What’s The Point Of Having A Burglar Alarm If It’s Not Switched On?
Almost half of homeowners who have security systems fitted admitted that they were switched off when their homes were broken into. A poorly set up and calibrated burglar alarm could well go off when it’s not wanted, leading to disturbing your neighbours, upsetting your sleep, and becoming a public nuisance if it happens a lot. But switching it off isn’t the answer.
It may be that people have visible alarm units on their walls and a sticker in the window and rely on this deterrent to keep the intruders away. But studies show that dummy burglar alarms, and those which aren’t switched on every time the house is left empty, or the residents are asleep, are ineffective at keeping burglars at bay compared with an active alarm system.
And while it’s reassuring to think that burglaries only happen in affluent areas or in shops in the middle of the night, statistics don’t support this at all. In fact 2/3 burglaries take place in residential properties and they’re not as random as might seem. Most burglars live within a 2 mile radius of their victims and know the area, your neighbour’s habits and even your own patterns of behaviour. That’s not to say you’re being actively stalked, but a professional housebreaker will have a number of target properties on their mind and will watch the street to see who leaves when, and if anyone returns during the day. They’ll watch for the post too, to ensure they’re not making a get-away just as they try to deliver your gas bill.
When a burglar is looking for their next target a burglar alarm, or CCTV cameras will be among the first things they look for, making them brilliant deterrents, so long as they’re working. A big dog is also high on their list to look out for, as a dog will be territorial and aggressive, add to that loud barking which, attracts a lot of attention and they’re certainly something a burglar considers worth steering clear of.
If Burglars Are Watching You, Make Sure You’re Watching Them Back
A little ‘casing the joint’ will soon let any potential intruders know if your burglar alarm is switched on and whether there’s a dog or not. It will also allow them to plan what they want from each home as they target. 21% of homes broken into in 2017 had alarms, but almost half of homeowners stated that, regrettably, they hadn’t had the alarms switched on at the time. 77% said they didn’t have an alarm at all, so if you want to reduce your chances of being broken into, this alone should be enough information to convince you to invest in an alarm system. And turning it on.
In the survey where these statistics come from, carried out by Cove, researchers also found that 40% of people who had been burgled had then gone on to buy a burglar alarm, but of these, 46% didn’t turn them on. However, if dummies don’t work and there’s no appreciable difference between a dummy and a real alarm system which isn’t switched on, then they wasted their money.
Don’t Turn A Blind Eye To Security
So they end up relying on a security system which they fail to implement. Imagine how galling that is, you’ve gone to the time and trouble of installing a burglar alarm, CCTV security cameras, and then not bothered turning it on and being burgled again.
The two top regrets that people who’ve been broken into are that they didn’t have an alarm. 41% wish they had cameras to either deter or catch the thief in the act, and 30% wish they had taken photos of their valuables before they were stolen. Having clear photos of your jewellery and valuables is incredibly handy if your property is recovered and needs to be returned. Police auctions are full of goods which couldn’t be properly identified and therefore couldn’t be returned to its rightful owner. A photo, including a rule, coin, or other item of immediately recognisable size will help no end when it comes to identifying an item or proving that it’s yours.
Everything You Own Is In The Mix
The “Stolen Goods Mix”, the range of items which are taken changes as the availability, demand, and value of goods changes. Currently the theft of mobile phones, portable computers and tablets and bikes is currently rising while the theft of clothing and stereo equipment is falling. However, despite the details of what’s stolen changing, it still costs and average of £2,800 in stolen property and a further £600 to pay to repair the damage done to the home when the burglars broke in.
Another thing which isn’t changing is the fact that if you are victim of a burglary, you’re likely to have your house broken into again. In the Cove survey 65% of respondents had been broken into once, 25.4% twice and 9.6% three times or more, meaning that one in three people who’ve been burglary victims have been robbed twice or more. And there’s method behind this trend. The first time the burglar breaks in they will be looking for things they can steal now, and what to come back for. They’ll be interested to learn the layout of the property and whether that burglar alarm really works, and how long it takes for police to come if indeed it does.
Resecure Your Property As Quickly As Possible After A Break-In
The first week after the burglary is the optimum time for your intruder to come back. Everything will still be mostly where they found it last time, you won’t have had time to find and install a burglar alarm and security cameras, and the door or window they broke to get in is likely to be either a temporary replacement or the same as they got through the last time.
This is why it’s so important to secure your home properly as a matter of course, and if you are broken into, to organise a rugged security system as soon as possible. Don’t wait for the insurance to pay up, but get on the case as soon as you can.
But here’s where we hit a snag. If you’ve ever been shopping for a home alarm system or CCTV you’ll have noticed that there’s a lot of jargon around a range of product which at first sight seem to be exactly the same. If you don’t already know what you’re looking for it’s very hard to identify your particular need and find which is the best product for you, especially when all the manufacturers seem to say theirs is the best, but have almost identical products, distinguishable only by the packaging.
Ensure Your Burglar Alarm Suits Your Needs, And You Know How To Use It
You don’t want to invest in anything which won’t cover your needs, on the other hand you don’t want to spend money on a system which is too overblown or complicated for you to understand or use properly. You’ll want motion sensors, door and window sensors, motion activated security cameras, but where does it stop?
To answer these questions you need to get the help of professional installers. They know about the specs and are able to translate the jargon into understandable English so you can, with their help, make an informed decision on what to purchase, and, more importantly, how to operate it effectively so that you don’t switch it off just when you need it most!
If you have pets or children they can help you set the motion sensors so they don’t trigger the alarms and cameras when anything under three feet tall enters or leaves a room, they can set your cameras to ignore movement in certain areas, so a breeze through a tree won’t start recording or send you messages that an intruder was detected every time the postman comes.
Professional Installation Of A Suitable Security System Pays For Itself
Considering how effective burglar alarms and CCTV cameras are at keeping unwelcome visitors out, the benefits they show when insuring your property and the peace of mind you’ll feel if you invest after a break-in of your own, it’s easy to see how even the top of the range alarm systems can pay for themselves quickly, but a professional consultation will ensure that you only buy what you need and don’t waste your money on superfluous or unnecessary features, or on buying something inadequate for your needs.
You can contact Briant Communications regarding their specification, supply and installation service by filling out your details on the Contact Briant Communications page or simply call on 01273 465377