When you turn on the local news or pick up a newspaper, you probably see stories of home invasions and burglaries on a regular basis. The police reports for our region lists crimes in most neighborhoods, some of them not far from your home.
You may be on the fence about investing in a home security system, but consider this: the FBI Uniform Crime Report reported $3.6 billion in losses to burglaries in 2015, with the average burglary costing victims $2,316. Even if your insurance covers most of the financial losses (and there’s almost always a deductible), the psychological impact of a break-in can be devastating.
Three kinds of life events put you at greater risk than usual for a burglary or break-in. If you’ve gone through any of these events recently or will be doing so in the near future, you should seriously consider installing a new security system to protect your home and your family.
Moving Into a New Neighborhood
Before you move to a new house or apartment, you probably learn what you can about the community and your future neighbors. But no matter how much research you do, you never really know what you are getting yourself and your family into
until you live there. Perfectly respectable-looking neighbors aren’t necessarily honest, and even honest people may have unscrupulous relatives, friends, or people who work for them. If your new home is surrounded by rental properties, your neighbors will likely change frequently. A full-featured home security package protects your home and family starting the first day you move in. Home monitoring that is part of a full-featured system uses live agents who can summon help in the event of
a break-in, whether you are at home and personally vulnerable or away. Adding smart home features to a system allows you to control lights and locks and even view live surveillance camera footage from a secure smartphone app.
Making Expensive Purchases
Criminals want what you have, and people who will steal from you are often people you know. A U.S. Department of Justice Special Report estimated that 65 percent of burglaries in one year were committed by someone the victims knew. Criminals watch for indications that people have purchased a new big screen TV, computer, tablet or other items that are easy to sell for cash. They may watch your home to see the store names on bags that you carry into your house, and they might monitor your trash for empty boxes that held tempting items. A perfectly innocent and well-meaning neighbor might mention to an acquaintance that you bought a new camera or 4K TV. But if that would-be burglar also knows that you have a security system, it will work as a deterrent as much as it does as an early warning device.
Going on Vacation
Your home is never more vulnerable than when your family goes on vacation. No matter how much you may try to hide the fact of leaving, your neighbors will notice the change in routine. Most burglars are opportunistic. They do not form elaborate plans like the professional art thieves you see on television. They look for easy opportunities, and an empty house is a prime one. But the home monitoring function of an alarm system will immediately alert live agents of trouble, and new systems can alert you as well via your smartphone. If you have surveillance cameras installed, they will record any intrusion, which can aid in the criminal’s prosecution.
Have you ever left the home for vacation or just for the day and wondered if you locked the front door or closed the garage? Smart home control modules enable you to control locks and garage doors from anywhere you have an Internet connection.
Modern digital home alarm systems with 24-hour home monitoring are affordable for nearly every homeowner’s budget. You can get your home protected now with a basic system and add features such as surveillance cameras, electronic door locks and lighting control later on.
Serving Hampton Roads and northeastern North Carolina, Johns Brothers Security designs and installs custom home security system that are unique to your home and family needs. Call now for a free home security analysis: 800-242-9760.