Had my workshop broken into today, 2 Pm local time, in broad daylight! fortunately the alarm system scared him off after he stole 3 tools. Apparently he came in through a back window and when he opened the door he set the alarm off. The point is I didn't have serial numbers of the tools because I didn't think it could happen to me. Well it did, I suggest all of you take pictures and get serial numbers of all your valuables in your home as well as garage/workshops. It's getting bad and getting worse. stay safe
Workshop broken into today
- Thread starter RCPilot
- Start date
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Actually my first thought is to put security bars on all windows and also cover them from the inside in some way so that someone can't look inside. However I am always open to any suggestions, I'm sitting here at home still worked up about it and likely won't sleep well tonight.
THE DARK KNIGHT
Member
Not enough info to help you. What state do you live in? Rural? Suburban? Urban?
Daniel1120
Member
Sorry to hear that. What kind of tools? If you don't mind me asking. Good thing you had an alarm there. Stealing a mans tools is just wrong. 
I've got a couple of these in critical locations:
http://www.stopthecrime.com/products.htm
If the worst happens I will have it on DVD and I will post it on YouTube.
http://www.stopthecrime.com/products.htm
If the worst happens I will have it on DVD and I will post it on YouTube.
otter
Member
Security bars
I have thought about the security bars myself, then I saw a movie in which a kid was inside a burning building and couldn't get out because of the bars on the windows. I have a little guy here and he isn't big enough to open the windows by himself yet, can't imagine what he would do to get through bars, may put them on the garage though, got a lot of tools out there. And I live in a fairly low crime area. I had a couple car break ins when I lived in Milwaukee and Green Bay, man do you feel violated!!! Sorry to hear about your situation. I know my adrenalin would be really pumpin right now.
I have thought about the security bars myself, then I saw a movie in which a kid was inside a burning building and couldn't get out because of the bars on the windows. I have a little guy here and he isn't big enough to open the windows by himself yet, can't imagine what he would do to get through bars, may put them on the garage though, got a lot of tools out there. And I live in a fairly low crime area. I had a couple car break ins when I lived in Milwaukee and Green Bay, man do you feel violated!!! Sorry to hear about your situation. I know my adrenalin would be really pumpin right now.
bdickens
Member
Stealing a man's tools should be a hanging offense.
You could try a reflective window film. It will darken your workshop a little, but also keeps prying eyes out with the side effect of keeping it a bit cooler. Something like this might do the trick. 3M also makes some protective films that provide some impact resistance to your windows, but I'm not sure if they are reflective, and I wouldn't count on them working after the window has been hit more than once.
Mainsail
Member
You should booby-trap the entries with some shotguns, then the topic would be about guns. Well, at least until you went to jail. 
Shadow 7D
Member
You could frost them, still lets light in, you can see in reflective or tinted, just takes more work, Buy the cheapy $3 window/ door alarms that hook on the window and go off if it is opened, might not be hooked up to a central alarms, but the BG don't need to know. Bars can be made from rebar and angle iron, you can make them removable, or hinged, but I would only do that for one or two windows and just screw the rest in with lag bolts. A simple latch could be used, but would need to out of reach from someone reaching in.
OR have fun and rig flash bangs to the casement, just put the pin on a screw on the casement and the flashbang on the wall, open the window and wa-la brown marks in pants. BUT bad things would happen if you forgot about it, or if the wife went in and decided to "air" the shop out. Probably better to just put bars behind a window with tint/frosting and window alarms.
OR have fun and rig flash bangs to the casement, just put the pin on a screw on the casement and the flashbang on the wall, open the window and wa-la brown marks in pants. BUT bad things would happen if you forgot about it, or if the wife went in and decided to "air" the shop out. Probably better to just put bars behind a window with tint/frosting and window alarms.
frosting the windows is a good idea. And to answer the other question, I'm in the suburbs on a major highway that sees alot of traffic everyday, so I feel they guy may have been casing the place.After looking around more today I think the guy tried to open the back door of my mothers house next door and he also broke into 2 storage barns I have, but they are full of junk only. He stole a router, drill, dremel and a sander, the alarm definately stopped him from stealing more that was sitting out. I think I may get a steel storage unit that I can lock, one of the beefy ones that I can keep my tools in. And for some of the larger tools like weed eater, blower etc, I may chain them down. I have been on high alert all day, of course carrying my 642 every where I went on my property, and making plans to harden my house and building to resist further attack, bars on the windows, etc.
Darkninja
Member
Bar the windows and put some of the 3M protective film on the windows.
The 3M privacy film can be had at Home Depot or Lowe's. My wife did our upstairs bathroom windows when we moved in because even though they were high, given the right vantage point you could look into the bathroom.
Another thing you can do is weld up some angle iron and metal grates for added window security. It's a bit more complex than bars but visually it adds the "too much noise/too much time" that BG's don't want to mess with.
If you check out Wal-Mart, Lowe's, and/or Home Depot, you can find magnetic window alarms on the cheap. Once the window slides open the circuit closes and bingo, your alarm gets set off.
Kris
Another thing you can do is weld up some angle iron and metal grates for added window security. It's a bit more complex than bars but visually it adds the "too much noise/too much time" that BG's don't want to mess with.
If you check out Wal-Mart, Lowe's, and/or Home Depot, you can find magnetic window alarms on the cheap. Once the window slides open the circuit closes and bingo, your alarm gets set off.
Kris
Mr.510
Member
My fabrication shop building has windows, including a big one in the door. I don't care about daylight getting in as I mostly work at night. I spray painted all the windows white from the inside. From the outside they just look like frosted glass. I covered them with 3/4" plywood on the inside with lots of screws into the framing around the openings. I figure if anyone ever tries to get in the first thing they'll do is break a window. They won't get through the plywood but at least the broken glass will tell me they tried.
I don't care about daylight getting in as I mostly work at night. I spray painted all the windows white from the inside. From the outside they just look like frosted glass. I covered them with 3/4" plywood on the inside with lots of screws into the framing around the openings. I figure if anyone ever tries to get in the first thing they'll do is break a window. They won't get through the plywood but at least the broken glass will tell me they tried.- Status
