Burglars dislike noise because noise attracts attention. An audible burglar alarm is an excellent deterrent in preventing burglaries. So is a barking dog. However, a dog cannot always be depended upon. Professional burglars have been known to carry tasty dog snacks. With a full stomach, a dog may forget its duty.
But the most reliable safeguard is a reliable alarm. Burglar alarms and alarm services are obtainable almost anywhere. Before making a purchase or signing a monitoring contract, a home owner or business owner should take these fairly simple actions:
- Obtain estimates from three alarm companies.
- For a residence, select an audible alarm over a silent alarm. The concept is to scare the burglar off to protect persons inside the residence. For a business, one or both is recommended.
- Supplement a burglar alarm system with secure locking devices on doors, windows and other points of access. For protection of valuables kept in an external structure, such as a garage or storage shed, install a pry-resistant hasp and use a military-strength padlock.
- Obtain a battery-powered, fail-safe back-up in case of a power outage, which could be the result of tampering by a burglar.
- Supplement or integrate a burglar alarm with a fire-sensing capability.
- Select a system that allows visual verification of system operation.
- Add a separate horn-like sound device for installation in an attic or similar location.
- Make sure there is reliable monitoring at a commercial alarm monitoring facility or police station, and that there is a dependable alarm response capability.
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