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03Lightningrocks wrote:
I need to get the cell phone set up for mine. i have it on a land line. I don't even have the phone plugged into the wall. I make and receive all my calls on the cell phone. I am paying for a land line so my alrm can be monitored... . Now that I am thinking about it, I will probably call them tomorrow and see what it will take to set it up like yours. I know they offer it. I just don't know the cost. thanks for the information!

Nice. I think it's worth it. The one possible down-side is that if there's true civil unrest, the cell service dies. I experienced that during hurricanes Rita and Ike. That being said, during those times, you can't really rely on police response at all, but you will still have the loud alarm and, again, the bad guys don't know when the police are coming.

In a previous home, our security system was hooked up to the land line. We had a "fun" experience one night when we were awakened to an alarm screaming in our house. It was the first time, and made us realize we had no real plan if that happened... total chaos.

When the police arrived, we searched for the source of the alarm and found nothing wrong, but when I picked up my phone, it was dead. No dial tone. So we went to the phone box and found the largest hornets nest I've ever seen. It had cut the line, which caused the alarm.
(Side note... funniest thing I've ever seen... the cop, a very very large man (the kind you're glad "he's on your side") was with me. He was the one who opened the phone box, and when he saw that nest, he screamed at a pitch I've only heard from my 6 year old daughter. It was the highest, loudest, most feminine scream I've ever heard. I was dying laughing. He was afraid of "bees". Had we found a prowler, I'm convinced this guy would have pulverized him without a second thought, but these "bees" freaked him out! haha I only wish I had it on video.)

03Lightningrocks wrote: I would be tempted to rush home and with my luck probably get myself shot...LOL. You have the alarm system for the same reason as I. It creates a time limit for the bad guys. I know beyond any doubt, they aren't going to have time to get my safe open!

Does that pager system also call the monitoring company or do you get the pager system in lieu of a monitoring service?

You and I think alike. It's all about making them scared to stick around. The alarm is LOUD, and they're going to know that their time is limited. I know they may grab a laptop or something and bolt, but I know my safe is going to stay SAFE.

The systems texts me when the alarm goes off, and the monitoring service calls my house. If they can't reach me, they call the police. It's all part of the monitoring. And the information from my house is sent via a cell signal, so we don't rely on a land-line that can be cut. It's pretty cool. Response time has been excellent the one time we needed it too. It also texts me every time the alarm is armed or disarmed. That can get annoying, but I can turn that off and on as I see fit. That feature comes in handy when out of town, because I cans see when our housekeeper enters and re-arms (or fails to re-arm).

Lambda Force wrote:How about an alarm system that pages you. Then you can call the cops on your cell phone and say, "Someone is breaking into my house!"

That's what I have, and from personal experience, when my alarm goes off, it's about 5 minutes until they respond.
When I was in Sugar Land, it was 5 minutes max. In Katy, the same...

The primary benefit of a security system is that it creates a ticking clock for the intruders. Even if the average response time was 30 minutes, the bad guys don't know that, and unless they're on drugs, I can guarantee you they won't test it. They'll most likely bolt ... or grab something expensive then bolt.

The good news is, everything you have in a safe will be safe.
Any safe can be defeated with an unlimited amount of time. Don't give them unlimited time... get a security system. Personally, I think anyone who forgoes this as *part* of their security plan is insane or naive. It's just one more tool in your bag. Why not use it???

Longshot38 wrote: I know from first hand experience that security systems provide more false alarms alarms for actual incidents. And emergency personnel know this thus we don't really rush to these incidents. This being said you also have to understand that most burglaries are the smash and grab type, criminals generally don't like having to work for their money. If you see a burglary that involves the perpetrators saying the residence for any length of time then most likely they are pros that know how to by-pass a security system and are either looking for something specific and/or will get what they want regardless of the security system.

Didn't you just negate your whole original argument with this right here?

As for the false alarms, that may be true, but to the criminals in your home, they have no idea how long it will be before response arrives, but they are having to endure the whaling siren and the anxiety of knowing that there will be a response. It creates a 'ticking clock' for their activity. Not having a system at all removes that as an issue entirely.

Longshot38 wrote:
Alright so what is about the storage unit that is more secure then your home? Personally I believe my home should be AT LEAST as secure as a storage facility. Truth is that securing your home vs the cost of renting a off site storage facility for a year should come out to be the same. And at the end of the day you have control over the security measure at your home, thus you control the security codes, keys, and other security measures. Where the off site storage does not offer that level of customization and attention to detail.

My home is very secure. I'll get to that in a minute, but here's why a storage facility feels even safer... one word: numbers.
There are hundreds or even thousands of units all inside a very secure building. The odds of my unit being robbed vs. any other is almost zero. Even if someone breaks into the facility itself, I'm still feeling secure and safe. If my house is broken into, it's my stuff that's being threatened, and I would wager that homes are much more likely to be invaded for theft than storage unit facilities (especially the indoor, climate controlled part).

Longshot38 wrote:
In other words if one is really worried concerned about security around their home a simple check list goes something like this:\
1) Forget ADT and other security sytems. All they are good for is getting the police to your home after someone has stolen you processions.
2) Purchase a set of high quality locks for your doors.
3) Install a set of security cameras. Basic network compatible security camera are relatively cheap and work.
4) Lock all valuables in quality safe and bolt that thing to the floor
5) Password protect and encrypt you data network and computers
6) Get a big dog or two and keep a firearm at the ready

Do this and you will have spent the same amount of money and you will have a home that is just as secure as off site storage.

I have to thoroughly disagree with point #1. Having a security system is a MUST! If you're not home, at the very worst, it makes the break-in a 'smash and grab' type which lasts only a few minutes, because they know someone is on the way.
That's why you also should have a safe, and in conjunction with a security system, you're in good shape.
Also, they can be great backup for home invasions when you are home. I do not understand why people wouldn't get a burglar alarm of some type.

olafpfj wrote:

Scott in Houston wrote:This thread is very interesting. Can you elaborate why a storage facility is a 'no-go'?

It will be BY FAR, the most economical, and most safe, way to stare them (assuming you get a climate controlled, name-brand facility). It blows the doors off, in terms of safety, the other options listed hear, including having a range store them.

I can't answer for the OP but the rules of every storage facility I checked out last time expressely mentioned firearms as prohibited items and ammo fell into the hazardous materials category. When I moved to Texas the moving company had to play the whole "theres no guns in that there safe...rrrrrright "..."of course not Mr. Truck driver, that would be against the rules... "

Again...not like that has ever even remotely stopped anyone. Its not illegal just against company policy so the worst they could do would be to evict you.

Right... most of those policies are pure legal CYA for the place. In reality, they don't care. I've stored guns in many storage units (all climate controlled). I feel much safer having them there, than even in my own house.

You're right. It's no illegal. It can at worst, get you evicted, or in case of a fire/theft scenario, their insurance wouldn't cover.

This thread is very interesting. Can you elaborate why a storage facility is a 'no-go'?

It will be BY FAR, the most economical, and most safe, way to stare them (assuming you get a climate controlled, name-brand facility). It blows the doors off, in terms of safety, the other options listed hear, including having a range store them.

Curious why it's not an option?