I know you didn't start the race baiting. I was just throwing that fact out there before people begin to assume things. That said, the demographics of this city indicate that whomever broke into your house was black. I don't think that is race baiting, though. That is saying I have a 70% chance of being correct. I wish I could take those odds to Tunica.

You seem like a really good guy and I'd guess you're about 4 years younger than me (I'll be 29 next week). You remind me an awfully lot of someone who works for me, great worker and even better person. He's 26, married a little over a year, lifelong Memphian, and he and his wife would have the exact same reaction if someone broke into their house whether or not anyone was hurt or anything taken (he also has the signs but not the alarm).

Now enough of the fluff: Get away from the "woe is me" stuff. It doesn't matter where you live. You have to take precautions. You don't think owners of $1 million homes in gated communities have alarms and have taken other security measures (aside from the security gates themselves)?? If you can't afford the $30 a month to get an alarm activated, you probably shouldn't have bought a house this early on. I totally understand unexpected bills can hit.

Sidenote for me: We got a new front door last year -- very expensive and very nice and supposed to be very secure. We took the iron security door off that had been on the house 50+ years. So far so good...

what new door did you get?

fsquid Wrote:Remember, if a black man wear a "black power" T-shirt he's an activist. If a white man wears a "white power" shirt, he's a racist.

Good point.

fsquid Wrote:what new door did you get?

One from Lowe's that my wife picked out?

Brace doorframes and put multiple locks on all outside doors
What he doesn't know *will* hurt him. With a little extra work, the bracing can be hidden behind the doorframe's internal molding and will not be noticeable from either inside or outside. For the burglar, this is like unexpectedly hitting an invisible wall.

Reason: The most common means of breaking into homes is simply by kicking in the door. Most doorframes are made of 1 inch pine which saves the contractor money. This makes them vulnerable to this basic assault. Multiple locks and bracing under the molding make this kind of entrance unlikely and will not destroy the beauty of your home.

Bracing: Take between a 2 and 3 foot piece of flat steel stripping (1/8 x 2 inches is good) and drill a staggered series of holes down its length. When you take the interior molding off the door -- in most houses -- you will see the 1x6" (or 1x5") pine plank of the doorframe. That is nailed to the 2x4" studs of the wall. (You may or may not be able to see the studs because of drywall, but they are there). That thin 1 inch piece of cheap wood (it is usually pine) is all that was between your possessions and a burglar. A few savage kicks, and it usually breaks off in a 2- to -3 foot sliver and the door swings open.

Fast and more secure version: On the inside wall, where the molding was, position the steel strip so that all the lock strike plates are behind it and its edge is along the edge of the 1x6. Screw it into place with long screws -- leaving a few holes open. The staggered drill pattern should result in the screws seating into both the 1x6 and the 2x4 studs. Take the molding and shave or chisel out the thickness of the metal strip in the proper place. Replace the molding, using the remaining holes to tack it down over the strip. Putty and repaint.

Slower, better looking, but slightly less secure: This version looks slightly better, but requires some precision Dremel or chisel work. Instead of abutting the strip to the exact edge of the 1x6, seat it between 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch away from the edge. When carving your groove in the molding, leave the same sized tongue running down the doorside edge. This seats over and covers the steel, making it invisible. Repaint.

Strike plate: Just assume that they did it wrong -- and odds are you will be right. Using the same length of screws that you are using for the steel strip, remove the shorter screws that are in the door frame strike plate and replace them with the bigger screws. It is not uncommon for short screws of less than a half inch to be used (or come with the lock assembly), such short screws are easily ripped out after a few kicks. On the other hand an 1 1/2 or 2 inch set of screws that reach into the house's very framing is not going anywhere quickly -- no matter how hard you kick it.

Multiple locks: Deadbolts, rim locks and floor locks are your friends. All outside doors should have at least two separate locks. Doors that are on the blind side of the house or homes in high-risk areas should have more. The deeper the tongue goes, the better.

missjtiger Wrote:...and alot of those that are fleeing to Desoto County are criminals.

very true.

camaro, the fact is, if you don't take the proper precautions, (security system, security doors or something similar, have a well-lit yard, turn on porch lights at night, etc) you are at risk in memphis, in the shelby suburbs, in desoto county, in fayette county, and in tipton county all alike.

as well as in nashville, and in knoxville, and.....blah blah blah.

if you move because of crime, you're only kidding yourself with a false sense of security. i know it's expensive to do some of this, but a little piece of mind truly goes a long way, and not everything costs a lot (trimming back bushes, turning on your porch lights every night, installing a motion detector at your driveway, etc.)

harbor freight over on summer has a very cheap ($20-$25) motion detector kit that will notify you with an alarm if someone gets in your yard/driveway/carport. you can adjust the height to keep it from going off when a cat or other animal comes cruising through.