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Old July 16, 2012, 05:29 PM   #1
rifleman8
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security signs

Not sure if this is the right place to post this, but I figured scaring criminals away from your home is a tactic. Anyway, I stumbled across these signs the other day at readytodefend.com . While I do think that a sign/warning like this has its merits and may deter criminals (or at least some), I just don't think it's the best idea. Maybe, after seeing the sign and knowing you own firearms, a criminal would survey your house and break in when you aren't home, with the intent to steal weapons. However, the main reason I wouldn't buy one of these signs is that, in the case that you do need to shoot someone, they may bring legal ramifications. Wouldn't such a sign make the houseowner look "aggressive?" (as in ready/wanting to shoot). Just wondering what others thought about these.
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Old July 16, 2012, 05:37 PM   #2
plinkz
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Security signs

I've thought about taking a silhouette target that has been used at the range and hanging it on the door that goes from my garage into my house.
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Old July 16, 2012, 06:11 PM   #3
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I have always believed that advertising any kind of "gun stuff" will attract the interest of a number of criminals. And the dangerous ones won't be deterred by any warning sign. Besides it's so much more fun when you can "surprise" them. In all seriousness I hope I am NOT home when the bad mens come. I used to travel around a gun show circuit with a bunch of dealers. None of them had any bumper stickers on their trucks or trailers. Even still, one night two of them were sitting in the motel restuarant talking about "business" while a couple of guys were overhearing everything they said. About 2 am they hit these dealer's rooms and got all of their merchandise and cash. Unloaded their trucks in the parking lot. Made me think about it. I always liked Roosevelt's line...."walk softly and carry a big stick." The best thing you can do for home security is remove/modify shrubs and trees around the house so you can see all of the yard and have lights on. A dog is the best motion sensor around.

Last edited by drail; July 16, 2012 at 06:21 PM.
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Old July 16, 2012, 07:01 PM   #4
Frank Ettin
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I think the only type of security sign that can actually be helpful is an alarm company sign. Announcing you have guns just encourages bad guys to be extra sure that no one's home when he comes to take your guns away from you.
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Old July 17, 2012, 01:46 AM   #5
Chowder
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Quote:
I think the only type of security sign that can actually be helpful is an alarm company sign. Announcing you have guns just encourages bad guys to be extra sure that no one's home when he comes to take your guns away from you.
I have to agree with this. In more aspects of life than just my home. I believe far too many people advertise who they are and what they do with stickers on the back of the're cars.

Unfortunatly this is extremely common in the military dispite being briefed and trained on keeping a low profile and not becoming a target. When my brother in law was deployed my sister had one of those magnet stickers that read "my husband is in afganistan" or something along those lines with US army wife writen under it. To me this just paints a target on her that her combat trained husband is no longer in the house to protect her.

Back on topic to home protection signs. I used to have those "protected by S&W" stickers on a couple of my windows but have since removed them. The same goes for luxury items, After 2 break in attempts my uncle removed his Porsche parking only signs from his garage.
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Old July 17, 2012, 04:25 AM   #6
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It seems like a bad idea to advertise that you have guns. It doesn't take a brain surgeon to wait until you leave for work before breaking in.

Some kind of security company window sticker would be fine.
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Old July 17, 2012, 06:40 AM   #7
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Alarm company signs on mailbox, system is actually installed and monitored. All firearms and valuables are in a rather large heavy safe, bolted to the floor and walls. My back-up system is a 110 lb. Akita. I don't think I can do any more than that.
I would never put up any sign advertising the fact that there are firearms in the residence. I think that is asking for trouble.
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Old July 17, 2012, 10:51 AM   #8
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I have an alarm sign on one door & a "I love my doberman" on the other one
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Old July 17, 2012, 01:28 PM   #9
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rest assured that any sign or sticker you have on your home, window or bumper will be photographed and enlarged to 4foot x 6 foot when it appear in trial.
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Old July 17, 2012, 01:31 PM   #10
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we look 'poor' from the street.

to me, one of those ADT type signs just tells everyone passing by that you have stuff worth stealing.

guns are fairly common in these parts. you a bad guy? hope you are good at figuring odds.
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Old July 17, 2012, 01:40 PM   #11
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I have the alarm company stickers on my windows and doors with no mention of fire arms. I also have a Doberman that is protection trained and will attack anyone entering my house when I am not home. A friend of mine doubted he would attack him because he knows him. LOL foolish man he is. He got bitten

I had beware of dog signs on my doors and my insurance man told me to take them down as it was an admission that I had an aggressive dog. If the dog did bite someone and they sued me they would use the signs against me in court.
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Old July 19, 2012, 07:25 AM   #12
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Beware of the never ending argument

One lawyer says: Take down the Beware of Dog sign because it can be used against you because you're admitting that you have an aggressive dog.

The other lawyer says: If you take down the Beware of Dog sign, it will be used against you because you didn't warn the public that you have an aggressive dog.

If you have a toy poodle with a bladder problem be sure that you have the appropriate biohazard sign on your window. Frankly, Shakespeare was right.
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Old July 19, 2012, 10:28 AM   #13
Frank Ettin
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Originally Posted by dannyb
One lawyer says: Take down the Beware of Dog sign because it can be used against you because you're admitting that you have an aggressive dog....
I'd opt for keeping the "Beware of Dog" sign up. Any dog can react unpredictably with strangers in his territory, especially if startled. And it serves to protect the dog as well as anyone else.
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Old July 19, 2012, 10:38 AM   #14
Glenn E. Meyer
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Anything you do can be used to construct a theme against you in court.

Gun signs might indicate a predisposition to want to shoot folks. You might argue - no - it was to deter crime.

The jury decides which tale is convincing.

As far as the alarm sign indicating you have stuff - perhaps. But a gun sign indicates you have small, desired and easy to sell stuff. Also, in a neighborhood of equally appealing homes - say affluent or just nice - your lack of a sign is a target indicator.

The dog - well, the dog own its own can run out and do evil. I doubt your 1911 can do that.
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Old July 19, 2012, 10:44 AM   #15
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I would not and do not proclaim that we have firearms. I agree with the posters above that it says you have something worth stealing.

We do have a monitored alarm system. I do not have their signs up. I would rather use a generic warning sign. I figure it provides the same level of discouragement without giving the experienced burglar the knowledge of which system he is attempting to get through.

I like the beware of dog sign because neither of our dogs is a danger to anyone. They do make a lot of noise however. That should be enough.
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Old July 19, 2012, 11:12 AM   #16
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Agree strongly

with the Beware of Dog sign approach.
I'm off to buy one now.
Meter reader came into our back yard unannounced, through a closed but unlocked gate, my dog bit him! Surprised me. He apologized and admitted he was in the wrong. Fortunately not a serious bite we just had to show proof of rabies vaccine. Not to hijack the thread but I will get that sign now both as a deterrent and fair warning.
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Old July 24, 2012, 11:06 PM   #17
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looks like a good way to get a manslaughter charge.
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Old July 25, 2012, 06:10 AM   #18
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I have thought of putting up a sign saying, "Smile, you are on candid camera," even if that is untrue.

My dog will announce her own presence.
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Old July 25, 2012, 10:05 AM   #19
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One reason I dropped my FFL was the demand for me to advertise more and put up a business sign.
My insurance carrier requested I remove the beware of dog sign indicating it showed I had an idea the dog might bite.
The remote video cams are nice but unless you put the recorder in the attic and nail the access shut, a smart thief will steal the recorder also. Around here, they're an indicator that you have something worth protecting.
An alarm won't help much when the cops are 40 minutes away.
My place looks like an indigent lives here(close) and I'm not doing much to change that.
Since I'm retired, it's really difficult to tell if the place is occupied or not and a mistake might be fatal since I carry a firearm constantly. The guy from the water district walked through the yard to the house a couple of weeks ago and was surprised when I just appeared around the corner of the house. I suggested next time he came to drive in and honk.
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Old July 25, 2012, 11:16 AM   #20
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Gun signs might indicate a predisposition to want to shoot folks.
There's that, of course.

One of those "Protected by Smith & Wesson" or "Forget the dog, Beware of Owner" say simply one thing -

"Do your homework and case my house for awhile. If you wait until I'm not home, you'll have all sorts of good stuff that's worth a lot of cash on the street. It will be worth your time, I promise"

Then again, there's always one that was suggested on another forum:
"CLAYMORE'S ATTACHED TO ALL DOORS AND WINDOWS....OPEN AT YOUR OWN RISK....OWNER DOES NOT HAVE LIABILITY INSURANCE...."
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Old August 10, 2012, 08:51 PM   #21
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security signs

No signs of any kind here. The dogs make their own presence known. I follow the same premise as with my CCW: be armed, be ready, be discreet. As far as the "beware of dog" signs, different areas may be different, but here, if that goes to a court proceeding, that is an admission that your dog will bite. Most people prefer the signs more along the lines of "keep gate closed, dogs may be loose in yard".

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Old August 11, 2012, 01:21 AM   #22
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Alarm company security signs are a good idea. An even better idea is to swap signs with one of your neighbors who has a different alarm company from yours. Why make it easy for someone who thinks they know about one particular company's products?
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Old August 11, 2012, 02:04 AM   #23
sigcurious
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Around where I live, alarm signs are the norm. Although one thing I discovered when I used to sell alarms around here, half the people with alarm signs don't actually have alarm service. Either they just left the sign in the yard from the previous owners, or stopped their service for one reason or another.

Personally, I avoid signs and stickers in general, but do feel that advertising you have guns is not the best idea. Plus, I have no guns...they were all lost in a boating accident
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Old August 11, 2012, 09:52 AM   #24
Archer 9505
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No gun or dog signs

I have a sign from my security company. It may not be a magic shield but if I was a criminal looking for a target and saw a house with dogs, good lighting, and hedges trimmed around the windows and a Security Alarm sign, I would probably move on. I am not trying to defend against a master thief looking to break into the Gardner Museum; I am trying to deter your average low life tweeker looking for an easy score. I try to make my home appear something other than "Easy".
As for:
Quote:
one of those ADT type signs just tells everyone passing by that you have stuff worth stealing.
We all have something worth stealing. What well kept middle class home doesn’t have TV's, Cameras, Computers, Possibly guns, etc. inside?
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Old August 11, 2012, 07:26 PM   #25
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I just right on a piece of paper.. "do not break in... i have a gun" and tape it to my door. I have never had someone break in or attempt yet... Best security evar!
That's absolutely brilliant! Why didn't I think of doing that?
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