Yard security

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wilsha

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i was reading another thread and i thought of this...
just wondering what security things have you got in your yard?:)
 
We have CCTV (with sound), the world poo-est guard dogs (they just make a lot of noise) The YO and YM lives above the stables and her ex-husband lives in the house behind.

Plus everything gets shut up and locked up.
 
We have colour CCTV with night vision and sound, with 20 minute battery back up in case power cut to it. All gates are locked. Security lights on every entrance to the property including over the fields a master switch in the house that lights up the whole property, including inside yard, guards dogs that have the run of the yard when no one present. Tack room metal lined on the inside, security coded lock on the door as well as a 5 lever lock, all saddles are in lockable saddle racks attached to a brick wall, all tack and equipment covered in smartwater. I live on site. All horses freezemarked. Signs up warning peope of guard dogs and CCTV.

After having had thieves clear the tackroom in less than 6 minutes, heard them drive in and was on phone to police the whole time.
 
Is there anything that will completely deter thieves, or at least make the job so difficult for them that decide its not worth the bother? Or do you think that if they really are determined, they'll take it?

We are having our stables and tack room built at the moment, and although we're off the beaten track you can see our horses from the road. I'm worried about what would happen should anyone find out what stuff we've got on the yard.

Our neighbours business recently was broken into, and they stole about £60k worth of laptops. The office had cctv, alarms etc, but they were in and out there so quickly that they didn't care, they even returned a couple of nights later to finish the job. This is 5 minutes away from where we live, and I know its totally different stuff they were stealing, but made me worry all the same.
 
tobey said:
Is there anything that will completely deter thieves, or at least make the job so difficult for them that decide its not worth the bother? Or do you think that if they really are determined, they'll take it?

We are having our stables and tack room built at the moment, and although we're off the beaten track you can see our horses from the road. I'm worried about what would happen should anyone find out what stuff we've got on the yard.

Our neighbours business recently was broken into, and they stole about £60k worth of laptops. The office had cctv, alarms etc, but they were in and out there so quickly that they didn't care, they even returned a couple of nights later to finish the job. This is 5 minutes away from where we live, and I know its totally different stuff they were stealing, but made me worry all the same.
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Get the best locks possible on tack room and main gate and put a (dummy) cctv camera up in a conspicuous location. make sure all yard equipment and rugs etc are kept out of sight.
 
tobey said:
Is there anything that will completely deter thieves, or at least make the job so difficult for them that decide its not worth the bother? Or do you think that if they really are determined, they'll take it?

QUOTE] In my experience, if they're determined enough they'll take it, all you can do is create as much hassle for them as possible and buy yourself some time. We've been broken into five times in ten years but I never keep any tack at the yard. We have security posts on both gates, guard dogs and a CCTV sign but we still get visitors who come through the blackthorn hedge!
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B is kept at home; we have a five bar heavy duty gate locked at night/whenever I go out. CCTV very visibly, covering the road and the barn. One dog (Bark worse than bite, if she got out, chances are any robbers would simply get licked a bit!) but goats and guard geese who really don't like strangers!
 
Big black and tan dogs are the best single deterrent, especially in relation to the bad apples amongst the travelling community. Its the only thing that they are scared of messing with.

Our yard was the only one not ever cleared out by the local travellers, the difference being the 4 Rottweilers owned by YO....Locks and alarms are of little concern to them. Theres a saying, locks are for honest men!

Our sheds at home had locks but no dogs and I saw our stuff being carried off across the fields on a (stolen) quad by the same charming group. They even came back for the rest as we were in the house reporting it to the police on the phone......

Acquired spikey metal fence and Doberman after that! no more theft!

Since that time we have moved to the Highlands of Scotland and now do NOT have to tie everything down to stop it being nicked, its sooo lovely!
 
If you keep your tack outside your house (not advisable) then have your tack room metal caged from inside and have strong rod bolted door fitted. Fit a burglar alarm, a megablaster sound emmiter and a smartwater spray. The megablaster creates an unacceptable high level of noise which will cause the theives to leave the area and the smartwater ejecter will release monster slimy green dna post coded particles all over them. Also post code all your tack.

Ensure all gates are reversed hinged so that padlocked gates can not be lifted off their hinges and ensure that all gates are metal with metal padlock boxes on them to prevent the padlock being easy to cut off.

Have all your horses freezemarked on their shoulders. Ensure these details are on the national equestrian database (NED) Take a photo of each of your horses from all 4 sides (Summer and Winter shots).

Have all horseboxes and trailers fitted with a tracker device and postcode the roof in very large lettering
 
mystiandsunny said:
In my experience so far, the best deterrent is dogs, preferably vicious sounding, unmuzzled and loose on the property.
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Thanks for all the ideas. The stables are half complete so will definitely look into getting the walls lined with metal.

I really wish we could get a big dog, but I don't think my mum would want one. Its a big property to be in on your own and I'd definitely get one if I lived there. We just have two jack russell X's, who would bark at anyone coming onto our property but not much use against thieves!

One of my horses is freezemarked for loss of use, so is worthless anyway, but I will consider getting the other one done.
 
Our yard has alarmed tack rooms and staff living on site - having said that i don't leave anything decent there just in case, mine is kept at home (also alarmed)

Dogs - if they want your stuff the dogs won't make any difference, they will just feed or poison them - it has happened before
 
Electronic key pad gate which unfortunately until recently had been left propped open so builders can come in and out and containers for tack. Now it is shut again. Phew. Owner on site and fierce dog.
 
Plenty of dogs! Yard gate which is shut at all times, CCTV and YO & OH live onsite literally a stones throw from the stable blocks :)
Plus everyone knows everyone else and if someone unknown walks on its like :eek: "who's that...?"

P.S tip for you guys....we have an engraved dog tag on our saddle with 3 contact numbers, the address of the farm on AND "needs daily medication" on the other side. She doesn't - but if she gets loose whilst out on a ride, who's going to nick a horse who's going to become very ill very quickly on them????
 
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i have big padlock on tackroom code locks on chains on 2 gates big padlock on other security lights and our yard is at home and also out of sight from road also trailer hads a huge lock on it
our stables have been broken into before but that was before i got my pony and when there was just garden machinery in there.
do yu think i have enough or should i get some cctv or something cant get a guard dog as have a very feeble old cat and think she would die if a dog came home lol
 
Ours are at home...but we're down a VERY long drive so leave a guard dog outside when we're not around with access to a heated kennel, have security lights and heavy duty locks, and also a maaajor alarm system. We can zone the alarm so that while we're at home only the tack room is alarmed, but if we're feeling really extreme we can set it so that if someone were to walk across the yard/through the main entrance to the property, the alarm would go off. This rings my mobile phone and house phone, and forwards that call to the security company.

Irritating when a fox walks across the yard though!
 
wilsha said:
also people who steal around here are generally gypsies an wouldnt have internet access
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Whatever makes you think that? My internet access is through a dongle. Any-one can get one!

QUOTE good idea but they cant work out who i am or where i live as dont put that down QUOTE

You are not the only one detailing your security arrangements on here. You'd be surprised how easy it is to identify someone by putting all the info from all their posts together, along with other stuff that can be found on the internet. there is even someone who has said that their CCTV is a dummy one!
People have been known to steal from people they know. My neighbour had her tack stolen just as she retired her horse, we are pretty sure that the thief was someone local.
 
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