USA: Prepping: Avoid These 5 Signs On Your Property
[It's sad that one has to be so hypersensitive on some issues. The main issue is to avoid signs that give criminals ideas about your weaknesses. Jan]
We Americans are an expressive lot. We like to tell the world how we feel to the world around us. We have recruited an army from China to assure that we can express our thoughts on signs, bumper stickers, and shirts very cheaply.
The things you wear and the signs you hang can affect your life in more ways than just spreading your personal mantra or message. In fact, what you hang and what you wear can make you both liable in certain situations and even make you a target in others!
The Power Of Deterrents
That said, the most powerful tools you can use when setting up real home security are deterrents. Deterrents are usually affordable, and they can be incredibly effective. They are things like cameras, locks, lights and even signs that can be used to keep criminals moving when they happen upon your home.
If your house is a just a little less appealing than your neighbors or another home, they have been casing, well, your deterrents are working. It only takes a little thought to make criminals rethink breaking into your home.
Many Americans use signs for this, but some signs are actually going to make matters worse in a break in. Do you know the five signs to avoid using on your property?
Related: How to Avoid Being Targeted by Looters During a Period of Civil Unrest
Variability In State Laws
Neither this website nor I, are offering up legal advice in this article. We are not qualified to offer this kind of advice! We are simply pointing out some issues and concerns that come about when you begin hanging certain kinds of signage on your home and property.
These are trying times and we are all looking for a little something that we can do to be more prepared for the future. We must be careful and thorough with what we do.
No Trespassing Violators Will Be Shot
This is a common sign that helps to empower the owner. A sign like this gives you the ability to basically threaten all who might step foot on your property.
Let’s be honest, when we see terrible things happening in the streets of our nation, it is hard not to be scared. Many fill that fear hole with aggression.
What’s important to remember is that you can only shoot in self defense. If you do it for any other reason you are likely going to jail! So, if someone sees your sign and disregards it, they can pretty much take whatever they want off your property and, so long as they are not posing a physical threat to you and yours, you cannot shoot at them.
Where these signs can get you into even more trouble is if you are defending yourself on your property and they can make the legal case that you are a crazy prepper who has been dying to shoot someone with your AR and even hung signs up about it!
Beware Of Dog
One of the more interesting and dangerous signs that you can put up, is the ‘Beware of Dog’ sign.
While you might be able to understand that a sign that says something like “My Rottweiler is the Security System” or something like that, will not help your case, if your dog bites someone.
However, the ‘Beware of Dog’ sign can do as much damage to your case as not having one! This is dependent on the state laws but just understand it could be an issue.
The Takeaway: If you knew your dog was vicious and the sign can prove it, when it bites you have offered up the first bit of evidence by way of signage.
Related: 14 Dog Breeds for Preppers
Fake Security Signs
While it might seem enticing to post some fake security signs as a deterrent, be careful with this.
Seasoned criminals will know the difference between a fake sign and a real one. If a criminal spots a fake sign in your yard they will instantly know that you have no security system.
Don’t think that criminals are not well versed in the technology they might face when breaking into a home.
This could embolden someone to take advantage of breaking into your home. They will assume you are unprotected.
What About Bumper Stickers?
In this age of hypersensitivity everyone has something to say and something to hide! This can often manifest itself in the form of tee shirts and bumper stickers.
Even if your home is free of any signs, you can tell people a lot by the things you place on your bumper.
What do you think a criminal sees in an anti-gun bumper sticker? They understand that the homeowner is likely not protected by a firearm.
There are all kinds of things that criminals can deduce from the messages you plaster on the back of your parked car.
Flags
While you might not look at flags as signs, they certainly convey a message about the people who hang the flags.
Don’t believe me? What would you think if you were driving down your street and you saw an ISIS flag flying on one of your neighbor’s home? What about a swastika?
Much like the signs we mentioned, flags can both build a case against you and deter people from making your home a target. I have to imagine if you fly a flag with an AR15 on it you are not going to see a lot of incidences of looting.
It’s the same old story. There is no flag, sign or bumper sticker that gives you legal immunity. The flag you fly tells people a lot about you and you need to be aware of that.
Whether it’s a sign, a bumper sticker, or a flag, when you put a message out to the public you must be thoughtful. While your buddies might think it’s cute to be radical and dangerous in your signage just understand that kind of language can be turned against you.
Simple and effective signing with clear language can be very effective for the property owner. These signs can be used as further proof against someone who might be looting, casing or just sneaking onto your property and wrecking.
In most cases, the less you put out there the better your defense. A simple “No Trespassing” sign establishes your domain and can be used against anyone who decides to ignore the sign and be malicious.