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The original was posted on /r/homeassistant by /u/tortugofurkan on 2026-07-22 16:28:38+00:00.
Hey everyone,
Looking for some serious advice from the community. Last night at 3 AM here in Glasgow, UK, someone broke into our house. They stole my bike from the garden, broke inside, stayed in the house for 20 minutes, ate some of our food, grabbed my iPad, and left.
I currently have Reolink cameras (a video doorbell and an Argus 4 Pro in the backyard) integrated into my Home Assistant setup. The crazy part? The cameras did absolutely nothing to deter him. He didn't even bother wearing a mask, gloves, or a hat. He just didn't care that he was being recorded.
I realized today that relying on silent cameras isn't enough. I need to drastically increase the active security of my house to physically scare off intruders or alert me immediately so I can act.
My Current Setup:
- Home Assistant running on a Raspberry Pi 5
- SkyConnect (ZBT-2) running Zigbee
- Reolink Doorbell (Front) & Reolink Argus 4 Pro (Back)
- A mix of IKEA and Sonoff smart plugs/lights
Where I need your help: I am trying to decide between building a fully DIY alarm system through Home Assistant (using Alarmo, Sonoff SNZB-04P door sensors, and Zigbee sirens) OR just buying a ready-made professional solution (like Ring Alarm or Ajax) and integrating it into HA.
- DIY vs Professional: For those of you who have experienced a break-in, do you trust your Home Assistant/Alarmo setup enough to rely on it as your primary life-safety alarm, or do you highly recommend going with an off-the-shelf system with cellular backup?
- Sirens/Deterrents: What is the loudest, most aggressive outdoor/indoor siren that integrates well with HA? I want something that will absolutely deafen them if a door opens at 3 AM.
- Any other advice? Glass break sensors? Specific outdoor security lighting?
I am fully open to any and all suggestions. I just want to make my house as safe as possible going forward. Thanks in advance.