security in a ground floor flat

[Charlie 5]

hi, thanks fr the replies, i rent the flat but my landlord has said before that if i can do work on the flat without his help then to go for it.
yeah im planning for an attack on my flat and me if things carry on the way they're going then im going to need to be safe in here.
there is a flat entrance at my back door for the flat upstairs its pretty built up.
i dont have a BOL at the moment but im working on it. im going to get some OS maps and have a little look around.
thanks for the links ill have a look now
camb

One very important factor that people tend to overlook when looking to fortify their home or BUL is the asymetrical threat of fire, rather than direct conventional attack. It is all very well placing steel shutters or bars across windows and armour plating doors and frames - its a different matter if you have to escape because the building or retreat is on fire. Use of High Temperature Fire Retardent Materials like Superwool HT or Carbon X Textiles should always be included in any such plans. Notwithstanding, that is is generally the effects of smoke that kill you first - rather than being burnt to death.

[ExCopKent]

I really feel for you being stuck in such a vulnerable apartment and hope you can relocate before too long. In the meantime there are some discrete and cost effective measures you can take which would buy you a little precious time in the event of an attack on your home.

*High security window film. Makes smashing your window harder but then holds the broken glass in place in the frame taking a huge effort to finally defeat.
*Barking dog noise generator. Can be triggered by an entry attempt or set to go off at random or when required. Your average scumbag will have second thoughts if they though they would be faced with your 'maneating Rottweilers'.
*Make friends with your neighbours.... If you have them. Having someone close, to come to your assistance or provide somewhere to fall back to if TSHTF, could be a lifesaver.
*As an ex copper I'm obviously not going to suggest any sort of weapons..... However...... Consider that if you are attacked in your home and you "instantly arm" yourself with something close to hand and use it immediately against the intruder/s, you have a strong and valid legal defense should you require one. With that in mind, just have a look at the totally innocent sports equipment and cooking utensils (you get the idea) in your flat and remember their justifiable locations should the need arise to have to use them for an alternative purpose. (I think I successfully tiptoed all around that one!)

Nothing expensive or too big a deal to do. Hope this gives you food for thought.

[cambprep]

Thankyou so much for replying.
ive been thinking about your suggestions and advice and id like to ask about CCTV and the laws around this? locations of the cameras?
Also where would i get the High security window film from? and how user friendly is it?
ive ordered the OS maps and started looking into moving asap.
thanks to ExCopKent
camb

[Moony]

Window film like this is self-applied:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Safety-Security ... 34DK6X0C78

There's various sizes, I'll be getting some myself before I save up to replace old single glazed window units with more secure double / triple glazing.

[Glydr]

Get a german shepherd, and a big axe.

[happyhacker]

You're wasting you're time. Any group on the rampage for food (or fun) will view the property as a challenge and boarding up won't stop them with crowbars or even petrol. Best way is to look the same as the crowd (those flats around you) and keep your head down. Ideally look for a flat in a less densely populated area.

[the7ps]

You're wasting you're time. Any group on the rampage for food (or fun) will view the property as a challenge and boarding up won't stop them with crowbars or even petrol. Best way is to look the same as the crowd (those flats around you) and keep your head down. Ideally look for a flat in a less densely populated area.

I agree and have spoken about this before. We live in a flat, on the top floor. If the absolute worst happened I would secure as much as I could but would also work hard at making my property seem like somewhere that should just be passed by.
Cosmetic damage that doesn't effect security, litter and graffiti. Make people think that the building has been cleaned out so why bother.
If you are thinking day to day security why not contact your local police crime prevention team who will visit your house and conduct a survey?

[Ollyr]

The other day I saw a great idea for boarding up the window with out damaging the window or brickwork, you simply need plywood boards, 2x4 planks as wide as your window and really long bolts with nuts. You drill a hole in the ply board for the bolt to get through, place it on the out side of your window, open the window put the bolt all the way through into your house and through the 2x4 (which you've also drilled a whole in) and use the nut to pull the whole thing together! It's strong and can be stored in a shed till you need it, also doesn't damage the property.

Oh and in the case of a fire keep a wrench near the window and you'll be able to get it of in less than a minute!

Olly.

[the7ps]

Have mentioned it before so apologies but used to visit a rather 'unsavoury' character who had a simple, yet effective idea in case the police tried to knock on his door - he measured the exact length between his door and the facing wall and got a piece of scaffolding cut, then would slip that in.

[Partimehero]

If you're boarding up, use 18mm exterior grade plywood. Ideally, you'd screw through this and then straight into the window / door frame (whether upvc or wood).

If you need to do it in a hurry, just use an instant grab adhesive (mastic tube for skeleton gun), squirt loads on the back and then squeeze the whole panel straight onto the window.

That won't be moving in a hurry and will even resist a crowbar!