Interesting book on burglaries

[signal15]

http://www.amazon.com/Burglars-Job-Streetl...3100&sr=8-1

Here is some stuff from the book:

http://digg.com/d3113dC

I don't have the book yet. But it looks like there might be some great information in there that would help justify certain ideas of where to put sensors and certain logic in the system.

 

[CORT]

http://www.amazon.com/Burglars-Job-Streetl...3100&sr=8-1

Here is some stuff from the book:

http://digg.com/d3113dC

I don't have the book yet. But it looks like there might be some great information in there that would help justify certain ideas of where to put sensors and certain logic in the system.

The comments on the digg web page are hilarious:

"or they don't want your belongings, which consist of: pizza box, (5) kung fu VHS, 1 kill bill poster, 2 coffee cups, 1 molded coffee maker, 28 beer cans, and one pentium desktop shaped like R2D2."

"Dibbs on the R2D2 desktop."

""11. Here’s a helpful hint: I almost never go into kids’ rooms"
Hey, that's a good tip. Now I know where to store the guns."

"I got robbed one day cause I was too lazy to bring in my trash can from the curb for a few days after the trash pickup. I guess the guy figured we were on vacation. Just took a crapload of cash and a Cold Stone Creamery gift card. Bastard stole my ice cream gift card!!!"

 

[Neurorad]

Thanks for sharing, Signal.

Three of the 7 houses on my cul-de-sac were broken into this afternoon.

Luckily, we were one of the 4 not broken into.

I don't have many details. At least 1 house was ransacked, and a jewelry box was stolen - no alarm. Another house had an alarm sticker on the door that was kicked in - alarm went off, nothing taken, central station called police. Third house broken into through a rear door, 4 dogs scared them/him off.

We live in an upscale, quiet neighborhood. Cop told me a while ago that the only people who break into houses in this town are teenagers looking for beer. He was wrong.

I tested the alarm, this evening, working fine. Called central station to test and...fail. No central monitoring. I'm guessing I'll have to pay $150 for the installer to roll a truck, to troubleshoot the programming. Yeah, I could figure out the programming if I wanted. But I'm replacing it with an M1 soon. The alarm install instructions are dated 1989. I'm hoping it's a programming error.

I really wanted to get the distributed audio in before replacing the alarm. I really wanted to get the M1 up and running as a water/flood sensor system, with the Elk water main valve, and THEN add the door/window contacts.

My M1 and accessories have been in my AO cart for 2 weeks. We'll see what the installer says about my current, ancient alarm, and I'll decide if I want to sink any more money into it.

 

[signal15]

My M1 and accessories have been in my AO cart for 2 weeks. We'll see what the installer says about my current, ancient alarm, and I'll decide if I want to sink any more money into it.

That's one of the best things about that site. Most sites wipe out your cart after a few hours.

 

[Neurorad]

Because it will take me a couple months to do the M1 install, I think I'm stuck fixing the current alarm system.

The installer came and said the DC-9 communicator board needs replacing - $150.

M1 now, or later. Decisions, decisions.

That book, Signal, is in my Amazon cart.

 

[wuench]

Drawing on extensive no-holds-barred interviews with 105 active burglars in St. Louis, Missouri...

Sweet, not only does it get it's info from burglars, but burglars in my neck of the woods! Gonna have to get this one...

 

[jokah]

how is this guy talking to burglars? Either caught or lying.

Should be entertaining read.

 

[signal15]

I read they they were burglars that were caught. Which means they probably were not very good at it.

I think I've covered most of the bases so far with the sensors I've put in. I am still planning on doing Pulsor sensors on my roof, and on my deck whenever I get it installed. The ones on the roof will alarm, and the ones on the deck will just voice alert me to someone walking around on it. I now have motions all the way around the outside of my house in areas that would be a target for a burglar. These alert me to someone creeping around my yard and gives me time to let the dog loose and grab a hand cannon.

Plus, on Night mode, if someone does manage to get past the glass breaks, then the motions will get them.

Lately, my neighbors have been over taking a look at what I have to get ideas for their own systems. Only a couple of them have alarms right now, and crime has been going up in the surrounding area. There have been a ton of burglaries where they only take guns, which means there are probably a lot of armed burglars running around in the area.

Most burglaries happen through the garage service door, and the front door. And to a lesser extent, any windows on the back of the house where neighbors cannot see. Smart criminals will grab a ladder laying in your yard or shimmy up something to get in an upper window, as those are not usually alarmed. It's important to wire everything, or use motions and pulsors if you cannot get everything wired.

 

[Neurorad]

Since we're discussing burglary MO's, I'll add some.

It's very easy to turn off the siren, once the burglar is in. Kicks in the door, find the control, and unplug it. Then disconnect the battery. I had to do this for my alarm, while testing with the monitoring service.

Most alarm control boards are located in the MBR closet, or a basement mechanical closet. In my subdivision, the same alarm company did most of the installs, all in the MBR closet. I'm moving mine. I'll put a lock on the wiring closet, maybe with a coded lock for quick access. No drywall, easy to wire.

A burglar can easily clip the phone and cable outside, at my house. I'll put tamper contacts on the outside boxes.

In a burglarized neighbor's house, they kicked in a door with an alarm sticker on it. Alarm went off, and they fled. We're guessing that was house #3.