Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Smallholder security  (Read 2913 times)

Baggins11

  • Joined Dec 2018
Smallholder security
« on: August 09, 2020, 08:28:39 am »
I am looking for tips on upping our security. There have been a few times recently where our village has been targeted.  It's usually builders tools that get taken but it's only a matter of time.

Non of our buildings are particularly secure and it would be expensive to make them more secure so I am looking at ideas to prevent theives from getting onto our land all together.

We have 2 access points and the one near our house doesn't even have a gate. It would be difficult to put a gate in here. Our other access point has a metal gate that isn't bolted currently.

So what's the best strategy? Dummy cctv, real cctv, signs such as 'beware of the dog' or '24hr cctv recording'?

If I bolt the second access point does that make us more of a target as people might think we have something valuable? It is on a through route that gets a fair bit of traffic past the gate.

Any advice welcome

harmony

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: Smallholder security
« Reply #1 on: August 09, 2020, 09:27:40 am »
Whilst it might be expensive to make your building secure a break in is expensive and your insurers will expect you to protect your property.


It is impossible to stop thieves coming onto your land. They don't always use the gates. You can though make it harder by locking gates.


Real cameras are obviously better than dummy ones. They don't like dogs. Sensor lighting is good. Permanently mark your property.


If they are determined they are hard to stop but the more difficult you make it the chances are they will try their hand elsewhere.


If someone comes onto your property looking for directions, buying scrap, in vans etc take their number plate and if possible let them see you do it. Have a neighbourhood watch system to look out for each other.


Where I live they have been thieving in broad daylight.

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: Smallholder security
« Reply #2 on: August 09, 2020, 10:02:50 am »
I always say you won't stop a determined "professional" thief - but you can deter an opportunist. ;)

And yes, check your small print.  Insurers may refuse to pay up if you haven't taken all reasonable precautions.  (Most insurers won't pay for a stolen quad bike unless it was behind bolts and padlocks, for instance.)
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

Baggins11

  • Joined Dec 2018
Re: Smallholder security
« Reply #3 on: August 09, 2020, 10:22:06 am »
Thanks for those ideas. I have started marking our property and will look at better sensor lights and improving our building security.

I think at the moment our best deterrent is our dog. She is a very good guard dog. She is a big beast and looks the part. She is not friendly with strangers so I do make a point of having her on show when anyone is around that I don't know. 

I am more concerned about break ins at night though as that's when the recent ones in the area have been.

harmony

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: Smallholder security
« Reply #4 on: August 09, 2020, 11:39:28 am »
I always say you won't stop a determined "professional" thief - but you can deter an opportunist. ;)



The opportunist is the one who calls in the daytime sees no-one is in, dog is in the kennel and finds an unlocked trailer, unlocked shed, chainsaw on the wood pile while you nipped for a can of petrol. The professional reckies an area and sees how many hits they can do in one run and probably has a shopping list.




Steph Hen

  • Joined Jul 2013
  • Angus Scotland.
Re: Smallholder security
« Reply #5 on: August 09, 2020, 03:20:21 pm »
I got a couple of PIR sensors which are wireless and give a doorbell ring when anyone crosses the beam. I’ve seen the look on people’s faces when they come towards the door and the doors bell’ rings for them. It puts them on the back foot. Same with PIR lights.
These people know the difference between real and dummy cctv. Although I’d hope either might again make them feel less easy.
Actual Cctv doesn’t seem to help very much with rural crimes: sorry but the classic ‘a white van and two guys wearing jeans and dark hoodies’ seems to leave the police pretty stuck with where to start. Same as number plates. The ones used for crime are registered to empty addresses.
Gravel, locks, dog, lights might help. Gates that are shut have been shown to reduce casual footfall of chancers in suburban households compared to households with opened gates.

doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Clackmannanshire
  • Qui? Moi?
    • ABERDON GUNDOGS for work and show
    • Facebook
Re: Smallholder security
« Reply #6 on: August 09, 2020, 05:02:35 pm »
By marking your property I suppose you mean UV pen markers?  I've just bought a couple of those and I'll put my house number and post code on them - but even then any stolen goods rarely turn up if they are of any value, do they?
I have always had PIRs - have tried to tell my friend that dawn to dusk lights are much less effective as burglars can find a way round them, whereas PIRs go on and off and attract attention.  I had to move one of mine as it kept waking me when th rabbits ran past
« Last Edit: August 09, 2020, 05:04:28 pm by doganjo »
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

harmony

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: Smallholder security
« Reply #7 on: August 09, 2020, 05:45:11 pm »
I got a couple of PIR sensors which are wireless and give a doorbell ring when anyone crosses the beam. I’ve seen the look on people’s faces when they come towards the door and the doors bell’ rings for them. It puts them on the back foot. Same with PIR lights.
These people know the difference between real and dummy cctv. Although I’d hope either might again make them feel less easy.
Actual Cctv doesn’t seem to help very much with rural crimes: sorry but the classic ‘a white van and two guys wearing jeans and dark hoodies’ seems to leave the police pretty stuck with where to start. Same as number plates. The ones used for crime are registered to empty addresses.
Gravel, locks, dog, lights might help. Gates that are shut have been shown to reduce casual footfall of chancers in suburban households compared to households with opened gates.


I get your point with your classic quote but sometimes criminals aren't the brightest and do leave plates visible.


We used to have a light in the tack room which came on when the door opened and an alarm went off in the house. Was really useful.

harmony

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: Smallholder security
« Reply #8 on: August 09, 2020, 05:46:27 pm »
By marking your property I suppose you mean UV pen markers?  I've just bought a couple of those and I'll put my house number and post code on them - but even then any stolen goods rarely turn up if they are of any value, do they?
I have always had PIRs - have tried to tell my friend that dawn to dusk lights are much less effective as burglars can find a way round them, whereas PIRs go on and off and attract attention.  I had to move one of mine as it kept waking me when th rabbits ran past


They do turn up sometimes and if they do you stand more chance of getting them back.

Baggins11

  • Joined Dec 2018
Re: Smallholder security
« Reply #9 on: August 09, 2020, 05:48:42 pm »
Steph i love the sound of the bell with the PIR.  Does the door bell sound go off outside or is it meant for inside to alert you.

It sounds a great idea and I am tempted to get one but I can imagine the novelty would wear off if animals are setting it off in the night.

Is there a brand you would recommend and do you get any problems with wind or animals setting it off?

Buttermilk

  • Joined Jul 2014
Re: Smallholder security
« Reply #10 on: August 09, 2020, 06:38:03 pm »
A local farm has a siren at the end of the track up to it.  There is no missing that someone is coming to visit.

harmony

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: Smallholder security
« Reply #11 on: August 09, 2020, 10:51:03 pm »
A local farm has a siren at the end of the track up to it.  There is no missing that someone is coming to visit.


Love it.


PK

  • Joined Mar 2015
  • West Suffolk
    • Notes from a Suffolk Smallholding
Re: Smallholder security
« Reply #12 on: August 10, 2020, 12:41:15 pm »
I met a chap walking up my drive with two mates. He asked if I had a broody hen. He had one but it was two heavy for the eggs so he wanted a lighter broody hen to borrow. I took his inquiry at face value and informed him that I had no broody hens of any weight. I could not help noticing that his two mates standing a bit behind both seemed to be suffering from severe nystagmus which is really unusual unless perhaps they were brothers.

doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Clackmannanshire
  • Qui? Moi?
    • ABERDON GUNDOGS for work and show
    • Facebook
Re: Smallholder security
« Reply #13 on: August 10, 2020, 01:16:31 pm »
ht. I could not help noticing that his two mates standing a bit behind both seemed to be suffering from severe nystagmus which is really unusual unless perhaps they were brothers.
I had to google that onet!  :roflanim: :roflanim:
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

sabrina

  • Joined Nov 2008
Re: Smallholder security
« Reply #14 on: August 10, 2020, 01:16:52 pm »
We have CCTV and 3 dogs.

 

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