# Burglar alarms



## Tammydog (Mar 7, 2015)

Ok done white goods.. Now who can help us with Alarms? We have a three bed two bath ground floor bungalow. And would like to find out which type of system and some ideas on cost ect! Any help here? Sure there is going to be a lot of other things we need to know about.


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## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

Tammydog said:


> Ok done white goods.. Now who can help us with Alarms? We have a three bed two bath ground floor bungalow. And would like to find out which type of system and some ideas on cost ect! Any help here? Sure there is going to be a lot of other things we need to know about.


We have just had an alarm fitted by a company called Securitas Direct, also known as Verisure, who also fitted alarms to several of our friends' houses in this area (Tu Presupuesto | Alarmas Securitas Direct). 
It is a very sophisticated system with cameras and panic buttons, all monitored 24/7 via a private mobile phone network. The cost will vary depending upon how many cameras and detectors you choose to have but expect to pay around 600 Euros for the basic system and then, of course, there is the monthly monitoring/maintenance charge of about 45 Euros. But in our opinion it is worth the cost for the peace of mind, especially after a spate of violent robberies in our area in recent months.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

We have an alarm system as do all our neighbours...tv, police monitoring, the lot. That hasn't stopped nearly all of them from being broken into while they were out.
If our alarm goes off, the company rings us. Big deal. If we are out, what can we do? The thieves know that it will take about ten minutes at least for anyone to come to investigate. We are fairly isolated so the neighbours won't be alerted. 
We still keep our system as it may deter the casual thief but as we found in the UK , an alarm system tells you what's happened rather than, in many cases at least, preventing it from happening.
In spite of lurid and possibly apocryphal tales about dogs being killed with poison, guns, crossbows even, we think our dogs are the best deterrent. When they are both at home and we're out we can't use the alarm anyway.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

Securitas have the best name around here but we can't have their system as we have cats and they would set it off every few minutes. Our neighbour was burgled several years ago so he installed a set of fake cameras and sensors which set off a warning if anyone approaches. It's not real, of course, but any but hardened burglars won't know that and leave the place alone. When we moved to our house it had the Securitas system installed and the cats set it off loads of times so we had it turned off and removed. But we left the signs on the gate. Incidentally, I am curious. A ground floor bungalow? I thought the definition of a bungalow was that it is on one floor. Have you found something different in Spain????


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## Tammydog (Mar 7, 2015)

No. Ha,Ha! It's apartments built in a one or two storey block. We're on the ground floor. But they strangely seem to call them bungalows or that's how there advertised at least. Strange but true! I know.
But thanks for the info on security.


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## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

mrypg9 said:


> We have an alarm system as do all our neighbours...tv, police monitoring, the lot. That hasn't stopped nearly all of them from being broken into while they were out.
> If our alarm goes off, the company rings us. Big deal. If we are out, what can we do? The thieves know that it will take about ten minutes at least for anyone to come to investigate. We are fairly isolated so the neighbours won't be alerted.
> We still keep our system as it may deter the casual thief but as we found in the UK , an alarm system tells you what's happened rather than, in many cases at least, preventing it from happening.
> In spite of lurid and possibly apocryphal tales about dogs being killed with poison, guns, crossbows even, we think our dogs are the best deterrent. When they are both at home and we're out we can't use the alarm anyway.


Your alarm sounds like the same sort of system that we had in the UK and, up until a few weeks ago, I would have agreed with everything you say. But after a spate of violent robberies in our area several of our fiends installed the Securitas Direct system and we were so impressed with what we saw that we did the same! It is light years ahead of our monitored UK alarm and can be used to summon help in any type of emergency when you are at home (ie, if there's an accident and you urgently need an ambulance). We have small devices that can be carried around with us and these can activate the alarm and immediately connect us with the control centre, using the company's own private mobile phone network. We can also look around the inside of our house from anywhere in the world using a Smartphone app that connects us to the system's cameras. It is a very clever system and, no, I'm not on commission!


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

The Skipper said:


> Your alarm sounds like the same sort of system that we had in the UK and, up until a few weeks ago, I would have agreed with everything you say. But after a spate of violent robberies in our area several of our fiends installed the Securitas Direct system and we were so impressed with what we saw that we did the same! It is light years ahead of our monitored UK alarm and can be used to summon help in any type of emergency when you are at home (ie, if there's an accident and you urgently need an ambulance). We have small devices that can be carried around with us and these can activate the alarm and immediately connect us with the control centre, using the company's own private mobile phone network. We can also look around the inside of our house from anywhere in the world using a Smartphone app that connects us to the system's cameras. It is a very clever system and, no, I'm not on commission!


We have similar and also had state-of-the-art alarms for our business premises in the UK...but I can only repeat that everything depends on the speed of response. If you live in a rural area it could well be twenty minutes or more before anyone reaches you.
I wish I had £100 for every time the police woke us up in the small hours to tell us our offices, showroom or workshops had been broken into....it takes five minutes for a thief to snatch laptop, tablet, jewellery anything portable...One early morning we were both high as kites on spliffs and champagne, celebrating something or other, and had to wake up our General Manager to meet the police as neither of us could drive...
The police actually told us that a prickly hedge around the showroom windows would be as useful as an alarm! Before we left we were pondering as to whether to install one of those smoke emitting devices that produce a cloud of evil but non-toxic fumes when the alarm is activated...
I'm not saying alarms are totally useless and yes, the fire/ambulance/panic button is useful...but I'm saying that top-of-the-range systems won't prevent break-ins entirely. Experienced thieves know how long they have before anyone, police or alarm company, actually arrives at your premises.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

The Skipper said:


> Your alarm sounds like the same sort of system that we had in the UK and, up until a few weeks ago, I would have agreed with everything you say. But after a spate of violent robberies in our area several of our *fiends* installed the Securitas Direct system and we were so impressed with what we saw that we did the same! It is light years ahead of our monitored UK alarm and can be used to summon help in any type of emergency when you are at home (ie, if there's an accident and you urgently need an ambulance). We have small devices that can be carried around with us and these can activate the alarm and immediately connect us with the control centre, using the company's own private mobile phone network. We can also look around the inside of our house from anywhere in the world using a Smartphone app that connects us to the system's cameras. It is a very clever system and, no, I'm not on commission!


Had to chuckle...


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## Horlics (Sep 27, 2011)

mrypg9 said:


> I'm not saying alarms are totally useless and yes, the fire/ambulance/panic button is useful...but I'm saying that top-of-the-range systems won't prevent break-ins entirely. Experienced thieves know how long they have before anyone, police or alarm company, actually arrives at your premises.


My house in the UK has been done 3 times. The only other on the street to be broken into (as far as I know) is the home of a guy who used to work in security. He has a state of the art system and the place is bristling with cameras. Maybe the burglars thought there must be something worth having as he's gone to so much trouble.

If I had a place in the campo I'd put a small IP camera somewhere around the gate. Most break-ins come after at least a little observation. It won't stop them but you'd probably have a pic or two of them and possibly their car.


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)




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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Horlics said:


> My house in the UK has been done 3 times. The only other on the street to be broken into (as far as I know) is the home of a guy who used to work in security. He has a state of the art system and the place is bristling with cameras. Maybe the burglars thought there must be something worth having as he's gone to so much trouble.
> 
> If I had a place in the campo I'd put a small IP camera somewhere around the gate. Most break-ins come after at least a little observation. It won't stop them but you'd probably have a pic or two of them and possibly their car.


We saw a car parked outside our house when we returned and disturbed the burglars, their getaway car..but I was too slow and didn't note the number. If we'd had a camera as you suggest...


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## Tammydog (Mar 7, 2015)

*X*

Okay! So now it seems to be a case of to have or not have burglar alarms? We are moving into a small gated complex brand new with toughened glass and jumping over the fence is the only way of access without the keycode. I'm growing prickly plants up and over the fence. And the Windows have the modern electric shutters. No grids and not sure yet if we can have them? Hubby thinks that burglar alarms just alert burglars you have something worth stealing?


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Tammydog said:


> Okay! So now it seems to be a case of to have or not have burglar alarms? We are moving into a small gated complex brand new with toughened glass and jumping over the fence is the only way of access without the keycode. I'm growing prickly plants up and over the fence. And the Windows have the modern electric shutters. No grids and not sure yet if we can have them? Hubby thinks that burglar alarms just alert burglars you have something worth stealing?


If you have a burglary problem you need an alarm. I lived on a small housing estate, the only houses that were not burgled were ours and next doors, the only two with alarms.

I do not have an alarm now, because here crime is minimal.


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## el romeral (May 8, 2012)

mrypg9 said:


> We have an alarm system as do all our neighbours...tv, police monitoring, the lot. That hasn't stopped nearly all of them from being broken into while they were out.
> If our alarm goes off, the company rings us. Big deal. If we are out, what can we do? The thieves know that it will take about ten minutes at least for anyone to come to investigate. We are fairly isolated so the neighbours won't be alerted.
> We still keep our system as it may deter the casual thief but as we found in the UK , an alarm system tells you what's happened rather than, in many cases at least, preventing it from happening.


If my alarm goes off the alarm company phone me. If they can't reach me, or I request it, they will attend my house. They have a remote control for the electric gate so can enter and check round the entire property to see if there is any sign of a break in. They can then reset the alarm if all is well. With our perimeter alarm covering various zones outside the house, I like to think the alarm would be sounding before any would be thieves have even reached the front door, or whichever point of entry they choose.
I too have panic buttons for fire, police or ambulance which is reassuring and am happy to say I have never had any need to try them out.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

el romeral said:


> If my alarm goes off the alarm company phone me. If they can't reach me, or I request it, they will attend my house. They have a remote control for the electric gate so can enter and check round the entire property to see if there is any sign of a break in. They can then reset the alarm if all is well. With our perimeter alarm covering various zones outside the house, I like to think the alarm would be sounding before any would be thieves have even reached the front door, or whichever point of entry they choose.
> I too have panic buttons for fire, police or ambulance which is reassuring and am happy to say I have never had any need to try them out.


Yes, all that happens with our alarm. Once I left a window open and a bird flew in and triggered the alarm...the company arrived, inspected, shut the window and reset the alarm.
But ...there is still the fact that once a burglar has entered the premises he has time to collect small valuable items before the company or police send someone.
Once I lost our keys when we were out and the alarm company was handy then as they came with keys.
Alarms may be useful psychologically but in practice....not really.


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