Two Security Myths

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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1. You are protected by iron bars on the windows

Security experts will tell you that bars on ground-floor windows give the illusion of security. The are easily and quickly removed using a variety of implements,including crowbar, car jack, pickax (stick one end of blade between bar and windowsill and pull pack on handle like you do with a hammer when pulling out a nail) and any steel bar that can be used as a lever.

Bars much better protection on upper floors because to get the leverage necessary to pop off the bars will probably result in the thief falling off the ladder.

2. You are safe if your apartment is on the second floor

Robberies committed in second floor apartments by thieves going through the sliding doors from the balcony are common. Thieves like this means of entrance because people living on the second floor think a thief can't get to them, so tend to leave the sliding doors open, whether home or not, for ventilation.
 

aegap

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Mar 19, 2005
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Two+One Security Facts:

1. You are better protected by iron bars on the windows

2. You are safer if your apartment is on the second floor

3. "Bars [are] much better protection on upper floors ...to get the leverage necessary to pop off the bars will probably result in [any potential] thief falling off the ladder."
 
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jackquontee

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A couple of pretty good points

I agree with you, particularly with respect to the issue of bars on windows. It does tend to give the false sense of being secure. Someone mentioned this to me when I was last in POP. However, as I explained to that person, I have no illusions about the bars. I prefer them there only because if my home is going to be robbed, the thief will at least have to work a bit harder to do so, rather than just walking in.

I also had an alarm system installed. And, again, someone said that it was a waste because the system would simply sound off without any response from the neighbors because of my semi-isolated location. I responded that the installation of the system was not so much for the neighbors, but for myself when I am there. If someone breaks into my home while I am there, all I want is a fair and advanced warning. After that, may the best man win.

I agree with a comment that Carina made some time ago on another thread about getting to know the neighbors, and acting as a community would in defense of each other (who would have thought that the contractor who installed my system lived on the street behind me?). That, I think, is the best defense for anyone who might reside there, in addition to having a gun and a vicious dog.

Anyhow, a good point, and food for thought for those who might be persuaded by "the illusion".
 

rellosk

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Mar 18, 2002
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jackquontee said:
I also had an alarm system installed. And, again, someone said that it was a waste because the system would simply sound off without any response from the neighbors because of my semi-isolated location.
Are there any alarm companies in the DR that provide a service where the alarm goes off in a dispatch office (as well as the home) and they send someone to the premises to check it out?
 

Ken

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jackquontee said:
I also had an alarm system installed. And, again, someone said that it was a waste because the system would simply sound off without any response from the neighbors because of my semi-isolated location. I responded that the installation of the system was not so much for the neighbors, but for myself when I am there. If someone breaks into my home while I am there, all I want is a fair and advanced warning. After that, may the best man win.

Exactly. The best use of an alarm system is to alert you when you are in the house. A few years ago a friend was living in a rented house in a semi isolated area. Every window had bars on it. About 3 am he was awakened by a pair of robbers holding a shotgun against his face. Two adults and 3 children were sleeping in the house and nobody heard the robbers remove the bars or enter the house. The robbers took their time, drank a few beers from the refrigerator, and packed up everything they could find in the suitcases of the people they were robbing. Needless to say, since then wherever they live they have alarms.
 
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Ken

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rellosk said:
Are there any alarm companies in the DR that provide a service where the alarm goes off in a dispatch office (as well as the home) and they send someone to the premises to check it out?

Alerta in Santiago will include in the systems thay install a device that calls their office and they will call the police here. They say they have had good experience with this with the police in Puerto Plata, but none of their Sosua clients have put it to the test, assuming any of them have included this in their package.
 

rellosk

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Mar 18, 2002
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Ken said:
Alerta in Santiago will include in the systems thay install a device that calls their office and they will call the police here. They say they have had good experience with this with the police in Puerto Plata, but none of their Sosua clients have put it to the test, assuming any of them have included this in their package.
I wouldn't have much confidence in the Police. (I imagine they already are stretched pretty thin in Sosua). I'm surprised that there isn't anyone hooked up with a private security company.
 

canadian bob

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Jan 16, 2002
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Security bars on windows.

Bars on the outside of windows can be cut, pried or jacked out very quickly. Another disadvantage is that regular outside bars rust rapidly, have to be scraped and re-painted regularly. Galvanized bars are too expensive and are also relatively useless outside.
The final solution is to have the bars bolted inside the house. These can not be jacked out, are virtually impossible to cut, or otherwise removed from the outside and never rust. They do not interfere with curtains or for removal of fly screens for cleaning. They can be easily removed from the inside, although I have never needed to do this.
I also designed folding bars inside to secure large sliding glass windows. These become invisible when folded back on each side of the windows. When closed, they are extremely secure and will deter any thieves who would have to break all the glass before attempting to cut the bars. All windows, upstairs and down, (no matter how small) should be barred inside. I have other ideas on security, but this is getting too long. Canadian Bob.
 

jackquontee

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rellosk said:
Are there any alarm companies in the DR that provide a service where the alarm goes off in a dispatch office (as well as the home) and they send someone to the premises to check it out?

I don't know about the DR as a whole, but I was told by someone that Brinks provides this type of service in the POP area.

I should also add that I have a watchman as well. However, my purpose in implementing all of my security measures is not so much to prevent something from happening, as it is to alert me to something happening.
 

AZB

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Jan 2, 2002
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have high walls around your house and you will reduce the chances of a thief peeking inside to see what you got inside the property. these guys rather steal from a house where they won't have to climb a tall wall to get inside.
a dog also helps; again, the theives would prefer a house where they won't have to kill a dog.
Do not bring in putas from the streets. these cheap street whores watch and make note of what you have inside the house. later they tell their chulos what a good target you are, an old lonely man living in a house where he has a nice TV, cash money in drawer and a nice nikon camera, not to mention , an expensive laptop. Do not make friends with local domincian tigres. many foreigners become friends with a local barrio tigre who acts like the translator - a pimp. he bring in girls and hangs out with the expat all day. he is a certified lambon who will rob you later. many robberies are comitted by people who actually know the victim. have been to the house or have inside knowledge of the contents of the house. The maids also talk to other people of your precious possessions in the house.
Do put bars on the windows and only invite decent folks inside your house. You will reduce your chances of any robbery. I have been living here for 8 yrs and have never been robbed from inside of my home. people have come inside my backyard to steal little things but never have actually tried to break inside the home. eversince we have raised the walls around the house, the little visit from local tigres have stopped 100%.
AZB
 
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jackquontee

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AZB said:
The maids also talk to other people of your precious possessions in the house.
AZB

Very valid point. I had initially considered hiring a maid for periodic cleaning, but thought better about it. I decided to wash and hang my own clothes, and clean my own house. It seems odd to the Dominicans that I would be doing this, but the less people who have access to, and information about, your home, the more you diminish your chances of having the type of visitor you've described.
 

LatinoRican

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Apr 11, 2004
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Excellent Advice

I had not intended to post anything in this thread, but AZB hit the nail right on the head. Maids and other local visitors will and do talk to friends and acquaintances about what you have or don't have in your in your house. They may unwittingly pass on this information to someone who might take an interest in separating you from your possessions and money. You should carefully screen who visits you especially if you live alone!
 

macocael

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crime rate

Curious11 said:
What is the crime rate like in the DR?

There are several threads on this board discussing the problem, and you will find a variety of opinions. Partly because of the work I do, I am forced to conclude -- and it may just be an impression formed by seeing more of it -- that crime is indeed rising, and that the nature of the crime is changing and becoming more violent.

But your relation to this trend will depend on many factors and given the fact that you probably wont be living in the capital, you are unlikely to see any real crime, other than sneak thievery or perhaps burglary. That is why all the houses here have bars on the windows and doors. I honestly wouldnt worry about it, just take the same precautions we all do. Dont let this thread unnerve you.
 

Squat

Tropical geek in Las Terrenas
Jan 1, 2002
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Ok, stell bars outside the "persienas" can be easily removed, but at least, it will be too much of a challenge for small-time thief... And big-time thieves would rather go to expensive villas instead of my place...
But, yes, AZB is very right...
 

arturo

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Mar 14, 2002
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can't agree with you there

No one interested in robbing your residence needs to wait for confirmation from a maid. Thieves assume - and rightly so - that foreigners have easy to sell valuables in their homes. See what I mean?

jackquontee said:
Very valid point. I had initially considered hiring a maid for periodic cleaning, but thought better about it. I decided to wash and hang my own clothes, and clean my own house. It seems odd to the Dominicans that I would be doing this, but the less people who have access to, and information about, your home, the more you diminish your chances of having the type of visitor you've described.
 

arturo

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Mar 14, 2002
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SECURITY REALITY CHECK, look at the trend

If you read this thread you will notice a trend: "house," "isolated house," "semi-isolated area." Various combinations of single unit dwellings and isolation are the #1 biggest security risk here. Think about all the people you know who have been burglarized or who have been the victims of home invasions. How many of them live in multi unit dwellings in cities, and how many of them live in something more similar to "Little House on the Prairie?"

Of course people do get burglarized in urban apartment buildings (usually by neighbors, by the way). But the incidence of burglaries vs home invasions, and the fact that it's far less common for an apartment to be cleaned out down to the lighting fixtures makes an impression on the sensible people who have lived here for some time. I notice it's usually a new arrivals, in spite of warnings, who find themselves re-assessing their housing choice while filling out police reports.

On the other hand, apartment dwellers are often victims of a much less serious but highly annoying crime. It is not uncommon to find that your utilities (tinaco, cable TV, phone, electricity) have been tapped by your neighbors.

The weather has been lovely this week, hasn't it?

Ken said:
1. You are protected by iron bars on the windows

Security experts will tell you that bars on ground-floor windows give the illusion of security. The are easily and quickly removed using a variety of implements,including crowbar, car jack, pickax (stick one end of blade between bar and windowsill and pull pack on handle like you do with a hammer when pulling out a nail) and any steel bar that can be used as a lever.

Bars much better protection on upper floors because to get the leverage necessary to pop off the bars will probably result in the thief falling off the ladder.

2. You are safe if your apartment is on the second floor

Robberies committed in second floor apartments by thieves going through the sliding doors from the balcony are common. Thieves like this means of entrance because people living on the second floor think a thief can't get to them, so tend to leave the sliding doors open, whether home or not, for ventilation.
 

heldengebroed

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Mar 9, 2005
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I've worked for some time in a security company and one off the first things you learn is that 99% off the thieves are opportunists. They go for the easy target. If you're house is less easy than your nieghbours he won't enter. The other 1 % are proffessionals and they enter regardless what you do. They know what they want and they go for it.
So
passive security: walls, bars, locks, lights...
Active security: alarm, dogs,...
gossip: Let them know how dangerous your dog is:pirate:

Greetings

Johan
 

jackquontee

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arturo said:
No one interested in robbing your residence needs to wait for confirmation from a maid.

I'm not so sure that was the point, but that the maids simply serve as an additional source of information for the would be thieves. I'll admit that I have instituted a number of varied security measures to try and cover all avenues. However, I am under no illusion that the measures I've taken will prevent a robbery. I understand and accept that, in the end, it might very well come down to me vs the robber(s). I'm okay with that. As I said in a previous post, I just want a bit of fair and advanced warning, and I'll take care of the rest from there.

So, yes, I do know what you mean.
 
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