Suggestions for reinforcing an existing built Lecawall against burglary?

[Kane]

Have the burglars started filling their toolboxes with sledgehammers, circular saws, and battering rams? Have I missed something?

Maybe something other than regular burglary protection is being requested......

Okay, then I know that a security door is not wasted money. The idea is to protect against robbery. We have a basic security approach, including cameras outside and inside, recording 24/7, electronic locks on all doors and windows, always automatic locking so everything is locked even when we are home. We never open the door to strangers. We have motorized electric gates and driveway alarms. If someone knocks on the entrance door, they have climbed over. The idea is to lock yourself in the safe room if something happens. Once in the safe room, you call the police, film everything, and watch the cameras to see what the intruders are up to. Inside the room, there should always be a phone charging.

The safe room should be hidden, and if they do happen to find the room, it should take them a while to get in. By then, hopefully, the police will have arrived. I estimate the police will arrive in 10 to max 20 minutes.

It's not that we have a threat against us, more that we might have a slightly elevated risk of being targeted, but above all, because I like technology, a bit of unusual stuff, and not least love being prepared

 

[raderat]

By the way, why would you even need a saferoom if it's about taking shelter from burglars? It would take a very bold or really intoxicated thief to try breaking in when the owner is home. Enjoy life instead.

What rock have you been living under the past few years?
Just last week, three of Expressen's five top news stories were about families who were attacked by armed robbers in their homes. In many places, that type of robbery has replaced traditional burglaries because, at gunpoint, you can have someone immediately hand over car keys and valuables instead of having to go around and rummage. Then there's also the category of burglars who discover someone is home after breaking in. It's not uncommon for a knife or other weapon to be pulled out then.

I'm not saying everyone needs a saferoom, but if you've missed this trend, one does wonder a bit.

 

[raderat]

Have the burglars started filling the toolbox with a sledgehammer, angle grinder, and brick breaker? Have I missed something?

No, but knives and loaded weapons have replaced the traditional crowbar. Combined with desperation and a total lack of empathy and valuing other people's lives.

 

[Jonatan79]

What rock have you been living under in recent years? Just last week, three of Expressen's top five news stories were about families who were victims of armed robbers in their homes. In many places, these types of robberies have replaced traditional burglaries because, under the threat of a gun, you can have someone immediately hand over car keys and valuables instead of having to go around and rummage. Then there's also the category that breaks in and after a while discovers someone is home, often resulting in the appearance of a knife or other weapon.

I'm not saying everyone needs a saferoom, but if you've missed this trend, you have to wonder a little.

I wish I lived under a rock, outside of this sick society, no, I know that more and more severe crimes are happening. But it still doesn't help to fortify oneself in the way that TS is planning...

 

[Sir Duke]

But come on. You have no idea who I am, where I live or my background, if we've been through anything or have acquaintances in our vicinity. But above all, you obviously haven't read the thread, because I've written why I'm doing this... sigh.
This applies to more clowns here who obviously can't answer the thread's question, but have so much free time to comment on a bunch of nonsense.

I've received the answers I wanted regarding the brick wall. We can now close this thread.

We must respect your standpoint.
We have to trust that you have conducted a proper analysis of risks and threats; all subsequent measures must be guided by that.
I think that low-level Orten-robbers will never climb over any fences. Those I've heard of simply walk up and ring the doorbell with a knife or gun in hand. If you have good door locks and an entry camera, you should be fine. If, however, you are a mafia boss, you need a saferoom, security staff, etc.

 

[raderat]

I wish I lived under a rock outside of this sick society, no, I know that more and more serious crimes are happening. But it still doesn't help to steel oneself in the way the OP plans...

That wasn't what I was commenting on.
I was commenting on the fact that you and others believe that only "a high or really drunk thief" would break in when someone is home and that the scenario is pure paranoia. I wish that were the case, but unfortunately, the trend is quite clear and shows that many criminals do not hesitate to target sleeping families, for example, because they happen to have a semi-expensive car parked outside the house.

Whether the OP's measures are reasonable or pure paranoia is for each to decide, as we know nothing about his situation other than that several people around him have experienced just this.

 

[Fadai]

Personally, I believe more in unlocked doors and not owning more than you can afford to lose. Alarms, sirens, "panic rooms," etc., then the next step would be arming oneself. THAT scares me more than robbers and thieves. One should also be aware that the media highlights the worst, rarely the opposite.

 

[Altaböke]

How much can a wall of concrete blocks withstand? Feels like you could take a sledgehammer and go right through in 1 minute, but hopefully, I'm completely wrong.

I witnessed a burglary in Miami, they got into the neighboring premises that didn't have a security door and smashed a hole in the wall with a sledgehammer. It was quite noisy and it probably took 20 to 30 minutes to make a hole large enough to crawl through. When I discovered them and alerted the police, the hole was big enough to crawl through but not large enough to get the stolen goods through, so they didn't manage to take anything.

If you put a meshwork of rebar on the inside and plaster over it, you make it more difficult, as they would also need to use an angle grinder or blowtorch, which they might not have with them, but the best thing is obviously a harder outer shell. The hardest part should face the attack, as a principle.

PS. If you think the threat is burglary when you're home, American police experiences in home defense might be relevant; I made a video in Swedish about it when I lived in the USA:

 

[Alexn72]

Personally, I believe more in unlocked doors and not owning more than you can afford to lose. Alarms, sirens, "panic rooms," etc., the next step would be to arm oneself. THAT scares me more than robbers and thieves. Then one should be aware that the media highlights the worst, rarely the opposite.

If the target is the person living there, unlocked doors seem a bit counterproductive.

 

[gaffelriggad]

Knock down the plaster. Apply fiberglass mat and polyester in layers instead (GRP). If you want to reinforce further, glue a regular laminate floor inside the GRP.

 

[raderat]

Then one should be aware that the media highlights the worst, rarely the opposite.

Yes, it would be a bit strange otherwise. But that hardly means that what is being highlighted is any less true or disturbing, does it? Or do you mean that the increased reporting of brutal home robberies is only a consequence of increased reporting? Can you provide some evidence for that?

 

[EI30-SaC]

A lot of OT in this thread where TS was seeking construction advice. Everyone who wants to discuss ts mental health, ownership absurdities, and the development of crime in society can start their own threads, well not the one about a member's mental health of course, that I rather consider a personal attack.

 

[Liljeros]

I would say that a safe room specifically does not help against the type of armed robberies that have started to appear. It's not an elite force coming to visit but rather small-time criminals armed with a gun, at most they have a crowbar with them, they rely on you coming and opening up and work in that situation with threats to get what they want. To protect against these scenarios, I would rather focus on making the house a "safe room light," such as laminated glass in windows, etc.

High locked fences can also indicate that there is something to take, so it can be a counterproductive solution.

In general, it also seems to be in car thefts where this method has primarily become common since today's anti-theft protections have become so advanced that it's easier to simply threaten to get the key... so a cheap insurance might be to own something other than an expensive German car...

 

[Skumpe]

I would place the sheet metal on the outside, or what becomes the "attack side". Then it acts more like a tough membrane, making it extremely/almost impossible to break through. If you put it on the inside, it becomes significantly easier to just push in the sheet metal once some of the lecablocks are crumbled.

Furthermore, I don't even understand the idea of building a saferoom, but to each their own, thankfully Personally, I'd probably invest in a playroom instead

The sheet metal should absolutely be on the outside. Regarding your lack of need for a saferoom, one can only congratulate. It's not something one wishes anyone would need. However, those who have used it in real situations are often appreciative of such rooms.

 

[Snigla]

I have always thought safe rooms are interesting, it doesn't matter why you choose to want one (even if only for fun). If you have the money and time/space to make one.. and it makes you sleep better at night (less worried when you leave the family alone), then I just say "go for it"

We all deal with life differently (how we view society, dangers, people, etc.).

I've thought about it a few times earlier in life

Nowadays it's no longer a priority, life has calmed down and the problems you had before with people/glass have "faded."

I have both cameras and alarms, but I believe it gives many a false sense of security.. that is, the alarm is not used often and I bought cameras to get license plates of those who drive "wrong" here and possibly faces..

So that someone can see them/track them if something happens on the property.

In this household, it's me who steps out in the middle of the night if an unknown car arrives (there shall be no sneaking around if I see it!) .. and I'm fully aware that only an earthquake would wake up the others on the property in the middle of the night.. so.. if there’s a camera clip at least they can help the police if I'm missing.. (When they eventually realize it sometime in the morning when they wake up, at least I hope my husband misses me then!).

I have no concrete tips other than.. take a self-defense course.. hire someone and train as a family a few times.. often both fun/educational and it increases confidence and self-esteem.

Think about the weaknesses of the room, doorways, ventilation, electricity, transmission..

You need to have functioning ventilation, but it shouldn't be easy for gas/smoke, etc., to get in..

Doorways and hinges (possibly locks) are all little "weaknesses".. usually, you can get very far in normal circumstances with security doors.. but still good to check them yourself and see if you think there's a weakness.. can you knock out the pins/saw off the holders.. what about the frame attachment, etc.

You may want electricity and internet, but it's easy for anyone to cut from the outside, so you want to think "backup" there. That is, don't count on being able to access anything from outside once you've locked yourself in..

If you have a mobile phone, remember to test the transmission before.. (before any possible jammers come into the picture).. with thick stone walls, it can easily stop.. we live in an old stone house and it took years before we found products that make Wi-Fi work due to all the thick sturdy walls.. and there's also interference in some places for regular mobile phones. It might not be a problem for you, but worth checking before relying on the phone..

Regardless, good luck