[Ennine]

Firstly take a good look around the property. Try and put yourself in the position of wanting to break in. Find the weak spots and deal with them, First lines of defence are secure gates and fences,(and good locks on shed that you actually use !!) good locks are important. Motion triggered outside lighting is the next step. As far as alarms go, yes dummy boxes can deter the opportunist but only to a small extent. Pets need not be a problem with systems but take a look at your passive security first.

Nige