How do you prevent theft/break-ins at your shop?

[Tom Hargrove]

Years ago, I was an investigator for an insurance company, and I worked on many theft claims, both residential and commercial. There are lots of great comments and observations above. Here are some comments and observations based on my experience:

• I never investigated a theft where there was at least one dog on the premises.
• If you make it more difficult to steal from you than the next guy, they will steal from the next guy.
• Burglars steal only what they are comfortable stealing. They don't like cameras, dogs, lights, or anything that makes noise. Motion sensor lights work great. Cameras also seem to work well, even if they are fake.
• A great lock on a weak door is a waste of money. Burglars don't pick locks, they usually break the easiest thing they can find to get in.
• Burglars are usually gone before the police get there, even if you have an alarm that notifies a service or is directly hooked up to the police department. I would not spend the money on an alarm reporting service. I would use it to buy more tools or more insurance.
• If no one knows you have nice stuff, they won't show up to steal it.
• If they break into your house and take lots of nice stuff, they may come back in a year or so since they realize you will replace it with the insurance money. Therefore, be sure to make security changes after a break-in.
• No matter what precautions are taken, a determined thief will overcome anything you can do.
• Make sure you have sufficient insurance to replace your stuff. If you make money (or try to make money . . .) with your tools, your home owners insurance will provide limited coverage. Insurance coverage varies significantly by state, and by insurance company. You should read your policy and discuss your situation with your insurance agent to be sure you have the right protection.

I have a large dog, I leave lights on, and I have a great insurance policy.

[glenn bradley]

I got enough of a discount on my homeowner's insurance by having an online alarm service to cover 90% of the cost. Don't accept out of hand assurances from your insurance folks. Remember, their job is to give you as little of your money back as possible. Be sure you know and understand what is covered and to what extent. In addition to that, I have:

- Motion detector lights
- Heavy outside doors with good deadbolts and alarm sensors
- Extra internal locking mechanism on the roll up door
- Pictures of more expensive items showing my "mark" on them for future recovery
- A total and complete lack of hesitation to hospitalize someone I catch, if there is a valid excuse, they can tell me after they are released

[Steve Perez]

I purchased a securtiy alarm at the Home Security Store online and installed it myself. It is wireless and depending on range you may have to add range extenders. Easy install and not very expensive. Internal batteries last a long time and everything is tamper proof. I programmed mine to call my cell phone, but could also program any phone number including police. No additional monitoring fees. I also armored up the phone system too to reduce the chance of phone line cutting. An alternative to that is an alarm that uses cell phone technology so the would be thiefs cant simply cut the line.

The nice thing about a self install is you can get a basic system, then add on to it. Thats what i am doing. I have door/window sensors, motion sensors, and glass breaking sensors. As well as multiple key pads and sirens. You really can do it your self. Installing is super easy, programming is a little challenging at first. But I never had previous experience with alarms.

I had what seemed to be an attempted break in before I installed the alarm. But thankfully they did not break in, only broke the window. Three weeks ago, my next door neighbor had a break in. Sad to say, but tis the season for break ins. Knock on wood ... it wont happen to any of us. Sadly it will happen to someone. Many of our tools really are like family now, they just cant be replaced. Especially generational tools.

You can never stop a burglary but you can make it a little harder for them and maybe youll persuade them to go somewhere else.

[Lucas Bittick]

. I thought to myself, "Self...this is it. They're going to leave me for dead and take everything...

Then one of them stepped forward and stuck his hand out, "I'm Todd...can we see the stuff?" That sort of broke the horrid tension, and I said, "Dude. What the <beep>?"

GREAT story!

[Dave Lehnert]

I have always been concerned with Sawmillcreek.

With the use of your real name why would you run the risk of posting "Hey look everyone. I got new Festool everything in my shop"
What you are saying in fact is, I got it, come and get it. Because with the Internet you can find anyone and where they live.
I am sure this is true for most but not all. My shop is not located at my house or does not have an address of any kind.

The one reason I do not like the use of real names on here. But sure a lot do not use a real name anyway.

Anyway Just have a shop like mine with Harbor Freight junk and they will feel sorry for you. LOL!!!!

[Ben Rafael]

I have always been concerned with Sawmillcreek.

With the use of your real name why would you run the risk of posting "Hey look everyone. I got new Festool everything in my shop"
What you are saying in fact is, I got it, come and get it. Because with the Internet you can find anyone and where they live.
I am sure this is true for most but not all. My shop is not located at my house or does not have an address of any kind.

The one reason I do not like the use of real names on here. But sure a lot do not use a real name anyway.

Anyway Just have a shop like mine with Harbor Freight junk and they will feel sorry for you. LOL!!!!

I've been using some other guys name. But I got used to it and decided to keep it. I dont know what name he is using.


I believe in the Get Smart school of prevention. Instead of just locking my shop, I have it locked, within a yard that has a double locked 8 foot high fence and a dog in the yard. You need to get by 3 things to get the goodies. Plus if I notice someone making it past the fence they will not be able to tell their friends about it.

[Tim Anderson]

I've got motion detection lights and also a cuddeback. It's a motion activated camera that can take pics and/or vid that I have hidden near the shop. It gets a pic of everyone that approaches the shop (delivery men, neighbors, wild critters etc.). Once a month I replace the batteries and exchange the flash card. Cheaper than an alarm system and I have their picture.

[Don Bullock]

I have a nosey neighbor who's a light sleeper. His bedroom is less that 10 yards from my new shop. No, I won't be working loudly late at night.

[Dave Lehnert]

I've got motion detection lights and also a cuddeback. It's a motion activated camera that can take pics and/or vid that I have hidden near the shop. It gets a pic of everyone that approaches the shop (delivery men, neighbors, wild critters etc.). Once a month I replace the batteries and exchange the flash card. Cheaper than an alarm system and I have their picture.

You know, thats not a half bad idea. Thanks!

[Mark Grotenhuis]

Can anyone tell me what the insurance policy for their shop cost? I have homeowners insurance but I really don't think they would cover my tools. I've never brought it up with my agent. I'm afraid to know how much more my rates would go up. I do have heavy locks, a motion light off the back, and a wife who knows how to use my shotgun if I'm not there.

[Don Bullock]

Can anyone tell me what the insurance policy for their shop cost? ...

I just checked with my agent. My new shop and tools are covered under my regular home policy, but after I get the tools in I'll be checking to see if they are "fully insured" at replacement value.

[Matt Meiser]

Mark, my insurance agent (Michigan Farm Bureau) checked into that for me and said my homeowners insurance was adequate. It probably depends a lot on the type of coverage you have. Some options will pay out X dollars based on the value. Ours is a replacement cost policy which in theory means they pay whatever it costs. The agent is responsible for estimating what that value and we get charged accordingly. They had a problem with this and a few bad-apples got in trouble because agents were underestimating to undercut the rates offered by others but the good agents are able to figure it out fairly.

Another thing my agent explained is that the odds of loosing both my shop (which is about 80' from the house) and the house as a result of the same disaster are incredibly low. That helps keep the rates down too.

My family has been using this agent for over 30 years now and he's never steered us wrong.

I think we got a 10% discount on our insurance for having a monitored alarm system for fire and burglary.

Interesting topic since our neighborhood had a rash of thefts Thursday. Seems a group of "heroin addicts" (the paper's description) drove up from Toledo to look for houses to burglarize. Apparently they were knocking on doors to see if anyone was home before breaking in, so I'd suspect they were passing by houses with alarm signs too. It was during the day even. I wondered why the cops were driving down my road the other day. Anyway, they broke into one occupied house and the homeowner chased them and got their license number. They were stupid enough to be driving their own vehicle and were found at home and arrested along with a bunch of identifiable loot.

[jim oakes]

Leave a radio or TV on loud with a 24 hour station. A thief may knock but would think " is someone asleep in there and not hearing the knock".

[Lucas Bittick]

Has anyone's shop actually been broken into?

Of course, shops should be locked up and secured. I am just wondering if the perception of risk (because of the monetary value of tools) actually matches the real rate of theft.

It seems to me that a typical thief will be more interested in my flatscreen TV and my wife's jewelry than a collection of wood planes or a 500 lb. table saw. Why? Those things have a wider market for resale and are simply easier to steal.

I am willing to bet that if a person's shop is not secure, then the rest of his/her property is not secure either-- meaning that other household property is at a higher risk for theft than shop tools. Given a choice, I highly doubt that shop stuff would be a thief's first choice of contraband.

[Matt Meiser]

There have been a number of posts in the past from people who have had stuff stolen. They probably aren't going to take your 500lb table saw, but handheld power tools and smaller tools like miter saws and the like are.