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My daughters home was just broken into and it has made me think about getting a home security system. She even has a dog which the THIEVES locked up in a room while they ransacked her home. This was all done within a 20 minuite time frame, from her husband leaving for work and her returning home from work.... They took everything of value and even took some of her clothes... I am angry !
I have checked a couple of threads on Citi-Data and am not seeing anything regarding home security systems.
Can someone point me in the right direction, give me some tips on how to secure a home and maybe some ideas about home security systems.
Shells, one of the most personalized and specific home security consults is absolutely FREE to you: call your local PD and ask for an officer to come to your daughter's house to do a "walkaround." He/she will point out what needs to be done and, although they are not allowed to steer you to particular businesses that deal with home security systems, they can offer very helpful general guidelines.
Also, go out in the street in front of your daughter's house and spend some time critically appraising all points of possible entry and how you might secure them. How close does the landscaping grow near the house exterior, providing cover to those who would hide there? Can she install a fence? A foyer (second entrance) to the front door, along with a peephole?
No home can be 100% burglarproof, but you can sure make it hard enough for them to try it that they move on down the road for a softer target. Good luck!
1. Population density of her neighborhood
2. How much is she willing to spend
I live in a semi-rural area in gated area. There are other homes, but the lots (homesites) are generally larger. It would take the Sheriff a good 30 minutes to respond assuming he cared to. We had ADT for a few years when we lived in the city. False alarms were so rampant the police basically quit responding to ADT or similar alarms. It was at least an hour response.
If you live in a populated area you can have your alarm monitored by a private service. They employ their own armed response team. Our business office utilizes a service like this. In the one case I tripped the alarm on accident they were there in about 10 minutes. We pay $150 a month if I remember. Alarm cost is sold by the "point" - the more sensors (alarm points) you have the more it costs to monitor them all.
Call ADT (they will come out for free) and ask them to provide you an estimate. It will be free. Their service runs about $40 these days. Then call the closest police department and ask them for a "no BS" quote on alarm response times. As you noted, most burglars are in and out within 10 to 20 minutes. They know that even if there is an alarm, the cops won't likely respond quickly anyway.
An alarm is one of those feel-good things for wives. Not very practical in my opinion, though, unless you pay to have a private response team.
I just paid over $400 to have a system installed from scratch; it is a multi-point system with a motion sensor at the most likely entrance to be broken into, and is monitored by the alarm company. In this city you have to have a permit for a monitored alarm, so the police are aware of who has a system and who does not. It costs $17 a month for monitoring and they are pretty quick about responding. Once I was standing on my driveway talking to my neighbor moments after I had set my alarm. One of my cats tripped the motion sensor and the alarm company was on the phone immediately, asking me if I wanted the police sent out.
Will it keep out a determined burglar? Of course not. Will it keep out an opportunistic thief? Perhaps! The system has a wireless uplink so it can't be disabled by cutting the phone line, which has no service anyway. Clip away, pal! The police are still coming out. I have a 12-gauge for when I'm here and an alarm for when I'm not, and home insurance for other eventualities. That is about the best you can do.
Cops don't respond to alarms here, unless they get paid extra for the service. In general, they are graded on their response time, after the crime has been committed, Not in it's prevention. who care how fast they respond, once it's to late, and the damage is done. Come next week, as far as it making a difference.
The trick is to make your house less attractive than the neighbors. And well known alarm companies with well known signage have a tendency to make it less attractive.
Take one of your neighbor's signs, that way they'll hit them and not you. [Just Kidding!]
I've designed video surveillance and alarm interface systems for years. I hate both from the respect of "closing the door after the horses are out" BUT the deterrence factor is substantial.
Just don't get some cheesy nothing fly-by-night monitoring company and their signage. The bad-guys know the difference. And they know what the response times are, so make sure you investigate the response times before bothering.
We installed ADT when we retired to KY last year...we live in a low crime area but the insurance companies give you a break on homeowners insurance if you are alarmed. Also, the alarm comes with fire detectors that are tied into the fire department - they will know you have an attic fire before you do and they respond quickly.
The alarm is very loud but if someone wanted to get in and out quickly and load up on valuables - they could for sure...the alarm has to go off for a minute or so before ADT does anything (the reason for that is that everyone accidentally trips their alarm once in a while.
We have neighbors who watch over our home when we are away so that helps also.
In our neighborhood most people have house alarms - I think we pay about $150 every 3 months for monitoring which isn't too bad.
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