Home security - removeable fence/gate post?

[MarionK]

My 'van is hard to get off my drive at the best of times, and there's plenty of advice on here about how to keep it safe when out and about, but my biggest concern is actually the house while I'm away.
Until last night, my previous worry was that the absence of the van would flag a (potentially) empty house, safely verified by calling at the door on some pretext. Clearly I need to install some kind of home video security camera (and following last night's discovery of the absence of an old hot water tank, I realise I need a motion sensor camera/alarm even when at home!!!)
Also, even before that, I had been wondering what could I actually do about thieves if I did see them on the camera while away. Clearly prevention is more desirable than detection, so I am looking into
1) Removeable lockable bollard, to keep my car on my drive
2) Removeable (middle) gate/fence post for a double gate for access to the back garden.
Bollards seem fairly easy to obtain, but de-mountable fence posts, not so much. Any advice or supplier recommendations gratefully received.

 

[VXman]

I'd like 2 or 3 of those motorised, remote controlled bollards that disappear into the ground? Anyone know how much supplied and fitted?

 

[VXman]

My 'van is hard to get off my drive at the best of times, and there's plenty of advice on here about how to keep it safe when out and about, but my biggest concern is actually the house while I'm away.
Until last night, my previous worry was that the absence of the van would flag a (potentially) empty house.

I suppose a lot depends on the area you are in but we've been going away for extended periods for 30 years and the double drive is clearly empty when we are away. Nicer an issue.

I don't think I want a camera as I'd rather not know and spoil a holiday. Personally I'd rather deal with it when we return.

 

[Spriddler]

Also, even before that, I had been wondering what could I actually do about thieves if I did see them on the camera while away.

Exactly. If your police are like those here (Mid Sussex) the best you'll get is an incident number for insurance purposes and since the house is unoccupied they'd send a plod when you're back for a statement and a list of the missing items.
Extensive security arrangements will attract the scrotes as a worthwhile target. In which case they won't be choosing your place at random but will keep watch to see if there's any activity.
Like VXman I've left my house obviously unoccupied for long periods over the past 40 years without any security devices other than the standard door locks without a problem.
I don't have jewellery or cash in the house and the only irreplaceable things in the house are souvenirs and memorabilia which aren't of any resale value. The rest is insured.

 

[MarionK]

Somehow, I already have the attention of the scrotes. Three out of four times they've been after or taken scrap, but one time they were in the house when only son was in. They posed as health workers accidentally got the address wrong . . .


(Also haven't been able to locate the main set of house keys that used to reside in the kitchen since then (approximately, as they didn't get used much). They could be simply misplaced somewhere else in the house but if they don't turn up before I go away anywhere, I will be replacing the locks. )

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[Brains]

Conventional house alarm system is what you need.
Now-a-days the only wiring is between the the main alarm bell and the central control panel.
All else is wireless, so a few internal PIR's and a door contact on every door (including the shed and garage, but don't bother with the windows),
should all be enough.

If your neighbours already have alarm systems, then fit a couple of cameras as well.

You just need visibly better security than your neighbours, most burglars are opportunists and will always take the easier target.

As for the van, VanBitz alarm, tracker and engine immobiliser is enough for the van.
Backed against a wall with a bollard in front is good.

 

[iandsm]

I have a "Ring" doorbell which gives good video of anyone approaching the front door and alerts me via my phone. I can talk to the caller whether I am in or out. I also have "Ring" cameras which cover the whole of the front garden and the back garden as well as the camper and the driveway. They are mounted high enough that they cannot be reached or interfered with and they are pretty obvious to anyone approaching the house. They can alert me to a caller and I can use the talk facility if I wasn't to. There is all also a siren sound which I can set off remotely or they can automatically give a voice warning.

So no-one gets near my property or camper without me knowing about it and while of course a lot of scrotes wear a hood and face covering the bogus callers types, common these days do not and images of them are very good. The battery powered stick up cams are good but if positioning out of reach the main powered ones are better as are the solar powered ones. I pay an annual subscription of £80 per year for eight cameras and the images are stored for me for several months, otherwise they are only available for a shorter time.

I don't have any particular allegiance to Ring (now bought out by Amazon) but I like the product and find it does what it says on the tin. There are other makes and cameras which may well be just as good but I think cameras are the way to go especially if they are obvious to those approaching the house. Internal cameras for the house are also available and are cheaper than the outside ones. As a bonus we get a lot of pleasure watching the deer and foxes wandering around the garden too.

 

[berni109]

There was another recent thread about bollards.
As for a central gate post if you are handy could you use a removable or folding bollard and build a post onto it?

 

[Landy Andy]

A central post would easily be constructed by making a socket into the ground. Fitting a lock to ground and side of post. Then sliding it out each time.

 

[Speve]

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Firstly fit some PIR exterior lighting around the house then consider a dummy alarm box with flashing light also cameras are very cheap these days a couple outside will deter most of the opportunists that are looking for an easy target.
Thieves don’t like to be lit up
they dont want to have to make a noise (gravel drive makes it difficult)
they don’t want to be seen (hence the PIRs)
also ensure you have good quality locks on doors and windows
never leave windows open or on vent settings as that makes things easy to get in
consider a small noisy rape type alarm fitted to your shed doors so that when door is opened it will send thieves packing.
let the neighbours know you will be away and ask them to keep an eye out for strangers around your home.
Dont leave anything outside that will assist burglars to get into your home like garden tools ladders and steps.

there are endless things you can do depending on how far you are prepared to go but it need not be expensive just practical

hope this is useful

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[MarionK]

A central post would easily be constructed by making a socket into the ground. Fitting a lock to ground and side of post. Then sliding it out each time.

This is the most appropriate idea that I've come across so far. A guy on youtube basically bent a piece of sheet metal around a post with a thin bit of packing before cementing it in place. I'm thinking maybe some flat pieces of plastic from e.g. old stacking boxes would do the job just as well if not better. It wouldn't be obvious that the post was removable at all, would still involve quite a lot of work to actually remove the gates and post, and the gates could easily be fitted with one of those horribly loud shed alarms.

 

[Landy Andy]

By a 1meter length of square tube. Say 120mm then drill holes through it and push bar/bolts or similar through the holes. You could also cut the bottom four corners and fold up the four flaps out ward. This can then be cemented into the ground with 50-75mm sticking out the ground. The bolts and flaps securing it in the ground.

Then get a long length of square 100mm tube (depending on height of fence /gate) that will slot into the piece that you have set into the ground. You can now drill through both the 50-75mm upstand and the main post. You can then push a pin or bolt through that you have drilled so padlock will go through end of.

 

[Howard B]

We let the neighbours park on our drive when we are away. Also have alarm, external PIR lights, internal lights on timers, cameras etc

 

[Spriddler]

By a 1meter length of square tube. Say 120mm then drill holes through it and push bar/bolts or similar through the holes. You could also cut the bottom four corners and fold up the four flaps out ward. This can then be cemented into the ground with 50-75mm sticking out the ground. The bolts and flaps securing it in the ground.

Or you could concrete one of these in the ground into which you could insert and lock the removable barrier post.

 

[Dorwyn]

We let the neighbours park on our drive when we are away. Also have alarm, external PIR lights, internal lights on timers, cameras etc

We allow our neighbours to park on ours too, we have two drives, so two happy neighbours! Our PIRs are all naff, they're either on all the time or not at all. They are interwiired and all around the house. Seven of them. They are supposed to work independently. Total pain. I can't get the Blink cameras to work properly either. So I park the car behind the van. Both are alarmed. So was I when my previous van was stolen from the same location!

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[Howard B]

We allow our neighbours to park on ours too, we have two drives, so two happy neighbours! Our PIRs are all naff, they're either on all the time or not at all. They are interwiired and all around the house. Seven of them. They are supposed to work independently. Total pain. I can't get the Blink cameras to work properly either. So I park the car behind the van. Both are alarmed. So was I when my previous van was stolen from the same location!

We have Eufy cameras which are OK, but the range is poor. Tried the Blink ones a few months back, they were worse than the Eufy ones.
May go with hard wired, but it will be a pita to run some of th cables.

 

[Landy Andy]

Or you could concrete one of these in the ground into which you could insert and lock the removable barrier post.

View attachment 838919

There is no strength to that, it isn’t the ground far enough A post spike would be better than that.

 

[Just smiffy]

I left the car keys house keys in the keyless entry car on the drive for 3 months while away in Croatia…

I live in Cornwall….

 

[john prince]

My 'van is hard to get off my drive at the best of times, and there's plenty of advice on here about how to keep it safe when out and about, but my biggest concern is actually the house while I'm away.
Until last night, my previous worry was that the absence of the van would flag a (potentially) empty house, safely verified by calling at the door on some pretext. Clearly I need to install some kind of home video security camera (and following last night's discovery of the absence of an old hot water tank, I realise I need a motion sensor camera/alarm even when at home!!!)
Also, even before that, I had been wondering what could I actually do about thieves if I did see them on the camera while away. Clearly prevention is more desirable than detection, so I am looking into
1) Removeable lockable bollard, to keep my car on my drive
2) Removeable (middle) gate/fence post for a double gate for access to the back garden.
Bollards seem fairly easy to obtain, but de-mountable fence posts, not so much. Any advice or supplier recommendations gratefully received.

Have solar powered lights, Swann Security System-4 cameras, also helps neighbours, have already assisted police with yobbo’s annoying neighbour ( stole his car off his driveway, after going into his back door and nicking the car keys whilst he was gardening) after a year of Court ‘investigation’, no action taken -no real surprise

 

[cmj01]

My 'van is hard to get off my drive at the best of times, and there's plenty of advice on here about how to keep it safe when out and about, but my biggest concern is actually the house while I'm away.
Until last night, my previous worry was that the absence of the van would flag a (potentially) empty house, safely verified by calling at the door on some pretext. Clearly I need to install some kind of home video security camera (and following last night's discovery of the absence of an old hot water tank, I realise I need a motion sensor camera/alarm even when at home!!!)
Also, even before that, I had been wondering what could I actually do about thieves if I did see them on the camera while away. Clearly prevention is more desirable than detection, so I am looking into
1) Removeable lockable bollard, to keep my car on my drive
2) Removeable (middle) gate/fence post for a double gate for access to the back garden.
Bollards seem fairly easy to obtain, but de-mountable fence posts, not so much. Any advice or supplier recommendations gratefully received.

Rhino bollards are great and came with installation option. I got one with a gas lift to make it a bit easier.

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[Steve I]

Somehow, I already have the attention of the scrotes. Three out of four times they've been after or taken scrap, but one time they were in the house when only son was in. They posed as health workers accidentally got the address wrong . . .


(Also haven't been able to locate the main set of house keys that used to reside in the kitchen since then (approximately, as they didn't get used much). They could be simply misplaced somewhere else in the house but if they don't turn up before I go away anywhere, I will be replacing the locks. )

Worth checking, you might get then replaced on insurance if you’ve had a minor theft and the keys are missing. Mind you, having a claim can be not worthwhile as I had a first claim in over 40 years this year to be informed my house insurance had more than doubled and number of insurers won’t quote me! It was a water ingress whilst on holiday from a burst shower pipe outside the bath and I did much of the work myself to save money just claiming irreparable flooring and pipework.

 

[Sandancers]

By a 1meter length of square tube. Say 120mm then drill holes through it and push bar/bolts or similar through the holes. You could also cut the bottom four corners and fold up the four flaps out ward. This can then be cemented into the ground with 50-75mm sticking out the ground. The bolts and flaps securing it in the ground.

Then get a long length of square 100mm tube (depending on height of fence /gate) that will slot into the piece that you have set into the ground. You can now drill through both the 50-75mm upstand and the main post. You can then push a pin or bolt through that you have drilled so padlock will go through end of.

The trouble with this idea is the amount of "slogger" you will have on the post and the 50 to 75mm sticking up, which is a trip hazard.

I made a removable post out of 50mm dia thick wall steel tube. The bit that goes into the ground (@250mm into ground) is of the same material and has the long piece of a lock and hasp, the bit with the hinge on it, welded to it, so when the post is out the hinged lock bit is flat on the ground, no trip hazard.

The post bit is about 1m long and has the hasp bit welded to it. It also has some thick wall steel tube of a dia which is exactly the inside dia of the 50mm tube inserted in one end with about 200mm sticking out to go into the base bit. No slogger at all.

Therefore the post can be removed, but when in place a padlock through the hasp and lock on the bottom keeps it in place.

A trip to metal supermarkets would provide the tube you need.

I also made some folding metal gates which are hinged at the end away from the removable post, but when opened out attach and lock into the removeable post, so give a full barrier.

 

[Graham Mew]

My 'van is hard to get off my drive at the best of times, and there's plenty of advice on here about how to keep it safe when out and about, but my biggest concern is actually the house while I'm away.
Until last night, my previous worry was that the absence of the van would flag a (potentially) empty house, safely verified by calling at the door on some pretext. Clearly I need to install some kind of home video security camera (and following last night's discovery of the absence of an old hot water tank, I realise I need a motion sensor camera/alarm even when at home!!!)
Also, even before that, I had been wondering what could I actually do about thieves if I did see them on the camera while away. Clearly prevention is more desirable than detection, so I am looking into
1) Removeable lockable bollard, to keep my car on my drive
2) Removeable (middle) gate/fence post for a double gate for access to the back garden.
Bollards seem fairly easy to obtain, but de-mountable fence posts, not so much. Any advice or supplier recommendations gratefully received.

We have fitted stainless steel telescopic billiards front and back of our pvc plus other security.

 

[Emmit]

I'd like 2 or 3 of those motorised, remote controlled bollards that disappear into the ground? Anyone know how much supplied and fitted?

Ask Topsham Rugby Club in Devon.

They installed them following a visit by non permanently housed visitors, (and I don't mean Funsters)
This was in 2021 so relatively recent.

 

[Apacheman]

Posted on a previous post about van security and how we spend a fortune securing the van parked on the drive, to head off for weeks at a time advertising we are away and the house is empty. We encourage our next door neighbour to park one of their cars on our drive. Helps them out and us too

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[Landy Andy]

The trouble with this idea is the amount of "slogger" you will have on the post and the 50 to 75mm sticking up, which is a trip hazard.

I made a removable post out of 50mm dia thick wall steel tube. The bit that goes into the ground (@250mm into ground) is of the same material and has the long piece of a lock and hasp, the bit with the hinge on it, welded to it, so when the post is out the hinged lock bit is flat on the ground, no trip hazard.

The post bit is about 1m long and has the hasp bit welded to it. It also has some thick wall steel tube of a dia which is exactly the inside dia of the 50mm tube inserted in one end with about 200mm sticking out to go into the base bit. No slogger at all.

Therefore the post can be removed, but when in place a padlock through the hasp and lock on the bottom keeps it in place.

A trip to metal supermarkets would provide the tube you need.

I also made some folding metal gates which are hinged at the end away from the removable post, but when opened out attach and lock into the removeable post, so give a full barrier.

I’ve assumed the OP doesn’t have access to a welder and other fabrication equipment. If they did I doubt they would be asking the question.

 

[Sandancers]

I’ve assumed the OP doesn’t have access to a welder and other fabrication equipment. If they did I doubt they would be asking the question.

You are probably correct, but I told them my story in case they wanted to employ someone to build something so they could have an idea of what could be done.

 

[MadisMum]

Have you thought about housesitters? Mind My House, Trusted Housesitters etc? The sitters don't charge although you have to pay to join if you want to communicate with them. Just a thought.... I have them occasionally...

 

[ctc]

Cheap Chinese movement sensitive leds. My, very reliable, lights are sensitive enough for our small dog to put them on. Cost me less than £7 each .

 

[KarlToon]

We have a couple of Bison posts which sit flush to the drive when not in use. Needed to dig down about 80cm to fit, but seem pretty tough once in, and a deterrent.

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