The Case for Home Security Systems?

Kwesi · #1 11-01-2010, 02:26 PM

There's a recent thread about home surveillance that got me a'thinkin but I didn't want to hijack it so I'm making my own.

How useful on a scale from 1 to 10 do you think a home security system is? I can't speak for anyone else's experience but my house has been broken into three separate times. Each time we had a security system armed and well... nothing happend. As far as the police could tell (automatic notification) the thieves just handled business quickly and got out. Of course, they have yet to be found and I doubt that they will be but I find myself wondering, did we really need the security system? I suppose without it, they might've gotten away with more but it doesn't seem like it's worth paying a monthly fees + equipment just to have a loud noise go off and get the police to come to your house too late to do anything.

I figure it wouldn't be too difficult to rig up a surveillance and security system on your own and you wouldn't have to pay a fee just for whatever stuff you need to do so. So do you think that the monthly payments of a brand name system are worth it? Do they actually serve a purpose or are they all just for peace of mind?

whatiswhat · #2 11-01-2010, 02:31 PM

My home was broken into this spring. The thieves made off with my new laptop and enormous television. I was extremely lucky they didn't look into my music room upstairs, which contains a small fortune of gear.
I had an ADT system installed about a week after the break in, and an exterminator set it off while I was at work one day. The police were at the house in about 8 minutes, making me feel very good about my investment.

hdracer · #3 11-01-2010, 02:32 PM

The second amendment is the best and only cure.

Deluge Of Sound · #4 11-01-2010, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hdracer

The second amendment is the best and only cure.

Yeah, I pay a well-regulated militia to protect my house, too.

Chebass88 · #5 11-01-2010, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whatiswhat

...The police were at the house in about 8 minutes, making me feel very good about my investment.

8 minutes is a pretty long time, especially if the thief knows what to do and has performed a modicum of surveillance on the place.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hdracer

The second amendment is the best and only cure.

Except when you aren't home. Or you aren't willing to spend a human life for a TV or DVD player. (Don't get me wrong - I'm all for punishing thieves adequately and I'm not anti-gun) - I just don't know whether I could kill in defense of my stuff. Family, yes, stuff - meh. I have insurance.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deluge Of Sound

Yeah, I pay a well-regulated militia to protect my house, too.

I like this.

sloasdaylight · #6 11-01-2010, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chebass88

8 minutes is a pretty long time, especially if the thief knows what to do and has performed a modicum of surveillance on the place.

When seconds count, the Police are only minutes away!

Kwesi · #7 11-01-2010, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whatiswhat

My home was broken into this spring. The thieves made off with my new laptop and enormous television. I was extremely lucky they didn't look into my music room upstairs, which contains a small fortune of gear.
I had an ADT system installed about a week after the break in, and an exterminator set it off while I was at work one day. The police were at the house in about 8 minutes, making me feel very good about my investment.

This does the same thing for 20 bucks:

http://www.amazon.com/Security-Burgl.../dp/B000SMM1DY

And you don't have to stop there, you could get more motion detectors and rig your house with cameras viewable via skype or some other livefeed service.

8_finger · #8 11-01-2010, 07:05 PM

Get a 100# dog

or move from PG County

Brad Johnson · #9 11-01-2010, 07:51 PM

I think it's better to be the house with the alarm system than the one without it. It's also better to be within close proximity of your neighbors and better yet on good terms with them. And don't let your house look vacant when no one's there.

Cabazon · #10 11-01-2010, 08:01 PM

I don't really know that police response times are quick enough to catch any decent burglar with an alarm system. Most are in and out, stealing thousands of dollars worth of goods, in less than 5 minutes.

muzikman7 · #11 11-01-2010, 08:29 PM

I owned convience store that was broken into twice teenagers looking for beer and cigarettes. The troopers I talked too told me that most of the time thay don't get there in time to prevent the crime. The several alarm people I talked too about systems confirmed what the troopers said. I went to Lowes and bought fake GE alarm stickers and put them on my windows & doors so far it's kept people from opening the storm doors.

Pilgrim · #12 11-01-2010, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hdracer

The second amendment is the best and only cure.

I am a firearms owner, but although this is an easy comment to make, it is not a reasonable statement. Use of deadly force is not reasonable to protect possessions; it is only justifiable when someone's life is in imminent danger.

We are fortunate in living in a very low crime area, but that doesn't mean I haven't thought about it and made sure windows and doors are as secure as possible.

sloasdaylight · #13 11-01-2010, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

I am a firearms owner, but this is not a reasonable statement. Use of deadly force is not reasonable to protect possessions; it is only justifiable when someone's life is in imminent danger.

If more burglars got shot when they went into a home I'll bet you there'd be fewer burglars.

Deluge Of Sound · #14 11-01-2010, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sloasdaylight

If more burglars got shot when they went into a home I'll bet you there'd be fewer burglars.

Counter-bet:
If fewer people owned things worth stealing, there'd be fewer burglars.

sloasdaylight · #15 11-01-2010, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deluge Of Sound

Counter-bet:
If fewer people owned things worth stealing, there'd be fewer burglars.

lol.

HOORAY DYSTOPIA!

MJ5150 · #16 11-01-2010, 09:10 PM

I don't own anything worth killing over, sorry.

-Mike

ubado · #17 11-01-2010, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by muzikman7

I went to Lowes and bought fake GE alarm stickers and put them on my windows & doors so far it's kept people from opening the storm doors.

There ya go.

It's pretty well known by law officials that most B&E's won't happen if the homeowner makes it too difficult for the intruder to do what they do.

Stickers and Signs that are easily seen go a long way to keep wanna be burglars out of your home. If you have a home security system, but keep your stickers in a spot that aren't easily seen ... when a burglar breaks into your house, and your alarm goes off ... they will take as much stuff as they can, knowing that they have a few minutes before someone comes.

Lets face it ... if someone wants into your home ... in most cases (especially with a seasoned burglar) they will succeed.
IF you make your house look like more trouble than it's worth ... they will go elsewhere.

need4mospd · #18 11-01-2010, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kwesi

There's a recent thread about home surveillance that got me a'thinkin but I didn't want to hijack it so I'm making my own.

How useful on a scale from 1 to 10 do you think a home security system is? I can't speak for anyone else's experience but my house has been broken into three separate times. Each time we had a security system armed and well... nothing happend. As far as the police could tell (automatic notification) the thieves just handled business quickly and got out. Of course, they have yet to be found and I doubt that they will be but I find myself wondering, did we really need the security system? I suppose without it, they might've gotten away with more but it doesn't seem like it's worth paying a monthly fees + equipment just to have a loud noise go off and get the police to come to your house too late to do anything.

I figure it wouldn't be too difficult to rig up a surveillance and security system on your own and you wouldn't have to pay a fee just for whatever stuff you need to do so. So do you think that the monthly payments of a brand name system are worth it? Do they actually serve a purpose or are they all just for peace of mind?

Thieves in the house 3 minutes and thieves in the house 3 hours is a BIG difference. I've personally seen a friend's apartment GUTTED while he was at work. I mean, clothes in the closet, food in the fridge, dust bunnies under the bed...and the bed too. I think security systems are just there to serve as a deterrent first and to limit the damage from a determined criminal second.

Pilgrim · #19 11-01-2010, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sloasdaylight

If more burglars got shot when they went into a home I'll bet you there'd be fewer burglars.

If more burglars got shot, there would be more homeowners in prison. Not all states have laws stating that you can kill someone for trying to steal a DVD player or TV.

This surely doesn't mean I don't understand the emotional resonance of the argument - but the fact is that it's not worth someone's life to steal a TV. Property can be replaced.

Brad Johnson · #20 11-01-2010, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

If more burglars got shot, there would be more homeowners in prison. Not all states have laws stating that you can kill someone for trying to steal a DVD player or TV.

This surely doesn't mean I don't understand the emotional resonance of the argument - but the fact is that it's not worth someone's life to steal a TV. Property can be replaced.

Not worth going to jail over either.