Securing Your Cottage
November 13th, 2007“An owner discovered his two sheds on Bay Road had been broken into. A generator was taken along with a chain saw and generator fuel,” reads the email from the Horne Lake Recreation Management. These emails serve as a constant reminder that at some point our cabin could get broken into.
My fellow blogger, Heather at www.cottageblogger.com, recently discovered a break in a neighbor’s cottage they had been keeping an eye on. The cottage wasn’t damaged. The thief had riffled through the cupboards and stolen a $40 telephone , but it was the emotional impact, the feeling that their safe haven had been violated, that caused them the most distress.
Our cottage association is very good at educating us on security. Below are some tips from Brian Jeffery, on behalf of the security committee, taken from our recent newsletter:
- Make sure that your driveway is chained or gated when not in residence
- Take any valuables home that you won’t be using during the winter
- Engrave your driver’s licence number on any valuables you will be leaving at the cottage
- If you are going to leave your boat on the trailer at the lake for the winter, insure that the trailer is securely locked or better still, remove one of the wheels on the trailer.
- Keep window blinds closed and place dowels or pieces of wood in your sliding window and doors.
- If you have any additional tips - please share them with us in the comment box below.
We also gave our next door neighbors, who often go up in the winter, our cell numbers in case there is a break in. The biggest challenge is getting the property secured after it’s been forced open and making sure other intruders, like bears, or raccoons, don’t decide to make themselves at home. Fortunately, I have a sister who lives within a 45 minute drive of the lake, but not all of us are so fortunate.
On Friday, I will be blogging about a company, “We Check it Out” who performs routine inspections on your vacation property and provides emergency visits on your behalf.
Cheers,
Julie
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November 13th, 2007 at 10:05 pm
Hey Jules,
We have our place wired with motion detection security. It’s the same system we use in the city at the store. As soon as a door or window is opened, and the code isn’t punched into the keypad, the alarm starts to just scream. It’s so loud that the neighbours would come running. The alarm is still sent to the security company who dispatches the police dept and then we are called at home too. The exterior is all stickered up warning that there is a security system in place. It’s not all that expensive, like about $15.00 a month. After we get the call, we turn around and call someone at the lake who goes and does a walk around. The alarm has gone off a couple of times but we have yet to have a break in or lose anything…… yet. We do have the advantage of some families living on the lake full time and know who should be there and who shouldn’t. We always touch base with them before we leave letting them know when we will be back and who may be there while we are gone.
November 14th, 2007 at 1:05 pm
Having the stickers warning about a security system is a pretty good deterrent. I would also recommend boarding up the basement windows when the place is left unoccupied - these windows are pretty easy to remove and give anyone wanting easy access, a gift. The OPP constable who came out to the cottage was saying that many cottages have really basic door locks that can easily be opened. Padlocks are better deterrents.
November 15th, 2007 at 1:37 am
All good suggestions - thank you for sharing them with us. It also illustrates the importance of good neighbors. It’s nice to have someone there who can help you out, especially when you live four or five hours away.
Thanks folks.
Cheers,
Julie
PS Does anybody living off the grid have a security system?