burglar alarms

hamblettamaud

(i hope this is the right thread. if not, please redirect me. if it's been done before, i'm also happy to be redirected!)

can anyone recommend a really good, reasonably priced burglar alarm? i have a detached, two-storey house, in town, but i work nights and there's no one else at home :sad: so i'm vulnerable.

or can you let me know which model burglar alarm not to get? maybe it's too expensive for what you get (afterall, it's just electronics in a box), or maybe it's too hard to set up and you had to get a pro in, maybe it needs additional payments or expensive support, maybe it's just unreliable, whatever ... i'd be happy to hear your recommendations either way.

thanx, pals

hamble the doll

barginfan

It might not be everyones taste but I use a wireless kit.

Available from the likes of B&Q and Wickes, see link;

http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wirefree-Alarms/6-Zone-Wirefree-Alarm-Kit/invt/710741

A doddle to install and no wires to route around the house.
Only real downside is you need to replace the batteries in the sensors each year.

Mutton_Geoff

Personally I prefer a wired system. You can buy a decent Texecom Veritas kit for less than £250 and it's a reasonably easy DIY job to install. The hardest bit is hiding the cables which is why some prefer wireless.

Unless you are an antique art dealer, 99% of the burglaries in your area will be opportunist. A bell box on the front of your house with a flashing LED is already a powerful deterrent. Who knows, maybe even a "live" dummy box is enough?

shandypants5

I have seen a tv show with a "reformed" burgular, that said a dummy bell box is actually better.

One of the tactics that professional lags use is to knock the door to see if anyone is in.

If no one answers they then proceed to try and set off the alarm by thumping or breaking windows, flicking stuff thru the letterbox to set off the motion detectors etc.

Once the alarm goes off, they retire to a safe distance and watch for half hour.
If no one responds, they then know that they pretty much have a free run of the house and go back in while a mate keeps a look out.

If the alarm WONT go off though, it is a big unknown to them and they cant be sure if the police or a neighbour might be called when they enter.

Like the Mutton said most are opportunists, worry them a little with a bell box and a flashing red light and they will steer clear.

A determined burgular will break in regardless of an alarm.




PS they allso said a DOG is the BEST alarm as it is another unknown quantity (will it bark or will it bite)

27col

A policeman told me that the main purpose of a visible alarm was to persuade the prospective intruder to go elsewhere. That said, we have a Wickes alarm that we fitted ourselves. The sensors are wireless linked and need the batteries changing perhaps once a year.
I expect any professional would be in and out long before anyone responded. If our neighbours alarm went off I am not sure that I would attend. I might ring the police and they would be be there in twenty four hours if we were lucky. as has been said, it is almost always going to be opportunist thieves and they will go elsewhere if they are not sure. A low wattage light is a good idea in one of the rooms.

sunshine54

you can get dummy boxes either "yale" or "adt" for about a fiver on ebay. i got one and its identical to my neighbours real box

adleallelec

Dummy box is good
If you want to install an alarm and are on a budget the standard wireless alarm from screwfix is reliable and used in the trade