Home security considerations
Posted: March 20th, 2023, 5:29 am
I've just been informed that a neighbor who lives about 100 yards away from my house was last night the victim of a robbery. A pair of men armed with axes and each donning a balaclava forced their way into his house at 2:00 AM and demanded that he hand over the keys for his vehicle. They then made off with the vehicle leaving the man traumatized.
This kind of incident is now happening in my quiet humble town in the UK. This place is normally safe and relatively peaceful but home burglaries are becoming more common.
News of the incident made me think about home security. I have a collection of oriental swords at home. Most of them are fully functional and would absolutely maim a human being.
However, I see two problems with the swords as a home defense tactic. One, the swords are probably too long to swing effectively indoors, and two, they are legally classed as a weapon and so the penalty for attacking an intruder with one of them could be steep. I don't want to go to jail for some asshole who tried to burgle my property.
So I've thought about keeping hammers and axes in strategic locations around the kitchen. A hammer or axe is more wieldy indoors, can cause serious damage, and is considered a tool as opposed to a weapon.
Question 1:
What are your recommendations for home security in a country where firearms are heavily prohibited?
Question 2:
What are some things to consider while residing in a location widely held to be dangerous such as some regions of Latin America?
Would it be better to live in an apartment block (in a relatively decent area) as opposed to a regular house with easy access?
An apartment is harder to enter with one point of entry and a balcony instead of a garden. Many apartment blocks also have a rudimentary security system with an intercom and access granted only when a resident gives permission. There is also the advantage of safety in numbers as various neighbors live together in relatively close proximity.
What do you guys think?
This kind of incident is now happening in my quiet humble town in the UK. This place is normally safe and relatively peaceful but home burglaries are becoming more common.
News of the incident made me think about home security. I have a collection of oriental swords at home. Most of them are fully functional and would absolutely maim a human being.
However, I see two problems with the swords as a home defense tactic. One, the swords are probably too long to swing effectively indoors, and two, they are legally classed as a weapon and so the penalty for attacking an intruder with one of them could be steep. I don't want to go to jail for some asshole who tried to burgle my property.
So I've thought about keeping hammers and axes in strategic locations around the kitchen. A hammer or axe is more wieldy indoors, can cause serious damage, and is considered a tool as opposed to a weapon.
Question 1:
What are your recommendations for home security in a country where firearms are heavily prohibited?
Question 2:
What are some things to consider while residing in a location widely held to be dangerous such as some regions of Latin America?
Would it be better to live in an apartment block (in a relatively decent area) as opposed to a regular house with easy access?
An apartment is harder to enter with one point of entry and a balcony instead of a garden. Many apartment blocks also have a rudimentary security system with an intercom and access granted only when a resident gives permission. There is also the advantage of safety in numbers as various neighbors live together in relatively close proximity.
What do you guys think?