Home security question

[L Miller]

As a general rule, which is a better deterrent to someone breaking into your home, an alarm system or a dog? If it's the dog, does size and breed matter much?

[retdetsgt]

An alarm system won't get you sued. A dog that will do more than bark at an intruder can be dangerous to others. I have an alarm system and a dog, but the dog is a companion.

[Safety Steve]

You beat me to it RDS. I agree. I also have two friends that help protect the house, Smith & Wesson!

Placing the signs that read, "Beware of Dog" on your fence or in the front yard can help (if you have a dog or not). Don't let the bushes by your house create hiding spots, keep them trimmed back so people can see your house from the road. Little things like that can help also.


Be Safe.

[retdetsgt]

I used to tell people to look at their houses and pretend they're a burglar and want to break into it. How would they do it without being seen? Then correct those issues.

My wife is still annoyed with me because this house we built's original plan had long, slender windows on each side of the front door and I wouldn't let the builder put them in. She still doesn't believe me on how easy it is to break the glass in one of those and reach through to unlock the deadbolt.

We have lotsa bushes and shrubs in the yard, but none next to the house, anywhere.

My alarm system installation was free because I signed a contract to have it monitored for a couple of years. The monthly fee wasn't that bad and I got part of it back in reduced home owner's insurance rates. Not to mention the peace of mind when I'm not home. I got burglarized once many years ago and don't want to go through that again.

[Joeyd6]

I used to tell people to look at their houses and pretend they're a burglar and want to break into it. How would they do it without being seen? Then correct those issues.

My wife is still annoyed with me because this house we built's original plan had long, slender windows on each side of the front door and I wouldn't let the builder put them in. She still doesn't believe me on how easy it is to break the glass in one of those and reach through to unlock the deadbolt.

We have lotsa bushes and shrubs in the yard, but none next to the house, anywhere.

My alarm system installation was free because I signed a contract to have it monitored for a couple of years. The monthly fee wasn't that bad and I got part of it back in reduced home owner's insurance rates. Not to mention the peace of mind when I'm not home. I got burglarized once many years ago and don't want to go through that again.

My wife is mad at me. None of my neighbors have lights on (inside or out) after they hit the sack. The neighborhood is pitch dark....except for my house! I have lights accenting the house and approach areas. Anyone with 150" can bee seen from down the block. My wife doesn't get it, despite catching TWO trespassors so far...one big buck who like to lay on my patio and the other a perp with a bag of burglar tools cutting acorss my yard after robbing a neighbors house. My neighbors think I am nuts but I could care less!

[retdetsgt]

My wife is made at me. None of my neighbors have lighst on (inside or out) after they hit the sack. The neighborhood is pitch dark....except for house! I have lights accenting the house and approach areas. Anyone with 150" can bee seen from down the block. My wife doesn't get it, despite catching TWO trespassors so far...one big buck who like to lay on my patio and the other a perp with a bag of burglar tools cutting acorss my yard after robbing a neighbors house. My neighbors think I am nuts but I could care less!

I have motion activated lights all around my house. Get within 75' and you're lit up with flood lights.

[Piggy]

I'm not a big fan of alarm companies at all. I would go so far as to say that most of them I have dealt with are useless. They aren't as great at the Brinks commercial puts them out to be. When I dispatched, it was very rare to hear from an alarm company that actually knew what they were doing. They would have incomplete addresses or no addresses at all. They would have 10 false alarms on the same night. They would not have owner information, contact information and then we had a problem with them not calling back to say that the owner was on the way. A few times, the owner would arrive before the responding Officers. Then the Officers would arrive with guns drawn on the owner. At best, an alarm would notify that Police that your place got broken into. In my opinion, any crime prevention techniques would be much better than any alarm company out there.

[retdetsgt]

I'm not a big fan of alarm companies at all. I would go so far as to say that most of them I have dealt with are useless.

That hasn't been my experience at all, either as a customer or as a cop.

I need to qualify that with the fact that most counties here have ordinances that cause a building owner to be fined after the third false alarm. The first fine isn't that bad, but each subsequent get a lot bigger. That might have something to do with the accuracy of the calls dispatched, etc.

On the other hand, police being dispatched is secondary to me. My primary goal is to get the burglar the hell out of my house. I have an interior alarm that is ear piercing along with an outside alarm. If you're going to stay in my house with that alarm going, you better have some ear protection.

That's not meant to discount crime prevention techniques. They can help prevent entry to begin with. I just like to cover all my bases.

[Joeyd6]

While I have had several "commercial" false alrams in my career, there were very few false residential alarms. And if it wasn't a burglar, it was a "legitimate" call because there was a fire that set off the alarm, or their hot water broke and the "water" alarm was going or there was a medical emergency.

[greg72982]

I have yet to answer an alarm call that wasn't false.

Most residential ones are set off by the homeowner.