False Sense of Security-The Hidden Danger of Home Security Systems and How to Avoid Falling Victim | By Jordan Frankel
There is a definite benefit to having a home security system and every residence should have one. The only problem is that too many residents develop a false sense of security after having a security system installed. This is sometimes fueled by the unrealistic crime scenarios home security companies portray in their TV commercials. For example, in many of today’s home alarm system commercials, intruders run away as soon as they hear the alarm sound, while residents are reassured that help is on the way by the monitoring company’s telephone operator.
In real life, when a home alarm is set off by an intruder it means the criminal is already inside the premises. It only takes a few minutes for a criminal to use threats or violence to get the money or valuables he came for and then retreat. You or one of your loved ones can also be taken hostage during that time.
Understanding the Role of a Home Alarm System
When it comes to TV commercials for home security systems, it’s important to keep in mind the purpose of the advertisement—to SELL the idea that the product will protect you and your home from intruders. But the truth is that home alarm systems are not designed to prevent a break in. The most they can do is emit a blaring alarm and alert you and the monitoring company that an intruder is in your home. By then, it is often too late.
This can be seen in some of today’s residential crime reports. In a home invasion news story by York Dispatch, police were dispatched to a home after its security alarm sounded. Upon arrival, they found a female victim who had been struck in the head and rendered unconscious by a home invasion intruder. Cash and credit cards were stolen from the victim’s purse before the intruder left the scene.
Though a home alarm system cannot physically prevent an intruder from entering your home, it is still an essential device that every residence should have. The key is understanding what an alarm can and cannot do in terms of home security. The same is true for every home security device. By realizing each device’s strengths and weaknesses, you can identify the gaps and take steps to ensure your home and family are adequately protected.
How to Adequately Protect Home Against Intruders
According to Jordan Frankel, Vice President of Global Security Experts, home security is a lot like an onion. Several layers of security are required to adequately protect against intruders. The first layer is the “psychological layer,” which is where your home security system or alarm comes into play.
Psychological Home Security Devices: As mentioned, a home alarm system cannot physically prevent a criminal from entering your home. It can, however, have a powerful psychological effect on a criminal. For example, a residence that displays alarm company signage outside the home communicates that the home is being monitored and may have additional home security devices in place. From a criminal’s perspective, this is a high risk home that may lead to his apprehension if he attempts to break in. Most criminals want to avoid being caught and will look for unprotected homes that make for easier targets.
Additional devices that serve as an effective psychological layer of security include bright outdoor motion-activated security lights, wireless surveillance cameras, and Beware of Dog signs. Though they cannot stop a criminal in his tracks, they can give criminals reason to avoid your home.
The next layer of home security is what Mr. Frankel refers to as the “effectual layer.” This layer of security involves devices that are designed to prevent or at least make it physically challenging for a criminal to break into your residence.
Effectual Home Security Devices: Some criminals are bolder than others. It is for this reason that you must equip your home with some security devices that make breaking in through a door or window extremely difficult. Such security measures include replacing hollow entry doors with solid wood or metal doors, a heavy-duty deadbolt, reinforced door frames, and a security door brace. A security door brace creates an additional barrier that makes busting down a front door extremely difficult.
Because of how easy glass windows can be broken, all ground floor windows and glass doors should be lined with glass protection film. Breaking through a window protected by a security-grade glass protection film requires a great deal of time and effort, placing criminals at risk of being heard, seen, or caught. Most will leave the scene to avoid being apprehended by the police.
Don’t Fall Victim to a False Sense of Security
The false sense of security that a home security system provides can leave you and your home vulnerable to dangerous intruders. While a home alarm system can be an excellent psychological deterrent, effectual security devices such as security door braces, dead bolts, and glass protection film are necessary to keep the bad guys out.
To ensure your home is adequately protected, assess the role of your home security devices and take the necessary steps to fill in the gaps.