Theft deterrant ideas

[Bellhead]

From the Rant/Vent/Sad thread:

First and foremost, there is the tractor. Regular lawn tractor, 40-someodd inch 2-blade deck, 6-speed geardrive tranny, Briggs and Stratton. Fairly new. Somebody removed one of the pins supporting the deck, resulting in lines of grass ripped from my lawn by a bent bracket. These things don't just happen, and it was fine when I put it away.
Second, and infinately more angering, probably the same somebody turned the key on in my '68 CJ-5, DRAINING the enormous battery in it. That key is NEVER left on, I make sure of it. This was clearly intentional. And I swear, if I EVER find out who did it.. Heaven help them.

I oughtta start setting tripwires. That'd keep 'em out. Or at least keep them from coming back.

What I DO have, is a collection of rope, tie-downs, extension cords, steel cable, propane tanks, a couple engine blocks and several heavy-duty pulleys. More than enough to scare the crap out of anyone, and with my determination, enough to put the fear of spontaneous combustion into a statue. I'll gladly be that guy who leaves his door unlocked because nobody's brave enough to open it. I'll even leave a sign that says "go ahead, I dare you" in blood, if it will keep whoever out. Nevermind that, it was just me being angry.

So far, suggestions include:
hidden camera,
land mines,
hidden spike trap.

If you think something else might work better, by all means. Do share.

NOTE: This is merely for ideas and to clear my head, and also because I am mad but don't want to spam the Rant thread.
DISCLAIMER: I do not condone the harm (or worse) of anyone, aside from self-defence or when another option is otherwise impossible.

[FrogSteaks]

You don't have a home alarm system, do you? If not, it seems like you should invest in one. Hell, some even call the authorities automatically if an alarm is tripped.
Also, maybe try motion sensor outdoor lighting. My neighbors installed that for their backyard after their home got broken into.

[Bellhead]

You don't have a home alarm system, do you? If not, it seems like you should invest in one. Hell, some even call the authorities automatically if an alarm is tripped.

Just no. An alarm might be a good idea, I'll give you that, but I don't want the police involved. The cops in this town.. I hate them. They're jerks, and they don't care about anything but themselves. I saw one sleeping in the supermarket parking lot, and I saw another use his lights to get through traffic to the Dunkin Donuts. No cops.

Also, maybe try motion sensor outdoor lighting. My neighbors installed that for their backyard after their home got broken into.

The garage has one inside it. There's a light for the driveway, but that's light-sensing, so it's on all night.
My neighbor on the other side has a motion sensing light, and it goes off any time somebody drives by, and it shines in my bedroom window. I don't want to subject my neighborhood to that.

[Kaz]

Two words for you:

Guard dog.

[y7h65]

You don't have a home alarm system, do you? If not, it seems like you should invest in one. Hell, some even call the authorities automatically if an alarm is tripped.

Just no. An alarm might be a good idea, I'll give you that, but I don't want the police involved. The cops in this town.. I hate them. They're jerks, and they don't care about anything but themselves. I saw one sleeping in the supermarket parking lot, and I saw another use his lights to get through traffic to the Dunkin Donuts. No cops.

Also, maybe try motion sensor outdoor lighting. My neighbors installed that for their backyard after their home got broken into.

The garage has one inside it. There's a light for the driveway, but that's light-sensing, so it's on all night.
My neighbor on the other side has a motion sensing light, and it goes off any time somebody drives by, and it shines in my bedroom window. I don't want to subject my neighborhood to that.

I will note the following things. If you have property insurance and you set up traps in your house, this may cause issues with your property's liability insurance. In the event anyone on your property who has the right to be there is harmed by any of your traps, they have every right to sue you and your insurance company is in every right to not provide any coverage. I work in Canada so I can only say for a fact about Canadian property insurance but it is definitely something you want to keep in mind/check.

That being said, if you don't want to alert the authorities, don't want to be a nuisance by having improperly calibrated sensors for lights, and don't believe in the reliability of a guard dog alone (which I personally don't), then your best bet is to get an alarm system installed. I would highly recommend getting exterior motion sensing lights though. Just get them calibrated right so they don't kick in until someone is close enough to the property that its clearly on your property.

[avwolf]

American liability laws work similarly to my knowledge: booby traps are sort of frowned on by the police here. I am led to believe that South Africa takes a different tack and permits the installation of, ah, aggressive security systems in vehicles. Like flame throwers. That would not fly in the US.

Personally, I'm a big fan of infrasound generators. Infrasound is a tone below "normal" human hearing (under about 20Hz, though I understand ~13Hz is kind of the sweet spot), but it's not outside human perception. The chuff of a tiger and the rumble of a volcano produce sounds within the infrasound frequency band, and as a result, humans associate these sounds subconsciously with feelings of apprehension and discomfort. At high enough amplitudes, they'll produce retinal smearing: blobs of gray and black at the fringes of peripheral vision. It's thought that a lot of reports of hauntings are the result of natural or accidental infrasound generators (for instance, a cellar of just the right size and shape beneath a busy street). It might not be immediate, but it is harmless, and wouldn't theft and pranks be discouraged if the individuals involved believed they were trespassing in an area protected by an angry ghost?

[Bellhead]

Infrasound

Where can I get something that will make this sound? More importantly, can I make it at home?

[puredeathly]

Infrasound

Where can I get something that will make this sound? More importantly, can I make it at home?

A woofer, an amp and a frequency generator (a very simple example would be a NE555 with a few components) are all the things you need. for testing you can use a smartphone or pc as a frequency generator (ar an old mp3 player with a 20Hz wav/mp3 file on loop).

[ReBob]

A motion activated camera might very well be your best bet, especially if you can get someones face. Works for businesses, why wouldn't it for you. I assume this tractor is locked up? Better locks might be beneficial.

Or maybe a bear trap accidentally left out.

[Bellhead]

A motion activated camera might very well be your best bet, especially if you can get someones face. Works for businesses, why wouldn't it for you.

Money. That's why. I have only what I can scavenge and pillage from my garage, shed and basement to work with, as I have no money to spend on a camera, and there's no way my father believes me about it.

[ReBob]

I meant aside from money, but I do know how it is not having cash. If only there was a way, you'd have proof and the identity.

Noise-making traps could do, something that'll raise a ruckus loud enough to wake you and probably cause the intruder stumble and crash maybe long enough for you to catch the perp. Or dissuade him/her from returning. Might cause a heart attack, but who knows.

[y7h65]

A motion activated camera might very well be your best bet, especially if you can get someones face. Works for businesses, why wouldn't it for you.

Money. That's why. I have only what I can scavenge and pillage from my garage, shed and basement to work with, as I have no money to spend on a camera, and there's no way my father believes me about it.

Have... have actually you tried telling your dad that you think someone is either using your stuff without asking you or anything like that? It's the first thing you should have done. And [censored], if it is his house and you do install some illegal traps/modifications without his knowledge and that causes a major loss then you are truly and utterly [censored] beyond belief. Its best you literally tell your dad first and see if he has any idea what happened with your stuff before you do anything yourself.

[Bellhead]

Have... have actually you tried telling your dad that you think someone is either using your stuff without asking you or anything like that? It's the first thing you should have done. And [censored], if it is his house and you do install some illegal traps/modifications without his knowledge and that causes a major loss then you are truly and utterly [censored] beyond belief. Its best you literally tell your dad first and see if he has any idea what happened with your stuff before you do anything yourself.

Tried that. He doesn't believe me. He had no answer when my helmet got thrown, he thought the tire just "leaked over the weekend", he thought the tractor pin just fell off, and he believed I left the key on in the Jeep.
Maybe he'll react differently when he sees the step with the chunk missing out of it that I found today.