It’s pretty scary that it’s this easy to make a key to open any lock it fits in.

I haven't tried it yet, but I plan on it (on my own lock of course!). The guy that sent me the link tried it and it does indeed work.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5177213949300140850

Why even lock your doors?

My foot gets me in quicker than that!

it should work, its doing the same as a lock pick.

Yeah. I've got locks on my doors like everyone else.

But I depend on "locked and loaded" more!

This is just one more reason.

Fox 12 shouldn't have done the story. It's just spreading the word, like we are here.

No biggie. There are a lot of ways to circumvent locks.

There is no absolute security, particularly on something with windows. If they really want in your car, it's no big deal for them to get in.

So, the goal is always, keeping a low profile. Make sure it's somebody elses car they are looking at.

I agree with Craig. It is irresponsible reporting, but with the feral puppy channel, you never know how low that bar actually can go until they move it.

Next week maybe they will have tips on stalking, how to smoke at a gas station and why children shouldn't bother with crosswalks.

Actually, I think it's totally responsible. People should be aware of their real security tradeoffs.

If more people actually knew just how easy it is to get into a car, perhaps they would be a bit smarter with their use of them.

(and it's easy. I make a point of breaking into each new car I own, just so I don't ever have to pay, should I hose things up and lock myself out!)


Security through ignorance means that only the criminal element will have all the facts necessary. It's not like this stuff simply goes away, if not reported on the TV.

So on a related topic: what's the best way for a homeowner to defeat burglars? Assuming I'm not home and packing heat. Is there a better lock I can get that makes it harder to break in?

I've considered setting up a cheap alarm system that would text message me if there's movement in my house when I'm not home (and would presumably set off some sort of audio alarm). The question is, what's the cheapest, most practical way to do this?

I was thinking of creating something unusual that would unnerve anyone breaking in more than the typical alarm they might be expecting. Maybe something that talks to them, a little speaker that says, "Eat lead, sucker!!!" Followed by some gunshots from the speaker.

Andrew

Get quality lights. Motion floods are good, as are accent lights that eliminate shadows around the house.

Clean up the place, tighten up the details so it says, "go away".

Consider a dog.

Have a fence? Consider one of those too.

Put up the security stickers --alarm or not.

Network with your neighbors to do the same things, thus pushing the problem somewhere else.

Keep your possessions low profile. The more moderate your place seems, the less of a target it is. Little things like positioning things where windows don't allow a clear view, not flaunting your stuff, essentially. You want moderate and just busy enough to not be worth the hassle.

90 percent of security is making sure the risk / reward ratio is low enough to discourage attempts.

The alarm is a good thing. I've never had the need for them because I make sure the house is occupied. My father in law lives with us and that keeps would be thieves at bay.

Before this, I could always find a friend to house-sit. Load the place up with some great food, set out a stack of good movies and share a little while you are gone.

Spend the nights are good, but really should be combined with daytime check-ins as well. Your neighbors are great for this. Trade off and get to know them. That helps a lot. Have a coupla block get togethers. Some good barbque will break the ice and let everyone feel good about their neighbors.

Exchange phone numbers and let them know it's totally ok to call about out of the norm events, let them know you will do the same.

As for locks, be sure you get the ones that have solid workings. Ask your local locksmith what he would prefer --that advice will be better than your local hardware guy. That's been the case for my family anyway.

The biggie is your doors and windows. Does the door have glass positioned where it can be easily broken and or removed to gain access to the lock? If so, make sure your deadbolt is keyed on both sides, or it's a waste of time.

Plexiglass storm windows are hard to break and generally must be removed. Putting those up will deter the break in quick and grab types. Combined with the lights, this is a big hassle.

Got a pet door? Make sure it can be sealed.

Have neighbors part cars in your spaces and trade off on this. Friends work well too. Do this from time to time, even when you are not gone, that way casing your place is harder and takes more time. Again, defeating the risk / reward ratio. Time spent learning about your place is only worth it if the reward is gonna be solid.

Pay some local kids to mow your lawn and tidy up.

Have your mail routed to the post office for pickup, same for the newspaper.

Nothing can be done about the damn food day. Nothing says, "hit me" like half a dozen of these things lying around. Work your neighbors for this, or that trusted young adult.

Some solid advice Missing. I think this is a good direction for this thread too.

Where I live we share a big old house. Between the three of us, our loopy sleep patterns and staggered workdays, there is someone at home virtually all the time. We are able to watch out for each other and our neighbors 24/7.

This works on a neighborhood level as well, especially because so many of us are friends. We all know who is supposed to be where and when and we all know what cars belong. Everything else sticks out like a sore thumb. People don't torch meth in a van around here or turn a trick because we are all scarier than the police. :0)

Let your pets in and out. There's nothing like a big shadow in a doorway and a bounding golden retriever who needs a piss to move whatever was in your back yard about a quarter mile away in less than a second.

Cats are great. They will attack just like a dog if you bond with them. I have seen it in action and they don't fight fair at all. Unlike a lot of dogs, cats have bites that can cause nasty and sometimes fatal infections. Not hard to find your man when he is in the ER with what looks like a raw chicken filled with strawberry preserves and tapioca on the end of his arm.

Everyone. Please. If your neighbor has a mailbox starting to overflow, make sure they are alive and if they are, but just not home, put it in a paper sack and give it to them when they get back. Nobody is snarky when you hand them a week of Oregonians and a stack of bills when they were called out of town on an emergency. They might even make you dinner.

Packing heat can be very effective.
Or, simply place NRA stickers near every doorhandle.

Herb

I've got a " Slow Children Playing " near my house. I think I get sympathy points from robbers with that.

The alarm issue is tricky. At least in Multnomah County, you need permits and professional installation. If you have a problem with false alarms, you are eventually fined to the point where you are nickel and dimed out of a security system or they tell you to take it out.
http://www.portlandonline.com/police/index.cfm?c=30568

Andrew, perhaps a variation or hybrid of this idea might suit your needs.

I had almost forgotten about a trick I heard a few friends used in Eugene. They had a few motion detectors connected to a huge stereo system and it worked for their college madhouse without locks. I imagine it will for a secure home too. It was a long time ago, but I remember they got most of the stuff at Radio Shack on a broke Duck budget.

I imagine that Flight of the Valkyries is a great piece for this purpose -- they used Sonic Youth. It took just enough time to get going in the tape machine, so that they could scoot into the other room and catch it or at least turn it down. Otherwise, all hell broke loose and the neighborhood came running. Know your neighbors? No need for that pesky permit when you have a clarion call. Of course, who has a cassette machine you can leave in play mode anymore? Perhaps there is a CD player that plays when you fire it up.

Well, I wouldn't be installing an alarm that would even call the cops, so I wouldn't be subject to any regulation. It would simply text message me or as I said, play some sort of sound, flash an obnoxious redlight, etc. The purpose would be to scare the burglars away, not alert anyone else except me. It's also possible I could hook up a wireless camera to my home network and tune in an image from inside my house from a remote laptop or cell phone, to make sure all is on the up and up. If I saw someone inside then I could call the cops and perhaps a neighbor.

Andrew

Unfortunately it *is* very easy to do. Although for belief Dan might can me if I go into specifics here I won't, but I will say that it has saved my ass lots of times when I lock my keys in the truck. (Seems to happen a lot more often than I feel comfortable realising......)

But note I am not at all endorsing or saying I am doing this on other cars! (I wouldn't even think of stooping to that!)

If there was available a remote keyless entry kit as an aftermarket add-on I would buy one in a heart's beat. So I wouldn't have to try to pick my own damn door lock all the time to get my keys out............

Is there such a product?

Hey, it's legal to fully understand locks, talk about what you know and learn from others.

It's ok to build your own locks and pick them to test their mettle.

It's just not ok to possess the set of tools required to do these things.

So you keep your picks at home (where our bill of rights gives you some safe haven to think and learn freely), or make them on the fly.

There is no shame in knowing these things, only acting in a less than responsible way. Frankly, I learned from an uncle. Gave me a coffee can full of locks, showed me how one worked and let me work through the things. I built my own picks from various materials, after having seen how the locks work. Never took them out of the house, and will construct one on the fly to this day.

Besides, for most cars a good solid metal coat hanger is often the quick and easy way to go. No need for any other tools but your own hands!

That experience has saved me and people I know a ton of money over the years. Got me out of more than one stupid jam too.

Sorry, but this stuff worries me. There is enough ignorance in this world, we don't need to be adding to it!