Daxter:

You can put defenses on your fence but you have to make it visible and warn them about it. Razor wire for example.

My neighborhood is pretty safe and chill so I don’t have to worry about anything. It’s a small town.

I live in the middle of nowhere. Most of my neighbors are nice old folks, and the nearest house to me is 150 yards away. It's just this kid in the trailer park down the street.

So set up spot lights and have ring cameras and call the police. It's not a huge issue. Get ADT, this is why people are so emboldened to crimes tho, they can get away with ♥♥♥♥. If people were allowed to stop them they wouldnt do ♥♥♥♥. That's my thoughts on it.

[Xero_Daxter]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Haruspex:

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Xero_Daxter:

You can put defenses on your fence but you have to make it visible and warn them about it. Razor wire for example.

My neighborhood is pretty safe and chill so I don’t have to worry about anything. It’s a small town.

I live in the middle of nowhere. Most of my neighbors are nice old folks, and the nearest house to me is 150 yards away. It's just this kid in the trailer park down the street.

Kids or not, trespassing is trespassing. If worst comes to worst then get the police involved and trespass them.

[Candyy]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από 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?

What does that even mean??

[Sarge the Comfy Gaming Doggo]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Candyy ♡:

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από 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?

What does that even mean??

It means women are not stronger than a 15 year old male. Its pretty sexist but it is pretty amusing all the same.

I would suggest that most males are at their peak at 15-18 so it depends on the male and the lady of course.

[S0FTERSIN]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από 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.

So sorry that happened to you & your family. 😔

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Haruspex:

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 don't really have anything that's highly valuable in my home, but I've suffered with chronic PTSD since childhood so I went a bit overboard with home security when I bought my house a few years ago.

I have 3 high quality indoor cameras, 11 different outdoor cameras (3 by one manufacturer, 3 by a different manufacturer, and 5 by another different manufacturer), 4 motion sensor lights, smart locks (for my deadbolts), and a home security/alarm system (which includes shock sensors on all windows and doors). Oh, and I have 2 dogs. 😅

Also, the local PD is 5 minutes from my house so they have a very quick response time.

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Xero_Daxter:

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

True, at least where I live. I have 2 "No Trespassing" signs -- 1 at the front of my house, and 1 in the back of my property.

[swillfly]

Law enforcement require positive ID so decent outdoor security cams placed way up high (only reachable with ladder) is about the best you can do at home.

Once evidence is obtained I'm not sure that chatting with the family will do anything but stir up their hornet's nest.

It's better to misdirect dummies and catch them surreptitiously with a camera/video committing crimes on someone else's property.

Or set up some rope leg snare trap under the welcome mat.

[WhiteKnight77]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Candyy ♡:

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από 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?

What does that even mean??

FC Dallas under-15 boys squad beat the U.S. Women's National Team in a scrimmage[www.cbssports.com].

Also notice, that the USWNT made an early exit out of the World Cup after they got an even better pay deal than the men's team, who had an already worse pay deal than the women's team previously.

[76561199546842715]

put live wires on the doors. and turn on the sprinklers.