I've just found out that my garage got broken into last night. I don't think anything car related has gone, but a couple of grands worth of mountain bikes certainly has. Insurance? Hmmmm...

So: Does anyone know of anyone who's had a kit car (built, presumably!) stolen?

What security do people have on their garages? The police suggested one of those locks that bolts into the concrete to keep the door shut, and a garage alarm (apparently you can get battery ones for £15).

Off to check everything else's still there now. I do know they bent a cycle wing getting the bikes out though... Pass me my gun, boy!

Unlucky mate. How some folk sleep at night is beyond me.
My old boy linked up the outside lights to motion sensors. With sensors in various places around the house and garage. If one picks up anything the hole place lights up like a christmas tree. Seems to work well.

It's unbelievable - garage is a couple of houses away form my house, at the entrance to the communal parking area for the estate. (Rubbish modern estate!) It's looked over by probably 25 houses. Think the alarm may be the best plan.

garage security is one thing i need to address urgently, especially as growing numbers of people know there are goodies in there! Ive got a light, and fortunately im a light sleeper, but a bigger lock is a must, and an alarm a good idea.

mate have you got a decent dog

if not get one

ie Dogue De Bordeaux

or American Pitbull

I know it sounds a bit OTT but

who is going to be interested in your house alarm going off ???

I can guarantee your neighbour who is usually nose ass stuck to the window and usually sees every other thing to gossip about with others will funnily enough not of seen anything when your garage was robbed or she didnt want to see

no one wants to get involved these days
even if its in front of them

a good dog will hear every knock and bang outside thats to do with you and your surroundings amazingly


they dont sleep at night (you think there asleep there not)


there very child friendly and will stop at no means to protect you and your belongings

worth every bit more than the best alarm

believe me a good security light as above and one of these no one will ever come within 30 metres of you again

both of the above dogs would savage most things

the Dogue De Bordeaux can easily take on a Bear!



Think about

also these people watch you for days beforehand to see what youve got and where it is theyll also notice what security youve got!

I bought a pair of locks specially designed for garage up-and-over doors. They are 5-lever BSI-standard mortice locks that fit in the bottom corners.

A thief would have to destroy the door to get in, which would be very noisy - no sneak break-ins. I'm not saying a break-in would be impossible - nothing's impossible - but I doubt if an attempt would go unnoticed.

David

My garage doors shown below!

Self-built along with the rest of the workshop, 50 x 50 RHS framed, 16swg sheet pretensioned and stitch welded on, gate hinged doors, unequal width so small "daily" door on the left and biggie on the right to give the full 8ft opening for vehicle access.

Security wise, the hinges are welded to the doors, the hinge hangers are welded to the steel door frame, which is rawlbolted to the blockwork and was welded in situ so it can't come out anyway. The hasps are welded to the doors too and there's two locks. The hinges are stepped ones so the doors are inside the steel frame to and can't lift off. There's no windows or rooflights either, just lots of electric lighting! (HP sodium plus flourescents)

That's all I could do really, can't think of owt else!



Grasser 1

I have a scaffolding pole padlocked across the inside of the garage door at about 2' 6".

The doors will not open with the pole in place and even if someone ripped the doors off they still couldn't get the car out.

I think I'd be right in saying that most thieves are opportunist's. In our case and based on that assumption, I doubt many would know how to drive a BEC. They'd take one look at the gear lever and run away. Even if they managed to start it and select first gear, they'd probably stall it half a dozen times before they got off the drive. EVEN if they managed to do this, I'd just follow the noise until I found it (which would probably be within a 50 mile radius, given that there's usually only half a tank of petrol)

Professional thieves will have it if they want it, regardless of what security you have in place

I've had the car broken into twice and someone attempted to steal the motorbike in the last 5 months...

So I've taken no chances with my garage and the kit inside it...

A panelled and strengthened rear door with 2 brenton bolts and fully shrouded padlocks ( http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?cId=100228&ts=16006&id=23629 and http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?cId=100228&ts=16051&id=39110 ), a five lever deadlock ( http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?cId=101836&ts=16131&id=91779 )and a door latch.

The front doors have four tower bolts on the back that go into concrete with the tops going into a steel insert and also a tamper proof padlock on the front.

I've then fitted one of these http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?cId=101422&ts=15860&id=34004 for £47! All four zones are wired up in the garage and the user panel is in the house to arm and disarm. The two PIR's point at either doors and the magnetic switches are on the doors also.

I'm hoping this is enough to put off potential low lifes...

Really sad to hear about your predicament though bud. They really are scum...

Chris.

I am lucky enough to have mine locked up in my workshop at night with a decent alarm, and i live in the flat above it, but makro have started selling cctv kits with a camera and a monitor for £49 + vat, it wont stop anyone getting in, but at least you may get a picture of the tea leafs in action!

just found out they are doing a two-camera setup for £34.99! and an alarm kit with four digit code + 110mm security hasp and a 40mm padlock by yale for £24.99

I dont work for makro or anything, they just do alot of security stuff that seems too cheap to pass up for a bit of peace of mind!

[Edited on 1/3/06 by Ketchup]

Don't forget the hinges can be a weak point of any door.
One of the things I did on my shed/workshop was to leave a screw out of the hinges on the door and frame. I put a length of studding through with a nut on either side then the stud was rivetted over.
Hopefully that'll slow them down

Guy i work with had is garage broken into over weekend had his snap top box and roll cab away full of tools a mig welder and a compressor that was all alarmed up etc etc but they got away with it.

Ive beefed up my hinges and locks from inside and also B&Q alarm (its loud) also have 2 rotties sleeping in the kitchen stones throw from garage.

Plumber friend of mine got fed up with his garage broken into by (he believed) the local travelling types. Called Police several times but they could/would do nothing.

So eventually he suspends a large length of recently used cast iron waste pipe (still smeared with waste if you get my meaning) from rope at one end. It's held up at one end by a rope thats attached to the door so when you open the door it pulls the rope and releases the pipe to swing down (broken, sharp pointy end first) towards the door.
The trap is duly set!

A couple of days later a local bobby comes round to check all is well with the garage.... and gets an abdomen full of sh1t smeared cast iron lance!

You can guess what happened! Police wanna do him for attempted murder etc. etc. particularly as the pipe was at face height for a child!


Anyway, he got off in the end but it was a close thing. Silly fekker!!!

Cheers,
James

quote:

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Originally posted by gary gsx
Ive beefed up my hinges and locks from inside and also B&Q alarm (its loud) also have 2 rotties sleeping in the kitchen stones throw from garage.

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Last time one of our distant relatives was broken into on his farm he shotgunned the theifs car as they drove away and made national news....

At the end of the day you will never stop a determined theif, but its relatively easy to stop opportunists.

touch wood i havent been robbed for a few years now.
any measures you do take are worthwhile if only for a bit of piece of mind but my new garage is behind my house in a secure compound with a bit of extra protection
Rescued attachment roties.jpg

quote:

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Originally posted by NS Dev
My garage doors shown below!

blah blah blah

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Kit car thefts have happened but aren't that common. Only one I can think of was a Striker about 2/3 years ago. IIRC It was found in a ditch a day or two later.

PS Trailers are higher risk items....

If I was to be a burgler and was to break in to a garage with a tough looking door, I'd probably lift a few tiles and plop in through the roof. Thats how I got into my garage when I locked my keys in.

Turns out a neighbour saw the whole thing. Quite why he didn't ring the police remains a mystery.

He saw 12 lads (maybe this is a bit of an exaggeration to defend his total lack of action) taking their time to get the bikes out, despite the fact they saw him watching. Swanned off happily with the swag, and presumeably a reinforced sense of their total impunity. None of them old enough to drive, but if they're this cocky then I'm not prepared to take the risk that they won't fancy a joy ride when the engine's in. They roughly match the description of 4 lads who turned up to admire the car the other day. In retrospect, I should have spotted their conspicuous interest in the contents of the garage. Total mug.

It's a rented garage so I'm limited with what security I can install, but I've got a "garage defender" which was recomended by the plod. £70!!! Seems fairly hardcore though.

Everyday's a school day...