A home is broken into. The next morning, the neighbors are scared into action. Many, including the homeowner who was victimized, call and get quotes for a security system. Several actually purchase a system.
With peace of mind is the initial benefit these homeowners get from buying an alarm system, few of the buyers realize that alarm systems really do ward off crime.
Hoteles motel baratos HusavikA study that explored the connection between burglaries and alarm systems found that burglars choose the homes they plan to victimize based on four sequential factors: the property's adjacency to major streets, the affluence of the neighborhood,the attractiveness of the home compared with neighboring homes, and the security precautions, if any, that are taken by the homeowners.
The study revealed that homes that are located in different neighborhoods are at different levels of burglary risk. For example, a home that is located in an affluent area is exposed to twice as many burglaries as its equal counterpart in a less affluent locality.
In addition, the study uncovered another major factor that determines whether a home gets burglarized: an alarm system.
Alarmed homes are less likely to be victimized than non-alarmed homes under equal environmental conditions. In fact, the burglary probability of non-alarmed properties is 2.7 times greater that for alarmed homes, a factor that is based on actual burglary rates of the three suburbs that were studied in the report.
In addition, the higher the value of the home, the greater the risk of burglary, but the more effective the alarm is. In Springfield,PA, which is a working class suburb with median homes of $58,600, non-alarmed homes were burglarized 2.3 times more than alarmed homes. In Tredyffrin, PA, which in, 1989 when the survey was begun, had a median home of $98,700, non-alarmed homes were found to be 2.9 times more likely to be burglarized than alarmed homes. As further evidence, of the homes in Tredyffrin that were valued above $100,000, those without an alarm were 3.1 times more likely than homes with alarms to be burglarized.
The few alarmed properties that were burglarized in the study had some distinctive characteristics: They were all located in close proximity to heavily traveled roads. They were very expensive and visible. They had fewer yard signs that other non-burglarized alarmed homes. Most importantly, the homeowners took significantly fewer precautions in addition to an alarm system.
Although alarm owners in general are more sensitive to security and take more precautionary measures than do non-owners, the study shows that alarmed homes that were burglarized relied merely on the alarm system for security, more so than non-burglarized alarm owners. In addition, owners of alarmed homes that were burglarized took fewer precautions that even a group of non-alarmed, non-burglarized households suggesting that alarms work best as part of a larger plan.
The figure, "Best bet against burglary: alarm plus precautions," shows the probability of burglary for the four groups studied. Based on the survey's results, the likelihood of being burglarized is nearly 11 times higher if no precautions and no alarm are present than if both measures are present. A homeowner who takes many precautions, but is not protected with an alarm, has a lower chance of being burglarized than a homeowner who owns an alarm but takes less than three additional precautions.
Aarhus hotel roomsBased on these findings, it appears that a package of security precautions, with an alarm system playing a central role, is essential in residential protection. The survey results identified three elements --- deterrence, prevention, and detection --- thatshould be addressed in this package.
Deterrence measures send a signal to the outside world that somebody is home. The most distinct measures are a car in the driveway, timed and motion-sensitive exterior and interior lights, a timed radio or television, and a yard sign from a known alarm company.
Prevention measures make penetration more difficult and time-consuming. The most effective measures are deadbolt locks on all ground level exterior doors. Solid door frames are essential for the locks to be effective. The windows also should be equipped with some mechanism that makes it more difficult to open them.
Detection measures detect an intruder once he is on the premises. Only a perimeter and interior alarm that covers at least theentire first floor and is connected to a central station can satisfy the detection criterion.
While the study proved without a doubt that alarms are effective, increasing in effectiveness as home value increases, it also revealed that an alarm system is an essential part of a complete security package, aimed at reducing the chance of residential burglary to it's lowest possible level.
Reprint from Security Distributing & Marketing, June, 1992. Written by Simon Hakim and Andrew Buck.