CCTV & Alarm or neither - Detached garage workshop security

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Systematic Renovations

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Hello, I am in two minds and would appreciate some advice. This year I purchased an alarm system and CCTV for my detached garage workshop.

My dilemma is whether or not to install them. Aside from the obvious advantages, some cons that have bothered me are that they would attract attention to the space and possibly encourage criminals to break in since it would be evident that valuables are inside.

Look forward to your opinions. Thanks
 
I find it gives great peace of mind to be able to log in and see the live camera footage on my mobile phone any time day or night, after maybe a moth has fluttered in front of the lens and I get an audible notification. That assumes you have wifi or sim-card access of course with a reasonable data facility.
 
Fit them both ,they will in a lot of cases deter the casual scroat from trying their luck , if it is a pro gang that targets you it won't be because you have a alarm box visible or a camera on show, it will be because they already know what you have :eek:
 
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Alsonyour insurance company will be happier with some security.... you can always research ways to improve your door integrity and windows etc ( like steel mesh over windows fitted internally )
 
Fit both.
At least you'll be able to rewind the tape and see who took your stuff.
They don't stop pro's - but they do deter the opportunistic thief.
 
Agreed, fit both and make sure the place is secure per insurance requirements. I would also have lighting all round the workshop dusk to dawn also high power floodlights with PIR.
 
Hello, I am in two minds and would appreciate some advice. This year I purchased an alarm system and CCTV for my detached garage workshop.

My dilemma is whether or not to install them. Aside from the obvious advantages, some cons that have bothered me are that they would attract attention to the space and possibly encourage criminals to break in since it would be evident that valuables are inside.

Look forward to your opinions. Thanks

I think this is a bit of a myth, as others have said the Pro's will know exactly what you have in there & how to get it if they really want it, it will help to deter the opportunists who are out looking for something that is easy to lift lol
 
I discussed with a Crime Prevention Officer, the fitting of floodlights and audible alarm around my works premises. His opinion was that in the area we were located the alarm wouldn’t attract any attention and the lights would enable them to work quickly. Probably more than a touch of cynicism borne out of experience.
since that conversation I’ve favoured hardware over technology.
 
I have a garage which is my workshop, it has an electric door and no handles or locks, it also has an alarm inside. I have another outside room that is alarmed but it has those anti bump/snap key locks. We also have some cameras dotted around, so it might prevent some chancers but not everyone, my thought is that if they see the cameras they might carry on to somewhere easier.
 
What I’ve done is to try to make my workshop as hard to get into as possible.…very solid door, hidden hinges, reinforced frames, three security locks at different heights with one activating automatically at night. I’ve then got several alarms with the loudest (really painful!) sirens inside the workshop, not outside. My view has been that if I have to make an insurance claim, it’s too late. If alarms go off, no one will take any notice and anyway, the police won’t come out. So essentially I’m on my own….. and best to make it as hard as I can to get in but if they do, a camera and as much noise as possible so that it’s really painful for the little toads and they want to get out as quickly as possible.
 
I discussed with a Crime Prevention Officer, the fitting of floodlights and audible alarm around my works premises. His opinion was that in the area we were located the alarm wouldn’t attract any attention and the lights would enable them to work quickly. Probably more than a touch of cynicism borne out of experience.
since that conversation I’ve favoured hardware over technology.

I rented a workshop & the insurance company insisted on quite a high standard for hardware security, I also got a discount if the workshop was alarmed but only if it was one of those silent alarms that are monitored. No discount at all for a standard audible alarm lol
Unfortunately, there is no security system that protects you against the Landlord kicking you out to build houses.
 
Hello, I am in two minds and would appreciate some advice. This year I purchased an alarm system and CCTV for my detached garage workshop.

My dilemma is whether or not to install them. Aside from the obvious advantages, some cons that have bothered me are that they would attract attention to the space and possibly encourage criminals to break in since it would be evident that valuables are inside.

Look forward to your opinions. Thanks
You got to decide whether you want them are a deterent, in which case mount the prominently. Otherwise conceal them as much as possible so they don't attract attention. Defenitely mount one or two inside the workshop. Hey, gotta go!
 
A friend of mine was always getting his hens stolen from his allotment. So he rigged up a wire that triggered a mechanism that fired a shotgun cartridge filled with salt.
My workshop got burgled about 15 years ago, I only had a hasp which was screwed in. I now have a couple of hardened hasps which are bolted. Its all about slowing them down as much as possible.
A joiner I know was fed up of being done so he hid all of his handheld tools in secret compartments, like a sander hidden under a flap at the base of a bench.
 
I have a Sterling Van Lock on my workshop, which, IMO, would need an angle grinder to break in, & the fact that it's right outside my ground floor bedroom window, there's no doubt in my mind the noise would not only wake me, but the whole neightbour hood.
 
I have cameras (with audio) and an alarm system - they definitely work as a deterrent. A recent break in attempt, you could see and hear them looking for a camera and asking each other if there was one. As soon as they spotted it, they left. Picked up by the police within 24 hours.
 
Im in two minds about cctv, I think its good in as much as it allows the police to see the criminals, assumeing the police are in any way intrested! But Im not sure I like the set up where your alerted if people come near your property. Our neighbours have a set up like that on their house and its evident that they are highly sensitive to these alerts, so much so that its somtimes difficult to speak with them as they are so distracted, I dont think it really gives them any peace of mind which is I suppose what they thought they were getting.

On a different tack I was thinking about giving an update on my “El-Cheapo” shed alarm for anyone thats at all intrested and this seems as good a spot as any for it.
Almost a year ago I bought a very cheap alarm for my workshop shed from ebay, I wanted somthing that didnt involve PiR sensors and had a reasonably loud outside siren, it was to replace one of those padlocks with the built in arlarm that had died, so Im not talking about super high spec security.
The alarm I bought is branded “Winoma” and its a motorcycle arlarm, a matchbox sized box of electronics that contains a movement sensor and a separate small but loud siren. For power Ive got it connected to a doorbell transformer. It came with two car type remote controls and its working fantasticly well. The slightest movement of the shed doors sets it off, and it cycles through a range of loud police siren type of sounds before resetting intself. The sensitivity is adjustable via the remotes. Ive no idea how it works, its clearly not a pendulum type of thing, but its incredibly sensitive without false alarms in high winds etc. And It cost, from memory, about £10. If anyones intrested Im happy to provide more details. I ought to say for the more suspicious amongst us, I don't sell them nor have any interest in them whatsoever. Im just extremely pleased with it.
Steve.
 
we need to view our security situation as a potential thief or vandal would. Imagine viewing your property as a thief would. You're looking for a building that might house desirable valuable items and assessing what the risks might be of being caught and apprehended .
Having security equipment on show might tell a thief that you are protecting something valuable .......but it also tells a thief that you take security of your possessions very seriously. A thief can see your cameras etc but will also weigh up the probability that you might also have other unseen security . If it looks like hard work or too risky they will move on

I have a simple system of Tapo C100 1080 HD Wireless cameras which I can monitor at any time with my mobile or Samsung Tablet using a free downloaded APP. The cameras cost around £25.00 each and you start with one camera and can add up to 5 x more I believe. I can open the APP and view my cameras one by one or all together from my armchair whilst watching tv or in bed at night. They have built in 2x way audio , motion detection and alarm and can store video and still images to a Mini SD card inserted into each camera.
Simple , cheap , no contract , and very effective..... https://www.argos.co.uk/product/876...UmePQsXiyJo6HznJZacaAsU6EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
 
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