Stay out of my yard...

[roger97338]

I used to have a pond in my back yard, and I tried to keep various kinds of decorative fish in it. At night, raccoons, cats, and whatever else was hungry would scoop out as many fish as they could. One of the deterrents I found was a sprinkler with a motion sensor attached to it. It had a stake on the end that you stuck in the ground, and a connection for a standard garden hose. I don't remember if it was battery powered or if it needed to be plugged in. I don't even remember if it prevented any fish theft. My favorite memories of it were of my boy taking the trash out and forgetting about the motion activated sprinkler....not once...not twice...DOZENS of times! I couldn't NOT laugh whenever it happened. Then, one day, I took the trash out and forgot about the sprinkler. My boy was still laughing when I went back in the house. Good times, good times.

I googled "motion activated sprinkler" just now, and you can buy them online from various sources, and it looks like Lowe's has carried them in the past.

The house I live in now has a detached garage, which has a window on the side of it. I screwed a couple of razor blades right in front of the window latches, so that if someone breaks the glass out and reaches in to unlatch the window, they're (hopefully) going to get cut badly enough that they decide to call it a night. That's not really a deterrent, but I thought I'd toss it out there anyway.

[frotosride]

Remember the days when the kids would take a twig and "set" horns around halloween? An old buck up the street parked his car where it was easy to get to, left the window down and had an extension cord wired to his horn ring. After that he didnt have any problems! Theres always more than one way to skin a cat!

Thats funny. there's nothing like scaring the crap out of someone who's trying to get you instead.

[frotosride]

I used to have a pond in my back yard, and I tried to keep various kinds of decorative fish in it. At night, raccoons, cats, and whatever else was hungry would scoop out as many fish as they could. One of the deterrents I found was a sprinkler with a motion sensor attached to it. It had a stake on the end that you stuck in the ground, and a connection for a standard garden hose. I don't remember if it was battery powered or if it needed to be plugged in. I don't even remember if it prevented any fish theft. My favorite memories of it were of my boy taking the trash out and forgetting about the motion activated sprinkler....not once...not twice...DOZENS of times! I couldn't NOT laugh whenever it happened. Then, one day, I took the trash out and forgot about the sprinkler. My boy was still laughing when I went back in the house. Good times, good times.

I googled "motion activated sprinkler" just now, and you can buy them online from various sources, and it looks like Lowe's has carried them in the past.

The house I live in now has a detached garage, which has a window on the side of it. I screwed a couple of razor blades right in front of the window latches, so that if someone breaks the glass out and reaches in to unlatch the window, they're (hopefully) going to get cut badly enough that they decide to call it a night. That's not really a deterrent, but I thought I'd toss it out there anyway.

I looked at the sprinklers and the ones I saw like the "scarecrow" was expencive but watching videos was entertaining. As for the razor blades i like the thought but I also have 4 kids the oldes being 7 so thats a definate no but it is inventive and most likely effective.

[Raiderfan001]

Bear traps would be more satisfying 

[bluecrew]

Bear traps would be more satisfying 

Electrified bear traps would be more better.

[81_Chevy]

LOL^   

[Blazin]

When I was a kid the local constable drove CJ5's & CJ7's. When out of town no one knew it was a police vehicle, because back in those days you used your own car, and tossed a blue light on the dash, or roof when responding to a call. He had his spare tire cover stolen many times. Had a rebel flag painted on them. He used razor blades protruding through the cover so if you tried to peel it off from the top you got bloody. After that he found blood on the back of his spare tire a couple times.

[roger97338]

He used razor blades protruding through the cover so if you tried to peel it off from the top you got bloody. After that he found blood on the back of his spare tire a couple times.

I've heard tales of people putting razor blades under the lower lip of their dashboard too, just in case someone tried to reach up there for hot-wiring or stereo stealing. I also heard (Well, read it in a car audio magazine about ten years ago.) that someone had mounted some sort of zip-gun or shotgun or piece of pipe with a shotgun shell and trigger onto his lower steering column, aimed about where the driver's head would be, wired up to the car alarm. If it's true, it's possibly one of the top ten worst ideas in the history of human civilization. I'd trust a crackhead with my wallet before I'd give my car alarm a shotgun.

[frotosride]

He used razor blades protruding through the cover so if you tried to peel it off from the top you got bloody. After that he found blood on the back of his spare tire a couple times.

I've heard tales of people putting razor blades under the lower lip of their dashboard too, just in case someone tried to reach up there for hot-wiring or stereo stealing. I also heard (Well, read it in a car audio magazine about ten years ago.) that someone had mounted some sort of zip-gun or shotgun or piece of pipe with a shotgun shell and trigger onto his lower steering column, aimed about where the driver's head would be, wired up to the car alarm. If it's true, it's possibly one of the top ten worst ideas in the history of human civilization. I'd trust a crackhead with my wallet before I'd give my car alarm a shotgun.

Thats just flat out stupid...one bad day when you forget about that little shell and bang.

[PromiseKeeper]

Discouraging someone is one thing. Causing physical harm or worse is unbelievable.  Is a possesion worth maiming or killing someone over? Not to me...

[frotosride]

Discouraging someone is one thing. Causing physical harm or worse is unbelievable.  Is a possesion worth maiming or killing someone over? Not to me...

I hear that but now adays people will do just that just because you looked at them wrong or cut them off on the road.

[PromiseKeeper]

Froto,
I think you missed my point. I agree there is an element out there that has no regard for human life. Some of them we have elected! What I am saying pertains to each individuals reaction to being the "victim" of something that did them no physical harm. I'm not going to shoot you or install razor blades to protect a spare tire or stereo system. I may do things to make it more difficult for you or to discourage you without hospitalizing you. Most of us carry insurance against such things. Why end up in court over it? However, if you break into my home, I'm going to react in a way that will remove the threat from me and my family. There is a big difference between guarding possessions and keeping your family safe.

[Tx_Phil]

^^^^^ This !!!

If someone enters my house while me or my family are there it's very likely that they will not leave under their own power. If the big lab doesn't get them then I'm pretty sure the shotgun will.  Would I go outside and attempt to stop someone breaking into my truck? Yes I would.  Would I be willing to take a life over stuff?  At one time the answer was yes but as I've matured with age that answer has changed to no.  Now, if I yell at them to stop and they come at me or something then all bets are off. I will not stand by and let a "bad guy" get the drop on me so to speak.

[Irish_Alley]

we had a farmer rig his barn door up with a shotgun. some kids broke in, killed one he got charged with murder.

[gildardo01]

we had a farmer rig his barn door up with a shotgun. some kids broke in, killed one he got charged with murder.

if it was a black kid they would have called the man raciest... reminds me of that incident down here in FL the guy that shot the black teen... the Trayvon Martin Case with George Zimmerman