Having had 3 bikes nicked this week I’m looking at making the shed more secure. I’m having security lights and UPVC door added (it’s really a detached double garage than a shed) but wondered if there was any STW advice for alarm systems.

Someone did suggest I could get a wireless unit that goes on the house circuit and is armed from the house rather than the shed. I like that idea.

I’ve got a wireless Yale alarm on my detatched garage – it’s separate from the house alarm though. I’m sure it’s the only reason I still have my bikes after the last attempted break in set it off & the scrotes legged it.

Basic kit was around £100 but I’d rather spend that than lose my bikes/pay insurance excess/increase insurance costs etc.

Tell me more please. The main reason I was advised to have it on the house alarm was so that it went off straight away as soon as the contact were broken, rather than having a delay. Do you basically arm it remotely? If so that sounds like just what I’m after…

…especially if there’s a App for that 😆

It is armed with a remote/key fob type thing – hang on…..

Is it an old car alarm?? 😯

stilltortoise, is you house alarmed?

most panels come with 8 zones now, just add a door contact to your shed and add it as a zone to your existing system.

I’ve got a wireless alarm extension on my bike shed. Was about £70 from the guy who does our alarm. Sensor sets off house alarm immediately as the door is opened. To disarm, I have to switch the main house alarm off, which is fine for me as I have to pass the front door on my way in anyway.

A wireless shed alarm has already saved my bikes twice, the sensor is in the shed and the alarm in my bedroom.

Highly recommended.

They do go through a lot of batteries though!

THIS is what I use but it seems to be discontinued now – I guess there’s a replacement model for it now unless you can find some old (new) stock anywhere.

Found one

Get one which has a SIM card and SMSes you when it goes off. You can get ones which send you photos / video via MMS, but they cost a bit more..

I do have a house alarm, but would prefer the shed to be on a separate alarm if possible.

Cheers folks

UPVC doors ain’t overly secure apparently. My locksmith’s advice was good timber door with two mortice deadlocks. OK the UPVC may have four “locking points” but all come off one lock which is relatively easily disabled it seems.

As above most upvc type doors and locks are easily overcome, unles you have an anti drill anti snao cylinder, then there is also how the pannel is fitted, sometiomes a good kick will have it out,or you could try what a burglar did on a care home down the road, set fire to the upvc door, result,large amounts of smoke,3 fire engines,loads of police and ambulances for the evacuation, and he got caught.

A cctv camera hidden in the garage along with one outside pointing at it and descent security lights,a baby listener type thing also helps as you can hear them doing their deeds.

I was advised to fit a security light which strobes as well as an alarm after my bikes were stolen. The strobe light makes it very hard for a burglar to concentrate on forcing your door as well as being very noticeable. (Also might induce a fit which would be an added bonus!)

Trip Wire.

I have a full house alarm with door and pir in both of my sheds,Alarm goes off,Alarm phones me…

Wasnt that expensive..compared to what it protects

Like a few others above get a house alarm fitted with an autodialler. I have the house as one zone and the shed as a separate zone. They are set independently so the shed remains armed when I’m in the house. With the autodialler you can activate the alarm when away from house if you think you forgot to set it.

It may cost around £500 but weighed against the cost of your possessions, bikes etc it’s nothing.

If you have an Intruder Alarm on your main house you’re better off having a wireless module of Radio Link (Depending on age and manufacturer of you Control Panel) fitted to your house alarm.As mentioned above it easy to have your installer set the Garage up onto a different Area so that it can be armed independantly.

Ideally you would want at least a door contact on each door and a Dualtech movement detector as Garage/shed atmospheres are prone to false alarms.

Then a Speech dialler unit can be connected to various outputs on the alarm panel and you can normally have up to about 4 telephone numbers for it to call in the event of an activation.Or you can spend quite abit and have it monitored by a Central station but you’ll have to pay for annual maintenance and monitoring fee’s this can become quite pricey.