to pursue breaking into a home that has deterrents.
When selecting an electronic security system, contact the National Burglar & Fire Alarm Association (www.alarm.org; 301-585-1855) or your state’s burglar and fire alarm association for a list of member companies in the area. Other resources include your local police department’s crime prevention department, state licensing agencies, consumer protection agencies, and the Better Business Bureau.
If you’ve got, it use it. Did you know that many of the homes that have been burglarized didn’t have their security systems turned on? While consumers spent $18.7 billion on security system installation and monitoring in 2001, of the 3 million burglaries that occurred in the United States during that time period, the FBI estimates losses were $3.3 billion -with an estimated average value of $1,482 per offense for residential burglaries.
Response time in emergency situations is vital. After your alarm is triggered, the monitoring center calls you to make sure that you are not being harmed. If they don’t get you or you are in need of assistance, they call a 911 dispatcher. In turn, he or she calls the state police, depending on where you live.