Originally Posted by jeirvine

I'd vote dog over gun: a gun won't deter an intruder unless you are there to brandish it, (and be prepared to use it). A good dog will bark when they break in, whether you're there or not, and probably scare 'em off, avoiding a potentially dangerous confrontation.

And I've posted this before, but I recommend everyone take good digital pics of, and write down serial numbers of bikes, guitars, computers, etc. Then put 'em on the web, in a dropbox account, or just email them to yourself. Valuables are replaceable, and having good digital records gives you a far better chance at either recovery, or a successful insurance claim after a burglary or fire.

Best of luck recovering your stuff.