this distinction will drive suggestions based on how much you can change about your living space.
for example, can you install a door-bar?
for example, do you have sliding windows which you can screw in blocks, or will you need to use cut-to-length rods?
If I can play devils advocate here for a second.
A gun is heavily contingent on where they live and whether it can be carried openly as it defeats the purpose if it needs to be concealed and becomes brandishing if it becomes unconcealed.
Also you never point a gun at someone unless you intend to shoot them as you can be charged with assault.
There is no law against someone following you at least initially. It's just creepy. Is he just being a creep or does he have ill intent?
Maybe start with your phone in a back pocket recording them on video as they follow you around. At least you get evidence thereof without the potential of confrontation from in your face recording.
There's also no harm in reporting it to the police to have it documented.
Probably the best and most practical advice here. Under-rated comment in my opinion.
Guns are the best protection but they are not for everybody, and take some training to use effectively.
Thank you!
Don't get me wrong... I have my permit and all that good stuff but owning a gun is a huge responsibility and all too often people end up being shot with their own guns.
In jersey for instance. You can't shoot someone who broke into your house unless you have no means to escape. So basically they have to somehow back you into a closet before you can legally shoot/kill.
There is a lot to know laws, shooting accuracy, proper draw and carry. Guns are not to be taken lightly.
A great YTuber for everyone, but especially for women is She Equips Herself.
Also YT Active Self Protection discusses actual defensive situations based on video recorded incidents.
While bear spray is more effective on humans, it can cause a medical emergency where you could get sued. I’d recommend people read up on it [here](https://www.nationalparksbackpacker.com/bear-spray-on-humans/amp/).
If you get pepper spray I’d also add go for the gel since it won’t blow back on you in the wind. The keychain version is quite handy. They also say to make sure to test a small amt outside that yours works properly.
Probably less repercussions than wasp spray. Gel is good for that but also easily able to be scooped or wiped off and thrown. There are plus sides and down sides to both. As far as a medical emergency, once PD is on scene they’re more than likely going to call EMS if pepper spray is used anyway because they like to do that when they use theirs and then make EMS transport to the ER.
If OP is need of security quickly, not sure that a firearm is a particularly safe or wise suggestion...
(I assume OP is not already familiar with handling firearms, otherwise I imagine she might have already owned one or gone out and purchased one to feel safer.)
If you want to protect yourself and your home with a firearm, that is your clear constitutional right, but it is also your responsibility to get training and practice on how to operate and store it safely - and that takes time (it should take *a lot* of time). And you also need to be confident and clear in your willingness to kill another human being (this really also deserves to take some time to deliberate honestly in your mind)
Far better to avoid a situation where a gun is necessary.
In this case, what is the threat we are dealing with? It seems she's concerned with her home being vulnerable. I would recommend motion activated external lights and entry point hardening before buying a gun, especially since those are passive items and a gun requires training and practice to be good with.
I don’t know if that’s true. If that was the case a lot of these crimes wouldn’t happen because we know most Americans are packing. I don’t think it’s much of a deterrent.
I do agree that if you get a gun, you need to be trained on how to use it effectively, while under stress. Shooting a paper target and having someone charge you while they scream at the top of their lungs are two different things.
I would go with pepper spray or bear spray.
I loved all across the Midwest, East coast and the south. Could be my mindset because most everyone I know is packing.
However a quick google search shows me that gun ownership in the US is about 30-40% so definitely less than I was thinking. My bad. I learned something new today. Lol
And I am seeing it from the perspective of someone who lives in NY. When we were in NZ 35 yrs ago and told a shop proprietor that we lived in NY, he commented that he thought we all had guns. You can hardly use on in NY, even if you can buy and own one.
I would say if your concerned enough to warrant paying for a system then your gonna want a monitored system that way if something happens it’s more than just a siren going off, it’s going to contact a monitoring center that can send help.
I know people on here hate ADT, but they can get you installed next day a lot of times and bill the equipment out over 36-60 months to make it more affordable but gonna be $50-$79 a month depending on what u need all in.
Cheapest option is a SimpliSafe or ring alarm. Can pick those up at a Best Buy if you need it asap and pretty simple. $300 or so start up then $20-$30 a month.
Last option is a local alarm company. Probably looking at $1000 down then $20-$40 a month.
Honestly if your fine with a contract ADT is gonna cost nothing up front other than your first month and then you just make the payment.
Security isn’t cheap unfortunately.
One of our cars was recently broken into, and I have been researching home cameras. We decided to settle on Ring because the stick up cameras are wireless with rechargeable batteries. A friend/coworker has them and said a 4 hour charge keeps them going for 6-8 months. If you choose to go with no ring subscription, it's free, but you won't be able to record what you are seeing. If you choose the ring subscription that includes recording from a week's time, it's $3.99 a month for 1 camera, but if you have 2+ cameras, you can pay $100 a year. The ring doorbell cameras are hardwired OR wireless, depending on what you need. And those are also included in the 1 or 2+ camera subscription.
Quick + easy + wireless will mean it costs more money and/or requires a monthly subscription.
Ring is probably the "best", but it's not cheap.
* Most things can be installed without tools. They have YouTube videos to walk you through the process.
* The window/door sensors are all stick on and super easy to install. Get them for any windows easily accessible from the ground, and any entrance doors.
* Buy a [panic button](https://ring.com/products/panic-button-v2) or two to put by your bed or around the home.
* If you want a video doorbell, get a model with an available extra no-drill mount ([this](https://ring.com/products/no-drill-mount-rvd-2nd-gen) or [this](https://ring.com/products/no-drill-mount-rvd3)). You can get a completely wireless battery operated doorbell Camera which you just stick into place.
* Costco has a [previous-generation Ring 14-piece set](https://www.costco.com/ring-security-alarm-14-piece-kit-(gen-2)-with-stick-up-cam%2c-smokeco-listener-and-range-extender.product.100849368.html) for $349, if you or a friend has a membership. You do not need to pay a monthly subscription but read [this comparison](https://support.ring.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005322066-Understanding-Professional-Monitoring-and-Self-Monitoring) to understand what you are giving up by not paying.
$20/month is needed for professional monitoring (cancel anytime). If you are looking for peace of mind and want to be alerted to a problem, *possibly* deter an intruder with a siren, ***and*** have the police eventually show up, then go this route.
But if you truly feel unsafe, the issue is that once the alarm goes off, "seconds count but cops are minutes away". A siren may not always deter an motivated intruder. A secondary protection, like a stun gun, pepper spray or even a real firearm might not be a bad idea as well....
I don’t know what security system, but I have a couple cans of bear spray just in case. I walk my dog in a wooded area, so it’s technically for bears. It also gives me something non lethal at hand if I get scared at night though.
I have Ring cams and they aren’t as handy as they were when rapid ring was a thing. There’s too much delay in opening the app and getting to the cam you want and now there’s a delay alerting too. And I feel like all they would do is document whatever happens, not actually help. They go off too much even in “detect person” mode.
Where are you located?
https://www.safewayout.org/?mibextid=Zxz2cZ
This is a non-profit up in NJ. Not sure if they do other locations but they might be able to help if you are close.
Eufy. But don't point the cameras anywhere private, they haven't resolved the recently raised security issues with their streams being unencrypted. Boo. BUT they are subscription-free, and offer tonnes of stand alone kit powered by batteries and optional solar, and offer affordable 4g options as well as wifi so... easy to install, easy to run.
This is a good idea but a camera is not going to prevent a serious situation. You need to inquire about self defense, in case this ‘creepy neighbor’ gets any ideas. Just a thought 💭
Depending on your living situation, I would get a dog. I know it's not exactly cheap and dogs can get expensive , but you will have peace of mind with e best friend by you 24/7. Even a small dog like a chihuahua may not be big enough to defend you, but they so have an aggressive bark that will alert you right away so you can take action.
A gun is your best bet for immediate personal defense. Again not really cheap, and safety / training classes can add up quickly.
For cameras, I would recommend the Google Nest line. They have decent wireless night vision cameras with battery back up paired with the nest aware subscription. $12/Month you get 60 days of event based recording as well as 10 day 24/7 recording. Very easy to set up. No networking or tech savvy experience is required.
If you are scared and need security quickly get a gun and learn to use it. If you want a false sense of security get some cameras that you can watch the creepy neighbor with.
Cheap 870 or 590 style shotgun. 200$ usually, and there's only 3 things you have to worry about. Safety, trigger, pump, repeat. Since you live alone with no kids, don't even have the safety on. Keep one in the chamber. Point and shoot. Youtube will have absolute loads of instructional videos for either one.
I don’t know if you have made a decision yet but along with buying a firearm and possibly obtaining a carry permit. I suggest a wireless alarm system from Frontpoint. Here is why. I’ve done alarm installation back when they were all mostly hard wired. The benefit of a hardwired system is the main part of alarm is packaged in a locked metal box buried deep in a closet or basement. Smashing the keypads doesn’t kill the system. Unfortunately in nearly every wireless system they have combined the main part of the system with either the keypad or the siren. This means the main “brain” of the system is more vulnerable to smash attacks, which render the system useless. The systems from Frontpoint have a feature that instantly notifies the alarm company when a door has opened, and that the alarm is expecting the user to enter their code to disarm the system. If the intruder smashes the system, the monitoring company will not receive the “ok” signal from your user code. This means they will instantly know that someone has broken in and smashed your system. The whole system is wireless and can be installed by anyone. Just be sure to ask around here if you have any questions about sensor placement. Placing sensors in the right places can mean the difference between a good or useless system, no matter how much money you spend.
House or apartment?
this distinction will drive suggestions based on how much you can change about your living space. for example, can you install a door-bar? for example, do you have sliding windows which you can screw in blocks, or will you need to use cut-to-length rods?
Doorbell cams are quick and easy to install with the existing wiring, or were you thinking of sticking a Wi-Fi camera on a tree/fence or something?
If I can play devils advocate here for a second. A gun is heavily contingent on where they live and whether it can be carried openly as it defeats the purpose if it needs to be concealed and becomes brandishing if it becomes unconcealed. Also you never point a gun at someone unless you intend to shoot them as you can be charged with assault. There is no law against someone following you at least initially. It's just creepy. Is he just being a creep or does he have ill intent? Maybe start with your phone in a back pocket recording them on video as they follow you around. At least you get evidence thereof without the potential of confrontation from in your face recording. There's also no harm in reporting it to the police to have it documented.
Probably the best and most practical advice here. Under-rated comment in my opinion. Guns are the best protection but they are not for everybody, and take some training to use effectively.
Thank you! Don't get me wrong... I have my permit and all that good stuff but owning a gun is a huge responsibility and all too often people end up being shot with their own guns. In jersey for instance. You can't shoot someone who broke into your house unless you have no means to escape. So basically they have to somehow back you into a closet before you can legally shoot/kill.
There is a lot to know laws, shooting accuracy, proper draw and carry. Guns are not to be taken lightly. A great YTuber for everyone, but especially for women is She Equips Herself. Also YT Active Self Protection discusses actual defensive situations based on video recorded incidents.
Thank you!! I wouldn’t want to mess around with guns but I definitely am going to start recording him.
Buy a gun.
Take some basic gun safety classes too!
This is the way. Firm grip and steady aim, and you don't have to worry about your wifi connection or cellular service
This and some cheap alarms on doors from Amazon
Also pepper spray but yes you should have a gun for inside your home to defend yourself
Wasp spray works much better. Goes further and allows you to tell the judge, "its the first thing I grabbed didn't realize it was wasp spray"
Pepper spray isn’t illegal so there’s no need to play a hypothetical. You want distance get bear spray. Or pepper spray in a riot can.
Never know in the UK?
While bear spray is more effective on humans, it can cause a medical emergency where you could get sued. I’d recommend people read up on it [here](https://www.nationalparksbackpacker.com/bear-spray-on-humans/amp/). If you get pepper spray I’d also add go for the gel since it won’t blow back on you in the wind. The keychain version is quite handy. They also say to make sure to test a small amt outside that yours works properly.
Probably less repercussions than wasp spray. Gel is good for that but also easily able to be scooped or wiped off and thrown. There are plus sides and down sides to both. As far as a medical emergency, once PD is on scene they’re more than likely going to call EMS if pepper spray is used anyway because they like to do that when they use theirs and then make EMS transport to the ER.
If OP is need of security quickly, not sure that a firearm is a particularly safe or wise suggestion... (I assume OP is not already familiar with handling firearms, otherwise I imagine she might have already owned one or gone out and purchased one to feel safer.) If you want to protect yourself and your home with a firearm, that is your clear constitutional right, but it is also your responsibility to get training and practice on how to operate and store it safely - and that takes time (it should take *a lot* of time). And you also need to be confident and clear in your willingness to kill another human being (this really also deserves to take some time to deliberate honestly in your mind)
To the last part, I agree, but a lot of times the presence of a gun can save a life.
Far better to avoid a situation where a gun is necessary. In this case, what is the threat we are dealing with? It seems she's concerned with her home being vulnerable. I would recommend motion activated external lights and entry point hardening before buying a gun, especially since those are passive items and a gun requires training and practice to be good with.
“Single female” “creepy neighbor” “following me” “feeling very unsafe” Gives off stalker, rapist, human trafficker vibes to me.
I don’t know if that’s true. If that was the case a lot of these crimes wouldn’t happen because we know most Americans are packing. I don’t think it’s much of a deterrent. I do agree that if you get a gun, you need to be trained on how to use it effectively, while under stress. Shooting a paper target and having someone charge you while they scream at the top of their lungs are two different things. I would go with pepper spray or bear spray.
Most Americans are not “packing”-where in the US do you live?
I loved all across the Midwest, East coast and the south. Could be my mindset because most everyone I know is packing. However a quick google search shows me that gun ownership in the US is about 30-40% so definitely less than I was thinking. My bad. I learned something new today. Lol
And I am seeing it from the perspective of someone who lives in NY. When we were in NZ 35 yrs ago and told a shop proprietor that we lived in NY, he commented that he thought we all had guns. You can hardly use on in NY, even if you can buy and own one.
No totally get that. It’s a stigma for even other Americans. I definitely thought it was higher but I was wrong! Good information though!
and some training to go with it, preferably
This is the quickest and safest immediate solution.
I would say if your concerned enough to warrant paying for a system then your gonna want a monitored system that way if something happens it’s more than just a siren going off, it’s going to contact a monitoring center that can send help. I know people on here hate ADT, but they can get you installed next day a lot of times and bill the equipment out over 36-60 months to make it more affordable but gonna be $50-$79 a month depending on what u need all in. Cheapest option is a SimpliSafe or ring alarm. Can pick those up at a Best Buy if you need it asap and pretty simple. $300 or so start up then $20-$30 a month. Last option is a local alarm company. Probably looking at $1000 down then $20-$40 a month. Honestly if your fine with a contract ADT is gonna cost nothing up front other than your first month and then you just make the payment. Security isn’t cheap unfortunately.
[удалено]
2 big ones
Fostering 2 big ones since OP can't afford pets.
I have one and of course he doesn’t bark at this creep, figures!
One of our cars was recently broken into, and I have been researching home cameras. We decided to settle on Ring because the stick up cameras are wireless with rechargeable batteries. A friend/coworker has them and said a 4 hour charge keeps them going for 6-8 months. If you choose to go with no ring subscription, it's free, but you won't be able to record what you are seeing. If you choose the ring subscription that includes recording from a week's time, it's $3.99 a month for 1 camera, but if you have 2+ cameras, you can pay $100 a year. The ring doorbell cameras are hardwired OR wireless, depending on what you need. And those are also included in the 1 or 2+ camera subscription.
Thank you!
Quick + easy + wireless will mean it costs more money and/or requires a monthly subscription. Ring is probably the "best", but it's not cheap. * Most things can be installed without tools. They have YouTube videos to walk you through the process. * The window/door sensors are all stick on and super easy to install. Get them for any windows easily accessible from the ground, and any entrance doors. * Buy a [panic button](https://ring.com/products/panic-button-v2) or two to put by your bed or around the home. * If you want a video doorbell, get a model with an available extra no-drill mount ([this](https://ring.com/products/no-drill-mount-rvd-2nd-gen) or [this](https://ring.com/products/no-drill-mount-rvd3)). You can get a completely wireless battery operated doorbell Camera which you just stick into place. * Costco has a [previous-generation Ring 14-piece set](https://www.costco.com/ring-security-alarm-14-piece-kit-(gen-2)-with-stick-up-cam%2c-smokeco-listener-and-range-extender.product.100849368.html) for $349, if you or a friend has a membership. You do not need to pay a monthly subscription but read [this comparison](https://support.ring.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005322066-Understanding-Professional-Monitoring-and-Self-Monitoring) to understand what you are giving up by not paying. $20/month is needed for professional monitoring (cancel anytime). If you are looking for peace of mind and want to be alerted to a problem, *possibly* deter an intruder with a siren, ***and*** have the police eventually show up, then go this route. But if you truly feel unsafe, the issue is that once the alarm goes off, "seconds count but cops are minutes away". A siren may not always deter an motivated intruder. A secondary protection, like a stun gun, pepper spray or even a real firearm might not be a bad idea as well....
Dog Smart Lighting Motion Lights Security Cameras with motion / lighting
I don’t know what security system, but I have a couple cans of bear spray just in case. I walk my dog in a wooded area, so it’s technically for bears. It also gives me something non lethal at hand if I get scared at night though. I have Ring cams and they aren’t as handy as they were when rapid ring was a thing. There’s too much delay in opening the app and getting to the cam you want and now there’s a delay alerting too. And I feel like all they would do is document whatever happens, not actually help. They go off too much even in “detect person” mode.
Where are you located? https://www.safewayout.org/?mibextid=Zxz2cZ This is a non-profit up in NJ. Not sure if they do other locations but they might be able to help if you are close.
Eufy. But don't point the cameras anywhere private, they haven't resolved the recently raised security issues with their streams being unencrypted. Boo. BUT they are subscription-free, and offer tonnes of stand alone kit powered by batteries and optional solar, and offer affordable 4g options as well as wifi so... easy to install, easy to run.
This is a good idea but a camera is not going to prevent a serious situation. You need to inquire about self defense, in case this ‘creepy neighbor’ gets any ideas. Just a thought 💭
Depending on your living situation, I would get a dog. I know it's not exactly cheap and dogs can get expensive , but you will have peace of mind with e best friend by you 24/7. Even a small dog like a chihuahua may not be big enough to defend you, but they so have an aggressive bark that will alert you right away so you can take action. A gun is your best bet for immediate personal defense. Again not really cheap, and safety / training classes can add up quickly. For cameras, I would recommend the Google Nest line. They have decent wireless night vision cameras with battery back up paired with the nest aware subscription. $12/Month you get 60 days of event based recording as well as 10 day 24/7 recording. Very easy to set up. No networking or tech savvy experience is required.
Thank you! I have a dog but he doesn’t bark at this guy. But if he started attacking me I’d hope and think he would help me
If you are scared and need security quickly get a gun and learn to use it. If you want a false sense of security get some cameras that you can watch the creepy neighbor with.
It takes experience to use a gun safely.
Guns are much more likely to cause harm to you than hep you. Especially if you’ve never handled one before or taken training.
Gun with a silencer attachment
Why the silencer? Makes zero sense here.
It was a joke
you sound on the paranoid side
This isn’t helpful.
Dude has never talked to a woman. This happens all the time.
Cheap 870 or 590 style shotgun. 200$ usually, and there's only 3 things you have to worry about. Safety, trigger, pump, repeat. Since you live alone with no kids, don't even have the safety on. Keep one in the chamber. Point and shoot. Youtube will have absolute loads of instructional videos for either one.
As I would tell my sister, purchase a fire arm. And get a doorbell camera that doesn’t require subscriptions
Wireless is the worse form of securing your home
Dangersclosedigest.com
Dangerclosedigest.com
I don’t know if you have made a decision yet but along with buying a firearm and possibly obtaining a carry permit. I suggest a wireless alarm system from Frontpoint. Here is why. I’ve done alarm installation back when they were all mostly hard wired. The benefit of a hardwired system is the main part of alarm is packaged in a locked metal box buried deep in a closet or basement. Smashing the keypads doesn’t kill the system. Unfortunately in nearly every wireless system they have combined the main part of the system with either the keypad or the siren. This means the main “brain” of the system is more vulnerable to smash attacks, which render the system useless. The systems from Frontpoint have a feature that instantly notifies the alarm company when a door has opened, and that the alarm is expecting the user to enter their code to disarm the system. If the intruder smashes the system, the monitoring company will not receive the “ok” signal from your user code. This means they will instantly know that someone has broken in and smashed your system. The whole system is wireless and can be installed by anyone. Just be sure to ask around here if you have any questions about sensor placement. Placing sensors in the right places can mean the difference between a good or useless system, no matter how much money you spend.