Remote Cabin Security

Dallas2build · May 20, 2010, 08:46:00 PM

You can always try the "crazy man" approach. Make people think you're really strange and that they can't be sure what you would do if you caught someone up there. You don't make threats as much as you just get your strange behavior to be public knowledge.

Years ago I found myself in a short term financial situation that forced me to live in a less than desirable neighborhood in Atlanta GA. An anything not cemented into the ground was stolen kind of area. Every car in my parking lot was broken into at least once a month and it took bars and chain to keep anyone out of your apartment. Let's just say I learned to sleep with one eye open.

So how did I survive this time without having anything stolen, even from my car parked outside at night? It was terrifying at first but it was the only thing I could think of. I started asking people to borrow money. No one ever let me mind you, but I kept asking. I guess it worked and they figured I had nothing to steal. Maybe I had them convinced that if they broke out my window I would just ask them to borrow the money to fix it anyway.

JavaMan · May 21, 2010, 02:11:30 PM

Quote from: Dallas2build on May 20, 2010, 08:46:00 PM
You can always try the "crazy man" approach. Make people think you're really strange and that they can't be sure what you would do if you caught someone up there. You don't make threats as much as you just get your strange behavior to be public knowledge.

Years ago I found myself in a short term financial situation that forced me to live in a less than desirable neighborhood in Atlanta GA. An anything not cemented into the ground was stolen kind of area. Every car in my parking lot was broken into at least once a month and it took bars and chain to keep anyone out of your apartment. Let's just say I learned to sleep with one eye open.

So how did I survive this time without having anything stolen, even from my car parked outside at night? It was terrifying at first but it was the only thing I could think of. I started asking people to borrow money. No one ever let me mind you, but I kept asking. I guess it worked and they figured I had nothing to steal. Maybe I had them convinced that if they broke out my window I would just ask them to borrow the money to fix it anyway.

I love it! That sounds like a great approach to take. I could just build mounds around the place with headstones...

We have a few around the house here, and I keep threatening to tell my step-daughters friends (that happen to be boys), that those are where the last guys that messed with her, are...

May 21, 2010, 04:40:47 PM

Crazy man huh? That works.

First house I owned was a new built one in an outskirt of Houston. No grass in the backyard. Just clay. I tried to get grass to grow by tilling in some soil amenities and seeding. A rabbit was eating all my grass and I could not catch him. One day, after a rain, I saw him in the yard. I scrambled and grabbed the first boots I could find, which were some cold-weather boots. I threw those on, grabbed my big straw hat, sunglasses, and went in hot pursuit.

The rabbit saw me and ran and hid behind a stack of lumber by my fence. I ran to the garage, grabbed a big fishing net, grabbed the end of my hose, and went out to battle. I put the fishing net at one end of the lumber channel, went to the other end with the hose. Squirted water and started yelling... the rabbit bolted out, went in the net, and started to struggle. I ran around to get the net, slipped and fell in the mud. Faceplant. I sprayed water on my face to clear my glasses, and grabbed the net just in time to see the rabbit run under the fence near the corner of my yard into the next lot where a house was being built. I ran, dragging the hose and net, and climbed up on the fence. Now I'm pissed.

Okay.. So there I am, sitting on the top of the fence corner, spraying a hose, holding a fishing net, screaming profanities at a rabbit. I'm covered in mud, wearing a hat, shorts, and apre-ski boots.

Out onto the back porch walks a Realtor with an old Asian couple who were looking at the house.

I never saw those people again.

Maybe I have a security service I can offer?

Dallas2build · May 21, 2010, 10:14:49 PM

Hey it works. There was another guy in the area here that built a cabin and no one would ever go anywhere near it. He was just a really strange bird and no one would mess with him. I get along with all the old hillbillies and crazies in the area but this one particular old fellow I didn't go near.

He had skulls nailed up on a tree out by the road in front of his cabin. He had found old jaw bones, leg bones, skulls, etc... of animals in the woods and strung them up around his place on strings in trees and would tie ribbons and aluminum foil to them.

The closest I ever got was his gate and there was a couple of old deer skulls hanging off of his gate with yellow ribbon tied through the eyes and a red dot painted in the middle of the head. The guy died a few years back and I went up there afterwards to see what the fuss was about. The perimeter was full of crazy crap like that, but once you got to the cabin it was normal and well taken care of. I think the old coot pulled one over on everyone.

lauersix6 · May 22, 2010, 02:03:53 PM

those are some great stories. it is an uneasy feeling to leave you place and not know for sure if someone will take advantage of you. you post your signs, call the dnr and hope for the best.

May 23, 2010, 03:49:45 PM

Quite a few years ago in our neck of the woods some thieves were literally taking chain saws to neighborhood cabins and cutting holes in the walls to gain access. Evidently one cabin got hit just last Summer which got me thinking...and inspired me to pick up some refuse rebar at the steel yard. Placed a 4' section every other stud in the walls. Figure that it would at least dull the chain quickly and cost me less than $10.
This thread just encouraged me to order a game camera from Cabelas (free shipping this weekend). The Moultrie D-55 IR seemed like a nice/cheap addition to my gate and signage. Fortunately all the neighbors know what's going on and are happy to see me spending time in the hood again.

firefox · May 23, 2010, 07:12:00 PM

If you were a burgular and happen to get sprayed by a skunk,
would you hunt around to find the skunk? Somehow, I don't think so.
My guess is that you would head back home to get washed up or buy tomato juice.

I agree that setting violent traps is a bad idea, but a solenoid operated spray system isn't going to do permanent damage.

Anyway, just an idea.
Bruce

NM_Shooter · May 24, 2010, 08:45:15 AM

Quote from: firefox on May 23, 2010, 07:12:00 PM
If you were a burgular and happen to get sprayed by a skunk,
would you hunt around to find the skunk? Somehow, I don't think so.
My guess is that you would head back home to get washed up or buy tomato juice.

I agree that setting violent traps is a bad idea, but a solenoid operated spray system isn't going to do permanent damage.

Anyway, just an idea.
Bruce

Man, I don't know. What if you triggered some kid's asthma? People are so crazy to sue these days. Nah, I'll stick to cameras. There is nothing I have that is worth somebody getting hurt over. Heck, I'm a CCW person and am frequently armed. If I am by myself and some thug waves a knife and wants my car, I'm tossing him the keys and running. I just don't need the legal issues.

firefox · May 24, 2010, 01:47:20 PM

Good point about the asthma.
Bruce

May 24, 2010, 02:56:32 PM

Kinda goin' away from the direction this thread has taken, but...

I built my 'cabin' out in far north Idaho in 1979/80. At the time I didn't worry about security as I lived there full time and had woofers to announce folks that came to the property.

My neighbor to the north was not a full time resident and he had a great security idea - well at least I thought (and still think) it's great.

How about a 40 x 80 steel clear-span building on a slab? No ground level windows, just clerestory translucent panels at the eaves - 16' in the air.

One steel personnel door and a steel roll-up door on one long side, another steel roll-up on one short side and three steel 12' roll-ups on the other short side.

The side with the three roll-ups had the doors inset into the end by a few feet and the slab extended out a few feet with a awning over that small extension - a porch in essence.

Inside these three roll-ups was a 'cabin'. Two bedrooms, a bathroom, a great room, a kitchen and a pantry/laundry room. Another personnel door and sliding glass doors & windows matched the three roll-ups. Another personnel door went out into the main building - a back door if you wish.

The whole building had the 'standard' metal building insulation and the lower eight feet had plywood for covering. The house part had 'an attic' that was accessed from a stairway inside the main portion of the shop.

In the shop was the man's 'toys' - tractors, snowmobiles, welders, table saws and all necessary accessories for each.

When he & family had to leave he just closed it all up, locked the roll-ups from the inside and barred the one personnel door and locked it with a HD Yale lock.

To the point made several times in this thread. 30 years ago this was enough to stop most casual thieves. Today they'd bring a cutting torch and be inside within minutes and tote away all that the building contained.

That said, if this were built within sight of neighbors and they were vigilant with the peeking at this property from time to time, this might be a way to have some security if one could not live there full time.

I fully recognize that this is not a small cabin as is the intent of this general forum, but this is something that I observed some 30 years ago.

davestreck · May 24, 2010, 06:27:58 PM

Our storage shed was broken into last summer sometime. We arrived in August to find the door damaged but not wide open. The cheapo lock and latch had been smashed off, taking some of the 3/4" door planking with it. The shed is used to store camping gear (mostly old and/or second-hand) and tools (nothing really of value except for the chainsaw) After a quick inventory we discovered that, surprise surprise, the chainsaw was gone. The thieves had also taken 3 folding camp chairs, God knows why.

Our property is on a completely uninhabited and undeveloped island 1 mile from shore, and 12 miles by water from the nearest boat ramp. But, this being Nova Scotia, everyone has a boat, and apparently the islands are popular spots for hunters, kayakers, teenagers and the occasional lobster poacher.

I reported the theft to the local RCMP Constable, more to establish a paper trail than out of any hope that I'd ever get my gear back. He was helpful and sympathetic, but not at all surprised. He confided that most cabins (or "camps" as they call them up there) suffer from break-ins on occasion, and that the "lock or don't lock" debate is never-ending among owners. His advice: leave no valuables and no booze. Lock or don't lock at your discretion. Locking keeps casual visitors out, but virtually guarantees having to repair windows and doors the next time you arrive. Hunters especially, expect cabins to be left unlocked and, while they may not steal anything, they will enter if they want to get out of the weather and warm themselves up. Locks just piss them off. Other tips from the Mounties: keep a record of anything you keep there that has any type of traceable serial number and stay on good terms with area cabin owners and any local residents you know.

We left the shed unlocked this year and our new chainsaw comes home with us from now on.

davestreck · May 24, 2010, 07:08:51 PM

I just wanted to add something to my previous post, which upon re-reading seems to sound a little anti-hunter, which I definitely am not. The Constable was of the opinion (and I agree) that 99% of hunters are great respecters of property. But there apparently is a tradition up there of hospitality where unoccupied cabins are concerned: cabins left open will be respected and treated well, locked ones will usually be unmolested, unless the hunter in question happens to be: (a)cold and wet, or (b)pissed off that some American idiot bought land that he's hunted on for years and then didn't have the common courtesy to leave his cabin unlocked.

I'm planning on leaving the cabin (when built) unlocked. And leaving a welcome note, some dry firewood and a tin of jerky.

Dallas2build · May 24, 2010, 07:29:56 PM

I've sat out countless thunderstorms and warmed up in unlocked cabins. It is rather defeating to find a cabin when you're freezing or soaking wet and it's locked. At least in the rain you can just get on the porch. When it's 20 outside and it starts raining unexpectedly the porch doesn't do you much good. Personally I've never worried about it and I am not concerned in the least with someone using my place as well. I feel it's just part of the sharing the land with others. Of course I've never been anything but respectful to others property and never venture past just inside the door to warm up. In the past I have actually gone back and carried wood, brought jerky, sardines, etc... and left for the owners.

LeoinSA · May 27, 2010, 05:56:22 PM

Quote from: LeoinSA on May 24, 2010, 02:56:32 PM
My neighbor to the north was not a full time resident and he had a great security idea - well at least I thought (and still think) it's great.

How about a 40 x 80 steel clear-span building on a slab? No ground level windows, just clerestory translucent panels at the eaves - 16' in the air

Like this one - sorta. http://www.landsoftexas.com/texas/?detail=&inv_id=684590