Astro_Al Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 Howdy folks. I figure I should do something to secure my workshop. It has blockwork walls up to about 2.5 metres, then corrugated plasticised metal up to the roof (which is made of the same stuff). I have a roller shutter door (motorised), and a crappy wooden regular door. The whole area is behind a locked gate, but you can easily get in on foot and its pretty 'hidden away' so someone could break in unnoticed... Any thoughts on how to better secure it? I guess ideas which are designed to injure potential invaders are not legal? I thought about some kind of video camera (with infra red for night-time) that could send real-time images via the net. Is that possible relatively cheaply? (or at all)? Any other ideas appreciated. I live about 3 miles away, so some kind of intruder alert thing (mobile phone based?) would rock. I could get there pretty quick if I had to. Cheers, Al. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disco_al Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 years ago my brother had a car alarm that would send a signal to a pocket sized receiver if the car was tampered with in any way. the biggest problem with using a net based camera system is having a net connection in the first place. a dvr system with motion detector start would be best concealed inside a secure cabinet, hidden in the building. at least you would capture anyone breaking in - but would still end up with stuff gone walkies. something like this >clicky< would be ideal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandyManLuke Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 I thought about some kind of video camera (with infra red for night-time) that could send real-time images via the net. Is that possible relatively cheaply? (or at all)?Any other ideas appreciated. I live about 3 miles away, so some kind of intruder alert thing (mobile phone based?) would rock. I could get there pretty quick if I had to. Definitely possible, not particularly cheap though. I've been looking into similar for my new garage, and it's only 20 yards from the house! Using a PIR detector to send an SMS message seems like a good idea to me, I'm often nearer my phone than a PC. What sort of internet connection have you got at your unit? IP-CCTV cameras are pretty expensive, the other option is a networked Hard disk CCTV recorder, which uses standard cameras. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoSS Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 There are multiple examples of GSM alarm/telemetry systems - example I have seen even simpler/cheaper things as kit form somewhere. A friend was looking for 2 way control a while back, so he could turn on the heating before he arrived. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollythelw Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 a gun, a freezer and a chainsaw works well. failing that maplin do panic alarms, you can fit a pay as you go sim, it will send a user programed text to up to 3 numbers should the panic button go off, wire the panic button to a PIR inside the building. from the sound of your building Al you have no chance in hell of stopping anyone other than an opportunist, any scally worth thier salt will be through the roller door or roof in under 30 seconds edit ^^^^^ lots or variations on the same idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Henson Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 Rent Lennox - he'll kill anyone that doesn't give him something to eat Les. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim Horsevad Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 Howdy folks. I figure I should do something to secure my workshop.It has blockwork walls up to about 2.5 metres, then corrugated plasticised metal up to the roof (which is made of the same stuff). I have a roller shutter door (motorised), and a crappy wooden regular door. The whole area is behind a locked gate, but you can easily get in on foot and its pretty 'hidden away' so someone could break in unnoticed... Any thoughts on how to better secure it? I guess ideas which are designed to injure potential invaders are not legal? I thought about some kind of video camera (with infra red for night-time) that could send real-time images via the net. Is that possible relatively cheaply? (or at all)? Any other ideas appreciated. I live about 3 miles away, so some kind of intruder alert thing (mobile phone based?) would rock. I could get there pretty quick if I had to. Cheers, Al. IR motion detectors coupled to an array of microwave transmitters. The microwaves produces heat when they reach human skin, which then produces an intese pain. Run the transmitters at a fairly low setting - you only want to induce enough pain to the thief that he chooses to run, not roast him (Roasted thieves could be difficult to explain to police afterwards...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeSheds Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 Really nosy retired neighbours works for me! Harry (across the road) has seen off people three times in the last few years, including one who said that I had sent him to pick up some tools and had forgotten to give him the key! Harry said 'hang on while I call him and check' and the bloke made an excuse and left... Thanks Harry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boothy Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 Koltec 16Kv electric fencer hooked up usually does the trick, but watch out for the local labrador relieving himself on his rounds, good 12 volt car battery will last about 10 days, and it makes you feel good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robhybrid Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 a ate of mine used to have a battery charger connected to a car horn and that was then powered up by a pir inside the building, wouldnt hear it from 3 miles away though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 Big dog. Other than that then the more security you put in the bigger the challenge! Afterall if there is so much security there MUST be something worth half inching! So leave it open with only some rusty tools worth nothing lying about, keep your good stuff elsewhere. irritating. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landmannnn Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 A house alarm with gsm will set you back £100 for a simple system. Use it to set off a couple of floodlights as well. That will deter the asbo teens. The pikeys will take your stuff anyway so you will need insurance..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Wightman Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 Build a seriously oversize bench of immense weight and chain/bolt everything of value to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
therealboss Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 If you have line of sight to the workshop you could use a wireless camera and a wireless point to point link to connect the workshop to the house. This way you can watch the camera in the workshop from home and you could share your home internet connection with the workshop. Lots of places to buy this kind of kit, but i would suggest Website Link We do this kind of thing all the time to protect our remote equipment, my company has expensive equipment located on remote hill tops and all of these site are covered by cameras like the one in the link above. Another thing you could do if you have line of site is buy a camera system of Ebay for about 250 pounds and connect that with a wireless link back to your house. We have lots of farmers over here running a system link this so they can keep an eye on stock in sheds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmy511 Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 a really cheap way is just a baby monitor! just turn it on in the garage and leave it pluged in and on and then turn one on in the house at night and leave at the bedside. then if theres any noise in your workshop you should be woken by it! then pick up that golf club which "you had in the house for cleaning after a round of golf last weekend" and then suitibly "defend" yourself when you meet the said inturder! enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
therealboss Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 a really cheap way is just a baby monitor! just turn it on in the garage and leave it pluged in and on and then turn one on in the house at night and leave at the bedside.then if theres any noise in your workshop you should be woken by it! then pick up that golf club which "you had in the house for cleaning after a round of golf last weekend" and then suitibly "defend" yourself when you meet the said inturder! enjoy. Problem is he lives about 3 miles away..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpodmore Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 park an excavator in front of it works for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astro_Al Posted November 12, 2008 Author Share Posted November 12, 2008 Thanks for all the replies. Paul - stupidly heavy table is under construction, but it won't be practical to chain everything to it due to the size of the place. I had wondered about chaining stuff to the ground, but I can't really see the point when there are plasma cutters lying around. There are some pretty nosey locals near the gate who tend to keep close tabs on whos about, which helps. So the two elements I want to cover are making it harder for people to get in (and get out with my tools), and some kind of warning system so I'm alerted / alarm to deter people. I think a message to my phone is an excellent idea. I will look into that, defo. Not only can I get there pretty quick, but I can also call the owners who's gun cabinet is yards away from the gate. The audible alarm idea is also good due to the local owners being pretty on-edge about security. So I just need to look at securing the place better, as the doors are pretty carp. I know people could go in through the sheet metalwork walls, but if the cant' open the doors even from within without making noise, then I'll feel pretty happy. Insurance is on the cards, I have a guy coming soon for a quote / discussion. I'll have a think based on the ideas - thanks again, Al. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparg Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 there's another aspect to your security system - deterrence. this could be a multi-stage thing. so, you have something that lets intruders know that they have been detected - pir-triggered lights-and-sound do this. the more feedback the little tinker gets about how much the building 'knows' about them, the more deterrence - though, for pros, they won't be easily scared off. Now, i know some people use recordings of dogs in the domestic situation, but I've not heard of a good example that 'behaves' like a dog - barking building up to a crescendo if the visitor tries the door, two differnt seteups so it soundsl like two dogs, noise of dog moving about inside, banging and scratching, and so on. a triggered camera flsh might be good, to make them feel they've photo'd. but you don't want them hanging around to try to steal the camera! the steel walls offer a possibility - a device (battery or mains powered) that, on triggering, starts banging away on the walls - very unpleasant and quite audible for the neighbours - but, you want to consult with them about what they think would be reasonable! - keep 'em on your side. Trick is, to make the building have graduated reactions, so that someone who just snoops around doesn't trigger the entire repertiore, and the more they try to intrude, the harder the systems work to alert people and let the intruder know the building is actually reacting 'intelligently' to them regards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiWhite Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 The people you're trying to keep out will probably be armed with a petrol disc cutter - not much short of a bank vault stops them. We've had some breaks where stolen JCBs have been put through walls to pinch the contents. Long story short - if someone's determined enough to want to get inside, they will. In my experience, getting someone there fast is the best solution, and from there a mobile phone system seems good. Maybe pursuade someone who lives really close to the workshop to have a text sent to them every time the alarm sounds, with the promise of a six pack every time they turn out. Be careful about the golf club suggestion above. Google the only real defence of 'immediate arming' if you are of that line iof thinking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Henson Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 I agree with Si - you bash someone over the head and it'll be you getting locked up/paying compensation - poor burgler Les. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 Al - as has been said, short of building a nuclear bunker you won't keep determined people out. A few good suggestions about getting people there quickly / raising the alarm and generally making their lives harder / making your stuff less attractive. First off, you DO have the contents insured, don't you? At least that way you're not totally blown away if someone cleans the place out. Second, making the scum's lives as unpleasant as possible, while it may not stop them, will at least be slightly more satisfying to that end some really loud alarm sounders (126dB is the pain barrier, you can get louder ones ) and perhaps some sort of smoke grenades (RS sell white or orange 12v ignited smoke canisters to test alarm systems / run drills) or even smart water (which may net you an insurance discount) are possibilities. Electrifying things can be frowned on by the lawyers, but the electric fence zapper idea isn't a bad one if used in a reasonably sensible fashion. On the CCTV / camera subject, CPC are selling a kit of 8 dummy cameras for not much, I'd be inclined to dot those about (although not outdoors where they give the impression of something valuable worth guarding) and then buy a couple of PIR-Floodlight-with-hidden-cameras also from CPC which should capture any scum who wander in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white90 Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 http://www.am-tek.co.uk/product.asp?productID=52 make something like this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LRDISCOVERY Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 check this out on ebay maybe just the thing Wireless MMS Mobile (AV) monitor GSM Alarm System CCTV Send to UK only! Retail price: GBP215!Freeshipping Item number: 120329524871 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean f Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 Electrifying things can be frowned on by the lawyers, but the electric fence zapper idea isn't a bad one if used in a reasonably sensible fashion. There was a case a few years back of a guy who wired his car to the mains and zapped soem one who tried to steal it. He was taken to court but got away with it on the grounds the car was in his garage and they had to break into that first so there was no danger to "innocent" passers by. The judge did tell him not to do it again though...... shame. I have also been in a car where the alarm was wired to a military percussion grenade under the rear seat, any one trying to steal the car would have been luck to get away with only burst ear drums and was more likely to end up decorating what ever was left of the roof of the car. This was in Africa by the way and I am pretty sure it wasn't legal even there so definately not a good idea here, although the same idea with a smoke bomb may work and would be more likely to attact attention than a standard alarm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.