Burglar Alarm System Preparation

If you are thinking of buying a new home, or interested in protecting your existing home and family from crime, it makes sense to base your decisions on facts, rather than on fear. According to the FBI 1999 Uniform Crime Reports, there are more than 2.3 million burglaries across the nation - one every 14 seconds -- costing Americans more than $3 billion annually. Some 60% of burglaries take place when residents are home. The National Crime Prevention Council reports that burglars need less than a minute on average to break into your home.

Before making a residential move or buying a burglar alarm system, it pays to contact your local or regional law enforcement agencies for crime statistics in your area. Many agencies post annual numbers on their own websites. It’s also helpful to visit your local police or sheriff’s office. Burglaries of single-family houses can vary from one neighborhood to another, based on housing types, overall crime rates, neighborhood economic levels, proximity to high crime areas, and other variables. Your visit to law enforcement agencies can often yield more than statistics. In many cases, law enforcement agencies will send representatives to your home or neighborhood to identify risks and talk to you about how a home alarm system might benefit you.

Most chambers of commerce compile burglary and home invasion information as well. Local newspapers archive stories on local crime rates, so you could visit the office of the major daily paper in your region. On the Internet, there are also nationwide realtor websites that allow you to compare crime rates of some 2,500 American cities. And a burglar alarm system provider can show you the various alternatives to meet your protection needs.

It pays to know what you’re up against before making sound decisions. The psychological harm from a burglary cannot be measured in dollars and cents.