On Fri, 06 Apr 2012 11:12:43 -0400, Rebel1
wrote:


The considerations (aimed at burglar detection):
1. A silent alarm so the cops might catch them in the act, vs. one that
lights lights and beeps horns to scare them away (so they're free to
strike elsewhere).

Someone here uses the tag line, "when seconds count, the police are
only minutes away.

You want them away from the house and afraid to even try an actual
break-in. Lights on motion detectors are the first line of defense.
Next is an intrusion alarm for the doors and windows. That too,
should turn on some light and sound an alarm.



2. A silent alarm that signals me if I'm home, so I could defend myself
with a gun.

Really? What if you come in second place in the contest? I'm
prepared to defend my self and family, but my first preference is to
avoid the confrontation. I don't practice with a gun every day so
reality is, for safety, I'd rather keep it at the ready, but never
used.






3. Beefed up barriers to entry, like locking bars for sliding doors, and
high quality door locks. Problem is, if place looks too fortified,
rather than being deterred burglars might see this as a sign that there
is really valuable stuff inside and make a more determined (and
damaging) effort to enter.


No extremes, but good locks are a start. Simple things like drilling
through the window frame and inserting a nail helps keep them from
being pried.



Other measures (mainly home security):

1. Lights on timers.

Yes


2. Radio or TV on all the time.


5. Double-key deadbolts on doors with glass panes, so burglars can't
break a window and simply reach in and unlock a single-key deadbolt.

They are now considered a code violation in many places. One morning
many years ago though, I found my back door window broken, but no
entry thanks to a double key lock.


6. Fake decals warning that a system is installed even if not true.

Real ones are better