[Travis McGee]

...Develop a reputation of a “crazy” person that no one wants to deal with..."

Some of us don't have to develop such a rep; it came pre-wired.

Backyard knife-throwing targets? Naturally.

[Joe Brower]

Heh. My neighbors have seen me often enough 'trimming' the Brazilian Pepper out back with my daisho often enough to know where I'm comin' from. $;-)

[Lurker]

Here’s some stuff to do “on the cheap”.

First take out those stupid 1 inch long screws in your door locks and dead bolts and replace them with 3 inch ones drilled deep into the door AND the jam. This step alone increases the strength of the door/lock interface by a factor of 5.

Have 1 inch HARDWOOD dowels cut to length to put in the tracks of sliding doors and windows so the can’t be easily opened. Put each one by the appropriate opening and then USE THEM.

Small motion alarms are available for very little money that will make a hell of a racket if a door or window is opened or broken. Jiggle one of them and a 110db alarm sounds. I’ve got them all over the house.

Buy some of those “Property Under Video Surveillance” signs and post them prominently even if you don’t have the cameras. Anything that gives a bad guy pause will help.

All this stuff cost me less than $50.

Best,

L

[hiredhand]

Just a few evenings ago, the daughter went for a run. It was getting dark at the time. 20 minutes later (her "usual" arrival time), somebody knocked on the door, and SP opened the inside, AND outer doors without looking. It was NOT our girl. It was some guy we didn't know. As it happened, I was standing JUST around the corner in front of an open gun-safe when she opened the door and I heard the beginnings of a conversation. The quickest thing to grab was one of my son's 1911s, so I did... charged it, and locked it... stuck it in the "usual" spot, and then stepped around the corner and swapped places with her.

It all turned out well as far as well goes. The guy was trying to talk me out of $8 for gas money so his friends could give him a ride to a place that was only 10 miles away. I don't give cash and told him so, but I also told him that I'd be happy to give him a ride. He wouldn't have to know that the guy in the backseat would be holding a gun to his head. :-) When I offered him a ride, he tried to tell me how far away he lived.

During this conversation, I heard what I thought was a cat in the bushes across my driveway. I discovered after the guy left my porch that it was my oldest son, watching the guy through his sights. :-)

Like I said... everybody walked away safe. I did call the Sheriff's Dept after he left. SP was feeling a bit small afterward, but everybody stayed safe, and all I really said is that I'll bet she never does that again. :-)

It rather reminded me of that article you sent to me that time titled, "Got A Second?". An exterior door can buy a LOT of time. :-)

[CodeToad]

I see those welding skills didn’t just come in handy to build a boat. Buired with a longer shaft they make punji sticks look tame.

[Squantos]

Your a SEAL an I’m EOD..... I can’t recall ever meeting a crazy person ......have you ?

Stay Safe .....:o)