Staying Safe From the Ground Up

January 9, 2013 2:53 PM

Recently, my roommate and I thought someone was breaking into our house. We were actually quite terrified since we heard someone testing the doorknob for a while and heard a loud pounding knock on the door late at night. While we can't fully confirm what happened, we know for sure that both of us and the roommates upstairs heard someone knocking very loudly late at night. I realize that if someone wants to break into a house, then they will. But, what can I do to feel safer?

A few other pieces of information:
-Our windows are easy to break into because they're not high up from the ground. I've never lived in a place with windows that are very close to the ground so I'm quite shaken up about our living situation, especially after the scare.
-I live in a relatively safe neighbourhood, but our residential court is quite secluded. Our house is also hidden by several trees and bushes so you can't really see the house that well regardless of the time of day.
-There's a hole in the back of our fence, the fence is approximately 20 steps away from our windows. Our windows are not high up from the ground so I'm worried about someone being able to easily access our area, especially since there's an apartment complex right behind our house. There's also a main street that's quite close to the back part of our house.
-I asked the maintenance guy about what I could do from a practical perspective and he said not much since putting bars on windows is illegal.

With all of this being said, what can I do to feel safer? I'll be living in this place for 8 more months. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

posted by livinglearning to human relations (50 answers total)

How do you feel about dogs? I sat with a friend in her apartment immediately after a break-in; the cop taking the report said having a dog (preferably a small, yappy one) is a great theft deterrent.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 2:55 PM on January 9 [1 favorite]

How's the lighting in the front and back? If there are bog-standard spotlights out there now, switching them out for the motion-sensing type is pretty simple.
posted by jquinby at 2:59 PM on January 9 [1 favorite]

Solar powered motion sensor light. Good if you're a renter, you don't need to install anything into the electrical system.
posted by elsietheeel at 3:00 PM on January 9 [5 favorites]

I saw this meme on Facebook, but I was struck by how good of an idea it seemed. Do you have a car parked near your place? Does your car have an alarm? If so, keep the key fob nearby and if you feel threatened set off the alarm. It may scare the intruder away, and will probably cause your neighbors to go look out their windows.
posted by MadMadam at 3:08 PM on January 9 [5 favorites]

-I really like dogs, so that might be an option worth discussing again with my roommate (especially after our scare). Chances are that she'll say no, but I figure it's worth asking about.

-The lighting in the front and back is actually very poor. It's very dark at the front and the house is almost unnoticeable. The back of the house is pretty much, just a tad brighter though.

-Thanks for the solar powered motion sensor light suggestion. Come to think of it, the police officer did mention something quite similar. I'll look into it.

-The car alarm suggestion is good, but I don't have a car.

Thanks for the advice so far. Hopefully this doesn't count as threadsitting.
posted by livinglearning at 3:17 PM on January 9

Was coming in to mention the car fob thing....simple but a great idea... You can also buy alarms that attach to your entry ways that are only there to make a ton of noise if tripped. Also, nthing motion sensor lights, they are cheap and easy to install... And...... I know for a fact that our precious, nutso, yappy pooch has scared off at least one nefarious fellow.... he may have just been soliciting but he ran off like a 200 lb husky was chasing him.... And don't live in fear, be safe, take reasonable precautions, be aware of your surroundings and enjoy your life.
posted by pearlybob at 3:19 PM on January 9

I sleep with a 12 gauge shotgun within easy reach, and I sleep very well knowing it is there. Maybe you could get a 20 gauge or .410.

I assume you want to be safer instead of just feel safer. In addition to the weapon, motion-detecting flood lights outside. I sense that you are renting, so consult with your landlord before making any such installations.

If someone is going to come in when you are home, I don't know that a miniature dog would do very much to stop them.
posted by Tanizaki at 3:19 PM on January 9

Buy some wireless cameras so you can check the front door from your phone.
posted by empath at 3:25 PM on January 9 [1 favorite]

there are two discussions going on here-active and passive security. Active security is things like guns, dogs, martial arts training and so on. Stuff you actually do. It is effective, it is higher risk and it is MUCH higher responsibility. I love dogs, and they are great alarm systems. however they are living creatures that you will have for 15+ years. Buy accordingly. Guns are very effective at stopping someone from doing you harm (and anyone breaking into your house with you their can resonably be assumed to have doing you harm in mind). However using one has very serious life altering consequences, legal and emotional. Buy accordingly (and if you do-i own several-get some training and practice, even shotguns require aiming and the proper ammunition to be effective).

Passive is stuff like locks and bars and lights. Lights are great the solar motion sensing ones work, wired motion sensing ones work better sense they are brighter and the batteries don't wear out(being a rental just get the solar ones). The easiest way to deal with them (from the criminals POV) is a pellet gun. Really, really effective on neutralizing them (although not done very much). The best way to secure your windows is take a dowel and put them in the window between the part that opens and the sash-the window can now not open. Really cheap, really effective. Crooks hate breaking windows because it draws attention and even if they do removing the bar can be tough from the outside. Something similair can be done for doors and look into something called the screaming mimi that hooks onto door knobs and when moved makes a godawful racket.

Car alarms just annoy everyone and get zero wanted attention. There are already some threads on this elswhere with more info, maybe someone can link them? I am at work and have a meeting.
posted by bartonlong at 3:30 PM on January 9 [4 favorites]

You don't need a dog, just the sound of one. It immediately makes it less trouble to rob someone who has no barking going on.

High decibel alarms are available at your hardware store. You can get door and window alarms, or just keep a couple around to use as panic buttons.
posted by Lyn Never at 3:30 PM on January 9 [1 favorite]

Additional latches on doors and windows that can only be accessed on the inside, and aren't visible from the outside. Crooks are like most people-- they prefer the low-hanging fruit. Most won't noisily demolish a window unless they're desperate to get in.

The shotgun isn't a panacea, but it's great thing to have if you're willing to use it with lethal force. Don't count on the pump-action sound to scare someone off, and do practice the action with it-- you don't want to short-racking in one of the most stressful and potentially perilous moments of your life. Before mid-December, there were a slew of great shotguns you could get for under $400. Now, I'm not sure-- there's more or less a run on guns right now.
posted by Sunburnt at 3:32 PM on January 9

If you want super cheap, you can get a fake security camera that has a red light that blinks (battery powered) and some fake security company stickers on Amazon for under $10. This is what I did when my across the hall neighbors place was broken into. Granted, this does fuckall if something actually happens, but sometimes you just need the person to think about going elsewhere.

But yeah, more lighting FTW. And for the windows, they make little things that you can put into the side tracks of them so they'll only open a few inches or whatever. I'm not sure about the safety/legality of those, but we had them in our rooms at college.
posted by sperose at 3:34 PM on January 9

Increasing the lighting around entryways is usually the single best thing you can do to improve home security. It is usually simple to implement and relatively cheap, it doesn't require a license or care and feeding, it's immediately obvious, and it will deter a very significant percentage of prowlers who will just move on to the next, less well-lit, easier-target home which is probably very nearby. I have attended home-security classes where all kinds of different solutions are discussed, and invariably this is the first recommendation. "Light your entryways."

Whether that increased lighting should also be motion activated is up to you. Motion-activated lighting versus constant light can be either a courtesy or an annoyance to neighbors, depending on your circumstances. But motion-activated lighting is merely responsive (ie, when a prowler approaches) whereas constant light is a general deterrent (ie, before he considers approaching), which is something to consider. There are many other factors so your situation may clarify which makes sense for you.
posted by cribcage at 3:35 PM on January 9

I would just add that could be something completely innocuous, like a drunk friend trying the door of the wrong house. However, I can see how this would be very unnerving! There are battery-operated motion lights, which might be a better trial before a permanent installation. Do you have lights set on a timer? Leaving lights on but in a changing pattern is a good way to help deter casual thefts at night when it would be unoccupied otherwise.

If you have a landline, you could get a cheap wireless headset and sleep with it in case someone does break in so that you can call the cops as an alternative placing to your cell phone. If you have never handled guns before I doubt that you will actually feel safer with one in such a short amount of time, even assuming your housing situation allows it. Setting up a small security camera would be easy to do, or you could have one inside and just pointed at the windows.
posted by jetlagaddict at 3:37 PM on January 9

Calling 911 as soon as you heard something would also work, it seems -

a) the person outside hears that someone's home, and realizes "shit, this isn't going to be as easy as I thought" and

b) You've also called 911.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 3:43 PM on January 9 [1 favorite]

Get a sturdy knife with a hard plastic sheath. You will feel safer, and you will also not accidentally kill yourself or a loved one.
posted by facetious at 3:43 PM on January 9

Assuming you do want a weapon, please take the time to learn to use it, and train with it regularly. Even trained, a sturdy knife will most likely be taken from you and used to kill you, were you ever to actually need it to fend someone off; there's also a massive psychological impact of using a blade in hand-to-hand combat to consider. A shotgun is generally a superior home defense weapon, and you are unlikely to accidentally kill yourself or a loved one if trained in its use.

That said, I'd buy motion detecting lights.
posted by ellF at 3:51 PM on January 9 [1 favorite]

Talk to your landlord about increasing security.
posted by cyndigo at 3:52 PM on January 9 [1 favorite]

The OP is in Canada.

I have guns. You absolutely should not keep one in your house unless everyone who lives there is fluent. Small gauge shotguns require more accuracy and they still go through walls and ceilings.

You want barriers and time gained while you call for help. The tiniest dog barking is an alarm system that will deter most intruders because they know that you know they are trying to get in.

What has happened in the last 4 months to make you concerned?
posted by Mr. Yuck at 3:57 PM on January 9 [5 favorites]

I appreciate the advice so far. I actually don't know very much about this type of thing.

I just wanted to say that neither myself or roommate are interested in handling weapons like guns or having a gun in our place.

I'm going to look into the other suggestions and talk to my roommate about our options too.

I wanted to ask another question though:

I currently have a dowel rod and a cork board right beside the window/covering one half of the window. But, do those things even really make a difference?
posted by livinglearning at 3:58 PM on January 9 [1 favorite]

Seconding the comment that it could have been a lost drunk person at the wrong house. To me, that seems more likely than a knocking burglar.
posted by three_red_balloons at 3:59 PM on January 9 [6 favorites]

I'm just a country bumpkin so what do I know, but do people trying to break into houses knock on the front door? That sounds more like a person trying to get your attention, which I wouldn't imagine a thief would want to do.
posted by treehorn+bunny at 4:00 PM on January 9

It depends. If your concern is that there is someone who absolutely wants to get in, regardless, these measures will not be more than a minor inconvenience. In those circumstances, you want to either run or fight off the person who is trying to (presumably) harm or kill you.

However, almost all such crimes are actually just crimes of opportunity, not deliberate Home Invasion. Accordingly, you just want to raise the inconvenience factor -- lights, locks, dogs, and alarms all do this. Also, someone knocking on your door? Probably not a criminal in either camp.
posted by ellF at 4:02 PM on January 9

x-posted with three_red_balloons! .... so, um, why would having a dowel rod and a cork board next to the window make a difference? Is the dowel rod a weapon and the cork board a shield? Because.... no....
posted by treehorn+bunny at 4:02 PM on January 9 [1 favorite]

I spent several months lying awake at night over the thought of a break-in after someone messed with our front door at 2am. I made myself feel safer by regularly using the lock on our kitchen door, effectively separating the house into two 'zones'. Even if someone broke in, they would still need to break down the inner locked door to get at the bedrooms, which would slow them down and create a huge amount of noise.

If you don't have working locks on any of your interior doors, see if you can install some or get your landlord to install them. They'll make you feel much more safe.
posted by anaximander at 4:05 PM on January 9

As for this instance, I'm pretty sure that burglars don't knock.

For the future, the suggestions of better lighting, motion sensors (you can get motion sensor-triggered sound devices too. Look for one with a recording of barking), possibly a dog, etc are all good.

Do you have neighborhood watch in Canada? If so, look for your local group, or start one. And when we were having trouble with burglars (break ins to our car mainly, but also one burglary of the apartment while we were asleep) the police gave really helpful advice (specific to our place. They walked around and made suggestions on what to improve, and also gave us a free motion-sensor light, and stickers). So if you talk to your local police, they might be able to help you. Even if they're busy, a bit of prevention now might save them more time and effort later, so they might be willing to visit your place and give you suggestions.

The one thing our police said that hasn't been mentioned here is that putting up stickers on the windows of the house and car with the police logo on it is apparently a good deterrent. These stickers just said, "No valuables kept here" for the car and "Valuables all locked up" for the house. But the police logo was very large and prominent, and they claimed that criminals won't usually even read or think about the wording, but will see the police logo and consciously or subconsciously worry that police live there or nearby, or a watching the house. And then they go elsewhere. We didn't have ANY break-ins after we installed the motion lights and stickers.

(Similar stickers that might work are ones advertising particular security systems or companies).
posted by lollusc at 4:10 PM on January 9 [1 favorite]

Don't mean to threadsit, but yeah, the officer said that it was probably a student looking for their place after a drunken night.

I know that logically, burglars would rather do a quick, clean break-in. We were particularly concerned though because we thought someone was testing the doorknob for quite some time.

I've always been worried about the windows being so incredibly close to the ground, but I feel more shaken up after the incident and am particularly concerned about the windows in our rooms. The roommates from the previous year left a dowel in both my room and my roommate's room, so that's why there are still dowels beside our windows.

I thought about putting the cork board next to the window today. Although in hindsight, it sounds kind of silly, I know.
posted by livinglearning at 4:12 PM on January 9

Don't lock doors inside. What would you do if fire broke out?

DO get those alarms from the hardware store or order from Amazon. GE makes them for doors and windows, they are super inexpensive. They install with screws or simple adhesive. They are genius.

You could definitely put a door alarm between "zones" in your house instead of locking the door. Same noise, no fire hazard.

Most importantly, your landlord is responsible for installing extra lighting. His statement to you that there wasn't anything to be done was BULLSHIT. Don't let him get away with that.
posted by jbenben at 4:14 PM on January 9

Yes. Putting dowels to keep the window from sliding open works if it is that type of window.
posted by jbenben at 4:18 PM on January 9 [1 favorite]

to further clarify jbenben and others- the dowels beside the windows are not there for self defense, they are there so that you can 'lock' the windows in an open position (or perhaps closed, now I think of it) in a way that they cannot be opened (further) from the outside. You do this by jamming the dowel on top of the sliding bit of the window and the wall/edge of the window.

|....|
|[]__|
|....|

Bad ascii art to show you that the [] is the sliding bit, the __ is the dowel, and the | and .. are the edges of the window.
posted by titanium_geek at 4:25 PM on January 9

Don't be afraid to call 911 in this situation.

My father, when visiting me, had 911 called on him because he went out for a walk at 6am, got lost, and started knocking on a neighbor's door thinking it was mine. So, he ended up being the 'intruder'. So, 911 was called, the cops came out, and my dad was able to explain everything and get pointed to the right place (mine). The cops also called me and let me know what was going on.

I would hate to think what would have happened if he was confronted by a gun-toting, irate resident instead.
posted by spinifex23 at 4:29 PM on January 9 [2 favorites]

Here is a link showing the dowel thing

Here is one for doors.

This kind of thing is easy and cheap to do and you can carry a lot of them with you to the new place when you move or just leave as gift to the next renter.

Something vaguely mention above in the door article but a good idea is to put in long 3" wood screws in all your hinges and strike plates. A box of 3" decking screws are about $20 here in the US and any cordless or corded drill can be used to drive them in.

Here is a great article on this.
posted by bartonlong at 4:33 PM on January 9 [1 favorite]

Yeah, when I lived on the ground floor I bought giant fat dowels to put in each window on both sides so you couldn't open the window without removing them. I also had them taped against the window track so the only way to get in was to smash a window and remove the rods by hand.

I don't know if you'd thought of this, but just in case- do NOT set up booby traps inside the house. Even if someone breaks into your house, if they are hurt because of something in your house they can sue you.

This is also why I don't have guns or weapons in my house.
posted by winna at 4:58 PM on January 9

your maintenance guy doesn't sound like the smartest card in the deck since there are lots of things to do around your place to make it safer. besides the things already mentioned like lots of good lighting, window dowels, a yappy dog (my minipoodle mix despite my constant efforts to quiet him is a yapper. good thing for him he's ridiculously adorable.) you can ask to have the bushes and trees properly trimmed so they are not overgrown and blocking visibility. also, having that hole in the fence fixed sounds like a really good idea. are the locks on all your doors dead bolts? if not, be sure to have your landlord install them. also, it's always good when renting to have the locks changed when you first move in, or later if it wasn't done, so any former tenants or people they may have given keys to like sketchy ex-boyfriends, won't try to then rob you.
posted by wildflower at 5:31 PM on January 9 [1 favorite]

It sounds like you realize it's a mental issue, not a security issue (a drunk person fumbling the door unable to figure out why it won't open, isn't worth worrying about.) You're in a safe neighborhood, your home is a safe place. Keep reminding yourself that you don't need to lock yourself inside a prison to feel safe.

But something that might help is to take advantage of all those windows! No matter when or where the bogeyman breaks into the home, you're safe because you can simply immediately leave in the opposite direction via one of those windows. Walk around the house and exit via a few of the windows, just so you know you're familiar with what is involved (it can be awkward if the sill is higher than your hips, or you have to push the screen out first, etc.) But give it a go until you know you're familiar with exiting via the windows.

Also, where is this fear coming from? Do you watch a lot of TV "news"? Cut back on that stuff.
posted by anonymisc at 6:06 PM on January 9

Plant rose bushes under each window.
posted by Doofus Magoo at 6:16 PM on January 9

Oh - another way you can use ground windows to increase security (though it might not be relevant to the layout and neighborhood of your home), is to have the living area curtains open during the day, so anyone passing by can see into the house. Criminals don't want to be performing their crime in places where they'll be openly visible from the street, so they'll prefer to hit the place next door with the big fence that will nicely hide their activities from view.
(Of course, a woman living alone might choose not to advertise that, so it's not for everyone)
posted by anonymisc at 6:17 PM on January 9

Check to see if your local police department has a 'Community Service' officer that can come out and give your house a comprehensive evaluation - Checking for obstructed views, looking at locks, etc.

Not only will it give you a professional eye, but often they have discounts for home safety products and may possibly encourage your landlord to fix security issues like the hole in the fence.
posted by madajb at 7:07 PM on January 9

Get Simplisafe system. It requires no contracts and is very easy to install. Many we know have it and love it. Some things I like about it--

-it has motion sensors to detect movement which sounds a loud alarm
-it has windows/doors sensors-the minute anyone opens them they sound an alarm
-you have 2 options-turn alarm on when you are away and activate sensors or use the Home option which you can use to activiate sensors that you want.
You can pick and chose which alarms work with which option something you may like even if it is during the day and you are alone at home. That way any sensors you chose (e.g. the doors, windows in other rooms) will be activated by any intrusion

In addition you can chose monitoring which cost little and also you have a keychain that you can press the Panic button which will set off the alarms.

As a woman (presuming you are a woman) do NOT take security lightly. Someone is trying to get into your place and it is definitely weird that they have done that. Take care.
posted by pakora1 at 7:51 PM on January 9 [2 favorites]

...Btw, I would not trust anyone, not even the maintenance man here. Sorry if that offends anyone but you need to be careful who you tell what about you, your living situation and how many people live with you.

posted by pakora1 at 7:58 PM on January 9 [1 favorite]

Ask the landlord to repair the fence, trim any overgrown shrubs/plants close to the house, and install motion- & light-sensitive lights on the front & back doors. Do us all a favor and try to get lights that only light downward (dark-sky); they're less wasteful, too. Do all downstairs windows have locks, and do the doors have good locks and chains? My old house had vinyl windows with locks, as well as an open-window lock, a little thingie that could be flipped out to allow the window to be 4" open, but impossible to raise higher. Also, you can get a dowel cut to fit, and tape it into the window frame to keep someone from lifting the window, and you can put a dowel into the track of a sliding glass door to keep it from opening. Do close 1st floor curtains at night.

Go outside with your roommates and try to think of ways to break in, and again in the evening to identify areas where a person could hide and do mischief.

In the future, if someone is banging on the door, turn on the lights, and go to the door with another roommate, your phone, and maybe a baseball bat, and tell them to get lost before the cops arrive. Developing a sense of being assertive about your home will help you feel, and be, safer.
posted by theora55 at 8:40 PM on January 9

People scoffing at the idea that burglars knock: After our apartment was broken into, the investigating officer said that a typical MO in our neighborhood was to ring the doorbell or knock on the door a few times. If someone came to the door, they'd get a quick BS story and the thief would immediately leave. If not, if the thief felt confident no one was home, he would quickly kick in the door, grab laptops, and leave. (This is what happened to us.) However, these thefts also generally happened in midafternoon during weekdays or holiday weekends.

Our common sense != how thieves think.

Anyway, in addition to the break-in, when I previously lived in a complex with a lot of students, I had two encounters with people mistaking my apartment for someone else's. One time resulted in someone trying my door for a while before we told them to go away; the other time they rang the doorbell. When I opened it, this cluster of young men stared at me for a moment and then one said "Uh...wrong apartment. SORRYYYYY!" and they ran off. I managed to close the door before giggling. (They were looking for a party that wouldn't have had any women at it, I think.)

At any rate, OP, there's no way to tell if this was something or nothing. I hope it was nothing.

(We got light timers for when we're away, and for shorter periods play dialogue through speakers. Worth a try, I guess. I don't want a dog.)
posted by wintersweet at 8:51 PM on January 9 [2 favorites]

treehorn+bunny: "I'm just a country bumpkin so what do I know, but do people trying to break into houses knock on the front door? That sounds more like a person trying to get your attention, which I wouldn't imagine a thief would want to do."

Actually a thief would want to knock first. He can always explain it away as wrong house, or his car broke down and needs to use the phone, but he finds out if someone is home. If no one answers (although that seems like the case here), he thinks he has a clean shot at a break in and grab.

Having said that, I think this specific incident is nothing to be overly concerned about, but the darkness and low to the ground windows would have me concerned for the future.

While I would advocate a gun, I sleep much better knowing mine is accessible, if you don't feel comfortable with that option, consider mace or some other self defense deterrent. Stun gun?
posted by JohnnyGunn at 9:00 PM on January 9 [1 favorite]

Motion sensitive lights and big dowels in the windows are the very best least-effort things you can do. Any tips for making the house look lived in are also great: keep the shades/curtains open during the day, porch light on until you go to bed, keep the lawn trimmed and don't let mail or newspapers pile up. You do have peepholes in your doors don't you? I also keep big black MagLites (4 D-cell size) next to both of my doors even though one is only accessible via a 3rd floor balcony. If someone ever knocked on my door at night, I'd pick up a MagLite before even considering opening the door.
posted by bendy at 9:18 PM on January 9

For psychological feelings of safety, some wireless security cameras (ideally infrared) that will display an image on your phone (like these) could be really helpful. Any time you hear a noise and feel unsafe, just pull out your phone and know instantly if there's someone there.
posted by ThatFuzzyBastard at 10:00 PM on January 9

Pepper spray is a good way not to feel totally defenseless while at the same time not having to worry about intentionally or accidentally killing someone. And I agree with the suggestions that noise and light are the two things that people who are up to no good try most to avoid. And I agree that his was probably a drunk person at the wrong door. If you had a gun and panicked and shot at the door, it could have been a tragedy.
posted by Dansaman at 10:46 PM on January 9

Crooks also don't really "try doorhandles," i don't think, unless you see signs of a crowbar or other forcing techniques. Maybe you could feel safe by thinking they not only tried the handle but discovered it would be hard to open, so you're safe?
posted by salvia at 10:58 PM on January 9

Keep lights on in the rooms that have doors to the outside. Hell, buy a few cheap lamps and put them right in front of the windows, where they will shine outside. If someone is trying to sneak into your apartment, they are going to think twice about doing so if it is obvious that you are keeping lights on to see what is going on. Most break ins are done by people who want to get in and out as fast as possible without being seen. A thief is much more likely to move on to another house than try to get into yours if it is lit up well.
posted by markblasco at 11:17 PM on January 9

Seconding the comment that it could have been a lost drunk person at the wrong house.

That happened here a few months back and the woman, who had just moved into the house, shot the guy dead. (I think he may have actually gotten in the door.) But whatever.


I would like to also recommend a dog. We have a shepherd mix and he is very diligent in is protection/guard duties with the family and house. Even though he's very sweet, *I* wouldn't break into a house or apartment if someone like him was in there. He was quickly housebroken as a puppy and never messes in the house.
posted by Doohickie at 9:02 AM on January 10

> Someone is trying to get into your place and it is definitely weird that they have done that

Someone tried once to get into her house.
posted by The corpse in the library at 12:41 PM on January 10