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Sometimes the simplest steps are the smartest! By placing a sign
that advertises your home security system in your yard, you can
dramatically reduce your chances of being targeted by thieves.
In
a study published in the Journal of Economic and Social Measurement,
Dr. Yochanan Shachmurove, Dr. Gideon Fishman and Dr. Simon Hakim
studied the motivating factors behind a burglar's decision to rob one
home over another. Their findings indicated that isolation and
occupancy were the two major considerations.
The study indicated
that while you are reclining in your lazy chair and flipping through
100 channels of Cable TV (and still finding nothing to watch) you can
rest easy. Ok, the study did not read quite that way – but it does tell
us that burglars rarely target homes with occupants in residence.
Homes
that are more frequently targeted tend to be secluded or isolated. Keep
in mind that this definition encompasses homes with an entrance that is
not visible from the street, due to foliage or other visual
obstructions. The ideal 'pigeon' for a thief is an expensive home that
is detached with no security measures and is located less than a mile
from a major highway or road.
The study also revealed that the
third most important factor is highly visible security measures.
Deadbolt locks can't be seen so they did not deter burglars. However,
advertising the fact that your home is protected by a security system
was a major deterrent. The professors found that if a house is
protected by an alarm system, the chances of a burglar's choosing it
are virtually zero. Those are pretty great odds!
In the study's
conclusion, the professors determined that homes without security
systems were 3.5 times more likely to be burglarized than those with
protection. If a thief does victimize a home with a security system,
they spend far less time in the house during the robbery and therefore
remove fewer pieces of property.
This research and similar
studies have led insurance companies, such as State Farm, to advise
their clients to install home security systems. In fact, many times
homeowners with alarm systems will receive an incentive in premiums.
The National Crime Prevention Council in Washington, D.C. has also
endorsed security systems as a deterrent to crime.
A home
security system can range in cost from less than fifty dollars to
upwards of tens of thousands of dollars. Sometimes you can actually get
a system for free, when you sign a contract with a monitoring company.
You can also opt for a wireless system, which is quite easy to install.
In fact, these systems typically fall under the "do it yourself"
category. But before you decide to tackle that particular project, you
need to be armed with a working knowledge of all your security system
options. No pun intended!
First, there are two basic types of
systems. One option sounds an alarm and turns on various lights
throughout the home. The other offers those features, but is also
connected to a monitoring company twenty-four hours a day. With this
system, an employee at the monitoring company automatically calls the
police for you, when the alarm is tripped. These systems not only
protect against intruders, but can also be hooked up to fire alarms and
carbon monoxide protectors.
You may also want to consider a
system that provides you with the option to place "panic buttons"
throughout your home. These are particularly valuable, for those with a
medically fragile family member.
The most expensive systems have
surveillance cameras placed at checkpoints throughout your property.
You can actually monitor your home yourself from any location, by
connecting to a closed circuit program on your laptop.
Detectors
can be found not only on doors and windows, but also underneath rugs
and in every room in the house. When a detector is tripped, the
homeowner checks his control panel to see exactly where the disturbance
is occurring. If there is no danger, the homeowner can opt to
cancel the phone call to the monitoring company, or shut down the alarm
by entering a pass code on the control center. To avoid sending false
alarms, family members should be taught how to use the password system.
If the system is not halted, the monitoring company phones the police
and they are dispatched to your home.
Now how do you translate
all this information into practical applications, when it comes to
actually keeping your home from being burglarized? Let's summarize:
Put a sign up in your front yard advertising your system. Decals on the windows are not as effective.
Buy a system that sounds an alarm.
Invest
in a system that provides protection against fire and carbon monoxide.
One smoke detector in your kitchen is not as effective as a series of
smoke and heat detectors placed strategically throughout your home. If
your house catches fire when you are not at home, your monitoring
company alerts the police immediately.
Monitoring
companies are very valuable in emergencies, but you will also need to
educate family members and household guests to maximize the benefits of
your system.
If your house is secluded or in the
country, your best defense is a system connected to a monitoring
company. A sounding alarm may not offer enough protection.
Burglars
may cut the outside telephone wires before they enter a house. If you
don't have a cell phone, you won't be able to call the police and your
system won't be able to call the monitoring company. So consider adding
a second phone line.
Cut any foliage hiding doors
and windows. Burglars deliberately pick houses that they can enter
without detection from the street.
Join a Neighborhood Watch group or start one yourself...
With
an early career in home improvement, Gary Stuart translated his
experience to the application of home maintenance, remodeling and the
construction of four new homes. Overseeing the construction process and
orchestrating the day to day details of home ownership have resulted in
many a late night trip to the local hardware store! Gary has translated
his passion into developing his alarm systems website which offers home
owners the benefit of his experiences. For more information please
visit, http://www.home-alarm-security-systems.com
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