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Keeping equipment safe when away?

J

JDemaris

Well-known Member
I'm thinking of living in northern Michigan all this winter. That means my place in New York will be vacant for the first time in over 30 years. Several barns, tractors, tools, heavy equipment, household, etc. The NY buildings will be unheated and temps get down minus 25 F now and then.

I'm looking into surveillance equipment but am somewhat clueless on the subject. Electricity will be on since we have solar power. I'm wondering what happens if I install multiple cameras and hide a high-capacity DVR somewhere? Will it work in an unheated environment? Anyway to monitor things from 800 miles away?
 
I'd be looking for a trusted neighbor that could keep an eye on the place go in and out and make it look like to the casual observer that someone was living there.Also timed lights in the house would help alot to make it looked lived in.
 
Lock it up as best you can, and find someone you trust to keep an eye on the place.

Surveillance cameras will let you watch as they steal all your stuff. Even if you get faces and names, by the time you get back all your stuff will be long gone, never to be seen again.

The criminals will get off because they can't "face their accuser." Since, the accuser is a machine, not a person.

You can thank the whole hubbub over red-light cameras for that one.
 
Nothing is better than a human being there at times. Any security system the average fellow can afford is just a bandade.

Several fellows around here go south for the winter. If they do not have family that can check on things regularly they have trouble. It seems that the crooks and drugies have good information about who is gone.

Most of the people have someone stay at their place during the winter now. Two different farmers have a local women that are school teachers stay at the farms during the winter.

Another fixed up an apartment over a garage that another lad stays in year round.

If your place is vacant I think you will eventually have trouble. People find out your gone and soon the dead beats know too.
 
You have posted photos in the past of some interesting things, besides equipment and so on, so it sounds like there is a need for more than surveillance, you need a trusted person, making their rounds, as if the place was occupied. Given the way things are today, something like that is just rife for theft, soon as someone gets wind the place is vacant. I'd be wary about vacancy.

Years ago, I used to work out of town all week, and the place was not occupied while gone, but I did have a dog that had a huge self feeding bin for food, auto waterer etc. he kept watch around here, always behind the hedges near the house under an overhang, even in the winter, when he had an option of the heated basement, special dog, was a rhodesian ridgeback. Even with a dog, I'd not do this today, so much more theft and other crime. The house could be easy prey if someone had knowledge of vacancy, though I'm close to the nearby city, its surrounded by woods, and thick growth. Even during the day time, dead end road, you just never know. Most people don't know whats on this road, but the neighbor at the bottom of the road, annoyingly has a garage sale, then every tom, dick and harry comes up this road, runs on the grass, turns around, its not a cul-de-sac end either. Those people now have knowledge of 2 homes up here, then someone cases it, determines when you work, no one is home, thats all it takes. Don't mind me, I'm just extremely aware of my surroundings given how people are today, I don't trust any stranger, and portray an image of lunacy as much as possible LOL !
 
I would agree with JD Seller, and think that having equipment at an unattended location will be stolen or damaged at some time.

You are just upping the odds of catching them.
 
There are camera systems that use high speed internet to alert you when something happens on your property. However they have limits too. There is no real replacement for humans on site. The idea of allowing somebody to live on your place may not appeal to you but it could beat coming back in the spring to find your property was attacked right after you left.
 
Several of the homeowners in my area use a system called vector security. Regardless of the brand, you must get a system that automatically alerts the local authorities.

There are many break ins, but not in the homes that have a security system.

The value of good neighbors is a plus ..
 
I do have an alarm on house and shop, but live here. My house was broken into a few years ago and alarm chased them off. Our sheriff (Linn county IA) is very good about responding to alarms.
 
A coastal friend monitors his house in real time via smart phone. Another friend runs his large business in Ohio from his Florida Keys house winters via smart phone. Both utilize lots of cameras, not a problem with temperatures, just ask the manufacturers about limits.

The larger problem is what to do if you have an intruder. A close trusted neighbor is best, and what I rely on if we"re gone for a month or more. Police response will get you almost nowhere.

Gotta run, I just called a guy a ways down my driveway that I was late for our meeting. He knows his driving up the driveway alerted me someone was here. If I wasn"t so cheap I"d know which direction the vehicle was traveling.

Electronics are inexpensive and reliable. What you do with the information is the more difficult part. BTW, my driveway alarm never falses, been using it for almost a decade.

Good luck. Enjoy the winter.
 
The other thing is, this is now public information since you posted it here, not saying there is or there is not those that would do you harm that frequent YT, it is a public forum, and it would be very easy for someone to research information on your whereabouts given what you said in your posts, hence, having someone around the place would be the best policy aside from security equipment.

I did the double life thing for years, place here, place in NJ, when you're here, you worry about there, when there, you worry about here.... catch 22, but something to consider. Then of course having 2 of everything.... LOL !
 
in central Ohio

our sheriff has a house watch program. you tell them:
when you are gone
people who might be there
what lights are on timers
what security system is in place

and they patrol the property with some regularity

my neighbors confirmed the cops did the "show up and walk around" bit.
 
when I spend 2-3 months at hunting camp,
I have family stop by my house regularly.
They go in, and turn on random lights so
it doesn't look like they are auto.
they leave a radio on once in awhile.
If they have time, they might sit and watch a tv show before they leave.
Most important in the North, is I have someone keep my driveway plowed all the time I'm gone.

When my camp is vacant with no power, neighbors that live nearby are the only solution.

some alarm companies have systems where you can control
different things, lights, etc with a cell phone
 
Contact your insurance company and local law enforcment. For vunerable items maybe consider moving them to commercial storage that has on-site security and insurance?

BIL had his security system stolen along with some other things.
 
I have a 4 camera security system ay my place--you can add more cameras on---they cover all the doors on the house, the barn, and the driveway. they can be set for constant record, or motion detect record.
the DVR is hooked to the internet and I check it live at least once a day.
the system cost $1300 and the web server is free.
good quality sony 80 led cameras and for more money you can get zoom and moveable cameras
 
When I was going thru a divorce and between homes I stayed in the house of a friends parents for the winter it worked out great for me and for them. If you close it up for the winter do you leave the heat on or do you drain the water.If the heat goes off power outage or water left in low sections of pipe freeze all things to worry about.If possible can you find someone trust worthy to live there for the winter.
 
I thought about something that would feed via the Internet. But I don't see how it would be possible?
I'm in a rural location and only way to connect to the Internet would be by using a cell-phone tower. Is that how your system works? I use Millenicom wireless Internet service now with a portable MiFi. When we travel - it comes with us. The house and buildings will have electricity but no heat and no phone line.
 
Without painting with a big brush i wouldn't tell anybody your not going to be there, and i my area that includes the law. I saw a guy that can see his cameras on his place by phone not sure but i think its thru Comcast?
 
in this situation with this value of machinery and investment at stake nothing beats a well trusted friend staying on site , one of my activities is doing cabin checks at the town up the road this not only involves going into the house personally once a week , opening it up when the owner is going to be there and shutting it down again after he leaves but i do it on a non routine circute varrying the day of the week and hour of the day i drop by to some degree this foils theives casing the joint as they dont see a pattern thus know when its safe to operate, but this still leaves much time ungaurded , the houses vary between 200,000 and half a million in value but you probably have that in 1 or 2 pieces of your equipment in your place id want a human there to watch at all times , even a older retired couple can watch and call the law if needed
 
It is amazing how much information is available to an internet search engine.

I just typed the title of your post "keeping equipment safe while away" into a search engine, and this thread popped right up on the search. It would take the proverbial "blind squirrel" to hit on the exact terms as listed. but someone could theoretically get lucky and find it.

Nothing is private any more, and the search engines have "bots" that scan the internet constantly.

Although you have no location posted in your profile, a smart crook can find out enough by searching your name (if Jdemaris is your real name) to find out your address, etc.

I try not to be too paranoid about privacy, but I realize that
there is no such thing any more.

Just sayin'

Myron
 
The viability of cameras and alarms vary with location. Living in the heart of the lakes area of MN where we have many "summer people" who are gone over the winter creates a problem for security/law enforcement. Or county is large with over 300,000 miles of roads. Plus thousands of lake homes and hunting property that are not lived in year round. Lot of small towns with no law enforcement too. We have less than 30 deputies. A call to the cops for a "minor" incident can take a couple of hours if not more. We had an alarm company up here trying to sell alarms claiming that they were monitored and that in the event of a break in the cops would be there in 5 minutes. LOL at 3 AM when only 2 deputies are on duty for the entire county the closest cop can be 30 miles away. LOL a few years ago while bow hunting on another friends farm my son and I found that someone had been coming in from the lake side of his farm and way back in the woods growing dope. We told Jim, he calls the county and it wasn't until 2 days later that they actually sent an officer to investigate.

So before you go and spend money on cams and alarms, go talk to your local head cop and see what he thinks.

Rick
 
(quoted from post at 14:07:54 09/30/13) Contact your insurance company and local law enforcment. quote]

If your property is vacant beyond a certain time your coverage may be void due to a "vacancy clause" in the ins. contract. You may be able to buy a vacancy permit for the time you are gone. Would not be good to come back with the place in ashes and you not have any coverage.

Calling local law enforcement is a must, but if they are like our county sheriff's office they are stretched thin. You may even want to hire a property management company to look into the place, keep the snow plowed and junk mail and flyers cleaned up, etc. if you don't have good neighbor to do such.
Click to expand...
 
I agree with those that say a trusted human being that can be around on a regular basis is the best bet. Like some have said word will get around to the worst elements that you are gone and in some places the cops will not make much of an effort in surveillance.
 
I have verizon DSL--phone and internet--don't know about cell phones although we do have good signals. I originally thought about Hughes net satellite but figured with the phone that was best. Have a low temp alarm that dials my main home.
Ended up getting Direct TV also.
 
I will say this.
Take out the coil wires from the equipment to prevent startup for the low-end brain types that would not be able to go buy the wires from a store. Then I would highly recommend a close family member going there at least 3 times a week or more.
As far as shutting off the heat, is this only for the outbuildings and the house will have heat?
 
I have the trust of all my neighbors. Our family makes daily checks to assess the state of the furnace and status of out buildings. Your neighbors might have a son or other person interested in staying in the house, and or putting cars in the drive and moving them from time to time. The appearance of being home is all important. Free rent for the winter would be nice for a friends college kid. (many can be trusted), I have them in class and have no issues with many of them. Jim
 
We used to have Direct TV and HugesNet. Gave them both up. I installed an "antenna farm" a 1/4 mile from my house on top of a mountain. Since the digital changeover - I can get any channel that's up to 70 miles from me thanks to big antennas and lots of preamps.

We dropped HugesNet and got Verizon-tower based millencom Internet MiFi service. It works great and we take to the Adirondack and northern Michigan where it works equally well.

We also dropped our Verizon land-line for phone service and got Verizon wireless "Home-Connect." It too works great here, in the Adirondacks, and in northern Michigan and our home phone # stayed the same.
 
A few added facts. We are on one of the steepest roads in the area and it's dirt. Never gets salted and often is snowed in during the winter (unless you follow a rare plow truck). Most people are scared to come up our road in the dead of winter. That's why we cannot get US Mail service and never had school bus service (with my kids that wasted their time at public school).

No neighbors in sight and I don't know anyone that would reliably come up here in the winter. My nearest neighbor is a county Sheriff's deputy and I let him hunt here. I also keep his property plowed in the winter. This year I might leave one of my plow trucks with him so he can use it for his place - and also mine so our place does not look completely deserted.

I have another "neighbor" about 1/2 miles away. Her placed has been broken into three times in the past two years and she has an alarm system that calls the sheriff's department. Usually takes them an hour to get here when it's too late. Sheriff's headquarters is over 20 miles away.

I don't really expect to stop anyone from breaking in here. I would like to have a video record of it though if it ever happens.
 
If you do go the camera/security/dvr system be very careful on the cameras you choose---many are not certified to low temperature operation-I think mine are certified to 10 degrees F but they have worked to minus 15 already.
 
One option is to plow the drive shut, or just not plow it at all. A healthy iron gate would also keep the farm a bit more difficult to call convenient. Jim
 
My question is, "why Michigan" ? If I had one place in New York, the other place would be Florida, New Mexico, or Arizona.

Michigan is not the place to escape the winter I would think.

Gene
 
JD, the NYSP have a Posted Property program that will at least get someone stopping by once a month. There are also alarms systems that can be installed although I have very little faith in them. ADT is a big name up here and they are nearly worthless.

I think your best bet is your Deputy neighbor. See if you can work out a deal with him or hire someone else to care take the place for you. That was a common off season occupation down in the Adks where I grew up. A daily or twice daily check was the norm. Roofs were shoveled, water checked if on, drives plowed, etc.
 
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