I'd suggest a CCTV camera. If this is a regular attack, it's likely to be a single person or small group.

Why is your house such a target?

my guess is that a mesh would be more effective than a perspex.

perspex may work on day 1, but as it weathers, attracts dirt, gets scratched, suffers UV degradation, it is going to lose transparency relatively quickly and require very regular cleaning

mesh will block out a percentage of sun (1% to 5%, say?) depending on mesh / frame but have little requirement for maintenance.


Will a mesh prevent the missiles making it through, or are they cleverer than that?

Buy and air rifle, and some rubber pellets!

Timber

Unless other homes suffer regular attacks near by I'd say you've upset someone.

Usually a neighbour over the way you park your car or something you think is totally incidental, its amazing how the smallest things upset people over time. I not sure what its like where you live but school kids here generally don't walk up to houses and throw bricks through windows as a laugh.

What time of day is it happening?

Can you install panels on the front of your house? or does it need planning permission? I've know idea :o)

Cookie

Posted By: V8DollyWe have no idea why this is happening but we are adjacent to a high school...

Speak to the school then the police! then your councillor and then MP. Do not rest until someone sorts this out for you... the state still exists anarchy has not yet arrived...!

You should not have to even consider protecting your house from this kind of vandalism.

Save your money and get someone who you are are already paying through taxation to sort this sort of thing out to actually do there job and sort it out. PIR lighting w/ basic cctv (which the police may even lend you) will have the culprit IDd in no time.

J

also, apart from any crime reduction strategies you come up with (good luck with that btw) have you considered a flat plate collector panel rather than evacuated tubes? they are much more robust... I'm presuming you aren't in a heritage area or anything so planning shouldn't be an issue. they do work differently in terms of output, but I've seen them work and they can be damned efficient.

have a look see

Posted By: BrianRI did have a chuckle about recommendations for cameras and contacting the police etc.

Chuckle away (that'll make the world a better place to live), but that's what happens where I live (Central Sheffield). Also contact the school as they do have a duty of care to the community; (am a governor myself and know our school at least would act).

The point is don't accept excuses, press people its essentially their job to solve this not yours, but you can still do you bit for society as well and I don't think shooting people is part of that, (not saying I haven't thought that way myself once or twice).

Some people just say "oh the police won't do any thing" "its all Gordon Browns fault" and then grumble away into their Daily Mail about the state of society (but not actually act to change it to make it better) and how horrid poor/young people are, and how they should all be rounded up to live in council estates away from nice people like 'us' in "decent classes".

Be active. Ask the police, if they won't do anything then file a formal complaint and contact your councillor. Gather your own evidence and present to school(s) - telling the police what you are doing as you go along. If that doesn't work then contact the press and your MP.

Alongside, pressure for more more facilities for the young and bored, set up/help out at a youth group talk to the people with the bricks (and other people in the area so you all respond the same way) - honestly it works and the chances of being attacked are not really an issue other than in the minds of the hysterical.

We had a similar problem when we lived in the 'burbs. Talking (quite firmly ), followed by PIR light and fake CCTV did the trick. Its all about boredom, and getting away with it. Most problem kids don't have any real drive to perform vandalism, if you add some hassle factor and the possibility of getting caught then its not worth the bother especially if there's something else to do.

Now we live on the centre of town on a 60s estate, and although aggressive confronting is probably less advised . I try to contribute to the community where I can and I always have a quite word if I see someone vandalising something; mostly I'm ignored or sworn at but hey you got to make an effort, and even though they don't exactly beg my forgiveness they do tend to stop what they're doing.

J

Where do you get rubber air rifle pellets from? I like that idea.

No don't, James. I'd like to put in a bulk order. That way we might be able to get the little **********s who broke my 'water-runs-through-the-tubes-so-you-lose-all-system-pressure-and the-whole-system-fails' Schott ETs. Nick

Back to the original question.....

A sheet of polycarbonate (not the corugated stuff) Looks like perspex, but bricks don't break it. trade name is Macrolon I think. It is used for police riot shields so should keep your solar installation safe. You can get it from most plastics suppliers.

Hey folks!
Thanks for all the replies. We are in the UK, in a supposedly 'nice' area & haven't ticked anyone off to our knowledge. We've had no trouble since the brick incident & the camera installation... the police took no interest whatsoever, other than to issue a crime number over the phone. I like the Texas approach, unfortunately from past experience I'm well aware that our Police are far more interested in the rights of the perpetrators (don't get me started!) & the firearms in my possession are all too lethal!
Thanks for the polycarbonate tip Laurence, that's certainly one avenue to explore...

Tony Martin, eh? What a hero. What a role model.

I went to the same school as Tony Martin, don't remember him so must have been a quiet one :)
Polycarbonate yellows with age in UV light but Acrylic (Perspex) does not. It is possible to get flexible acrylic sheet that is pretty tough. Look up the light transmissivety and reflection figures. Alternatively can you place the collectors on the other side of the house, as long as it is not North facing you should get enough light.

Nick