security

As the financial crunch continues, property crime is on the rise.  Living off-grid you are more vulnerable to opportunist thieves – people who happen to be passing.

Here are some time-tested crime prevention secrets – countermeasures to secure your home, whether you are off-gridders, RVers, preppers, hermits, survivalists, or simply spending a few days off the beaten track wild camping .

There are lots of things we can do that are both inexpensive and do not require utility power.  Many are just commonsense. The more difficult your property looks to breach the less likely that would-be thieves will select you as their target.

1. Know your neighbors

In remote areas this is the No 1 safety tip: neighbors and community members who know you by name and by face will be the ones that will watch your back in a crisis.

You do not have to become best friends with these people – but you do need to say hi once in awhile and perhaps get involved in some community activities so that they can get to know you and you them.

2. Get a dog

A dog is a great really great early warning system.  Heck my little 7 kilo Terrier makes a  racket if a stranger is walking around outside at night.

He might not scare an intruder once he is in the house but he certainly would give the would-be burglar reason to look elsewhere. Plus we would know that someone who should not be here is close by if not inside our home.

3. Landscape with inhospitable plants

Inhospitable doesn’t mean the plants aren’t beautiful.  Thorny plants like rugosa rosebushes bougainvillea or blackberry vines make it far more difficult to sneak around outside of windows or to climb fences.

4. Consider an alarm system

We are not talking about an expensive monitored alarm system and as a matter of fact I think advertising that you have a monitored system whether it is true or not simply tells the world that you have lots of goodies that need protection.

When I say alarm system I am referring to a loud horn or blast that goes off when someone invades your territory.

This is especially effective if you have neighbors who will also hear the alarm but even in a more remote area the alarm will annoy and dissuade the burglars from sticking around.

Wireless motion sensors can be installed on doors to scare away a person trying to break in. Best of all they’re battery operated and will suprise the bejassus out of anyone who thought they were on an easy picking spree.

5. Keep your outdoor areas well lit

This does not have to be costly. Even shaded areas will benefit from inexpensive solar lighting.

Motion lights around doorways can be startling since they come on when a person walks up to the door.

6.  Do …