The £1 Burglar Alarm

[triffid]

Have just posted this in response to the thread on security in Home & Retreats. viewtopic.php?f=18&t=7009
The OP has a problem with theft from an allotment shed. My cheap solution:



To protect our shed I installed a 'rape' alarm. You can often get them for a quid (literally) from a pound shop! You know the things I mean, a battery operated alarm which is set off when you pull the pin out and runs until the battery dies.
eg EBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksi ... &_from=R40



Fix the alarm in a open topped wooden box or similar (I used a old tobacco tin that was lying around) drill a hole where approximately adjacent to where the pin/trigger is & feed the pin through the hole. Fasten the tin/alarm box & run a length of fishing line through the pin and across your shed at ankle level. Theory being that when some scrote breaks in they will trip ('trip over' hopefully ) the alarm. These things aren't that loud (claimed 120db) but hopefully, in an enclosed space, will cause the intruder to have a 'trouser accident'. We all worry about the legal angles should an intruder be hurt when breaking into our premises (NOT) but I imagine the only actual injury that could result to the intruder would be to have sh@ himself - and what criminal would want to stand up in court to demand compensation for that!
Obviously it won't reset itself but for a quid?

Would also make a great backup alarm for any house/shed/garage etc. In fact I'll re-post this in DIY section.

[junmist]

I have always told my elderly's( I work with in the elderly community) to use these instead of a door chains(horrid and not that good) as neighbours can here them go off and either come out to see what is happening or phone the police. Just fix to the door/window frame and hook cord over the door/window frame handles works a treat

[lightningxl]

Using a similar idea have used magnetic window alarms .

[nickdutch]

Thats actually a brilliant idea

[gcp1975]

trip to poundland then !! i need to get 2 for my sheds cos i'm off on holiday next week and at least the neighbours will be drawn to a high pitched squeal if any thieving oiks try anything !!

[tang-pommel]

This idea also works well as a perimeter alarm if your spending a night in the woods just remember to set the line so small creatures don't
set them off you could use this type of set up on a trap to let you know you have caught something

[tanstaafl]

trip to poundland then !! i need to get 2 for my sheds cos i'm off on holiday next week and at least the neighbours will be drawn to a high pitched squeal if any thieving oiks try anything !!

Will they tho, how many of us rush round the neighbours when we hear the fire alarm go off, burned the bacon again

[happyhacker]

I have an allotment shed and thought carefully about alarms and such. As I am unlikely to be near at the time and likely to PO the neighbours then I have no alarm and take the hit (also saves the PO'd burglar from coming back the next night and torching the shed!

[terrytaylor84]

For a perimeter alarm a glow stick and rat trap are useful, fix the glow stick to the trap and set the pin when some little oik trips it and it snaps shut you will know exactly where the intruder is.

[bettersafethansorry]

love the burger alarm idea but as for a perimiter alarm i prefer on quick loud noise as fumbling in the dark to reset (after you have frogged the intruder of course) will only allow other potential targets to find your location,.

i found as far as protecting camp goes. fishing wire trip wires attached to these http://www.airsoftworld.net/pyrotechnic ... -pull.html proove very affective and the pin is sturdy enough not to be tripped by a curious hedgehog.

(also having a pot with Cayenne pepper that you can dust your trip lines with keeps the animals away from tripping it)