Garage Door Security?

[bpreynolds]

So this morning before daylight my wife and I get up to find our windowless garage door opened about 3 ft off the ground.  I considered it maybe a mistake tap on my part since I often accidentally trip the door when the remote is in my riding jacket pocket; yet, to actually make the door stop halfway you must click the remote twice successively and almost purposely which would be very difficult to do accidentally per se.  So, I assume somene pried it open last night?  Nothing appears stolen and many, many things still inside a criminal could have easily taken but didn't    Also, if someone was casing the garage for later, why would they bother to close our chain link fence gate back when departing while leaving the garage door halfway open.  Kinda odd but figuring out the mind of a potential thief is probably tracking down hairs. 

I guess I need to invest in some kind of garage door lock???  Any suggestions welcome. 

[tris]

You didn't click it twice when you shut it by accident did you?

[bpreynolds]

You didn't click it twice when you shut it by accident did you?

On ours, it can only be "stopped" on the way up.  If you click it again while it's on the way down it will just reopen the door entirely. 

[tris]

Aha - You must have fell lucky with an honest crook

The bloke that broke in and nicked my VFR not only took the bike but the claw hammer my old man gave me (to nail the roof onto to his new garage) 20 years before.

That really pissed me off 

[bpreynolds]

Aha - You must have fell lucky with an honest crook

That or maybe they made off with some smaller things we haven't yet noticed. 

[Mike Tashjian]

If someone is wandering around trying to open cars or garage doors this may be a sign yours is susceptible. Plugging the door opener into a timer will cut it's power but may be inconvenient if you want to operate it at different times.  I know that a well placed screwdriver thru the side rail will prevent the opener from operating.  Maybe using it at night or when you are not there.   Mike

[Orange Guzzi]

Brian, don't mess around, find away to secure your stuff.  I would add floor anchors and cable locks.  The guys around town are always complaining about break in's.  Tell your neighbors, unless they are part of the problem.  Then tell them about your gun collection.  An extra step at securing your stuff is worth the time.  Keep the door closed so the neighbors cannot see in.  Sad We live in such times. 

[Triple Jim]

Then tell them about your gun collection.

I'm afraid that will provide more reason to break in.

[Cam3512]

Put a rod through a hole in the rail at night.

[rbm]

The garage door opener itself should be enough to "lock" the door (that it to prevent its opening from the outside).  I'd suggest installing an indicator to tell you when the door is ajar, such as this:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Chamberlain-Garage-Door-Monitor-CLDM1/100431671

I have one of these on my garage door and I located the monitor near the alarm panel in the house.  It's simple and effective.

Or an automatic garage door closer when you forget, such as this:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/SkyLink-Automatic-Garage-Door-Closer-when-you-forget-GT-100A/203076045

[TBShorty]

I had my garage broken into when we lived in Phoenix, had bicycle stolen from yard and finally my sons RX7 from in front of the house.  Fate brought us the sweetest female pit bull from animal rescue one day and no more problems from that day forward.  If someone entered uninvited she would have licked them to death but the bad guys don't know that.

[ken farr]

I use a C-clamp on the rails.

Gotta remember that they are there though.....


kjf

[oldbike54]

 Bipper , if there are no pry marks you accidentally did this yourself . Dealing with a "mystery" my self, sister's car battery has gone flat , I mean dead . When hooking up a pulse charger the dome light started flashing when the charger pulses , she swears up and down that the dome light wasn't turned on , my eyes tell me different . Will bet that your situation is similar , stop worrying .

 Dusty

[bpreynolds]

Bipper , if there are no pry marks you accidentally did this yourself . Dealing with a "mystery" my self, sister's car battery has gone flat , I mean dead . When hooking up a pulse charger the dome light started flashing when the charger pulses , she swears up and down that the dome light wasn't turned on , my eyes tell me different . Will bet that your situation is similar , stop worrying .

 Dusty

Dusty, nice try.  I'm checking with the neighbors, we might have you on camera getting in and out of there.  I knew you had a secret soft spot for KTMs, but really, if you'd wanted a ride on the 950, all you had to do was ask. 

 

[oldbike54]

Dusty, nice try.  I'm checking with the neighbors, we might have you on camera getting in and out of there.  I knew you had a secret soft spot for KTMs, but really, if you'd wanted a ride on the 950, all you had to do was ask. 

 

 Let's see , how far is it from Muskogee to Louisville ? Always wanted to ride a street KTM and find out what all the fuss is about 

 Seriously , if there are no signs of forced entry ...

  Dusty

[StuCorpe]

On one of my older garage door openers an airplane would trigger it to open or close, I am under the landing pattern for the local airport. Changing to a newer opener stopped that. Used to be very annoying to find the door part way or all the way open!

[Triple Jim]

Always wanted to ride a street KTM and find out what all the fuss is about...

Just go buy a 390 for $5k and you'll know.  I got to ride one at Deals Gap, and it's on my list.

[cwiseman]

Last year at Deals Gap I was trying to out pace a 390 while on my Eldo while on 28, I don't one hell of a job for quite some time unti my ego was checked and has a ass puckering moment. I slowed down, let him around and when I made it back to camp the fella had already told Heather he was damned impressed with my antique's abilities.
Those KTM's are a fine looking machine!

[pressureangle]

One trick on garage doors is to use a coathanger to go over the top of the door and trip the release on the opener by hooking the string, if you have one. Mine trips to the rear so this can't happen, and I adjusted my opener arm so it over-centers when closed, so even if the car gets disconnected somehow you can't lift the door without pushing it back physically on the track.

My advice, which I haven't followed myself yet, is to install side latches and lock them.

We used to put bolts in the track holes to keep the track wheels pinned down, too.

[ITSec]

As has been noted, some units, particularly older ones (10 years or more) are susceptible to false triggers from other radio sources. Starting back then, newer designs use one or another form of 'registration' and 'code cycling' to link the remote to the base unit and avoid false triggers. The only cure for the older units is replacement; there is no add-on fix available for their radio systems.

I have surprised myself with how easily my remote can be triggered when in my jacket pocket, and usually do a double check as I ride away and as I head to bed for the night.

One other thing for garage security that can affect ANY garage door opener system. If you have a cord to pull to release the door from the track system (provided so you can open the door when power is out), it will often have a plastic handle tied to the end of the cord. Some thieves will drill a hole in the garage door and stick in a long rod with a hook, grab that cord and pull till it releases. If you remove the handle leaving just the cord, it may make the rare time you use it less convenient, but it eliminates this form of attack.

[solarmoose]

I added wall switches to the ceiling power outlets for the electric openers so its easy to just power them off when I want.
We deadbolt the garage doors when we're gone, especially after I discovered we could open one of the doors by hand
even though it has an electric door opener. Try yours. I need to fix that one of these days. The others I can't.
I tell friends we have multiple video security cams which text us immediately if something moves in the yard,
which we do and it does.

[nc43bsa]

When I installed roll-up doors and openers at Mom's house, I left the lock bolts on the doors, contrary to the opener instructions.

When she leaves the house for more than a day, the bolts are set and padlocks are put through the ends.

It's a little inconvenient to come back when it's raining, but at least a thief will have his work cut out for him if he tries to get in.

[Tom]

I have a bunch of junk in front of the garage as offerings. 

[DCWCALI]

Do me a favor, tie up your emergency cord (or remove it).  They may be casing your place and here is how they do it.   As seen here they'll use a rod to grab your emergency handle and disengage your door from the garage door opener.  Once disengaged the door will move freely up/down until reengaged.  Once open the thieves will enter your garage; close the door and secure it behind them.  Then wait for the police to arrive (IF it's its alarmed).  When the Police arrive they will do a walk around finding nothing make a simple report out and leave.  When the police leave the thieves have all the time they need to empty your garage. 

[Lcarlson]

Thieves are opportunists who, if they're successful in breaching your space, want to get in and out as soon as possible. If it had been thieves, you'd have found the stuff in your garage thoroughly tossed in their attempt to quickly identify items of value. It may be that you should update your garage door controllers, but I don't think anybody messed with your garage.

[Tom]

Unfortunately if it's meth-heads or kids they're looking for small stuff and easily translatable into cash.  Any large items would be too much of a hassle time wise to get rid of.

[Lcarlson]

Unfortunately if it's meth-heads or kids they're looking for small stuff and easily translatable into cash.  Any large items would be too much of a hassle time wise to get rid of.

What I said. Whatever kind of thieves they are, they want whatever stuff they're looking for fast. And the process of looking for it is not neat.

[Orange Guzzi]

I took pictures of the contents in my garage for a record.  Each drawer of the tool boxes, peg boards, bikes, toys, riding gear, yard tools, lawn equipment, everything. As you said, it is hard to remember everything until you reach for it and it is gone.  Good for insurance claim.  Plus we live in tornado country. 

[Tom]

What I said. Whatever kind of thieves they are, they want whatever stuff they're looking for fast. And the process of looking for it is not neat.

Y'ep... :1:

[maquette]

What Cam said. Plus, when we are gone any extended length of time I put a bolt through the track with a nut on it. Simple and effective.