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RSS FeedWhat's the best defense against burglars in your home: Alarm system or dog?
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| Alarm | 37% | 326 votes | Total: 893 votes | |
| Dog | 63% | 567 votes |
Alarm
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Add to FavoritesAlarm systems are truly a better deterrent than a dog for several reasons.
Dogs are eager to be petted and loved.
An alarm system is a program designed to create noise and alert authorities of trouble.
Dogs are great pets, but not always a good alarm system.
First, a dog can be bribed. If the burglar brings along a nice steak, the dog will happily lie down and enjoy his unexpected treat. The burglar then closes the door in the dog's room and pilfers whatever he wants from the house.
Second, a dog can be incapacitated by being given an injection to put it into a sleeping state.
Third, a true guard dog isn't a house pet. Guard dogs are supposed to be mean and aggressive not the type of animal we want in our house with our family.
An alarm system, however, functions as it is programmed.
An alarm system can be concealed or visible. Opening a window sets off the alarm, usually loud enough to scare the intruder away. If the alarm is connected to a local agency, the police are quickly dispatched to the house.
An alarm system can include flashing lights, loud sirens, and cameras, or any combination. Many times, this is enough to scare off the thief.
A combination of motion sensors and contacts provide the best security. Contact point sensors on doors and windows indicate that they are compromised, setting off the alarm and contacting the police.
Most monitored security systems are controlled through the telephone lines, which typically run in visible locations outside of the home. It is a good idea to consider running your telephone lines underground to prevent a potential thief from cutting the lines, rendering your system useless.
Be cautious when installing motion detectors if you have animals as their movement may set off the alarm needlessly. If you are installing motion detectors, be sure to consider the animal and arrange the system appropriately to prevent false alarms.
Simple safeguards include a solid deadbolt on all outside doors, windows that lock security, and general good security measures taken in and around your house. Sliding glass doors can be equipped with a floor mounted lock as well as a mid-height lock. Both should be used when locking the house for the night or when you will be away.
If you will be on vacation, arrange to have your newspaper and mail delivery stopped. Both of these are easy to do. It is also recommended to have several interior lights set with timers to make it appear if someone is at home.
Many businesses and residences are installing camera-based security measures, which record all movement around the property. This type of system can be useful in the event of legal action against the perpetrator.
If all the security measures fail and you come home and suspect a burglary is in progress, call the local police immediately. Do not attempt to apprehend the thief.
Should you awaken to discover an intruder in your house, one leading expert says to lock yourself in your room and immediately call the police. If possible, climb out of a window.
Just as every family should have a fire-escape plan in place, each family should have a break-in plan in place. Now is the time before it's too late.
Sources:
http:// www.statefarm.com/le arning/be_safe/home/ burglary/learning_be safe_athm_homealrms. asp
http://en.wikiped ia.org/wiki/Burglar_ alarm
http://www.scam busters.org/home-sec urity.html
http://www .crimedoctor.com/
Learn more about this author, Jinianne Lutz.
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Dog
I am a Crime Scene Examiner with over 15 years experience on attending crime scenes - in particular, burglary scenes on a daily basis.
During my career, I have gained knowledge and passed on advice to victims of crime when asking about home security.
Given the choice between a dog or an alarm, my experience tells me a dog is more useful.
I have never been to burglar scene in which there was a large dog such as an Alsatian, Rottweiler etc been present.
Having spoken to burglars in the past as part of my job, I have asked them what actually puts them off when considering a house to break into. The majority reply is a dog. A dog they say, is unpredictable, can bark, bite (or both) and they would feel threatened.
Smaller dogs bark but this also causes concern and can alert neighbours.
An alarm is predicable - it sends an audible signal when immediately activated and here in the UK can sound for a maximum for twenty minutes. However, a burglar still in a premises after twenty minutes with all hell sounding is either deaf or just a very poor burglar!
I constantly advise victims that you don't necessarily have to have a dog to ensure safety. I advise reluctant potential dog owners to get 'Beware of the Dog' signs to place on front or rear fencing, place large dog bowls by the back step, place plastic 'chews toys on the back lawn. It s the inference which is the main point; the burglar walks past and does not know you may have a dog or not. It is much cheaper and less time consuming than actually owning a dog!
Incidentally, alarms do not stop a burglar breaking into your home - it just limits the time he can undertake his search inside. If a burglar forces a window and the alarm activates then it is more than likely he will not go further to risk being trapped inside if he is unable to open a door once within. If he forces a door and the alarm activates he is likely to run in, grab something and run straight out with the alarm still ringing.
A threat of a dog puts more burglars off.
CCTV have the same effect as alarms in that they record the event as it happens and let you know what the burglar was up to - after you have come home and he has gone!
I attend more burglary scenes that have alarms than those which have dogs.
I go to fewer attempted burglaries to homes with dogs than with alarms. Remember, many people also use dummy alarm boxes. Burglars like to test this theory. It is less risky than testing if there is a dog in the home.
In addition to pros of having a dog, it is useful outside the home. It can guard the family whilst giving happiness and a sense of security. What is cost over peace of mind?
Learn more about this author, Michael J Casey.
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