Secure your house under construction or empty!

Happening up here a lot too, construction crews can't leave anything at a jobsite. Tools, wood, building supplies, it all just disapears, and sometimes its the neighbors who are found with it. There's been numerous accounts of large appliances being stolen right out of new houses before the family has the chance to move in, like someones watching, waiting for the stoves and fridges to be put in. Theres been a huge urban influx into the area, Monroe county is changing quickly, and not for the better.

I have looked around a bit for an air-hose doorbell. Like service stations used to have, drive your car over the air-hose and it rings a bell inside. We would really like one on our driveway 300' from the house. Just to let us know when someone is coming.

Has anyone found something like that, that you like?

In our case, we just want it as a doorbell. But we could easily use it to turn on a porch light as well. [Turn into the driveway and the porch light comes on]. You could also use it to trigger a webcam to take a photo of the approaching/leaving vehicle.

We would really like such a device.

http://www.alltiresupply.com/p-M-805.html

Something like that? Kind of expensive, and not run by air, but it's a driveway bell.

Jennifer

In edit: Are you talking running on compressed air? that was my first thought when you said air hose. Maybe this one actually is air driven.

__________________
-Northern NYS

http://www.standardus.com/cgi-bin/st...ENT/op=eq.html

Cheaper.

Jennifer

__________________
-Northern NYS

I was thinking birdshot then buckshot......

Nice big sign...."Tresspassers will be Shot"

I dont lock up anything including a loaded gun.

Maybe you should get a big roll of electrical wire or load of copper pipe and bait the losers and let local police in on the STING.....

Baiting and Trapping season is now open

You might want to consider a magnetic vehicle sensor instead. It works even if covered by ice and snow, and it's completely hidden (buried) so trespassers can't just cut the hose or move it out of the way and drive through. They cost more (ours was around $200) but it's well worth it for the added security.

We are getting a bad meth problem in our area too. What a horrible waste.

ET1 SS - do a search for 'driveway security' or 'home security' and you'll be amazed at what's on the market.

As to the topic, construction is still hot in this area and news reports of construction-site-theft is quite common on the local news reports. The economy is doing fine around here, so the thefts are usually considered drug related. In fact, the local law enforcement just did a sweep of indictments for druggies, saying that the types of thefts occuring are usually drug related.

Jennifer L.

Thank you for both of those links.

It looks like the most expensive part is the hose.

We have looked at devices with the light beam, but we do get a lot of moose and wild turkey wandering around; so we did not want something sounding off with each animal.

We had thought of magnetic switches, but over the years I have seen so many of those that just could not detect a vehicle. I am not entirely convinced that they are reliable. [I ride a gold-wing and at many traffic lights that depend on a magnetic switch, I have to get out of the lane so a four-wheeled vehicle can trigger the switch.]

Thanks

There is a company called Dakota Alert which makes a sensor for driveways, works quite a ways out too.

We were pretty fortunate when our house was being built on our small acreage. First, we had lived in the area for years and have good neighbors. Second, the road we are on is not well known as it's a bit further out and just a tad off the beaten path to the larger subdivisions. Third, we have our own version of a "neighborhood watch" and that is a retired military type who literally cruises the roads at all hours. My house did not suffer any theft losses while being built but others in other subs weren't so fortunate. Some theives are even taking the entire work trailer (lots of construction companies are now using enclosed trailers to haul their tools and equipment and supplies in) stripping the goods out of them, then abandoning the trailer in the woods.

Everyone just sort of keeps an eye on everyone else's place in my area, when we can. All of us know what vehicles should be where too-and that's a big help. I think just raising your awareness level is helpful.