Security choices
#1
Security choices
If there's already a thread on this, someone please point me in the right direction.
Daughter recently had some questionable people in her neighborhood (she was not home, got story from an elderly neighbor who may or may not have understood who/what they were). AFAIK, her neighborhood is as safe or safer than most. She speaks to neighbors on both sides and also knows several people from around the area who she runs into when they walk their dogs, etc. The Cop Shop is only about a mile away. She mentioned the other night could we talk about a security system. She mentioned ADT (mostly on name recognition) and several others. I just watched a video on SimpliSafe. Also read the pros/cons comments. Pretty straight forward, but of course always some OBTW's.
SO, can one of the knowledgeable pros give me a primer on the subject (or point me at an existing thread)?
Thanks.
P.S. She has two cats and likes to refer to herself as a poor teacher; that is, she's a teacher who's poor, not a poor teacher, LOL.
Daughter recently had some questionable people in her neighborhood (she was not home, got story from an elderly neighbor who may or may not have understood who/what they were). AFAIK, her neighborhood is as safe or safer than most. She speaks to neighbors on both sides and also knows several people from around the area who she runs into when they walk their dogs, etc. The Cop Shop is only about a mile away. She mentioned the other night could we talk about a security system. She mentioned ADT (mostly on name recognition) and several others. I just watched a video on SimpliSafe. Also read the pros/cons comments. Pretty straight forward, but of course always some OBTW's.
SO, can one of the knowledgeable pros give me a primer on the subject (or point me at an existing thread)?
Thanks.
P.S. She has two cats and likes to refer to herself as a poor teacher; that is, she's a teacher who's poor, not a poor teacher, LOL.
#2
Member
That is a wide open question and very subjective.
Try a search on her favorite search engine -- The first thing to decide if a system is even needed.
Try a search on her favorite search engine -- The first thing to decide if a system is even needed.
#5
Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Wet side of Washington state.
Posts: 16,321
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Be sure to explain to your daughter that an alarm system will NOT prevent break-ins. Their primary function is to deter break-ins by the use of prominent signage that the building is monitored. This alone will deter a majority of miscreants and they will move to another home without such notification.
Often the installation of the signs and window/door decals is enough but there are some low-life's that will test the waters and for these a real alarm will in most cases scare them off. For the burglar that REALLY wants in there is nothing anyone can do but buy insurance. A trained lion sounds good but just isn't practical.
Alarms ARE good for notifying you, and maybe the police, AFTER the break-in has taken place. However, in most urban areas the high incidence of false alarms has caused the police to place a fairly low priority on investigating residential alarms. Since most home invasions are smash and grabs the chances of catching the perp in the act are quite low. A professional burglar that methodically goes through the house stealing high value items is going to pass an alarmed (or presumed alarmed) house or else will likely have the smarts to be able to defeat the alarm system. Luckily, the percentage of such professional burglars is pretty low.
Often the installation of the signs and window/door decals is enough but there are some low-life's that will test the waters and for these a real alarm will in most cases scare them off. For the burglar that REALLY wants in there is nothing anyone can do but buy insurance. A trained lion sounds good but just isn't practical.
Alarms ARE good for notifying you, and maybe the police, AFTER the break-in has taken place. However, in most urban areas the high incidence of false alarms has caused the police to place a fairly low priority on investigating residential alarms. Since most home invasions are smash and grabs the chances of catching the perp in the act are quite low. A professional burglar that methodically goes through the house stealing high value items is going to pass an alarmed (or presumed alarmed) house or else will likely have the smarts to be able to defeat the alarm system. Luckily, the percentage of such professional burglars is pretty low.