Arrgh! Thiefs!

[upper]

put those things that beeps when you move it, it'll scare the hell outa thiefs. or once you notice one of your plant is gone, get out those toy guns and start shooting randomly wildly(the one that makes super loud noise, but doesnt really shoot). i bet the thief'll be running.

 

[ilbasso]

chicken wire with poison ivy

electrified.

 

[droseraguy]

Just make a few passes in front of a window looking all crazy. Eventually you'll get a reputation, you've already got enough friends right ??

To some others assault rifle is such a negative word. My SU-16 is Ca. legal, extremely portable and woman friendly. It's intended to provoke more of an emotional response from offenders of whatever I see fit. For example, "excuse me", "I didnt' want to stop here anyway", "were those your plants, please take them back", "mister I just p'd myself can I go home". Now it won't reach out and touch anyone past 300 yards but at that range I'd rather not be noticed anyway.

 

[MrFlyTrap2]

Sorry to disagree with you rattler, but they are not the same. The most obvious difference is appearance. Most "assault" rifles have a cooler looking stock. Appearance have no effect on power, performance, or range....

Heeeyyy Ozzy, how about taking the assult rifle discussion to another thread? I was hoping this would stay on topic.

So far the range of ideas for protecting plants mostly worth under $10 each have been:
- Shooting people / use of guns
- Electrocution
- Litigation
- Poisoning
- Attacking, etc

- Cams not a bad idea, but currently cannot justify the cost and installation of an exterior camera for the few plants I have.

So ignoring most of the advice, here is the game plan so far....
I've done a lot of research on security kits and I think this is the most cost effective way to handle this problem if anyone else has this problem in the future.

First of all I made plant benches / shelves out of 2 x 4 lumber and cinder blocks. After assembly the benches cost about $15 each and end up heavy. 50 - 80 lbs.

For the home made security kit, I bought a something called a swaging tool ($18.) It's used to crimp airplane cable. Airplane cable can be found for about $0.13 a foot for 1/16th size. The load for that cable is 96 pounds. The looping hardware is about $1 for a set, and can be found cheaper in bulk online. This is the part you crimp using the swagging tool. The idea is to loop the cable around the large and heavy 2 x 4 benches and with help of a leather punch ($10) loop the other end of the cable through the plastic pots.

Once all put together if someone wants to walk away with a plan, they will really have to either come with tools or destroy the plant in order to get it. And being a landlord, I know that if someone wants something bad enough, they will get it period. Plus the wire will be thin enough to mostly be out of sight, yet visible enough to send the message that it's there. Plus it will probably be about the cost of < $2 a plant!

I'll post some pics after all the tools arrive and I start to put some stuff outside! Wish me luck everyone! lol

 

[herenorthere]

Someone in the forum has a sense of proportion?

 

[Ozzy]

Sorry to get . I don't really have anything else to say about that issue.


Sounds like you have a good idea. I kind of like the electrocution idea myself, I'm a electrician and I can give you some advice if you decide you need to go that route.

 

[xvart]

You should also post a sign about your security as a warning. Maybe that will curb any potential criminals from thinking about it.

xvart.

 

[jm82792]

I'd do a dummy cam that will scare them alittle more.
I used to be a mad scientist I can tell you how to get 100KV that will charge your pots but you'd need insulated shelfs ...
20KV would hold up better on dry wood shelfs though. It would be more of a static shock nothing bad .
I've been shocked so many times from my own soldered creations I'm used to it. I seriously used to do high voltage based stuff for a hobby until I found CPs.

 

[MrFlyTrap2]

In the grand scheme of things, if people can behave themselves, I want this to be a public garden for everyone in the building to enjoy. I have no problems with people picking up, poking, looking and being curious with my plants. The more awareness they have, the more followers they will gather. The problem is when the curiosity goes to, "This is awesome! I'm taking this home with me." Hopefully the cables will keep the interest level where I'd like it.

Just a bit on security cameras. I manage roughly 10 security camera systems, totaling 15 terabyes of historic data, and around 180 cameras. Not to go off topic myself, but it's again an important note of security for those who are looking for solutions to these problems. Fake cameras can spin it around back at you for liability. Lets say you're someone getting followed at 2am from the bar closing by some big guy for the past 2 blocks. You have 5 more poorly lighted ones ahead. Suddenly you see a security camera with a big blinking light. Perfect, it's obvious and someone might be watching it. And if not, at least there's gonna be a picture of this guy. You pretend to be waiting for a ride. But, he doesn't notice the camera and violently robs you anyways. No problem, it's on tape right? You stood under there because you felt you might be safe, or prove who this guy was! Wong, it was a trick, the owner of the fake camera was putting up a facade of security, and you relied on it!

Be careful about fake cameras, if a situation like that unfolded, the fake camera owner could be seriously liable. Hence, would never install a fake camera in the building. 8(

Food for thought!

 

[upper]

put duct tape around the pot to the ground, you'll hear the tape coming off if somebody decide to "pick it up"