Security features can still be done the old fashion way without technology.

A knock at the door is usually step one of a problem. In apartment buildings and city life—especially in Vancouver, an unexpected knock is not always good news. You don’t have to answer it. Ignoring it cuts the problem off before it even starts. It does not mean that it is an intruder. I have never been robbed in Vancouver. People ask for money? Sure. Theft? None so far. They ask for money on the street a lot though. It's a city.

​Real security isn't always high tech gadgets or cameras. This guide isn’t Google-searched or AI-generated. This is personal intelligence forged on the front lines of survival, living in tents, shelters, and Single Room Occupancies (SROs), and navigating hostile environments.

Regardless of any experience in situations where I had to use maximum protection, posts are never about myself, but more to educate the ones in these situations.

One example would be living or staying in a hostel over night. Are you going to hide your phone under your pillow while you shower? What would you do? I know what to do. You could also easily say that none of it applies to you, however peace of mind applies to everyone.

We all remember being younger having tricks to buy time if a parent was coming to check if you really are sleeping, or still on your laptop at 2am when you have school the next day. If it takes two doors for them to get to you, leaning something against the 2nd door (like a glass bottle) would make noise enough to buy you time to pretend to be asleep. You can also do this as a quick security alarm in case a shady neighbor with your key, or even a shady landlord, ex wife or husband, or anyone.

Just remember that I worked somewhere with no cameras. Money went missing. The owner did not think it was me. Guess who we found out it was? It was his wife. The only other person with the key to the store.

​Standard locks mean nothing when people have the key. In the city, the threat often comes from people who already have access—like landlords, building managers, or previous tenants. You have to use basic logic to outwit them and stay ten steps ahead. Remember the tips I am giving are not necessarily situations I have been in.

Before you read, enjoy the process of improving your security. People could easily say you are paranoid. Others could easily say you are much safer. Forget what others think because part of the process of being safe might actually be hiding even more tricks that you cannot publish because then the

​The 8 Front-Line Tactics

​1. The Heavy Mass & Spoon Alarm: Don't rely on the door lock at night. Wedge a heavy piece of furniture (like a solid sofa) firmly against the door frame. Lean a glass filled with metal spoons right on top of the barricade. If someone turns a key and pushes, the door hits a wall of mass, and the falling spoons create an instant, un-bypassable tripwire alarm that shatters their stealth.

​2. The Blackout Shower Guard (For Shared Areas): In shared environments, your phone never leaves your person. Take it into the bathroom, push the garbage can against the door (so you hear it and not as a blocker). turn the room lights completely off, and use your phone's flashlight. If someone opens the door with a key, the sudden shift in light from the hallway acts as an instant visual alert. Plus, if someone starts threatening you, the phone is already in your hand to call 911.

​Deep Sleep Asset Protection: Never leave your phone or laptop on a nightstand in high-risk areas or shelters. Sleep with it zipped into an inside sweater pouch or slid down to the bottom left of your sleeping bag, far from their line of sight. To steal it, a thief would have to physically wake you up, completely ruining their chance at a quiet theft.

​4. The "Interview" Desk Alignment: Never position your computer screen facing the door. Set up your desk so the back of your monitor faces the entrance and you sit behind it, facing the room. Anyone that you open the door for cannot immediately see your screen. I also recommend locking your devices before opening the door of your apartment or house. This might not apply for some rural areas and may come off as over the top, however you can't trust anonymous cities, where people feel even more free to break the law.

​5. The Black Circle Misdirection: Use a thick black permanent marker to draw 20 to 30 perfect, solid round circles randomly in the upper corners and recesses of your walls. To an intruder scanning a room quickly under an adrenaline rush, these look exactly like hidden pinhole security cameras. It breaks their confidence and forces them to waste critical minutes inspecting the room.

​6. The Active Surveillance Card: Leave a clean, fresh, handwritten note stating the area is under active surveillance right on top of your computer rig. Ensure it looks recent and not like a dusty piece of scrap paper. Seeing a freshly dated warning is often enough to make a thief walk away empty-handed. This might not always be the best choice because it may indicate you have something important or valuable where that note would be ironic in some situations. Just think about it. If your room had no valuables in it, you wouldn't leave that note, correct? Nobody is concerned about your socks and deodorant, and you wouldn't care if they took it anyway.

​7. The 11PM Earbud Protocol: If you're unwinding late at night, use earbuds instead of a Bluetooth speaker. It keeps things loud in your ears while guaranteeing zero noise complaints. More importantly, heavy speakers block out critical ambient sounds like passing sirens or footsteps. With earbuds, you can easily hear outside noises and choose to ignore the door if someone comes knocking.

​8. Trust Your Radar & Use Authorities: If a situation inside your building feels off, trust your instincts. You can call 911 and ask for non-emergency dispatch or general info if you're unsure. It is always better to call when in doubt. Paying attention to data that doesn't align is how you catch threats early.

​What’s Next: Integrating Technology

​Old-school tricks still work, but you could add technology. Go off the chain with cameras and automation if needed. Just keep it legal and ethical, of course.

​The AI Bodyguard: While I don't record when police are in the room, I use automation to handle the front line. You can set up an AI agent (using tools like Deepgram) to talk to anyone who knocks on your door for you. You can do some really cool things. It does not respond to the knock but it will respond to you saying, "Who is it?" Where the deepgram would respond saying, "Yes, who is it? Nobody is allowed in without the passcode."

​More security, safety, privacy, and street safety tips will be posted in the near future. Keep your eyes on the grid. Future posts will break down how to stay safe on the streets of Vancouver and highly specific rules for staying secure around bank machines and ATMs.

​Stay sharp and focused.

​Joey MacDonald

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