# Home Burglar Alarm Recommendation?



## melbatoast (Aug 13, 2008)

Hello fellow expats--
We're in Madrid and moving to an atico in El Viso in August. 
The owner (its a rental) suggests getting an alarm system installed since break-ins in the area have increased-- 
Can anyone recommend a system and suggest what we should expect to pay?

Thank you!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

melbatoast said:


> Hello fellow expats--
> We're in Madrid and moving to an atico in El Viso in August.
> The owner (its a rental) suggests getting an alarm system installed since break-ins in the area have increased--
> Can anyone recommend a system and suggest what we should expect to pay?
> ...


Hi, sorry don't know anything about alarms, and I suppose my question could be classified as nosy (I prefer to be known as curious), but I thought your visas were denied?? Did you win your appeal?


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## melbatoast (Aug 13, 2008)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Hi, sorry don't know anything about alarms, and I suppose my question could be classified as nosy (I prefer to be known as curious), but I thought your visas were denied?? Did you win your appeal?


You are correct, Pesky Wesky, what a good memory you have!
my husband did win his appeal, it was a long process and an arranged dinner with some very well-connected people before it turned around. I got my residency finally was well.

And I should add, re:the apartment, its 160m2 with a 60m2 terrace.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

melbatoast said:


> Hello fellow expats--
> We're in Madrid and moving to an atico in El Viso in August.
> The owner (its a rental) suggests getting an alarm system installed since break-ins in the area have increased--
> Can anyone recommend a system and suggest what we should expect to pay?
> ...




Try 'securitas direct' (I think that's how you spell it). Biggest in Europe and doing a lot of advertising on Spanish TV - but it's not cheap (nor should it be).

Alarmas para hogar y negocios - Securitas Direct

Or telephone - 902 543 145


We tried them but for our house it was simply too expensive. In the end I upgraded the system we already had (remote dial-in, dials me in case of incident etc. etc.)


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

melbatoast said:


> You are correct, Pesky Wesky, what a good memory you have!
> my husband did win his appeal, it was a long process and an arranged dinner with some very well-connected people before it turned around. I got my residency finally was well.
> 
> And I should add, re:the apartment, its 160m2 with a 60m2 terrace.


Incredible!
Well done to you!
Hope everything is working out for you and that you're enjoying Madrid.


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## Abyss-Rover (Mar 17, 2012)

melbatoast said:


> Hello fellow expats--
> We're in Madrid and moving to an atico in El Viso in August.
> The owner (its a rental) suggests getting an alarm system installed since break-ins in the area have increased--
> Can anyone recommend a system and suggest what we should expect to pay?
> ...


I installed a Digital IP Camera system, with a digital recorder. Although maybe more to install, you don't have the monitoring expenses, unless you want to add them to the system. All cameras can record on movement, permanently or on alarm. Remote dialers can also be added, to advise of any alarm at the property and you can view the camera output from any internet connection (some mobile phone Apps also). I know of a company in Mazarron -Murcia, although a long way from you they might be able to advise.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Abyss-Rover said:


> I installed a Digital IP Camera system, with a digital recorder. Although maybe more to install, you don't have the monitoring expenses, unless you want to add them to the system. All cameras can record on movement, permanently or on alarm. Remote dialers can also be added, to advise of any alarm at the property and you can view the camera output from any internet connection (some mobile phone Apps also). I know of a company in Mazarron -Murcia, although a long way from you they might be able to advise.



My husband does this sort of installation as part of his line of work. Its all done on ipads and teeny weeny cameras these days

Jo xxx


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

We have an alarm system here in Spain, had a very sophisticated alarm system for our business premises in the UK.
We were burgled last December, only out for twenty minutes so didn't alarmthe house but.....I don't think it would have made any difference if we had.
Our UK alarm was connected to the police station too. Didn't stop us being broken into several times as it took the police at least five minutes to arrive on the scene.
Any burglar can work out the time it will take between triggering the alarm and anyone actually arriving in response. Here, if I accidentally set off the alarm, there is a two minute minimum before the central rings to see what's up. Then I guess it would take at least another five minutes before anyone arrives to check out what's going on.
Ample time to grab laptops, tvs etc.
Our burglars tried to prise a safe off the wall (nothing inside...). If we hadn't more or less left the house open -shutters not down, keys in back door - I think they would have damaged doors or windows to gain entry.
I'm not saying alarms aren't useful, they are and we now take every precaution possible. But our best protection is our very large Rhodesian Ridgeback who sensed the intruders from several metres down the street and chased thenm out of the garden. 
Fortunately he did not catch them...


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## Abyss-Rover (Mar 17, 2012)

mrypg9 said:


> We have an alarm system here in Spain, had a very sophisticated alarm system for our business premises in the UK.
> We were burgled last December, only out for twenty minutes so didn't alarmthe house but.....I don't think it would have made any difference if we had.
> Our UK alarm was connected to the police station too. Didn't stop us being broken into several times as it took the police at least five minutes to arrive on the scene.
> Any burglar can work out the time it will take between triggering the alarm and anyone actually arriving in response. Here, if I accidentally set off the alarm, there is a two minute minimum before the central rings to see what's up. Then I guess it would take at least another five minutes before anyone arrives to check out what's going on.
> ...


The Ridgeback or all metallic objects connected to the mains, would be my favorite ways to welcome all thieves. But, keeping it legal, the cameras that record off site are the best solution, in my mind. They might get away with something but at least you have the chance to see who it was and even record video of them checking out the property before the burglary (complete with vehicle registrations sometimes). This is presuming that they are stupid enough to break in to a property with CCTV.

Well worth the investment, in my opinion.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Abyss-Rover said:


> The Ridgeback or all metallic objects connected to the mains, would be my favorite ways to welcome all thieves. But, keeping it legal, the cameras that record off site are the best solution, in my mind. They might get away with something but at least you have the chance to see who it was and even record video of them checking out the property before the burglary (complete with vehicle registrations sometimes). This is presuming that they are stupid enough to break in to a property with CCTV.
> 
> Well worth the investment, in my opinion.




So what if you do have them on camera?


We used to have a business back in UK which was broken into one night. The CCTV caught excellent, clear video of all three burglars. Later the next day (or one after), one of the burglars were caught by the police with some of the stolen goods.

We prosecuted and the CPS dismissed the case - why the f**k did they do that, who knows.


So even having stills and catching them with the goods may not be good enough!



We view the alarm system on our house simply as a deterrent.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

An extremely loud dog - damned thing starts barking before we've even heard the slightest sound (even for people just passing) - only trouble is, we can't then hear the doorbell. He often scares the living daylights out of me and I belong here, although not spreadeagled on the ceiling which is normally where I end up when he barks!


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## Abyss-Rover (Mar 17, 2012)

snikpoh said:


> So what if you do have them on camera?
> 
> 
> We used to have a business back in UK which was broken into one night. The CCTV caught excellent, clear video of all three burglars. Later the next day (or one after), one of the burglars were caught by the police with some of the stolen goods.
> ...


As I said, this is my opinion. It's also my opinion that the British legal system is not the fairest in the world. In fact, the phrase "A sandwich short of a picnic" comes to mind.


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