Burglar Alarm Information

I thought it might be interesting to post some facts about burglary for you to read.

1. If you don’t have a  home burglar alarm, your home is two to three times more likely of being a victim of burglary.
2. Only 13 % of the nations burglary reports are solved by the police.
3. The average cost to a home owner who is the victim of burglary is 1600 dollars.
4. A person can be convicted of burglary even if they don’t actually end up stealing something.  If they unlawfully enter the home to commit a felony or theft.
5. Only fifteen percent of property stolen as a result of this crime is returned to the rightful owners.
6. Burglaries most often occur during the hot summer months when people leave their windows open for ventilation.
7. 85% of burglaries happen in large metropolitan cities.
8. According to the FBI, 70% of all burglaries are committed by whites and 86% are male.
9. Every 15 seconds someones home is burglarized.
10. Only 30% of homes are equipped with security systems.
11. Forty five percent of burglaries occur in the South. Twenty four percent in the West.  Twenty percent in the Midwest.  Eleven percent in the Northeast.
12. Renters are more likely to be victims of burglary than home owners.
13. Sixty six percent of burglaries are residential.  Sixty two percent happen during  the daylight hours of 9 Am and 3 pm.
14. 30% of all burglars don’t use force to get in.  They simply enter through an open window or door.
15. Most burglaries can be prevented by installing a residential burglar alarm.
16. Many burglaries occur in homes with home burglar alarm systems that the owner neglects to arm.

I found these facts to be quite interesting.  I hope you enjoyed reading them and that you are motivated to install a home burglar alarm, upgrade your current system and actually activate it when you are not home.

An effective burglar alarm is composed of a variety of components that when used in concert make up a very effective system.  Some inexpensive systems may lack all of these elements.  Although any burglar alarm is better than none at all, knowing all of the tools available for an all inclusive system can better prevent the crime of burglary.

• Signs and Stickers: The first, and I think most important element in an effective burglar alarm system are signs and window stickers.  If a burglar breaks into your home not knowing that a burglar alarm exists, they may leave and not steal anything but they will have likely already caused damage to the home that will cost you to have repaired.  Signs in the yard and on every window will inform a would be burglar that your house is NOT an easy mark.  A common mistake is to only put alarm warning stickers on the front door or the windows on the front of the home.  Most burglars will attempt to enter from a side or rear facing window or door.  You should have stickers on these doors and windows as well.  For businesses, outdoor led signs that warn thieves can really draw attention to the fact that you have a burglar alarm system
• Door and Window Contact Sensors: The next critical component is door and window contact sensors.  These sensors will cause the alarms to activate should any door or window be opened while the burglar alarm is activated.
• Glass Break and Noise Sensors: Should a burglar break a window and climb through, the contact sensors may not be activated since the window isn’t actually opened.  Glass break sensors will activate the alarm if the a window or glass door is broken.
• Motion Detectors: If an intruder were to get past the first three elements, it’s important that the home be equipped with motion detectors.  These can be strategically located in the home to cover the most traveled areas.  With modern detectors it’s possible to buy pet friendly units.  Many times a home owner neglects to activate their burglar alarm because their family pet might set the alarm off.
• Control Center: The control center ties the entire system together.  Here you can program the various elements such as passwords, alarm zones, and alarm activation.
• Video Cameras: Hidden video cameras can be instrumental in catching someone who tries to burglarize your home or business.  The burglar alarm can stop them but the video camera will put them behind bars.

Whether you install your own system or have it professionally installed.  Be sure and utilize all of the elements of an effective burglar alarm.

There is a very interesting program on the Discovery Channel about burglaries.  It is called, “It Takes A Thief”.

This show is hosted by two former burglars who have changed their ways.  They are Jon Douglas Rainey and Matt Johnston.

The premise of this show is that the two burglary experts pick a home that they think they can burglarize.  They then get the home owners consent to participate in the program.  The producers explain the format of the show.  They let the owners know that Jon and Matt will attempt to break into their home and simulate a burglary.  The owners won’t know when it’s going to happen.

Jon and Doug then break in when the owners aren’t expecting it and ransack the home.  The entire event is filmed.  When the homeowners return home and realize that they have been hit, the producers film their reactions.

The crew then sits down with the family and reviews the footage.

After reviewing the footage, Jon and Doug, give them advice on how to prevent this from ever happening again.  They challenge the residents to make the suggested improvements to their security practices and systems.

Again the homeowners are told that the sudo thieves will try to burglarize the home at a later date.  The nervous participants wait anxiously to find out if their efforts will thwart the bad guys.

The second attempt to burglarize the home is filmed and the results are again shown to the home owners.

The program is really quite educational, interesting, and entertaining.  I definitely recommend that you check it out.

Check your local listings for the times that this program is aired.  Remember, it’s on the Discovery Channel.

Welcome to the Burglar Alarm Information website.  Your one stop spot on the web for learning about burglar alarms.  On this website, you can learn all about burglar alarms systems.

Did you know that there are an estimated 2,900,000 burglaries nation wide.  That number is just for the United States.  That as a staggering statistic.  Wait, there’s more.  These burglaries cost the victims 3.2 BILLION dollars annually!

Every 12 seconds someone is the victim of burglary.  EVERY 12 SECONDS!  That’s astonishing.  This year alone, one out of every six homes will be burglarized.  Here’s something else to think about.  Sixty percent of all home invasions occur during the day.  I could go on and on about the mind blowing statistics associated with the crime of burglary but instead I choose to focus on doing something about it.

One of the best things you can do for your home to avoid being the victim of burglary is to install a burglar alarm.  It used to be that only the elite could afford a burglar alarm system.  That’s simply not the case anymore.  Prices for alarm systems have come down dramatically to the point that most everyone should be able to afford one.

There are even DIY systems that can be installed in your home in a couple of hours.  No need to hire a contractor.  Simply purchase the system, don your tool belt and have at it.

If you choose to have an alarm professionally installed, this cost has come down quite a bit as competition for the home burglar alarm business has increased.

An advantage to having an alarm system installed in your home is a reduction on your home owners insurance bill.  That’s right.  Most insurance companies will offer you a significant discount on your premium payments if you have a burglar alarm installed.

The theme of this website is that everyone should work towards installing a burglar alarm system.  I hope you enjoy reading about the many aspects of this technology here.

There are several precautions you can take to prevent a burglary when you are away from your home for a prolonged period of time.  With some common sense and a little planning you can reduce your chance of becoming a victim dramatically.

Here is a list of things to keep in mind when you’ll be leaving your home unattended.

1. Install yard lights if you don’t already have them.  Many burglars prefer to work at night under the cover of darkness.  Motion detection lights are inexpensive and very effective at deterring burglars.  Don’t forget to turn them on when you leave.  Also make sure that none of the bulbs are burned out.
2. This one will seem strange to you but leave your drapes, curtains or blinds open as you normally would.  Closing all the blinds and boarding up the house is like putting a big orange sign in the yard that says “NO ONE IS HOME”.
3. Hire someone to keep your yard maintained.  If you live in a neighborhood with nicely groomed lawns and your grass is five inches tall, the bad guys will figure out that you’re not around.
4. Don’t just leave the living room light on.  Burglars are wise to this.  You can buy inexpensive timers to turn your lamps on and off periodically throughout the twilight hours.  The important thing is to keep the burglars guessing.
5. Don’t let newspapers and mail pile up.  Either have a neighbor pick them up or have the service stopped while you will be away.
6. You could also get someone that you trust to house sit.  This will maintain the “lived in” look.
7. Keep a car parked in the driveway even if you have a garage.  Again, you’re trying to create the illusion that someone is home.  If you will be gone a very long time, you can even have a neighbor occasionally move the car.
8. Have a neighbor turn your automatic sprinklers off if it starts raining.  Most people who are home do this so if your sprinklers are running, it’s another clue to thiefs.
9. This seems like a no brainer but lock all of your windows and doors.  Don’t forget to lock the garage door either. Many burglars don’t break in at all.  You inadvertently, let them in by forgetting to lock up.
10. Don’t leave keys under the little frog in the flower box either.  And you thought you were being so clever.
11. Leave a key with a neighbor and ask them to periodically check on things for you.   They can even change things up for you.  Maybe they can turn the TV on for a while.  Perhaps they can change the position of the drapes.  The bad guys will most likely “case” the house for a while to look for signs that no one is home.

This list could go on and on.  Of course you may not need to do all these things but you may need to do more.  It all depends on how long you will be gone and what kind of neighborhood you live in.

The next time you have to leave your home unattended, do yourself a favor and take a few extra precautions.  Nothing ruins a good vacation like coming home to a ransacked home.