Do Home Alarm Systems Deter Burglars?

Home burglaries are one of the worst violations of privacy that people can experience and it makes them feel unsafe in their own homes. Due to this, the homeowners use security measures such as the Home Security System in an attempt to discourage potential intruders. But do such systems prevent break-ins in the first place? 

Alarm systems are the best security gadgets in the market for every home, and the following is the theory behind their use.

The concept of home alarm systems is quite straightforward: when triggered, a loud noise coupled with bright lights and a possibility of police intervention is supposed to deter burglars from targeting the home. Most systems have sensors on doors and windows that sound a shrill alarm and alert a monitoring station that can call the police when there is an intrusion. The alarm on its own just to scare off burglars while the police arrive is the goal behind its design.

Some systems also include external bells, signs indicating the presence of the alarm, and fake security cameras within the areas that are visible to the intruders to let them know that they will also suffer if they attempt to break in. The total package, as a concept, makes the home as a target too risky and unattractive.

Research on The Effectiveness of Alarm Systems

However, does it apply in practice? Does an intruder avoid a house that has security alarms when selecting a house to rob? To answer this question, many studies have been conducted.

One research done by Omar M. Mahmood, published in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology in 2015 focused on the FBI National Crime Statistics with the data from the US Census Bureau on home security systems. In doing so, it could establish that when comparing homes that had security systems to those without, there were 22-27 fewer incidences of home break-ins per 1000 households once other factors such as demographic data had been accounted for. These results indicate that home alarm systems may reduce some degree of burglary attempts.

But you know other studies have been somewhat ambiguous on whether alarms deter burglars or not. A similar study conducted in 2008 also revealed that 16 percent of convicted burglars keep away from homes equipped with alarms, while 60 percent stated that alarms do not have any impact on the homes they choose. Some of this, of course, may lie in the fact that burglars learn how to bypass the alarm system such as using doors and windows that are not locked.

There have also been studies carried out to determine the number of burglaries in similar homes that displayed alarm signs and those that did not and it was found that there was no difference. Therefore, although alarms are useful for prevention, they cannot assure that a home will not be targeted.

Why Alarm Systems Alone May Not Be Enough?

There are a few reasons alarm systems alone cannot prevent all burglaries: 

• Professional thieves are also aware of the tricks to disarming security alarms and avoiding detection by motion detectors once within the premises. Real-time monitoring assists with this but as the crime takes place the police still take some time to respond.
• Most of the break-ins occur during the day when the occupants are at work or school. Loudspeakers broadcasting alarms at unoccupied houses will not prevent such occurrences.
• Not all home alarms come with signs and lights on the exterior to give the impression of the existence of security from outside the compound. Similarly, dummy cameras do not prevent real surveillance videos from recording break-ins.

It is probably not a standalone measure predicated on alarms but rather a component of a well-coordinated layered security system.

Symmetrical Strategies for Boosting the Safety Levels in Homes

Although alarms may deter some burglaries, homeowners should not rely on them. Many other preventive strategies can be incorporated with alarm systems to avoid or eliminate vulnerable areas and enhance security. 

• Installing real surveillance camera systems that cover all entries to the house from outside. Footage also serves as a deterrent and as a piece of evidence for the police.
• Ensuring all external doors and windows are equipped with standard deadbolt locks that are properly installed. This precludes simple proximity contact or any form of direct contact.
• Ensuring that all doors and windows are locked throughout the day, even in cases when the occupants of the house are at home. If one forgets once, an alarm system becomes useless.
• Hang exterior motion sensor spotlights. Lighting keeps off odd characters during night incursions.
• Removing bushes or other vegetation around the doors and windows to eliminate potential hiding spaces.
• Implementing a neighborhood watch system to ensure that more residents act as watchdogs against any unlawful incidents.

The more complicated and noticeable it is to intrude on a house, the less suitable it becomes for burglaries – alarms notwithstanding. Applying additional levels of security to the alarm system reduces the number of vulnerabilities left uncovered.

What’s the Value of Having an Alarm System?

Considering that deterrence is not perfect, are expensive home alarm systems warranted for homeowners who want to prevent break-ins?

The answer to the question will lie in the individual requirements and the set-out risks of an individual or a company. Systems that incorporate live video feeds, two-way voice alerts to the intruder, and the ability to alert the property owner during events offer real security. Yet, simplified sensors and audible-only alarm may not warrant their prices.

If possible, do a detailed study on optional equipment and monitoring plan offered, and evaluate whether the cost matters to your concern. For homeowners in high-risk areas or those with valuables that need protection, professional systems can do the trick along with other measures such as cameras and secure locks even if they cannot guarantee prevention. But also think about using such additional measures as neighborhood groups and motion lighting irrespective of your choice of the alarm system.

All the same, home alarm systems provide some element of burglary security independently, but they are most effective as a part of reinforcing a house that already has robust security against invaders. Do not rely on an alarm to make you relax on other areas of vulnerability that the professional thief would take advantage of. To be very specific, the best approach to help one avoid such attacks and protect their property and loved ones is thorough planning.

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