Burglar alarms

You have to take the long-term view.

There's all the washing, ironing, etc he now gets free.

Owain

You are right to be concerned that an insurer may refuse a claim , if an alarm has been declared, if there no evidence the alarm was activated at the time. Any discount on a policy for having an alarm is normally smaller than the cost of mandatory yearly inspections so generally not declaring an alarm is fitted is the best approach.

"Monitored" covers a multitude of sins from the largely ineffective systems which simply auto dial a preset number to the constant line monitoring types such as Redcare. Only Type A systems, which must be maintained and used in accordance with British Standard 4737, BS 7042 (high security systems) or BS 6799 Class VI (wire-free alarms) can be allocated a unique reference number and qualify for police response. Even with Type A systems more than 3 false alarms in any rolling 12 month period will result in withdrawal of police response.

Bells only (unmonitored), simple dial up alarms and all wireless systems (except for the few meeting BS 6799 Class VI) monitored by an alarm receiving (ARC)) are all Type B systems and cannot be registered or qualify for police response.

Before responding to a Type B alarm police will require some indication that an offence is in progress, e.g. from a witness saying they are observing people entering the premises.

The only protection a Type B alarm offers is that it may put off an opportunist burglar when it goes off. More experienced scrotes will be well aware that in remote locations or those without co-operative neighbours nothing much will happen.

And for anyone north of Milton Keynes, not easy these days.

Owain

years ago I was so glad they jemmied open a window rather than using the unlocked back door.

You may find that the discount for having a maintained alarm to be vanishingly small.

That was what I meant. Plenty of self storage places, but not for valuables.

Incidentally, scrotes got away with a load of stuff from two of our sheds Thursday night. They had to destroy the doors to get in to them. They managed to get the double back gates open by shinning over, lifting the drop bolts and charging at the middle. There was just enough slack to defeat the two locked cross bolts. My wife kept camping equipment in there - £1500 worth!

Exactly what we have done. Even if we were tempted to declare it for any discount, the discount would be minimal when compared with the maintenance fee any company would want.

With the alarm, plus a small safe and CCTV I've installed, I reckon (I hope!) I've done enough to put off all but the most determined piece of excrement.

Bastards.

On the plus side last week I noticed someone with a torch in a neighbours back garden at 2am. I called the neighbours and said "Let the dog out for a wee". Staffies are very loyal and can give a good bite.

Turned out the dog has already been barking but they put it down to the wind blowing over the plastic recycle bins.

It's just a pity that Staffies cannot run a bit faster, all it got was a shoe:-)

In message , The Natural Philosopher writes

At what stage after the police had been informed did that happen?:-)

Well no, they really had done it and saved me the troiuble and SoCo said 'ha yes! same colored Jemmy' (blue)

They caught them. Had done around 15 houses in the area but had come from another county.

I got one of my Jemmies 'free' when burglars left it behind ...

You've already done all the hard work. It's not that complicated wiring in the panel. I managed it OK. ;-)

A safe is too obvious: story time...

My Grandad was charged with looking after some important (really important) documents in WWII.

Some official men in suits of the type you do not argue with, came to visit and asked to see his safe - so he opened it. They got confused when said documents were not to be seen.

"So where are they, then?"

"See that pile of old newspapers, near the fire..."

One heart attack later, they say the funny side - and the wisdom on the place they had never thought to look...

In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes

A search on local installers came up with several but it is too early to be getting a system running. Lots of part finished electrical work so I turn off the power when I am not there.

Very rare to get false alarms on the ones I've seen

Who says they have to? Quick check - no-one around, enter and re-arm. Check, someone there, call local MoD police who can be on site very quickly if they haven't already spotted the alarm.

Neighbours and I both know and keep details - as do Police.

No alarm, no knowledge and I/they return home to an open door/window where the rain has been pouring in.

I installed a Texecom Premier Elite to replace an earlier system. It allows remote access via the Internet which was important for me. Quite good, but long instructions. It is in a bungalow so cables to PIRs are quite easy. I bought all the bits from some web site.

Although, how often do storage lockers get broken into?

Damn. Sorry to hear it. I really must improve the security on our barn.

Ah, sorry to hear that Bob. I know how it feels, we were done over a couple of years ago.

If you do your own, don't connect up the external sounder until you have managed at least 3 months with no false alarms. Otherwise, you will have blown all credibility in your alarm by your neighbours, by the time you have it working properly, and then it's worthless.