Shiny security

[Northern Brewer]

I've been off the forum for a few weeks due to work,family and other hobby commitments and an attempted burglary.

The former I don't mind but the latter, really cheeses me off as its delayed my planned brew day by about 3 weeks :x

The good news is that the security I had in place worked and the thieving little %~&tards didn't get away with anything :thumb:

The bad news is the damage they caused was the same as my £250 insurance policy excess for malicious damage so still cost me. The door they tried to force doesn't look badly damaged but the bolt clearances are such that it will never be right, the GF was complaining the door was too stiff before the jemmy attack. The door was one of two, one contains my shiny brewery :shock:

How they got in

The door they tired to jemmy - damage half way between handle and floor

I'm very pleased the toerags didn't get anything :beer: However no time for complacency so I'm welding heavy gauge mesh that you use for reinforcing concrete, A393 10mm, inside the boarding to the steel frame of the barn. Unfortunately I didn't have a MIG welder so I had to buy one of these, I've picked up a 95/5 argonmix bottle too so will be able to weld mild and stainless plus I already have the brewing CO2. Pure argon would be better for stainless but it will be good enough for my purposes, just a little duller with 95/5 Argon/CO2

If anybody in the UK wants cost effective steel security doors, try here. I payed the extra 50 quid for the heavy duty door, The doors are now powder coated rather than hamerrited and look far better,

I also bought one of these video cameras to try out, first impression is good value for money but it will be about a week or so before I install it in the barn. I already have all the gear for logging pictures and video to a server etc. - turning into an expensive event however I live in a rural area, police can't be everywhere, I travel a lot so need the piece of mind. I'm using Zoneminder and Linux for the server - its been a while since I was really conversant with Linux but I'm getting there. It uploads files and emails shots when there is movement.

To pay for it all I may have to cut back on our wedding costs next year, maybe go to church on my tractor instead of a limo - and brew all my own beer for the reception :

I could really do with a guard dog but kids are a bit young yet and I travel to much.

What do others do to keep the light-fingered out?

 

[calumscott]

I shall refrain from the expletives. Which is most unlike me.

Glad your security held up for the most part. :thumb:

Does make me think about what I need to do to secure my shed though...

 

[Northern Brewer]

My dad has a couple of old vintage motorcycles in his shed that he's worried about, He's mesh inside the windows and its boarded out internally and has a couple of chunky door locks. His other technique is to pile so much junk on top of the bikes that a) the thieving little sods can't see the bikes and b) it would take ages to get all the scrap out to get to them. Not a technique easy to use in a shiny brewery.

A very loud ear splitting siren in an enclosed space would be my advice - my bear trap idea is probably not legal :whistle:

 

[PD]

you can do all you want but you cant totally protect your gear, especially in wooden buildings like sheds. If the buggers want in they will get in...

However there are things to do to inconvenience them and deter the opportunist thief.

First look around your site, can you improve the outside lighting if its in a dark area. Is it obvious that youve got " valuables in there ie. great big padlocks on a flimsy shed. Can you install a video camera ?
Doors and windows are easy targets, put something up to stop folks looking inside ( even if they have tresspassed into your garden to look.) Closed curtains are good
Don't make it obvious that you have a brewery ! ( dont put pub signs up etc don't advertise what you do to outsiders,)
Can you put wooden or metal bar across the window/door to reduce the " open " area so large pots can't be passed thro easily.
Inside keep your pots covered when not in use with towels/covers etc.
Never leave your shed unlocked when you go out
Keep doors closed if possible, scrap metal men do scan gardens with binoculars etc while driving up and down the road.

80-90 % of thefts are from the opportunist thief, so do all you can to reduce their time and access to your property.

Determined " professional" thieves are in a league of their own....They will win. Check your insurance will cover you, if everything is taken.
I'm upgrading to bigger shiny pots in the new year and I will be buying a length of chain ( shiny of course ) padlocked to garage walls and looped around and through the pot handles to make it harder to walk off with 1 pot.

If all else fails, electrify the pots on a night ! er I must say that was a joke before the council for fairness to thieving scumbags get on to me.

P.s if you have big property and lots of valuable shiny material, consider getting them marked with UV pens etc or even " Smart Water " technology

As an aside....never never leave stuff outside your property for the scrap man to collect, take it away yourself. Don't encourage them or give them an excuse to look over your property.
Get an unfriendly dog.... or a tape recording of one.....
If your on a farm...get geese....

Finally take photos and list a desc of all your property. It can help later.

Thieves are scumbags and deserve to be treated as such and I make no apology if that upsets anyone, if they get hurt on my property...tough.
Carpet gripper strips are good on window ledges....... :whistle:

 

[calumscott]

Carpet gripper strips are good on window ledges....... :whistle:

Would also be very effective on the garden side of a wooden fence... right at the top...

 

[Wendy1971]

Thats why we have a sign up saying Never mind the dog Beware of the wife :lol: Glad to see your stuff never got pinched you cant have buggar all these days :thumb:

 

[Wendy1971]

oh and glad to see you back on the forum

 

[The Goatreich]

Also an issue I have in the back of my mind. Currently my new shed is locked and alarmed, but the windows and door would be pretty easy to kick in. However, I do have the external sounder for the alarm hidden in the shed, and it is FECKING loud! If you set it off and were inside the shed you would want to get out immediately, the alarm texts me and my Dad, so if we were close enough we could get there for "damage control". However, it's in no way fool proof.

I do like the bar across the windows idea to limit the accessible space, I think I'll use that, and I quite fancy setting up a camera in there too. I don't have shiny at the moment, but I do intend on it some day.

Glad to hear they didn't get away with anything.

 

[cutnrun]

Glad to hear the scumbags didn't get away with anything

We have an ADT alarm on our house, next door dont, guess who got robbed last xmas.. not us! The gits even took the washing basket and some sheets so it looked like people walking down the road with some laundry. merry bloody xmas!

My uncle moved into a house 15 years ago and there was broken glass cemented into the garden wall. He always said that he was going to get round totaking it out but never really got round to it.

Now he is in his mid 80s, not exactly frail, not really a match to an youger bloke that wanted to get something or get away. So when he found blood on the glass he was releaved he didn't get round to it.

I am not recomending it just saying that in the wors case scenario it could have saved his life!

 

[The Goatreich]

Or a local cat now has a limp....

 

[LeedsBrewer]

Or a local cat now has a limp....

:rofl:

 

[Baz Chaz]

....... A very loud ear splitting siren in an enclosed space would be my advice

Definitely, go with noise every time, don't put a delay on it either, immediate activation, they don't like hanging around when a decent siren/bell goes off :thumb: I used to recommend that every time for outbuildings before I retired :!:

Glad they didn't get anything but shame about the amount of damage :evil:

 

[Vossy1]

Good to hear they didn't get anything A, not good they tried though....scroats :evil:
Noise would be good but being in a semi rural local could be pointless but better than not I guess if at a good price. A few folk I know have the up and overs doored garages with the asbestos roof's. Quite a few of the with classic bikes have caged the interior with heras type fence panel mesh. If they're absolutely determined it will be hard to stop em though :cry:

 

[Northern Brewer]

Thanks for the kind remarks and suggestions. :

I think I will dig a bear pit lined with carpet gripper rods and broken glass in front of the brew room with a siren in it. I'll put a few bottle of my last brew in the bottom to keep them company, it was terrible :sick:

Cheers
Andy

 

[Dronfieldbrewer]

get a shot gun license and make sure its registered with the local filth....doesn't mean you have to have a shotgun but if you ring the boys in blue they get there a bit sharpish and tooled up to boot. Then get the biggest ugliest dog in the world

I have none of the above but I do have a wife.....Even the dark is frightened of her...

 

[alanywiseman.]

Like this one?

 

[Vossy1]

:shock: that should come with a warning :lol:

 

[Aleman]

Ahhh . . . . Fluffy

 

[PD]

get a shot gun license and make sure its registered with the local filth....doesn't mean you have to have a shotgun but if you ring the boys in blue they get there a bit sharpish and tooled up to boot. Then get the biggest ugliest dog in the world

I have none of the above but I do have a wife.....Even the dark is frightened of her...

ah yes, and no doubt they will rush around to help out one of their most staunch supporters

 

[Frogfurlong]

Get one of these

CLICKY!

It'll also take care of the local cat problem too