How to deter theft of your car or home when away?

[Urchina]

I'm not a cop, but I do know (from restaurant inspecting days) that you don't have to rat-proof your place (damn near impossible to do); you just have to make it harder to get into than the place next door.

I think the same is true for securing your home. So, basically what Leonidas said!

The other thing is to be unpredictable -- if you're always gone between 9 and 3, that's when your house will be hit. If you're in and out and moving around (or it LOOKS like you are, based on your house patterns, etc.) it's harder for thieves to time a hit, and they might just take a pass on you and move on.

We use digital timers for our lights (and you can even get some now that are random on / random off, so the lights come on and go off at different times of the day). Someone who can come open your curtains / close them each day, in addition to maintaining the outside of the house and collecting mail/papers would be great.

Finally, I always take jewelry and documents that I would hate to lose to our safety deposit box at the bank before we go on an extended trip. That way, if our house is broken into, I know that the irreplaceable stuff is at least behind a vault door. We also take pictures of each room before major trips, and those go to the safety-deposit box, too, just in case.

 

[Orchidflower]

The reason burglars hit between 9 am and 3 pm is the owners will, most likely, be at work; but, of course, the smart burglars have already cased the place and know what your schedule is.
I was robbed in an apartment building--with all the people gone to work then, too. It was a no fun experience for sure, and one I have no desire to repeat ever.

 

[harley]

We use digital timers for our lights (and you can even get some now that are random on / random off, so the lights come on and go off at different times of the day).

Just a word on the timers. We have some that you set the on/off time on, but they then vary by about 15 minutes plus or minus that time. I like them a lot. We also got a few that just randomly go on and off all the time, no rhyme or reason. Those I don't like. I don't think having the light going off and on all night long is very realistic. We travel a good bit, so I leave a number of lights on the timer even when we're home. I just go to bed at night whenever, knowing the light will go off. I think if anybody was casing the joint they'd be thrown off by the consistancy shown even when we're home.

A second piece I do with the timers is to have the one in the den go off about a half hour earlier than the one in the bedroom. And the bedroom one comes on much later than the den. This sort of follows the progression we make through the house at night.

I don't know how much any of this helps, but it seems like a burgler would be aware of patterns and the like. Heh, my den light just popped on while I was typing this.

 

[M Paquette]

Just a word on the timers. We have some that you set the on/off time on, but they then vary by about 15 minutes plus or minus that time. I like them a lot. We also got a few that just randomly go on and off all the time, no rhyme or reason. Those I don't like.

We've got some of the Honeywell wall switches installed that can be programmed to turn on at around sunset, and turn off at a preset time +- 15 minutes. I've also got a few switches that 'record' usage patterns and then can be set to play them back, again with +- 15 minute random changes.

The nice thing with the wall switches is that they operate the same built-in lights we normally use. We leave the Honeywell switches on automatic all the time, as the pattern matches our normal usage.

I also have motion detector switches in places where I might not have hands free. That makes taking out the garbage at night easier...

 

[WhoDaresWins]

When I am at work, my dog would most definitely bark his head off if someone was lurking about. When I vacation he goes to stay with a friend of mine who has quite the furry menagerie of her own. My TVs are old, and I don't have any new, expensive electronics. My bits and pieces of jewelry are well hidden. I guess I could leave stuff with a friend as she leaves her jewelry with me when she travels, but I just have never thought it was worth it. I used to have a safety deposit box with my son's name on it with me, but I closed it out and gave him the little coin collection that belonged to my Dad and was added to by his father.

 

[Orchidflower]

M Paquette: Regarding these Honeywell wall switches--which sound perfect for me--do you just call an electrician and he brings and installs them? Stupid question, but I've never heard of them...altho I really love the idea you presented.
How expensive is this proposition of buying and installing these Honeywell wall switches?

 

[M Paquette]

I installed an older version of this for our kitchen and living room:

Amazon.com: Aube by Honeywell TI033/U 7-Day Programmable Timer Switch, White: Home Improvement

We got the switches at Home Depot, for around $25 each. That was a few years ago, and an older model. The new ones look nicer.

You could easily get an electrician or handyman to install them. They'd probably just run over to Home Depot and pick them up. Installation takes about 10-15 minutes each. As a wild guess, getting a handyman/electrician to install them would run around $50-75 a switch including the cost of the switch.

The other neat wallswitch that I like is the motion detector:

Amazon.com: Leviton OSSNL-IDW Decora Passive Infrared Wall Switch Occupancy Sensor, LED Adjustable Night Light, 180 Degree, 2100 sq ft Coverage, White: Home Improvement

I've put this in a garage attached to the house, so that when I walk into the garage with my hands full, the light turns on. I don't have to stop, set stuff down, and try to find the switch in the dark. It's also nice when we come home late at night. (There are cheaper switches, but this one works well with built-in florescent lighting.)