Theft *****. I'm still mad about stuff taken decades ago.
I'm not sure most if any alarms are worth a hoot. What I have heard a thief will do is throw a rock through a window, then watch what happens from a safe distance. If the cops don't see any sign of a break in, after a couple more rocks they don't show up.
Or a thief is in and out in less than 3 minutes.
Lights and cameras are what I expect to see more and more of.
Main thing that will happen soon or later, legalize drugs, and remove the root cause of most theft.
That's why you use 40Lb motion detectors instead of window tape. I put an alarm on my place myself, and the only difficult part of it was formatting the panel. Motion detectors cover all glass windows (including overhead doors) Those doors are locked with padlocks. I have a slider in the office that has a door switch, glassbreak detector (that also covers the main entry door), and a siren right by the point of entry. There is also a motion detector in there, too. The shop has a 190 DB horn pointing down at the bays from the ceiling (you'd have to get a ladder to get to it) and it's literally ear piercing. Beside that, there is a strobe that trips for confusion. Motion detectors cover every window. I also have a rate-of-rise heat detector for fire coverage. Outside, I installed a 190DB horn hidden that points at the apartment house next door. This system does dial out when set off. The control panel is hidden. Every toolbox inside is locked, and there is only one dim nightlight (up high) to cut down what can be seen through the windows/doors at night. The shop is buried into a hill so there are no back doors/windows.
So basically the easiest way in is through a window (especially through the overhead doors). The only delay on the alarm is the main entry door (20 second delay to punch in the alarm code) They'd have to kick it in (it's reinforced and it does swing in) no easy task and it is right in plain sight of the road. And if they break the (door) window first, the glass break picks it up. Any other entry , the motion detectors will get them.
A note about the motion detectors: I used 40Lb detectors just so they won't be tripped by anything smaller than 40Lbs (I.E. mice, small dogs, things accidentally falling, etc. I actually had a large column speaker crash off the wall and that didn't set it off). People set them off, and I have checked them with some small kids and they set them off also. There is a place down the street that had a florescent tube burst at night, and even though it wasn't that close to the glass break detector it still set it off.
Bottom line is if they want in, they'll get in. I made it as difficult as possible to get anything in the narrow window of time they would have inside, and anyway inside trips the alarm (I even made allowances for someone cutting a hole in my storeroom roofs to get to the control panel if they even knew where it was) Once they get in, the combination of the ear-piercing bullhorn, strobe flashing (giving it's night time) the dial out to the police, the fact that every door is dead bolted, and the overheads are pad-locked and most everything inside (valuable and/or small) is secured makes the chances of what they are going to get very small. That, and you should see how pissed the neighbors were the few times I accidentally set it off (they'd probably club the thief down just for waking them up)
Where I am is a very good area, but there has been some smash and grab from people from up-Cape looking for targets. You have to think like a thief,
"Where would I enter if I was trying to break in here" and set it up accordingly. I bought all the alarm stuff online, and installed it myself. It's not as hard as it sounds (if you are building/renovating a shop I highly suggest at least wiring it for the components, it is not expensive) my whole system ran me 600.00$ about five years ago. Also if you are going to connect to an alarm company, most are happy to format the system for you (really the hardest part of it) just to get your account.
One more note: I know people are going to post things about firearm protection. In Ma., you have NO legal right to use a firearm for ANYTHING especially protection of property (actually written into the gun laws, and the reason the carry permit reasons were changed from
"protection of life and property" to
"All lawful reasons") I have a permit to carry. and just pulling the gun on somebody, reguardless if he's breaking into my property (even if I'm inside when he does it) or threatening me opens me up to a felony charge (while his/her B&E charge could be a misdemeanor) The local police might not charge, but the DA certainly will. So firearm protection is not an option here. Very unbalanced/unfair but that's the way it is.......
