TOO MANY GUNS?

[Ovenpaa]

Despite a fully wired and monitored Grade 3 system we were told we might not be able to have a police response, that was until we mentioned the amount of ammunition we could be holding at any one time, our ERN came back in under 30 minutes.

[Racalman]

My alarm system has an autodialler that calls and texts me (and others if I don't pick up the call).

I can then check my CCTV on my phone, and if it's an intruder (i.e. not the wife, who has been known to set the alarm off) then I would call the police.

[toffe wrapper]

This is just common sense security.
You have a risk template and take into account factors like local crime rate, type of dwelling, method of storage location of said storage in dwelling.
You security measures then need to meet guidance & be credible and at a level appropriate to your area'
A simple shed alarm that activates on opening will not sound for long as it will just be smashed to silence it, so not very credible.
like wise if you are in a low crime area and are the only person in the street with an all singing & dancing alarm you just attached a target to your house.

[Rarms]

You say that - but if every one of my valuables was locked away in a gun cabinet I doubt I would bother with insurance.

Any statistics on numbers of firearms stolen from cabinets ?

10 mins max with a battery powered disc cutter and I would bet you would be into most cabinets.

[Les]

I've just bought a new 10 gun cabinet, and I'm going to do my best to try and fill it. If that means fitting an alarm, then so be it, but I'm a few guns short of the "cut-off" as things stand.

[Countryman]

Jees you guys aren't really trying!

ADT is your friend.


Sent from my boing using "An application"

[Dark Skies]

Some interesting points raised.

To be honest I've never considered high tech security alarms until the matter was raised as per my initial post.
My brother and I own a house in a nice part of a large town with a population nudging 34K. Housebreaking has never been a problem in our area. Apparently there were 42 break ins last year - although some of those may have been merely opportunist garden shed thefts.

Certainly nobody in our street has had their home broken into to my knowledge in the past twenty years that we've lived here. Might be due to the geography and layout though. Most of the houses on our side of the street back out onto the river, with gardens separated by tall thorny bushes.
Almost all properties, including mine, have been fitted with modern PVC multiple-locking deadlocked doors and locking windows with toughened double glazing. And, although I've never really liked it, the houses on the opposite side of the street are three story town houses that overlook the front of the properties on the our side of the street. House prices start in the region of £450,000 a pop so you get a lot of retired and professional types that are either stay at homes or work from home; consequently most houses have a car parked on the drive at any one time indicating someone is in.

I work from home. My brother works flexible shifts. When my dad died we took our elderly mum in - she likes to watch TV loudly all day. Consequently it's obvious that someone is in the house almost all the time. We also have quite a vocal dog - just try closing your car door half way up the street without a disapproving growl. Then try coming to the front door! :) The front door is kept locked - a habit I got into when living in Lewisham.

Unlike the majority of people, it would seem, I don't feel the need to announce my movements on Facebook. I don't have a 'smart' phone with 'apps' I have an old Nokia that might be able to hook up to the Internet. I wouldn't know as it's only switched on when I need to call the RAC or I'm expecting a call and know I won't be near the land-line phone. EE temporarily suspended my account last year because I hadn't made a call in six months or something. We would be a high risk mark for a would-be thief - there are very few windows of opportunity.

Any thief would be sorely disappointed. My family and I have never been ones for gadgets or jewellery, nor flash cars. The most portable items worth pinching are some very ordinary TVs and a few laptops. No cash of any large quantity.
There's a beat up old Land Rover on the drive alongside a very bland but reliable Japanese car for taking my mum to hospital appointments. They pretty much sum up how good a haul is on the inside of the house. We are well insured though - mostly to cover starting over should we have a fire.

I have discussed the idea of a comprehensive alarm system with the fam. Not against the idea in principle - just not sure how often we'd get to switch it on. Bit concerned we would be only the second other house with an alarm box visible from the street - rather enticing I think. The other guy clearly has some disposable income - two very nice Audis on the drive so probably likes his entertainment centres and bling too - worth a flutter.

For the moment I've decided to definitely harden my interior security for the room the rifles are kept in. I've bought a solid door and have some good quality deadlocks on order, not those Chubb / Yale star key types which, alarmingly, you seem to be able to buy spare keys for in any B&Q, proper locks with differing keys. A quality motion sensor alarm will be fitted inside the room. I'm also going to fit one above the staircase landing. We have an exceedingly high ceiling in that area - we need to set up scaffolding whenever we decorate the landing - so reaching it to smash will be impossible unless someone thought to bring a really really long stick.

For my individual circumstances I think actual prevention measures rather than a 'someone is stealing your stuff' alarm is more practical. At least for the present.

[Maggot]

The licensing authority are required to risk assess every application and monitor licence holders.

The whole system is designed around minimizing the risk to the public from us and our firearms (should they be stolen), so it follows that the licensing offices, who will have access to the latest figures regarding local crime, location of local nominals and their MO etc, will advise or require in a certain way.

They have guidance because in a lot of cases nobody has a crystal ball.

In the past I have known of guns that have been taken from approved cabinets, it does happen sadly. The thief went equipped and they were a pair of very expensive shotguns. I think the best thing is that people dont know we have them but that is by no means a given. I always wonder at some of the number plates I see about.

The fact that you have had no burglaries since pontious was in ground school does not mean the risk is minimal. It just means that nobody who fancies nicking your guns is aware you have them or is interested. Simply by having them might be provocation to whoever, and it is this risk that the licensing office has to consider.

There are all sorts living out there under the radar, the Police should know who they are and act accordingly in minimizing that risk.

[Ovenpaa]

I knew of someone from an old club that was refused his FAC despite impeccable credentials, he later moved within the county and was granted his FAC, apparently it was as much down to his neighbours and the area he lived in as anything.

[targetman]

There is no specific requirement for an alarm to be installed. Different areas make up their own "rules". The problem is that unless you obey their "rules" you are likely to have difficulty with renewals or variations.

I have 24 section 1 firearms kept securely and no alarm installed....I have lost count of the times over the last 40 years that I have been told that I have "got to have an alarm fitted"....to which I have always said NO....

I am fortunate that I live in an area with a low crime rate, however the two local houses have been burgled, both have alarms installed, on both occasions the alarms went off and nobody did a thing....both were reported to the local police who did turn up....3 days later!!!!

Need I say more.