armedwalleye
Member
Im of the mind that anything that slows them down or makes noise is something the smash and grabber want to avoid. Anything that looks like something else, or anything chained or cabled to something big will help
Most of those interior (and especially closet) doors are either louvered or flimsy hollow-core doors. Replace the door itself with a solid-core door. And if it hinges outwards (exposing the hinge pins), replace some of the hinge screws with longer, headless screws that enter the opposite side of the hinge.Replace the residential knob on an interior closet door with a keyed entry lockset.
Something that can't be opened in 5 minutes with a small pry bar and hammer will stop most smash and grab thieves, and unless you advertise what you have that's the most likely scenario.
Saved me when a smash and grab guy pried open the back door with a crowbar and stole a TV. The heck with the TV, I bought another one.
And if it hinges outwards (exposing the hinge pins), replace some of the hinge screws with longer, headless screws that enter the opposite side of the hinge.
I've seen people putting their safes where they're visible to any casual visitor. Even right in their living rooms! The safe itself should be deeply hidden.
I’m trying unsuccessfully to picture what you are describing here.
Thank you. I understand now. Great idea.If you have what’s typically/called an outswing door, replacing one screw with a headless screw and allowing it to stand proud 3/8 of an inch and removing the same position screw on the other half of the hinge will allow the stub to go into the hole on the opposing hinge half. It will prevent someone from popping the pins and removing the entire door to gain access.
This is the mindset that you should have. Against an "Oceans 11" style heist, there is not much you can do. Most burglaries are not like that though. Most are by a low-IQ criminals like that one who took 10+ minutes to slim-jim my 30 year old jalopy. (We had them on video.)Any safe just delays determined thieves. Obviously, a cheap safe is better than no safe. But your best protection is secrecy, and overall premises security. Make sure you strictly limit the number of people that know you have guns.
I have seen THR posters advise taking a plastic storage bin and scrawling "Christmas Decorations" in marker.
Firearms on bottom with a couple of wreaths, garland, and string lights tossed on top. Put on shelf. Not a bad idea.
I've seen people putting their safes where they're visible to any casual visitor. Even right in their living rooms! The safe itself should be deeply hidden. Whole books have been written on how to hide things. (Don't copy their specific ideas, because thieves read these books too. Use your imagination instead.) You can go so far as creating a secret room in your house, with a cleverly disguised entrance. There are many "dead spaces" in a typical house.