EugeneD
(Texas)
Posts:14
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| 04/30/2008 10:54 AM |
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All - Approximatley two weeks ago my vehicle was buglarized and they was tried to steal it. Then two weeks ago they broke into my house and stole valuable things. I submitted to my homeowners association documents/permission on getting a fence build around my property to protect it and my family. The funny thing is I asked the person who handles that what is my building line. She told me that it was the end of my driveway. This was before I submitted documents. Then after I sent that I found my house specs that the building line is actually the front end of my house. So now I'm thinking that they are not going to aprove the fence. First is because no one over there in the neiborhood has a frence around the front of their house. Second because of the building line and last but not least they are pretty stricked.
I mean didn't they just passed the law to where you have the right to protect your property? If they tell me know which I know they will, who can I go to.
I talked to the person in office and she stated the building gates around the community is pretty expensive and they if they do everyone's dues will go up!
Please help! |
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BradP
(Kansas)
Posts:1742
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| 04/30/2008 11:28 AM |
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Eugene:
You have the right to protect your property. Couple steps you could have taken in my opinion...1)placed vehicles inside a garage if possible, if that is not possible, lock them, remove valuables and have an alarm system put on it. 2) Install a security system in your home, it will cost significantly less than the price of a large fence...3)illuminate the outside of your home, install motion detector lights in the front and the rear.
Fences need to be built according to your documents and you are right most if not all associations do not allow fences in the front yard. If you architectural committee declines your request you can appeal to the board.
Personally I think you need to rethink the thought that a fence will prevent crime, unless you are placing razor wire on top of it and have bullet and bolt cutter proof locks on it all it will do is provide shelter for a criminal trying to break in. You are much better of with the suggestions above in my opinion. |
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EugeneD
(Texas)
Posts:14
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| 04/30/2008 11:40 AM |
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| Wow -- Thanks Brad for the feed back! What I did was turned my garage into a poolroom, so spent quite a bit of money on that and I didn't want to get rid of taht so soon. I just turned this around about two years ago, but you're right about illuminating the property. The funny thing is they unscrewed my light bulbs in front of my house next to my garge. They did my neighbors the same way and tried to steal their truck. Yes I do plan on putting a security system (Video Surveillance)on the home. Another thing you're right about is the fence, I do see someone trying to hide waiting to brak-in. That's very good feed back. Thank you sir! |
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BrianB
(California)
Posts:1732
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| 04/30/2008 11:50 AM |
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you are in texas. you don't need a fence, just shoot them.
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EugeneD
(Texas)
Posts:14
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| 04/30/2008 11:53 AM |
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| I have two boys and I keep that put away, that is a good ideal but you have to go through a lot if you'd did something like that. LOL Thanks! |
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BradP
(Kansas)
Posts:1742
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| 04/30/2008 11:59 AM |
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Eugene:
I don't know if video surveillance is necessary, a good home security system would my suggestion. |
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EugeneD
(Texas)
Posts:14
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| 04/30/2008 12:02 PM |
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| Brad - I have that too and they still broke in and got away before myself caught the incident and then I called the police and they were there in less then five minutes. |
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MaryA1
(Arizona)
Posts:2157
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| 04/30/2008 12:08 PM |
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Eugene,
Unless you live on acerage and place a fence around the whole perimeter of your property, installing a fence might only be providing you with a false sense of security. I mean, you can't fence in the driveway, right? Here in AZ most communities are walled in and all homes have a wall around them. We do have home burgularies here too!! My feeling is that if the thief wants to get in bad enough he'll find a way. As Brad suggests, there's a lot you can do to protect your home and your valuables w/o building a fence. |
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BrianB
(California)
Posts:1732
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| 04/30/2008 12:12 PM |
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| Your honor, i was in fear of my life when i pulled the trigger... |
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MaryA1
(Arizona)
Posts:2157
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| 04/30/2008 12:21 PM |
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Brian,
Perhaps you don't keep abreast of the gun laws in AZ. We do have the right to protect our person, home, auto and property even if that means using deadly force. And the prosecution has the burden of proof. New legislation passed last year. |
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MicheleD
(Kentucky)
Posts:1675
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| 04/30/2008 2:52 PM |
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While our Arch Comm specs do not allow fences towards the front of the house, it's just in line with county building codes. Even if we didn't have HOA specs on it, the local zoning codes would not allow it.
I also would not take anyone's "word" on where my property line is.
Spend the $$ it takes and get a legitimate survey done.
Then, once you have that, you can work better with the Arch Committee to see exactly where/how you can lay out your fence.
Good luck.
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BrianB
(California)
Posts:1732
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| 04/30/2008 5:08 PM |
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nah, i don't keep up with Arizona now that i have moved. I think Texas is the same, deadly force to protect property is the same. I just know my dad always taught me to practice that line...
"Your honor, I was in fear of my life when I..." shot that man in the back 37 times... and reloaded. |
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RoyY
(Maryland)
Posts:11
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| 05/01/2008 5:28 AM |
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I've been in the security business for over 22 years but do not live in TX.
I have had several cumtomers over the years that have had cars stolen, houses broken into and the resolve is not a fence. Think of this, you half to maintain a fence: (weeds, appearance, trees, bushes, and the most important it's height.
A burglar does not care about a fence unless it's 12 feet high and you put barbed wire on it, oh ya they'll just cut an hole with electrical pliers.
The best advice is like the other person said. Lock you car, remove valuables from the outside, don't leave ladders or other climbing objects laying around. Make sure your doors and windows are locked at all times when you home, mostly at night. If you have window stoppers installed use them if you want to open the windows for fresh air. Install motion flood lights high enough not to allow access which may be excessive if on the top of the house. A home security system is a good product if installed and used properly. If all you can afford is a cheap system for FREE with 2 doors and motion plus moniotirng. Save your money.
The system must be designed to work even when your home and protect doors and windows from vandals. Motion detectors if zoned will also help. (basement on 1st floor off during the day. You can even have a shunt switch installed to deactivate and activated the motion at will vs turning on and off the alarm every time you want to go in the basement. But most of all have sirens installed inside and out with a flashing strobe outside facing an neighbors house. Have phone lines moved inside or purchase a cellular back up in case you phone lines are cut mostly if you have VoIP.
Have a plan of action layed out if the alarm goes off: ( were do we go, what do we do, cell phone, gun, your childrens safety must come first and they need to know without hesitation what to do even in the middle of the night. (PRACTICE)
Chances are you'll never have a nother problem, but why wait to find out.
Good luck! |
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MaryA1
(Arizona)
Posts:2157
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| 05/01/2008 6:39 AM |
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Brian,
Just a friendly reminder that you need to change your profile to read "Texas".
:-) |
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EugeneD
(Texas)
Posts:14
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| 05/01/2008 6:45 AM |
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| Mary, Michelle, Bryan and Roy -- Thank you all for responding to this issue. I just logged back in. I'm reading all of this teary eyeded becuase of the great responses! I just feel like there are still people out there that cares. Pretty much everyone is saying a fence is not going to help protect my property. Yes it is very expensive ($4,000)! This would have included a sliding gate with two remote controls for me and my wife. Brian did stated that it was pretty expensive, the contractors came out yesterday (4/30). Yes I did have an expensive workout equipment inside my SUV and I had it covered up to where you couldn't see it. The theives took their time and was looking inside everyones cars and I guess when they got to mine, they were like man he got something big back there. So like what Bryan/Roy was saying take everything out even if you do hide it because I guess theive are anxious and with the gas prices going up. I guess they are trying to find anything and sell it for money. |
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BradP
(Kansas)
Posts:1742
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| 05/01/2008 10:36 AM |
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Eugene:
Another point on vehicles outside...it has happened in our neighborhood and I am guessing if it isn't happening a lot it will start to. People syphoning gas from vehicles left outside. With the way gas prices are I am guessing this will be the next wave. I really think cars should go in the garage...if not invest in a locking gas cap. |
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RoyY
(Maryland)
Posts:11
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| 05/01/2008 11:15 AM |
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I forgot to mention. The best way to stop a thief is to make everything obvious. Don't give them a reason to look around. What you see is what you get. I'm glad we could help.
PS A good security system should cost around $800.00 - $1,400.00 plus $24.00 -31.00 per month monitoring fee. Try to pay as little as possible I have some customers paying as low as $18.00. |
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BrianB
(California)
Posts:1732
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| 05/01/2008 5:22 PM |
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to paraphrase George Carlin: Only in America would we park a $40,000 car outside the garage, so we have room inside to store our unread magazines and used clothes.
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GlenL
(Ohio)
Posts:1362
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| 05/02/2008 1:13 AM |
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Posted By BradP on 05/01/2008 10:36 AM
Eugene:
Another point on vehicles outside...it has happened in our neighborhood and I am guessing if it isn't happening a lot it will start to. People syphoning gas from vehicles left outside. With the way gas prices are I am guessing this will be the next wave. I really think cars should go in the garage...if not invest in a locking gas cap.
We're having a rash of gas thefts lately with a new (at least to me) M.O. the idiots are drilling holes into the tanks of large SUV's and small trucks to drain gas out. I can hardly wait for one of the morons to set off an explosion trying this; hopefully before they reproduce, sort of Darwinism at its best.
Also I had a friend who drove a wrecker and when he would take it home at night someone would siphon the gas out of the five gallon "jerry can" he kept on the back to assist people who had run out. Repeated attempts to find who was doing it failed so one night he dumped five pounds of sugar into the can, filled it with gas and left it as usual. Next day his neighbor's car wouldn't run and that was the last problem he had with that happening.
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EugeneD
(Texas)
Posts:14
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| 05/02/2008 7:32 AM |
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| Thanks Brad! Glen from Ohio that's funny! That's what his neighbor gets! I would have brought some kind criminal charges against that low life! Would have made his life a living hell to show him you don't do things like that to your neighbor. |
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