I ordered a SimpliSafe completely wireless alarm system for my hangar (ordered online). It uses cell service to report/monitor. The sensors are wireless, too. I will use an APC (battery) so if power is lost/cut it will continue working for several hours.
Why? There have been a bunch of fuel thefts of tied down aircraft at the airport. They use a venturi as a step (!) and stand on the engine cowl (!) while stealing your gas (!).
Also in town/area thefts have been made at various types of car repair/farm shops by going in through the metal exterior where there is low visibility to passersby and that actually is as easy/easier than access through a well built door (battery sawsall or unscrew metal siding). In a couple of BIG scores, they (thieves/burglars) went in and sprayed inside all the windows with black paint so they could turn on the lights in the middle of the night on the weekend and loaded up EVERYTHING (mechanics big roll around locked tool boxes-on down) into the facilities heavy duty service trucks and then, just before dawn rolled out and away taking even the stock of paper towels and toilet paper! They stole the outfits big heavy duty field/road service trucks and cleaned out anything and everything of value. We have had several of these in the area.
I figure that once the gas thieves figure out how easy it is to get into metal building, they will be into them next....
So I bought an alarm I will self install this weekend.
It is a damn shame-it shouldn't be necessary, but that is the world I apparently live in....
It PISSES ME OFF!
lc

I agree on the way the world is going. Somebody drove in my neighbor's unharvested corn field and did a bunch of donuts and a few days later somebody opened the gate to the pasture my brother rents and let a bull wander out. The night of the corn field incident, my cousin's $300,000 combine was sitting in my field. I'm thinking we need video cameras at the intersections of the roads going by my place. Also, thinking of baiting with a really nice piece of equipment and rigging an electric hot wire so whoever gets a shock they'll never forget.

Our flying club (EAA) has talked of setting up a derelict airplane with sugar in the gas for them to tap. But so far all it is is talk....
I don't want this to go into hot air, but I think some of the people we support (gov) are a little too enterprising on nights and weekends......
Whoever made the big scores must work the whole area, do their homework, and have a place to dispose of large specialty vehicles (and big cojones).....
Of course when they get caught it will be a slap on the wrist since there have been no guns involved and only property loss.

Grrrrrrr
lc

Back in the early '60's a friend lived off-base in the Phillipines. Couldn't keep garden hoses. He attached some treble fishing hooks around the hose bib. After he heard some God-awful screaming one night, found a bunch of blood to clean up in the morning. Hose was still there.

Video may help, but at least in larger communities the law tends to be too busy to do much unless there are license numbers of some other means of finding and identifying the bad guys. Unfortunately, typical video is seldom of much use unless it is placed at entry points and can record license numbers - not easy at night due to vehicle lighting.

bumper
former cop, semi-retired alarm co owner

Isn't it a federal crime nowadays to tamper with aircraft?? Still have to catch the bastards I guess...

Lest you become serious about booby-trapping items for the thieves, remember you will be the one being arrested and/or sued.

That's certainly true if employing potentially lethal force - - e.g. setting a "trap gun" is a felony in CA.

When I worked in Oakland, CA, I took a burglary report from one scared young lady who lived alone. She'd been burglarized before. This time the bad guy tried to come through a kitchen window that was high but within reach of the ground outside. Our young landy had taken the precaution to install carpet tack strips underneath the inside window sills. Mr. Bad Guy pries open window, wraps his fingers over the inner edge of the sill and proceeds to haul himself up before that stinging pain sets in. Blood all over. Was able to track it for a couple of blocks down the sidewalk

I told her, "Good job!". No risk at all she'd get anything more than a pat on the back.

That said, please note that I am not advising wrapping a fishing line with treble hooks around your gas gaps. That would be just plain wrong . . . maybe even a felony in CA (they got a lot goofier after I left).

bumper

Lots of motion activated trail cameras out there now, and not too expensive. Some use IR as well, so night works....

MTV

The reason I posted this isn't to just 'bitch', but so BCPers can evaluate there situation and vulnerabilities.
The metal siding IS very easy to penetrate, and if someone can do it completely out of sight, and if you have a lot of tools-or valuable 'whatever'-in your hangar or farm shop, to evaluate the risk of it happening to them....

But keep the good ideas coming....
lc

If someone tries to break into my hangar at night, my automated notification system lets me know. I show up armed to the teeth and start shooting first and asking questions later. I will then notify the police that there is corpse in my hangar and that they need to send a guy with a bag and a mop.

Some of you might be wondering if this is legal. It is absolutely legal. Can you guess why?

For what it’s worth, after about a dozen fuel thefts, I developed a fuel cap and sump drain locking system that attaches to the screws around the filler neck (no new holes) for my 172, It works, no one makes a locking cap for a 172, if you want photos so you can make one yourself send me a PM.

obxbushpilot wrote:If someone tries to break into my hangar at night, my automated notification system lets me know. I show up armed to the teeth and start shooting first and asking questions later. I will then notify the police that there is corpse in my hangar and that they need to send a guy with a bag and a mop.

Some of you might be wondering if this is legal. It is absolutely legal. Can you guess why?

OK, I'll bite, why is it legal? And how will you avoid shooting holes in your airplane when he is running around in your hanger tryin to get away from you?

obxbushpilot wrote:If someone tries to break into my hangar at night, my automated notification system lets me know. I show up armed to the teeth and start shooting first and asking questions later. I will then notify the police that there is corpse in my hangar and that they need to send a guy with a bag and a mop.

Some of you might be wondering if this is legal. It is absolutely legal. Can you guess why?

You live in a state with the castle doctrine. Not required to run away


-VanDy

mtv wrote:Lots of motion activated trail cameras out there now, and not too expensive. Some use IR as well, so night works....

MTV

Been there done that, I have tried them, Sorry to say, and much to my dismay, in low light it's near impossible to get enough detail to identify the purp, but I got some nice photos of some guy stealing fuel. To get a camera and recorder that is capable of that level of clarity in low light and 30ft. away is quite expensive around $2000.00. After a dozen fuel thefts or so and repeatedly reporting them to the Sheriff’s office I was seriously considering waiting for him with my deer rifle or placing a shaped charge under the lower wing strut cuff (where the thief normally stands) with a trip wire under the fuel cap.

LC,

Can we get a product review of the alarm system? I just got a quote from the company that does our store alarm & cameras, $870 plus monitoring.

How was your system to install?
Have you tested it?
Just burglar alarm or fire too?

Also, how far does the wireless work? Could you cover 2 buildings or just internal to one?

Thanks!

172heavy wrote:

obxbushpilot wrote:If someone tries to break into my hangar at night, my automated notification system lets me know. I show up armed to the teeth and start shooting first and asking questions later. I will then notify the police that there is corpse in my hangar and that they need to send a guy with a bag and a mop.

Some of you might be wondering if this is legal. It is absolutely legal. Can you guess why?

OK, I'll bite, why is it legal? And how will you avoid shooting holes in your airplane when he is running around in your hanger tryin to get away from you?

I live in a hangar home so its considered home defenece. My automated notification device is two Labrador retrievers that bark whenever they hear anything going bump in the night. I'm not too concerned about blowing holes in my plane. I get a lot of practice with a variety of weapons. I will gladly sacrifice one or two holes in my plane to rid my community of a scumbag thief.

Another interesting thing to point out about NC law: Defensive force statutes recognize the right to use deadly force against a forcible, unlawfull intrusion into a motor vehicle. Is an airplane a motor vehicle? I say yes it is although I would assume it means while your in it (highjacking?). Additionally: the same is true for your workplace, so if you work (gainful employmnent wrenching on planes perhaps) in your hangar, I suppose you could then use deadlyforce against a forcible, unlawful intrusion into your hangar even if its not part of your home.

VanDy wrote:

obxbushpilot wrote:If someone tries to break into my hangar at night, my automated notification system lets me know. I show up armed to the teeth and start shooting first and asking questions later. I will then notify the police that there is corpse in my hangar and that they need to send a guy with a bag and a mop.

Some of you might be wondering if this is legal. It is absolutely legal. Can you guess why?

You live in a state with the castle doctrine. Not required to run away


-VanDy

Yeah, I guess that's what they call it. My wife owns a sporting goods store (mainly guns, archery, fishing). Once a month we hold a concealed carry (handguns) class. I recently attended the class and got the whole thing explained to me for 6 hours. I should have done it years ago.

Something here may be of interest:http://www.atlants.net/

Few months back someone stole the fuel out of my plane while it was tied down my regular spot. I hope whoever took it needed 100ll and the mogas they stole destroyed their engine.

Can we get a product review of the alarm system?

My system will arrive tomorrow, so I will install it this weekend. Everything I know at this time is on their website:
(well, that and a couple phone call questions)

http://simplisafe.com/security#pcrid=10 ... ampion=Yes

They guarantee I will like it, and it looks good to me. You have to have T-mobile cell phone company coverage in your area. There are maps on the T-mobile web site showing coverage.
I will update after installation.
There are a few other companies that do about the same thing and probably one or more may use a different cell company that might be in your area if T-mobile is not in your area.

I'm a babe in the woods on this. Main thing I know is if I don't like it I send it back.
lc