How do you protect your Haunts?

[bignick]

Since this is my first year that i will be putting any real big money props out on display in the front yard. I am worried about vandalism and theft. I thought about leaving the outside lights on but i'd honestly rather not jack my electric bill any higher than it already is. So how do you guys and girls do it? Do you just play the trust card and hope that your neighbors/community has enough respect for your display?

[Don of the Dead]

Put out only what you can afford to lose/replace.

Personally I have a high powered BB gun I keep by me bedside. and keep the window open. You screw around with my stuff you get pellets in your ass and in your car windows if you're driving.

[Vancouver]

i put out the expensive stuff on the night of...only the cheaper stuff go out the days before

[bignick]

See i want to get some Bucky's but i am afraid someone will walk off with my stuff. Especially once i corpse them up. The graves i could care less about since those are cheap and easy to make. But the Pig Heads were expensive and the Bucky's will also be expensive.

[Moon00]

In the past we have always put our stuff out the night of. Even though we live in a nice neighborhood I still don't trust leaving my more expensive and detailed props out. Because we have alot more to set up this year we plan on setting up lights and putting out some of the smaller props a day or two before and then set up the main props the morning of ToT. The downside is that you don't get to have your display up all month long. But for me at least I don't really mind. I think it's more surprising for the ToT's and people who stop by when the display just kind of pops up overnight. Rather than something they have seen all month long.

[bignick]

I am gonna risk it and put the pigs heads out first and if they dissapear then i will not do the rest till the night of.

[remylass]

I built a fence that I put up for Halloween. It doesn't necessarily stop people, but they have to think twice. I only put out my expensive stuff the night of, and I live under stress and look out the windows a lot.

Last year, I made really cool PVC figures that were mounted onto 2x4s. I ran chain around their stand and locked them to my bushes. They could have been stolen, but it would have been a lot of effort to take the whole thing.

If I didn't worry about theft, I would have a lot more awesome things. My aunt had a halloween display that was destroyed by some 40 or so year old guys in a truck just for fun. My uncle followed them, and called the cops, and the police said they couldn't really do anything because they didn't have "no trespassing" signs up. Ridiculous.

[Tyler]

Doing fence is great. Also, as much as it sucks to jack the electric bill up, keeping the lights on all night is a good idea. 2 years ago I had em off, and quite a few things were stolen. Last year I kept them all on all night, and nothing was even tampered with. If you get just a few spot lights, at least one clear and a few colored, it wont take up that much electric. And if you want to keep some nicer props out, its the way to go.

[Lilly]

Even if you have a motion detector light that would help.
and maybe a fake( with blinking light) or real camera up with a sign smile you are on camera.

[Doc Doom]

Since I don't really do a cemetary haunt, I keep all my stuff up either inside windows, hanging from my roof or mounted out of reach on the second floor or on top of my shed. The one exception is a latge Grim Reaper head decoration wired to my front door.

[beelce]

In my case, I only invite people that I know and love. Have not lost a thing in 10 years. Althought sometimes the young teens get a little rough with my stuff....

[pyro]

i like the idea of a warning sign and use cameras,
http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=1833&highlight=security+cameras
bbut in all reallity you should know what you can use as props without it walking away, when no one is around.

[CraigInPA]

A fence is the biggest deterrent. A typical cemetary fence with those pointy fleur de lis on top is great for keeping people away from your props.

I have a motion activated flood light and *two* big dogs guarding my cemetary at night. No one is going to mess around with a 100 pound dog, let alone two!

Craig

[stars8462]

I get up early every halloween to set up my yard, usually takes a couple hours. After all the trick-or-treaters are done, around 9pm, I take everything back down.
May seem like a hassle, but I've invested way too much time and money into my props to have them stolen or vandalized.

http://smilies.sofrayt.com/hal/ghost2.gif

[YardHaunt ATOM]

I had a few things "disappear my 1st year after that.... No Trust! My neighbor & I spend way too much $$$ & time to have things stolen. I do have high end video security but that just gets great footage of them taking your stuff & most police agencies will just keep footage for evidence that will never get used.
I will put up things that cant get stolen the 1st week of Oct. I always close my Bus. on the 31st so I can set up.... but last year we decided and set up each night for 3 nights before then took it down before bed. (tomb stones, fog, etc.)
I did read (cant remember where) and thought we may try this year. To put a temperary sucurity flood light with 1 flood and the other side a plug.... from that run an extension cord to the bedroom windows (including the neighbor) and plug another light &/or a loud radio to that to wake me up..... Then I can just greet them with Mr. GLOCK I am sooo tired of theft!!!!

[Merlin (The Quiet One)]

I didn't have problems with vandalism and theft until the last few years. After that I put out cheap stuff or things I don't plan to use again in the yard. I Enclose the carport and put the other stuff in there. Still, I usually don't put the expensive masks & props out until the big day. This year we fenced in the yard so am hoping that will stop the damages/theft.