Help - scary security situation

[Adsibob]

Got home tonight around 11, as I’m getting out the car, a man accosted me literally at the top of my steps leading to my front door. Luckily no physical injury, but this has scared the shit out of me. Particularly because he came back twice within 30 minutes, shouting various threats of violence and saying things like “I know where you live, I’m going to (expletive deleted) you up”. Police attended, took a statement and are taking our ring doorbell footage and a video my wife took from the bedroom window. We have his car registration plate, so hopefully they can track him down with that.

 

 Need to upgrade the security appearance  of our house, and possibly upgrade cameras, given the ring doorbell didn’t do a great job - I guess he didn’t come close enough to trigger it. He stepped onto our property, but not within the sensed area. I guess I could make the sensed area bigger. But won’t be good enough to get a close shot of him if he keeps his distance and just hurls abuse at us (or a brick)!

 

We already have a big scary 3m tall gate blocking our side passage - though I need to speak to our adjoining neighbour as his is just a wooden door which is only 1.9m so easy to scale his door and then jump over our fence.

 

I will get some more lighting and maybe more cameras. Any other ideas? A “beware of the dog” sign?
 

(expletive deleted) me that was scary. 

Edited June 19, 2023 by Adsibob

[SteamyTea]

That sounds horrible.

In some ways I hope it is just someone with mental health issues, but then, for them, every days is scary.

 

[Discoeye]

That must off been really worrying for you ,its worrying to read. A good cctv camera with audio so if he returned and I hope he doesn't his threats can be recorded too.

Also some good security lighting, light up your house like a football stadium if you can as nothing more disorienting than being faced with bright lights face on.

[TonyT]

Do you have outdoor power?

do you have Wi-Fi external to the house?

how finished is the house for adding cabling is this is the route that is required?

 

I have a ring stick up camera at the back door, good coverage, however needs Wi-Fi.

pretty discreet if you want it to be or go the other way to let everyone see them

 

 

 

[Nickfromwales]

Battery powered Ring cams are quick and simple to install, but tbh won’t deter someone like this individual. At the level that escalated to, you just want evidence / clear footage so the police can support robustly. 
Was this a case of mistaken identity? Have you ever met / seen this individual before?

People who are highly emotionally charged are often irrational and their actions become entirely  indiscriminate.

This person left in their car and then came back again? 

[dpmiller]

was it Boris?

[joe90]

So sorry to hear this, can’t imagine how scary it was!I you have to do whatever gives you, and your family, the best peace of mind. 

[Big Jimbo]

You must all be shaken up. I know that you have not long finished your house. You can get an HD8 camera, poe, with a recording box for about £500. If you have a power source in the loft, and you can get to the eaves corners, it would be quite easy to install. No offence, but i'm not sure you are very practical. Ring around a few security companies today and find out what you can get without to much disruption.

I know you cant buy mace in the UK, but can you get hold of some legal pepper spray ? As an alternative get to halfords today, and get a couple of in-car fire extinguishers. The powder ones. Get One by the front door, and One by the back door. Get another One to carry in your car. You can use it if you need to. It's simple, but very effective. If you have ever had a faceful of it you would know what i mean.

If the worse happens, most people make the mistake of attempting to punch. If you know how to, that's great. Otherwise dont bother. If somebody is up close and personal, a through kick aimed at the ankle is a very good way of putting a person to the ground. A thump to the solar plexis will remove the air from there lungs. A good punch, or thump to either side, just above the hip (kidney) always takes a person down.

Having said all of the above my fave would be the fire extinguisher, which should allow you time to remove yourself from the situation.

[TonyT]

Problem with mounting camera at the eaves, is it makes facial recognition difficult, don’t get me wrong it’s good for overall security, but you could also run a conduit behind a rainwater down pipe to approx 2m to get a good head shot.

 

security is like onions- layers.

 

Perimeter fence/doors.

signage.

security lighting.

interior lighting/timers.

house security 

cctv

prickly bushes/planting

all the above can help secure a home.

 

of course as Nick says only applies to rational people, work away at the above.

 

some good solar floodlights with pir from Screwfix for under £50, with separate solar panels so light can be in different location.

 

dog running free signage is a good start

With dog bowl left at front door so anyone coming up to’ deliver’ sees it.

 

plenty of decent security too, you have ring, they do house alarms.

keep safe mate 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[patp]

Sorry to hear about you awful incident.

 

If you google red dye self defence spray you will find a pocket sized can of harmless red dye. It is legal because it is harmless but it scares the attacker into thinking they are bleeding when they try to wipe it out of their eyes. It then gives you enough time to get away.

Some friends were told, by police, that the best deterrent is a dog but second best is a "Beware of the Dog" sign.

[Adsibob]

thanks for all your comments and concerns.  To clarify:

 

@Nickfromwales, I have NEVER seen this miscreant before. And as I told the police, I don’t make a habit of following people in my car (which is what he accused me of at the outset of the incident - I pointed out that I had just got out of the backseat of an Uber, so couldn’t have been following him in an altogether different car - this made no difference, the guy was beyond rationality).

@Big Jimbo, no offence taken; I usually am quite practical, but after having received repeated death threats from a lunatic and not had any sleep as a consequence, I’m not feeling that practical right now. My knee jerk “upgrade” was to get an extra Ring camera, but WiFi is not great outside my house (which essentially has an integrated faraday cage in the brickwork) and Ring’s PoE camera, which would be easy to install, appears to be out of stock.

 

At least in terms of funding and prosecuting this miscreant/loon/bastard,  thanks to my wife’s ingenuity, whilst I was on the phone reporting the matter to the police, she got some very good video footage of the criminal. It is sufficiently clear to identify him visually, shows his clothin, hairstyle and face clearly, and captured all the audio and his car registration number. Unless the car is not his, the police should be able to find him. 
 

During the altercation, I told him that he was trespassing, I had cameras everywhere and that this was all being filmed. This appeared to be counterproductive as it seemed to rile him up. He started saying “where’s the police, I’m not scared.” Then he drove off, then 5 minutes later he came back and said “where’s the police, they’re obviously not coming”. Then he got his phone out and started filming our house, and saying things like “now I’ve got videos too. Ghosh what a (expletive deleted)ing tool this guy was.

 

 Anyone know if it’s lawful for me to buy a taser gun and use it in self defence if he is crazy enough to come back? Failing that, the house is quite secure, but maybe the extinguisher idea is a good one. 

 

Edited June 19, 2023 by Adsibob

[eandg]

The likelihood is that it's a one off - presuming the guy was in an intoxicated or episodic state - so try not to worry too much. If I were you I'd consider upgrading the security as per the advice above but be careful you don't create a fortress as that might just heighten your feelings of vulnerability. Personally, I'd stick some more lighting and leave a hammer in the wee dookit at the driver's side of the car for a few weeks on the off chance the guy comes back. 

 

(And pretty sure a Taser is illegal!)

[ToughButterCup]

9 hours ago, Adsibob said:

...Any other ideas? ....

 

Long shot ...... Geese? 

[Adsibob]

I’ve temporarily set up an extra camera out front. Going to set up a sensor this afternoon so all the front lights come on when triggered. My best mate (who can deadlift 140kg) is coming over tonight for a bit, just in case.

[Big Jimbo]

Not allowed a tazer (legally) although easy enough to make one. The powder fire extinguisher really does work very well. Cheap for a couple of small one's either online, or halfords etc.

[Nickfromwales]

Acting in self-defence is a reaction. Buying a taser and waiting for this chap to come back is pre-meditated, eg you'll be off to jail in a heartbeat. How long you spend there will depend on whether this individual has an underlying health issue (pacemaker etc) and you've inadvertently killed him. Stand down with the Charles Bronson approach!!

 

If all he did was shout and try to intimidate you then it shows he's just got a screw loose and is highly unlikely to take this any further. After the red mist subsides, most episodes become water under the bridge. Take some time to reflect on what went on, and realise this was a case of mistaken identity and not a result of something you did (unless the Uber driver cut this guy up and you were there for him to vent at?).

 

Building gates higher is something to do to protect you against creeper burglaries and trespassers, but they don't shout and scream, they work in near silence. This guy was clearly just a showman, as anyone seriously pissed off and after revenge wouldn't have spoken to you other than to say "have this", upon where you'd have received a swift smack to the chops, or 2.

 

The only issue here is (setting aside emotional upset and you both having to eventually 'get over this') if he comes back to vandalise your property / vehicles. I'd just buy a couple of cheap battery Ring cameras and a outdoor POE WAP, cabled through a window which you can then just close over the cable, and run those for a month or so until this anxiety subsides. Which it will. It's just raw right now as this has clearly shaken both of you up badly.

 

After days, then weeks, then months of nothing happening you'll realise this was just a one-off altercation that shouldn't have happened. The police will 100% pursue this chap through his reg number, so also await their response. They may even suggest restorative measures, where they accompany this guy to your house / you meet at the police station etc for you to discuss it on neutral grounds and to allow both parties to speak. Once you offer assurance that you couldn't have possibly done anything to this chap he will then have to apologies and then you won't have such anxiety any longer. He will then be bound over to keep the peace or charged and put in front of a judge, you'll likely be asked to decide as you'll have to press charges when he is tracked down. Possibly after speaking to him you may decide that him being bound over would suffice.

[Big Jimbo]

Nick above is right, however, a couple of small fire extinguishers in any house are a handy thing to have. Especially when you build what sounds like that enormous BBQ in the garden that i know you are planning. I fully expect that it was just a nut nut. Mental health or drugs. I bet if he was brought to the end of your street today, and told to find the house he was at last night, he couldn't. Try not to worry about the event too much. (easy to say) If you didn't know the fella it is unlikely to be somebody you have actually pi$$ed off.

[Iceverge]

I'm sorry to hear about this. It's a traumatic experience and not one I'd wish on anyone. 

 

However I'm of the view that if he was going to do anything it'd have happened there and then. 

As they say on TV, he had the means, motive (however misplaced) and opportunity but didn't escalate beyond roaring and shouting. A relation who has been in dozens of pub bust ups says that the safest guy is the one who tells you he's going to hit you, he's had enough black eyes to back up the story. 

 

Psychologically the very natural response may be to want to bolster your defences, but this may be counterproductive to your own mental wellbeing whilst not achieving any further real protection.  

 

I would suggest taking some time for the excitement of the episode to level a little before making any decisions. 

 

I do like @ToughButterCup idea of geese however. Far braver than any dog I've ever met! 

[Adsibob]

3 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

Acting in self-defence is a reaction. Buying a taser and waiting for this chap to come back is pre-meditated, eg you'll be off to jail in a heartbeat. How long you spend there will depend on whether this individual has an underlying health issue (pacemaker etc) and you've inadvertently killed him. Stand down with the Charles Bronson approach!!

 

If all he did was shout and try to intimidate you then it shows he's just got a screw loose and is highly unlikely to take this any further. After the red mist subsides, most episodes become water under the bridge. Take some time to reflect on what went on, and realise this was a case of mistaken identity and not a result of something you did (unless the Uber driver cut this guy up and you were there for him to vent at?).

 

Building gates higher is something to do to protect you against creeper burglaries and trespassers, but they don't shout and scream, they work in near silence. This guy was clearly just a showman, as anyone seriously pissed off and after revenge wouldn't have spoken to you other than to say "have this", upon where you'd have received a swift smack to the chops, or 2.

 

The only issue here is (setting aside emotional upset and you both having to eventually 'get over this') if he comes back to vandalise your property / vehicles. I'd just buy a couple of cheap battery Ring cameras and a outdoor POE WAP, cabled through a window which you can then just close over the cable, and run those for a month or so until this anxiety subsides. Which it will. It's just raw right now as this has clearly shaken both of you up badly.

 

After days, then weeks, then months of nothing happening you'll realise this was just a one-off altercation that shouldn't have happened. The police will 100% pursue this chap through his reg number, so also await their response. They may even suggest restorative measures, where they accompany this guy to your house / you meet at the police station etc for you to discuss it on neutral grounds and to allow both parties to speak. Once you offer assurance that you couldn't have possibly done anything to this chap he will then have to apologies and then you won't have such anxiety any longer. He will then be bound over to keep the peace or charged and put in front of a judge, you'll likely be asked to decide as you'll have to press charges when he is tracked down. Possibly after speaking to him you may decide that him being bound over would suffice.

Extremely helpful advice. Thank you. I’ve ordered this:

With the plan being to use the surge protector between the external access point and the internal Ubiquiti Dream Router.

My query is whether the regular white patch cable is okay to use outdoors? It clearly states on the product page that it is only for indoor use. Am I better getting a patch cable rated for external use?

[Adsibob]

Thanks @Iceverge. Good advice.

 

29 minutes ago, Iceverge said:

Psychologically the very natural response may be to want to bolster your defences, but this may be counterproductive to your own mental wellbeing whilst not achieving any further real protection.  

 

I would suggest taking some time for the excitement of the episode to level a little before making any decisions. 

I’ve decided that for the moment, the only thing I’m spending money on is the outdoor WAP, as it will solve another issue we already have, whilst also opening up possibilities for the future should we wish to add more cameras.
 

 

 

 

[SteamyTea]

50 minutes ago, Iceverge said:

Psychologically the very natural response may be to want to bolster your defences, but this may be counterproductive to your own mental wellbeing whilst not achieving any further real protection.  

 

I would suggest taking some time for the excitement of the episode to level a little before making any decisions. 

I agree.  You say it better than I can, so I won't say it.

[Nickfromwales]

In a weeks time this will be a very different situation. 
Just reassure yourself and SWMBO that this chap is not going to come through your door, that’s not going to happen. I strongly doubt you’ll ever see this person ever again, unless the police ask you to identify him.

Update us on what they say when they give you some feedback. 

 

[Adsibob]

1 hour ago, Nickfromwales said:

In a weeks time this will be a very different situation. 
Just reassure yourself and SWMBO that this chap is not going to come through your door, that’s not going to happen. I strongly doubt you’ll ever see this person ever again, unless the police ask you to identify him.

Update us on what they say when they give you some feedback. 

 

Hopefully you are right.  Will do. Any thoughts on whether I need a “special” waterproof patch cable to connect up the external WAP?

[Adsibob]

1 hour ago, Adsibob said:

Any thoughts on whether I need a “special” waterproof patch cable to connect up the external WAP?

The reason I ask is that to find an outdoor rated (waterproof and UV resistant) patch cable that is already terminated, there are not many options. I probably only need 5m, but only thing I've found is 15m plus and costs more than £24. I also need it to be white.

How have others wired their external WAPs? @Iceverge, @Thorfun, @Dreadnaught and @joth any of you run ethernet cable externally?

[Big Jimbo]

I am not any of the above people, but my cameras, poe. The wires have been outdoors for 6 years, just slung over the roof. Still working no probs.