Barricading / Home fortification.

[Plymtom]

Feeling safe(ish) these days can be a real worry in certain parts of the world, like everything it's how far to go and when which we all battle with, for the worst of times and certainly in other lands, I'd be tempted to create a a weak point that wasn't, a trap effectively, to increase my chances of stopping an invasion, I've always gone down the road of alarms which let me know (and them) where they are trying to gain entry, I've found it the best deterrent

[greyman]

Cheap alert system we have on our outer back door is a wind chime
The dangly bit operates the wind chime when you open the door.
Cheap and affective.

[sniper 55]

My normally sleepy place has had a prowler the last week or so, he/she has been around the back of my house a couple of times. I used to have a secure metal gate, but the builders removed it for work and it didn't fit after (my walls are 5 inches thicker now) they put up a wooden gate but it's not secure and too low to be much use, I've put some brambles across so it's not fun going around in the dark.
I'm going to have to make it more secure and harder to climb over, trouble is my neighbour has young children so I can't go too mad, just in case they try to go around. So no claymore mines then......

[greyman]

My normally sleepy place has had a prowler the last week or so, he/she has been around the back of my house a couple of times. I used to have a secure metal gate, but the builders removed it for work and it didn't fit after (my walls are 5 inches thicker now) they put up a wooden gate but it's not secure and too low to be much use, I've put some brambles across so it's not fun going around in the dark.
I'm going to have to make it more secure and harder to climb over, trouble is my neighbour has young children so I can't go too mad, just in case they try to go around. So no claymore mines then......

Why don't you try the old walking dead trick tin cans on fishing line r if there coming through the gate,attach something that will fall and make a noise when the gate opens,scum don't like to make noises.

[Nicks19]

www.youtube.com/user/PrepperSafeHomes
i got something like this in place in less than an hour can be installed.

[sniper 55]

My normally sleepy place has had a prowler the last week or so, he/she has been around the back of my house a couple of times. I used to have a secure metal gate, but the builders removed it for work and it didn't fit after (my walls are 5 inches thicker now) they put up a wooden gate but it's not secure and too low to be much use, I've put some brambles across so it's not fun going around in the dark.
I'm going to have to make it more secure and harder to climb over, trouble is my neighbour has young children so I can't go too mad, just in case they try to go around. So no claymore mines then......

Why don't you try the old walking dead trick tin cans on fishing line r if there coming through the gate,attach something that will fall and make a noise when the gate opens,scum don't like to make noises.

Thats pretty much what I've done, I've rigged fishing line to pull some stuff over to make a noise, I've also rigged more than one set so if they come from either direction they'll trip it too.

[Lanky Yankee]

My protection is my community. I live is new builds (they are everywhere here) and I made a point to get to know my neighbors. Within 3 streets of me there are 2 Police officers, 4 Security guards and a Soldier. Feel a bit safer knowing they're around and on good terms with them. They might not be prepping(never talked to them about it), but if SHTF we will pull together.

[Deeps]

My protection is my community. I live is new builds (they are everywhere here) and I made a point to get to know my neighbors. Within 3 streets of me there are 2 Police officers, 4 Security guards and a Soldier. Feel a bit safer knowing they're around and on good terms with them. They might not be prepping(never talked to them about it), but if SHTF we will pull together.

I've got a lot of great neighbours, there's a fair few ex (and a few still serving) forces, some of whom I've served with, not a guarantee and if things do end up seriously bad, we'll all be looking after our own I'm sure but it does give you that initial bond. We've got a fair few nurses live in the area too (and I think a doctor at the end of the road but I don't know him), I've got one next door, and another one next door to her. People are people though and just because you've done a job (or are still doing it) doesn't mean that you're not an arsehole, they're everywhere. As are good guys (and girls) of course.

I'm quite keen on forging good relations with my neighbours, if we are in a poo/whirly thing scenario these are the people you'll most likely be 'stuck' with, I've no obvious bad'uns, but people can go a bit 'peculiar' in stressful situations. I agree with you that a 'strong' neighbourhood will most likely be our best defence, I don't mean necessarily physically strong but well organised, a few strong arms will of course be very handy even just as a deterrent.

[Arzosah]

I'm going through a few threads like this as a matter of urgency for a friend of mine who has a situation ... this isn't about the collapse of civilisation, its about the next year or so, possibly from June.

There's some really good things I've taken note of, but I can't find anything about the letterbox: we had the idea of screwing the letterbox shut, maybe running fireproof sealant around the edge on the inside, and fitting a shop-bought metal postbox to the outside of the house - so that the kind of stuff that would-be arsonists and dirty protestors (dog faeces etc) can't get anything into the house.

Any other ideas? The window film is a definite goer, the Birmingham bar, security light, alarm, police, rellies and neighbour on speed dial, top of the fence being a trellis with thorny plants, trellis hopefully collapses onto assailant, getting or staying upstairs so the stairs act as a choke point, not leaving your keys in the door, having a dog (they do).

All ideas gratefully received.

[sniper 55]

I used to have a wooden block the same size as the inside of the letter box and bung it inside over night and a simple swivel (box catch?) to hold it tight, you couldn't put anything inside when it was there.