so.....cctv and alarm.......what do i need

the_shreksta

i have just bought my 1st house and crime is on the rise in my home town so i want as much security as possible.

house details are...

new build

wiring for alarm already in place

3 bed detached with large rear garden and fairly large front garden

set of french doors at the rear giving access to garden

fence all around rear garden, neighbours either side and a garden behind the back of our garden so no walkways or paths etc apart from the front path

to the left of the house is a 2 car long driveway leading to a detached garage with a pitched roof (its a double garage 1 half is mine 1 half is neighbours)

gate between garage and house to rear garden

there are no houses opposite me

there is a detached house either side of my house-on the left is a double width driveway (half mine half neighbours

so what do i need? i dont wanna get a load of quotes off people selling me stuff i dont need and at the same time i dont need to be buying cheap ebay crap that is of no use.

i would like notifications on my phone (and the mrs phone) of any disturbance

i would like to be able to view my cctv live whenever i choose to-if possible

is motion activated cctv any good?

i would like crystal clear pictures-i cant see the point in people having cctv that looks like a mega-drive game from the 90's

recording? can this be saved? does it record 24/7 if its not a motion activated system?

wireless or hardwired?

at a rough guess i am thinking

1 camera on front of garage facing down the the driveway covering all the drive/garage front and gate

1 camera front of house covering front garden/path to house

1 camera in back garden pointed towards garage/gate

1 camera high up down side of house to prevent vandalism of camera

1 motion activated security light mounted on garage, 1 in the back garden and a light at the front aswell

perhaps 2 cameras inside the property aswell

i would like an alarm that i can activate/de-activate via my smart phone and as i have 3 cats i need one that wont be set off when they are running riot around the house.

any other good security features i could invest in?

ideally i would buy the whole package including fitting in one go

thanks in advance

theonlywayisup

Gosh, sorry that was too long for me.

Good bolts, locks, padlocks and a decent fence height will all help your perimeter.

Do you really need CCTV? It doesn't necessarily stop offenders but it will hopefully help you ID them. It won't capture much at night/early morning when burglars may strike. Good lighting (motion sensor activated) will help.

If you are out in the dark evenings/nights then timer plugs on your lamps inside will help.

If a burglar does gain entry then make sure they don't have easy access to your car/keys/garage/etc this includes things like a key to get out (assuming they didn't come in via the door).

The key is making your house less desirable (as in ease of access/exit) than the one next door...

Prevention is your best aim.

I_have_spoken

First off, how would you break into your own house? A weak side-door that a single kick will defeat, or french doors that can have the hinge-pins tapped-out and they fall open? The opportunist burglar will want to be in and out long before anyone response to the alarm.

Does the garage have an up-and-over door that is trivial to spring open with a screwdriver, giving access to a garden spade to lever the side door?

Crystal clear CCTV is all well and good until the bizzies screen-out your burglary as 'not solvable'...

>i have just bought my 1st house<

I'd look at the quality of the locks, change any Euro to anti-snap/anti-bump and mortice to 5-lever. Also that way you'll be sure who has the keys...

>set of french doors at the rear giving access to garden<

The burglars favoured point of entry

I'd also get a £2,000 cash-rated safe and properly install it (3" coach bolts into joists etc.). That way you should avoid sentimental jewelry being stolen, plus passports etc. as the means to clone identity.

the_shreksta

I_have_spoken wrote: »

First off, how would you break into the house? A weak side-door that a single kick will defeat, or french doors that can have the hinge-pins tapped-out and they fall open?

Does the garage have an up-and-over door that is trivial to spring open with a screwdriver, giving access to a garden spade to lever the side door?

Crystal clear CCTV is all well and good until the bizzies screen-out your burglary as 'not solvable'...

i understand that cctv wont prevent a break in but it gives me the chance to maybe see whos done it so i can sort it out my own way. something is better than nothing

theonlywayisup

the_shreksta wrote: »

i understand that cctv wont prevent a break in but it gives me the chance to maybe see whos done it so i can sort it out my own way. something is better than nothing

Have you seen much CCTV? People don't wave and give you a smile.

Your best bet is prevention.

the_shreksta

theonlywayisup wrote: »

Have you seen much CCTV? People don't wave and give you a smile.

Your best bet is prevention.

yes i have seen cctv......plenty of cctv from around here and the thick !!!!!!!s might not wave and smile but they make no attempt to hide their faces.

i will of course use preventive methods aswell

theonlywayisup

the_shreksta wrote: »

yes i have seen cctv......plenty of cctv from around here and the thick !!!!!!!s might not wave and smile but they make no attempt to hide their faces.

i will of course use preventive methods aswell

If you've seen that much then perhaps it isn't working.

Deterrent is definitely the best way forward if they aren't put off by cameras.

moneyistooshorttomention

Or save the whole worry by just calling in police Crime Prevention Officer for a visit and make a list of their suggestions and follow them.

I presume the police still provide this free service. They certainly used to. I've had them round before now to my last house - and duly swopped some of the windows rather sooner than I had planned on after they had explained to me just how easily some bits of the main windows could have been slid out. Though I could have done with them explaining that some doubleglazed windows had (still have??) the seals around them on the wrong side - as I didnt realise that until the firm concerned was about to come in and I asked for reassurance that it was the correct side - and it wasnt!!!:mad: