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ALMOST HALF OF homeowners in Ireland do not have a burglar alarm installed in their homes and many are taking risks by leaving spare keys in obvious places outside, according to a new survey.
The survey of 900 people by insurance company 123.ie, found 47 per cent do not have an alarm, though burglary and related offences remain high. Between January and September last year there were alsmot 26,000 burglary offences, CSO figures show.
Despite the apparent risks of being burgled, one in four householders are leaving spare keys in an obvious place outside their home. Ironically, 25 per cent of people would not trust their neighbour with a key, though many are happy to leave them right outside their door under a rock or plant pot. Some 14 per cent would not even trust a close friend with their spare key.
Another cause of concern, according to the insurance company, is the fact that almost 27 per cent of those surveyed do not have a fire extinguisher in the home.
Perhaps even more dangerous still, 5 per cent of the survey’s respondents have not checked if their fire alarm was working in the last year while a further 6 per cent have checked just once in the past year.
“We would advise people to get into the habit of locking all doors and windows before leaving the house and to fit a deadbolt lock to their home’s main exterior doors,” said Padraig O’Neill. “The lock should be pick-resistant making it much harder for would-be burglars.”
O’Neill also said people should always leave a light or radio on “as even this simple measure could be enough of a deterrent to a passing burglar”.
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A dog is better than any alarm.
And you can take a few days off work whenever the poor mutt dies…Win Win!
Agree,and also a well placed sign stating,never mind the dog,beware of the owner.
Depends on the dog! Uncle had his place broken into despite his pooch being there. Came home to find the house missing some items but the dog was happy out with his new piece of steak!
Invest in an alarm or at least one of the fake alarm boxes to deter the $cum. Leave lights/radio on.
Better yet get a dog that enjoys eating strangers that enter your property.
Grants for alarms should be available, funded by a levy on ‘cash for gold’ shops.
Probably not the best idea to confess that you don’t have a burglar alarm in an online comment section, guys.
Johnny Connors does not use forums
Doesn’t make a difference half the time having one , most houses get robbed during the day and a house alarm is normally just an annoyance to neighbours while somebody is robbing your valuables.
Does make a huge difference. Vast majority of houses done have no alarm. Johnny Connors does not like drawing attention. But you are right most happen during the day
As awful as their other services are, Eircoms alarms are pretty reliable.
Kids outside playing hit a window with a ball and I got a call straight away
Eh, cheers lad for telling everyone
In other news, more than half if homes Do have alarms
Can’t afford the alarm! We did have a break-in a couple of years ago and they took anything worth taking then. I’ve often thought of putting a sign at the back door to say we’ve been done already, pass on, it’s not worth your while.
Not as if anyone pays attention to them anyway!
Exactly. When a car or house alarm is going off, your first thought is that it’s broken or over sensitive, maybe the noise scares some thieves away but it only alerts your neighbours that you probably have a defective alarm. Ineffective noise pollution, get one that’s connected to your phone and a camera if you like but please shhhhhhh
And the other half don’t turn theirs on
If someone wants to rob your house, alarm or no alarm, They’ll rob it, They’ll cut your telephone and alarm line rendering them useless, Its happened to scores of houses in Dublin.
Watch them going around areas knocking into houses to see if anyone’s home, if you’re home they’ll come up with some nonsense like ” Do you want your gutter clean”, If you’re really unlucky they’ll just barge into your home, batter you, tie you up and rob you blind.
If they cut the alarm wire – the alarm goes off ..
The bell box has it’s own battery .
Your phoneline will be cut and the Guards will not be called, When an alarm goes off in an estate, all anyone wants to do is shut the thing up, i must have heard 500 alarms going off in my life and never once have i thought to myself someone was being robbed.
Technically, any security measure can be defeated, even battery back up cellular.
“They’ll cut your telephone and alarm line rendering them useless, ”
I don’t think you understand how alarms work.
If the alarm goes off it rings my mobile/and sends a text – SIM card in the alarm panel ..
It’s only a few company’s that ring the Gaurds anyway.
Plus someone would have to get a ladder to stop the bell box from singing.
A bit suspicious looking for a burglar especially if they on foot carrying an extension ladder
@Cpm
Of course i know how alarms work, I’ve paid for a good alarm system on my house and i fully understand home security, It doesn’t make me feel any safer thou, from the vermin that roam our streets.
They cut your home line so the guards wont be called, your alarm might go off but that wont stop them, all they need is ten minutes to ransack your house and take all your valuables.
So even if it rings the Gaurds it’s still pointless because they are not sitting on the edge of their chair ready to call to an alarm call in less than 10 mins
Ok, Vlad and CPM
Keep thinking your safe as houses , totally immune to burglaries, underestimate them burglars at your peril.
As i said above if someone wants to rob your house, they will ! The more valuable the house and occupants are, the more devious and cunning a burglar gets!
I don’t doubt they can rob if they really want to – just debunking your ridiculous idea that the wires can be cut and all is silent – (SIM card, battery in bell box)
Vlad , if a burglar wants to rob your house they will, as i said earlier, any security measure can be breached, Who do you think you are with your “supreme security system” immune to crime,
Get down off your high horse now and take a smack of reality!
“Keep thinking your safe as houses , totally immune to burglaries, underestimate them burglars at your peril.”
What in the name of God are you talking about, man? Gather yourself.
What I said was “I don’t think you understand how alarms work.” Where in that sentence do you see me claiming to be immune to burglaries?
” as i said earlier, any security measure can be breached, ”
…allow me cut in there, what you actually said was “They’ll cut your telephone and alarm line rendering them useless,” which is a load of bull. Most, if not all, alarms have an independent power source (battery), and most of those that do make contact with a third party, do so using wireless GSM means, so there is no ‘alarm line’ to cut.
I think you are on the sauce this morning :-)
I said if they want to rob they will -
It’s you with your Hollywood idea that cutting the cable will gain access to your home without a peep :-)
Il know if my alarm goes off – simple..
If I can’t be there quickly il ring my neighbours and so on.
@Vlad
Burglars rob houses and breach security systems every day. Nothing you can do about Vlad!
Vlad
How dare you say its a” hollywood idea”, houses have been robbed in this fashion, the journal readers will tell you!
So when your house is being robbed,you get a text message in work saying your alarm is going off? you ring the guards and say “i think my house is being robbed”, are they going to come rushing up to your house? NO you’d be lucky if they came in 15 minutes,by then its too late
Oh you’re going to call your neighbour, who is going to stroll down to your house and make a citizens arrest, I don’t think so!
Troll
My telephone wire is underground,i also have a dog alarm,and i can get real angry, looks like they are on a looser here.
And they might fill yer wheelie bin with water, and pull the alarm box from the wall and throw it into wheelie bin, it’s happened
It would be interesting to find out the alarm company that sponsored this survey. The only rea
‘Survey carried out by insurance company 123.ie’
It’s in 123.ie’s interest for people to encourage intruder alarms to reduce claims.
Although it is in alarm companies favour the is quite obviously no promotion here.
If your front and rear PVC doors had the panels inserted externally your dead locks are as usefull as a chocolate ashtray. Check your doors. Later more recent doors have this fault corrected!
It’s the same with most windows. I locked myself out of my house and my brother, who is a glazier, came up and just took the entire pane of glass out so I could get in. It didn’t even set the alarm off!
Is your brother gonna sack Moyes
And a lot of people just close the front door behind them, burglars just put a lever in the post flap and push the handle down on the inside. People tend not to set the actual dead bolts in the door. Unfortunately this happened to my folks a few years ago and around 6-7 other houses in the estate. All with the same type of front door. They have an alarm now and the door is bolted all day
There are, and should have been glazing locks attached, to keep panel/glass in place in externally glazed frames
Brilliant …. @andrew hayes
Hickey i meant , doh …
Well for those that don’t have an alarm in the Munster area then probably best to call Lenihan security, providing for your domestic and commercial security needs since 1986. ( no relation to me of course )
It’s also possible that not everyone who has an alarm bothers telling their insurance.
Forget to set it and the insurance company will reject your claim.
Or
Forget or don’t get it serviced, usually costing more than your discount and your claim will be rejected.
I have one installed in my house, this is exactly why I don’t have it mentioned on my policy.
Isn’t your policy more expensive if you don’t have an alarm? Surely it’d be cheaper and easier to just set the thing.
Discount is just 15% for “approved” (meaning right type and annual service) and just under 20% for monitored systems. Which isn’t going to cover the costs involved.
A burglar isn’t going to know that the system hasn’t been checked so the visual deterrent and of course alarm sounding is still going to be as effective.
And if you forgot to set it just one day, then your insurance is void…why risk it for €60, by all means have the alarm, just don’t bother using it to get a reduction on your policy unless you AND your family can be certain it will always be switched on.
I have a sign on the gate..
“This property is protected by a shotgun, 3 days of the week. You guess which 3.”
Effective but not so great if they can’t read but my two Rhodesian Ridgebacks are a great deterrent. Excellent dogs for the job…
A burglar alarm going off only tells burglars there is definitely no one home – you might as well leave the doors opem
Perhaps they do not accept your premise Michelle that they should be afraid.
Got one while back, wails like a banshee on steroids and linked up to 5 mobiles so no annual bill, great peace of mind and worth about €1,200.00.
I think the stats on the alarm side could be flawed. I fit alarms for a living and have the most up to date system on the market in my house. My insurance company have no record of me having an alarm and here’s why. They offered me 15% off my premium which accounted for 75 euro I think ( could be wrong on amount but it wasn’t much ) the prob is if I forgot to set that system for whatever reason and got burgled then the insurance company weren’t liable. So for the sake of the discount I chose not to add it to my premium. Maybe not all company’s are like this but you’d better check.
My insurance company gave me £50 off if I had a house alarm. As you said, It’s not worth the small discount. I know someone that never set her alarm, the house was robbed and the insurance company never paid out.
Yep,down the country we don’t need alarms,the dog and the gun will be quite sufficient..
Who needs an alarm when you’ve got a double barrel under the bed
What about holidays ,would the dog be home alone
Yes, my neighbour minds him.
A survey of 900 homeowners becomes “nearly 50%” of all homeowners, how is that?
More than half of homeowners do not have their gas boilers serviced and checks made for carbon monoxide either and they are supposed to have this service carried out once a year. With all the taxes people simply haven’t got enough money to save their lives let alone what ever property they have left. Soon there will be more houses going up in flames than being robbed.
Bruno…. Your double ended dildo won’t get ya out of trouble!
Won’t stop me robbing yer gaf
Don’t worry pal, I’ll be waiting for ya with the double barrel. Closed Coffin I reckon!
No but my Machete will stop you!!!
You come to my “gaf” and I’ll spear you Derry boy .lol
A grossly irresponsible survey giving encouragement to would be burglars. We don’t have an alarm as we have yet to come across one which doesn’t go off by itself and annoy ourselves and neighbours. We have, however, taken many other precautions including security camera surveillance which is very reassuring while we are out as we can check it anytime.
Security cams are the job, more effective but keep the HDD drive well away and hidden from the DVR (Recorder)
I can’t believe so many people don’t have house alarms!
Maby half the people have nothing to steal
1. Deadbolt locks yes but the anchor points are just secured by 2 flimsy screws. Very easy to jimmy.
Drill and bolt the anchor points through the door jam with 6mm flathead bolts to prevent easy access at doors.
2. IP wireless cameras. €60 on the net. Just sit on window sill. Records every Reg Number and driver. Sends email pics of the prowlers.The pics are stored in the cloud not in your home. Fit IPCAM signs.
3. Electronic Dog. €60 on the net. PIR activated. Ferocious barking from inside house. No dog food, vet or kennels costs.
4. Monitored alarm companies now use mobile. No use cutting phone lines. Always activate alarm when vacating house even for a few minutes – no excuses. Now with cameras to show intruders at monitoring centers.
5. Lock all internal doors every night. Don’t want them in the bedroom.
6. External beads. A problem on early PVC and Aluminium windows. Can be popped from outside to remove the glass for easy entry. Alarm will not activate because window sash remains closed. Get beads industrially glued or fit modern internal bead sash to the existing window. No need to replace complete window.
7. Chain on the front door to restrict opening and prevent forced entry.
8. Eyeglass in the front door to check callers.
9. Sliding doors. Drill 6mm hole (carefully to avoid glass) in center sash and fit bolt. Prevents lifting off runners and easy entry. Now standard on all new sliding doors.
10. Fit PIR security lights around house. Also for better pics on IP CAMS.
11. Fit mini battery operated internal PIR alarm on stairs. €16. Switch on at night.
12. Fit steel grill over any glass panel on back doors. Fit 6mm bolts through anchor points. Back door is easy/lazy entry point. Car trailer steel kreels perfect fit. Aesthetics … front of house only!
Have 3 dogs won’t let anyone in the gate! Dangerous to approach front Door
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