Bump... bash in the night.

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Working Man

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Well let me start off by saying that I love the area I am in. Nice, quiet, and
somewhat respectable.

An interesting thing happened tonight. One of my room-mates came home
tonight while I was in the back smoking a cig. I had actually just put it out
and had entered the garage back entrance. I heard her car turn towards the
gate when there was an impact and rattle sound on the side gate. Naturally I
rushed towards the back to see what had happened. Now this means the
removal of the dead bolt, chain lock, and the snap lock even before I get to
the storm door (which has 3 locks of its own). By the time I made it out to
the patio, I hear the back fence rattling. I raced to the area of the sound
but saw no one there. While I ran out I drew my Spyderco knife and moved
like a man with a mission. This is my home and I felt it was threatened. No
I did not have my CCW with me.

Animal.... could be, but now my roommate has a spooked feeling when
coming home (I hate that).

Me.... I'm just pissed that I don't know what is going on.

Any suggestions?
 
"While I ran out I drew my Spyderco knife and moved
like a man with a mission."

I love these stories. It's like a thriller action book.


But seriously, I think just keep an eye out for a little while. Up the alert a little. Make sure you got a lighted property like target said. There's really no specific answer for a bump in the night.
 
maybe invest or see if anybody you know can lend you one of those motion activated hunting cameras and leave it out for a little while...

question... does a storm door really need 3 locks?
 
Man Asks a Serious Question

Y'all might have the grace to treat the question with some dignity.

On the one hand, I imagine this could get better treatment over in S&T but, on the other hand, while it's here let's give it some serious consideration.

Working Man, what's on the other side of that fence where you say it rattled. Is it an alley, neighbor's yard, street?

How high is the fence? Is it an easy hop? Chain link? Wood?

I've having a little trouble drawing a clear picture.
 
This reminds me of a friend of mine: His then girlfriend (now wife) had decided to move in with him to avoid a jealous ex. My friend was an LEO and, until recently, a confirmed bachelor. He has an extensive gun collection and kept his house locked up tight with a 20ga mossberg next to his bead.

One night he came home, tired from work, had dinner and went to bead. He forgot, of course that this was the night that his girlfriend was going to move in. He awoke at 10:30pm hearing somebody open the lock on his front door and met his girlfriend in the halo of the Surefire on his Mossberg.
Despite that aukward meeting, the girlfriend is now the wife and sleeps with a Glock by the bead when the husband is out.

Morals: There is nothing wrong with being paranoid, every false alarm prepares you for the real thing.
Your roommates/SOs will either appricate your attentiveness or move out.

There is nothing wrong with being prepared and aware of your surroundings.
 
It does sound like you could have used a blindingly bright flashlight, to more safely help you explore the yard. I like my Surefire, but I am aware other brands are also nice. (There is even a fellow in Eugene that custom makes flashlights, but I owned my Surefire before I met him.)
 
I installed motion sensor lights on all sides of my house, and garage. for one thing it makes it easier to run outside for something, without having to go out of the way for a switch, the way is lighted. It really increases security, since if a light goes on, I knkow it, and will look outside, and see the area lit up brigtly. I tinkered with sensitivity, and pattern of the sensor, as well as lit fields. I was able to avoid lighting passing cats, but still get the occaisional deer.
The neighbor checks the lights when I am away. He can see from his kitchen.
I can cover the back yard, parking area, and garage from my balcony. I feel like I am in a deer blind.
 
rig up a several strings of fishing wire with tin cans on them. put a marble or lead pellet into each can.

no, seriously, it actually works quite well.

personally, I hate knife fights. i received some basic USMC knife training (bayonet downward past collarbone to heart, grab and pull him down with you in one motion, lie on top of his body to keep him from being able to cry out) but the biggest thing I learned from knife training was that oh boy did i not want to ever get into a knife fight.

i would strogly suggest getting a telescoping baton (if legal where you are they aren't here in CA).

in an ideal world my HD long arm would be a lightweight m4gery with an OC pepperbomb launcher on the rail.

i like having multiple threat response solutions available to me.
 
He forgot, of course that this was the night that his girlfriend was going to move in.
Click to expand...

How in the H-E- double toothpicks could someone possible forget that their girlfriend is moving in on a particular day?

I will never forget the impending doom I usually feel when one of these days occurs...
 
Reminds me of a time there was a knock on the door late one night and I didn't have my gun on my side, I haven't made that error since. It really bothered me that I might have needed it and it was in the back bedroom.
 
Sorry for the long absence.

Hardtarget, we do have a back porch light but the switch in in the kitchen
not the garage. We may change that now.

hankpac, We have thought about getting motion lights in the back but with
the possums, rabbits, dillows, and such it would be on all night long.

Are there any type of motion sensors that can tell the difference in the size
of what is moving?

ArfinGreebly, thank you. It is a 4 ft chain link fence with a large field behind it.
Very dark back there.

Exmasonite, the storm door we often leave as the only door locked for the
back till we lockup for the night as long as we are home. It has a heavy
metal screen over it so even if they break the glass they still will have a hard
time getting in. The dog is usually out if the wooden door is open and the
storm the only one locked. I had already let him in for the evening when this
happened.

We had a break in down the street (1st in many years) not too long before
this happened. I have been keeping watch but nothing since.
 
smarthome.com has remote switches let you turn lights on from other places without wires (radio controlled) i use em on yard lights can turn em on from a bunch of places
 
I had a similar "incident" a few weeks ago. Totally caught off guard, and heard a door in my house open up.

I filled my hand with.... a potato peeler. Not the knife kind, either. The idiot proof ones that even a child can use.
 
I was reading through these responses again and noticed something. Its funny, (in a scary way), how things happen at the VERY time we are the least prepared.

One night last week, wife and I were in the bedroom, it was 10:30, time for bed. Most of the lights were out. Then I hear the little "skreek" made by one of our doors. I had just laid my pistol on the dresser...and stepped away from it. No worries this time...It was my son...dropped by for computer paper. :D

Mark.
 
cassandrasdaddy, that may be a good idea. Have lights in the yard closer to
the fence that can be remotely turned on.
 
I have lights on motion detectors strategically placed around the perimeter and the trusty "Light Sleeping Lab." Last "bump in the night" experience, the Lab was well ahead-of . . . when I reached the door, whoever made the bump was, at that time making a hasty retreat. A good dog is mighty effective IMHO . . . great alarm, superb companion, & efficient barkuum cleaner . . .
 
Are there any type of motion sensors that can tell the difference in the size
of what is moving?
Click to expand...

Yesh. Most motion detecting lights have a sensitivity setting. While this is nominally used to alter the range of detection, in reality it merely alters the threshold at which a thermal signature would set it off. In other words, by decreasing the sensitivty, you'll get a man at 20ft, but 'coons won't set it off from more than 5 feet.

There are some better solutions, but they quickly devolve into the land of the fairly complicated. Gate sensors and vibration sensors outdoors work wonders, but the question is do you feel competent to install and maintain them (all outdoor security devices should have a regular maintenance schedule, or they'll be in-op for months before you know about it).

There are great systems out there. One I designed and installed (but I'm sure there's a commercial version somewhere) is as simple as shallow buried oil-filled tubing running to a pressure switch. Takes about 120lbs to set it off, and you can drive whatever you like via the SSR, either full yard lighting or a private alarm that alerts the occupant but not the intruder.

Really the only question is, how involved do you wanna get. Most people want to set it and forget it, i.e., the Home Depot 39.95 motion light.
 
who knows

one thing you dont do is go wandering out in the yard.check your inside and stay away from windows.
I just recieved from heartland america.com a wireless color camera and receiver.$49 +$14 for second camera.night capable.:uhoh: :uhoh:
 
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