I'm taking an informal poll. We just moved into Springfield and need to make a decision whether or not to get a security system. I'm looking for feedback from residents. By the way, we don't have a dog and our cats are lousy 'watch dogs".
Hate to say it but it is a must! It won't prevent a break-in cuz our thieves are stupid, but they will not stay when the alarm sounds!
If yours is the only house on the block without a system, guess which house is getting broken into.
You might want to check with your insurance company about discounts for alarm systems. Sometimes the discount is as much as the monitoring costs.
I would say an alarm, or a dog with big teeth (with a will to use them, doesnt hurt) is needed.
SACARC can help with the dog. If you get the alarm, go with shatter detectors and/or motion detectors (they have ones slightly less sensitive for cats/dogs). Several recent break ins happened though a broken door or window, which wont sound unless its opened.
Highly recommend SafeTouch Security. I really like their instant monitor feature. I also highly recommend dog with big teeth and a convincing bark!
Burglaries are relatively rare in the scheme of things, but the #1 thing that you hear at the Shadco meetings & Block Captains meetings (which i hope you'll attened!) is that bad guys look for easy targets.
Having a dog or alarm system is great deterrent. While your away, lock your doors & windows. At night keep your an outside light or two on. Just the basics & common sense stuff. Nothing unusual is needed.
We have Safe Touch and they've been great. But Certified is also a great local company.
ADT is expensive. They only charge an installation fee and give you the equipment for "free." Many companies require that you sign contract, which binds you to service for one to three years.
Note this though, response by the alarm company is relatively quick via phone, but after that response time depends on JSO. Burglar alarms is are very low on a police department's priority list, and many departments even have a rule that does not allow an officer to put their lights and sirens on when responding to an alarm. As such, do not be surprised if it takes anywhere from 30-60 minutes for the police to arrive at your house after the alarm company dispatches.
It's kind of disappointing to find that out. Kind of makes you feel as though you're spending a lot of money per month for a noise maker.
Quote from: aaapolito on March 03, 2010, 02:54:26 PM
It's kind of disappointing to find that out. Kind of makes you feel as though you're spending a lot of money per month for a noise maker.
True indeed, however around here more people pay attention to those noisemakers than in the average suburban area. They know their neighbors and look out for them.
Get an outside siren if you do get an alarm. That will alert neighbors before cops arrive. IF they arrive.
When a car alarm goes off, what do you think?
Typically it is "wow that's annoying."
When a house alarm goes off what do you think?
*closes the door*
If the criminals are any good then they will have snaged something good by the time anyone reacts.
Dogs are usually good psychological deterrent, unless they have scouted your house enough they know if it is a threat or not.
I think the best way to deter criminals is to make your house look more difficult to get into then your neighboor, and have a close nit relationship with your neighboors so they know if someone should or shouldnt be around. Nosey neighboors can be a good thing once in a while.
Wichester Shot gun and Glock 27 are my alarms. If you want my stuff bad enough to take a bullet and buckshot, GO FOR IT!!!!!
It's a shame we have to live like this. I work at night so there's no way I would go with an alarm. Still working on the dog part. I thought about a gun, but what good will that do if your not home. Very rare for a thief to try to rob an occupied home.
Quote from: mtraininjax on March 03, 2010, 10:56:03 PM
Wichester Shot gun and Glock 27 are my alarms. If you want my stuff bad enough to take a bullet and buckshot, GO FOR IT!!!!!
I was waiting for someone else to say it besides me ^_^
Alarms verified by the security company with two way communications get a lot faster response times from JSO. Safetouch is such a system and I am sure there are others too.
Best reason for alarm system is to let you know, when you are at home, that someone else has entered. THEN you use the "armed response" method. Come in my house while I am home and leave in spirit form only. No questions, no threats, no matter if you are 14.
This is the first home where I have ever had an alarm. Almost every place I've lived before was on a cul-de-sac or a dead-end street; the connectivity of our gridded streets (that we love) also leads to an easy getaway. Just too tempting for some.
But woe to the unlucky burglar who picks me - ain't much to steal!
I do think a security system is a good idea. A dog is too.
I recommend the Springfield-based company - DSS. I've known the Galbraith's for years. They are good folks, and DSS provides very good service.
Digital Security Systems
(904) 632-2196
Our house was robbed last month, in broad daylight. We have an alarm system, but didn't have a glass-break sensor and the motion sensor installed at the time was disabled due to our very active cats. Also, we did not have an outside alarm speaker. Guess what...? The thieves threw a brick through a patio door, and carried everything out without setting off the alarm. They were smart enough not to open a door or window.
Today? Upgraded alarm with both glass-break AND a new "pet-immune" motion sensor (we tested it, it works) along with a 120-decibel alarm on the outside of the house. You should ALL hear it if it goes off. And today, if I hear a neighbor's alarm... I go check, particularly if it continues to blare.
Quote from: Doug V on March 04, 2010, 12:39:03 PM
I do think a security system is a good idea. A dog is too.
I recommend the Springfield-based company - DSS. I've known the Galbraith's for years. They are good folks, and DSS provides very good service.
Digital Security Systems
(904) 632-2196
for what it's worth, i second this. i grew up in a house with a DSS alarm, and the only time we had problems was when we forgot to turn it on.
Quote from: hooplady on March 04, 2010, 11:44:25 AM
This is the first home where I have ever had an alarm. Almost every place I've lived before was on a cul-de-sac or a dead-end street; the connectivity of our gridded streets (that we love) also leads to an easy getaway. Just too tempting for some.
But woe to the unlucky burglar who picks me - ain't much to steal!
They call cul -de- sac's trap's here
Thanks, everyone, for the good advice. The security system is now installed and extra lights are going up. Still considering the dog but our cats are against it.
Thats why SACARC does fostering and sleepovers! They are generally great about boomerang animals too. Just let them know up front what your issues are, and they can tell you which dogs are a possible fit!
Don't worry about your cats. Unless a dog is very aggressive, the cats will quickly become part of their pack and tend to bully the dogs. The pecking order at my house is: Old female dog, old male cat, young female cat, young male dog.
The cats take over the young dog's bed and he comes whining to me to remove them for him to be able to get in his place. Fifty pound dog completely owned by ten pound cat. Funny!
Quote from: Dog Walker on March 10, 2010, 10:15:28 AM
Don't worry about your cats. Unless a dog is very aggressive, the cats will quickly become part of their pack and tend to bully the dogs. The pecking order at my house is: Old female dog, old male cat, young female cat, young male dog.
The cats take over the young dog's bed and he comes whining to me to remove them for him to be able to get in his place. Fifty pound dog completely owned by ten pound cat. Funny!
exactly, bipeds seem to be the ones with the preconceived notion that all dogs hate all cats and visa versa. it may take a little time but unless you have a dog that has serious cat aggression to the point of physical harm - it will all work out.
It's really good for your karma to adopt a rescue dog. You will know that you have done a pure good thing.
Quote from: Dog Walker on March 10, 2010, 04:47:32 PM
It's really good for your karma to adopt a rescue dog. You will know that you have done a pure good thing.
My karma cup must runneth waaayyyy over
Quote from: Dog Walker on March 10, 2010, 04:47:32 PM
It's really good for your karma to adopt a rescue dog. You will know that you have done a pure good thing.
Depends, if you do it with the only intention being "I need better karma, HUR!" then it wont be but the opposite.
The best 4-legged friends are rescue animals no doubt.