Rutgers Study Finds Alarm Systems Are Valuable Crime Fighting Tool
Study links burglary reductions to increase in alarm systems.
February 05, 2009
(Newark, NJ) – A comprehensive study of five years of statistics by researchers at the Rutgers University School of Criminal Justice (SCJ) in Newark found that residential burglar alarm systems decrease crime. While other studies have concluded that most burglars avoid alarms systems, this is the first study to focus on alarm systems while scientifically ruling out other factors that could have impacted the crime rate.
Researchers concentrated on analyzing crime data provided by the Newark Police Department. “Data showed that a steady decrease in burglaries in Newark between 2001 and 2005 coincided with an increase in the number of registered home burglar alarms,” said study author Dr. Seungmug (a.k.a. Zech) Lee, who received his doctoral degree from SCJ in 2008 and presently teaches at Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio. “The study credits the alarms with the decrease in burglaries and the city’s overall crime rate.”
In short, the study found that an installed burglar alarm makes a dwelling less attractive to the would-be and active intruders and protects the home without displacing burglaries to nearby homes.
The study also concluded that the deterrent effect of alarms is felt in the community at large. “Neighborhoods in which burglar alarms were densely installed have fewer incidents of residential burglaries than the neighborhoods with fewer burglar alarms,” the study noted.
The study was conducted with the cooperation of the Newark Police Department and reviewed five years of police data. The more than 300-page study was conducted over a two-year period and funded by the non-profit Alarm Industry Research and Educational Foundation (AIREF). SCJ Professors George L. Kelling, Marcus Felson and Ronald V. Clarke and Professor Robert D. McCrie of John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York were members of the study’s Faculty Advisory Committee. Dr. Clarke served as committee chair.
“This type of study assists police departments to effectively deploy their limited resources,” said Newark Police Director Garry McCarthy. “The School of Criminal Justice provides valuable insight into the positive impact alarm systems can have in preventing residential burglaries.”
“This is the most comprehensive study of its kind that has ever been conducted,” said Dr. Lee. “By using sophisticated in-depth research techniques, we were able to eliminate the variables that impact crime rates and focus directly on the impact alarm systems have on residential burglaries.”
The study noted that “technology innovations” have increased the availability of home security systems to middle-class homeowners and that technology has made the systems more dependable. “Computers, printed circuits, digital communicators, and microprocessors have refined monitoring and signaling technology, and modern electronic sensors now include ultrasonic, infrared and microwave devices which were formerly available only in more sophisticated commercial and industrial applications,” said Dr. Lee.
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Do Not Be a Victim of Holiday Burglars
Article Published by KJRH Channel 2, Tulsa, OK
Many Green Country homes have expensive electronic gifts under the Christmas tree, just waiting to be opened on Christmas morning.Police warn those gifts can make you a target for burglars. They say a little bit of common sense goes a long way when making your home less of a target. A good place to start is not leaving the boxes for all those high ticket items by the curb.
“It’s a giant neon sign saying steal me! Look at what is here! He doesn’t even have to work for it cause it’s right there on the curb,” says Burglary Sergeant Brandon Watkins. He warns what you leave by the curb could be an open invitation telling burglars that you are the proud new owner of a flat screen tv, laptop or gaming system.
He recommends that after you open gifts, take a few minutes to make sure thieves won’t be able to see the boxes your presents came in. “Tear down the boxes. Cut them up and put them in plastic bags. Don’t advertise that you have nice, new stuff that is available for theft by some burglar that is casing your neighborhood.”
Watkins says after you’ve hidden the boxes, locate the serial numbers for all your new electronic items. Write them down, keep them someplace safe. He recommends using a secured website such as a www.bwiusa.com.
Watkins says it safely stores all your serial numbers at no cost. This way they won’t be lost if your computer is stolen.
“When you go out and buy some of this stuff, take the time on Christmas Day to write down and log into that website. And they will have it just in case it gets lost or stolen,” says Watkins.
Having a record of your serial numbers will ensure that investigators can return them to you if they are pawned or recovered by police.
Without this information, there is no way to match stolen electronics to the rightful owner.
Protect Your Family Over the Holidays
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Sylvania Police: GPS thefts led burglars to next heist
Article published December 08, 2009
BLADE STAFF AND NEWS SERVICES
Two Michigan men have been arrested in connection with at least one burglary in Sylvania and dozens more in the Detroit area in which they used global-positioning devices obtained in car break-ins to choose their targets, authorities said.
During October and November, the two 23-year-old suspects stole GPS devices and garage-door remote control units from vehicles, then used the GPS data to locate victims’ homes and the garage-door openers to get in, police said. Targeted cars often were parked at restaurants or cinemas.
Sylvania Police Chief Gerald Sobb said he knew of one local burglary involving the pair, and that his officers also followed the suspects around town on another occasion after Michigan police received reports of suspicions pawn-shop transactions involving them. No crimes occurred during the local surveillance, the chief said.
The men were arrested in Pittsfield Township, just outside Ann Arbor, and police recovered stolen property in two suburban Detroit homes.
Chief Sobb had no details about what had been stolen in Sylvania and said he did not know if any of that property was among the recovered items.
“There’s an awful lot of stuff at those guys’ house that is going to have to be processed,” the chief said.
Police from Detroit, Troy, Auburn Hills, Bloomfield Township, Riverview, Rockwood, and Trenton, Mich., were involved in the investigation.
Holiday Home Security Tips
The holidays are a special time when families and friends come together to celebrate the season. It is also the time of year where families and friends are most generous and practice the tradition of gift giving. It should be a joyous and happy time for all of us.
Unfortunately for us, home burglars view the holiday season a little differently. For them, it is a time of opportunity to burglarize your home for cash, credit cards, and all the new gifts of small electronics, computers, jewelry, and easily sold valuables.
Here are a few tips of what they look for when shopping for a house to burglarize. These tips will help you enjoy the holidays without incident.
Burglars look for an easy entry with good escape routes. Don’t openly display your Christmas tree and gifts in the front window so it’s easily visible from the street. It’s too tempting for them to smash the window and grab the wrapped packages.
Burglars look for occupancy cues like outdoor lights burning 24 hours a day, piled up newspapers, or advertising flyers hanging on the door knob. Use an inexpensive light timer when you are away and ask a neighbor to keep the front of your home clean of papers and debris.
Burglars know to look for the hidden door key near the front entrance. Don’t hide spare keys under rocks, in flowerpots, or above door ledges. Instead give the spare key to a trusted neighbor.
Burglars prefer to enter through unlocked doors or windows. Sliding windows that are not secure can be seen from distance. One holiday problem can occur when exterior Christmas light extension cords are run inside through a window and prevent it from being secured. Hire an electrician or handyman to install an inexpensive exterior outlet for your holiday lights.
Don’t post your family name on your mailbox or on you house. A burglar can call directory assistance to get your telephone number and call your home while in front of your house to confirm that you are away.
Don’t leave descriptive telephone answering machine messages like, “You’ve reached the Wilson’s…we’re away skiing for the Christmas holidays…please leave a message.” Burglars love to hear that they have plenty of time to break in and completely ransack your home.
After Christmas day, don’t pile up empty gift boxes from your new computer, DVD player, or stereo receiver on the street for the garbage man. Burglars appreciate knowing that you have expensive gifts inside for them to steal. Break them down or cut them up to conceal the items better. After a lucrative burglary, the chances of being burglarized again are increased to steal the new replacement products.
Last, but not least, fortify your home by installing solid core doors, heavy duty locks, longer screws in the lock strike plates and door hinges, and install secondary security devices on all accessible sliding windows.
Source: http://www.crimedoctor.com/
Protect Your Children
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Home Security Tips
The following is basic advice to reduce your chance of suffering break-ins, property damage or loss. We do not want to see your home or business fall victim to a situation that could have been prevented.
Do not leave the inside lights on. When you are away on a trip, a burglar will watch for homes that have lights burning at odd hours or successive nights, clues that you are trying to outfox him.
Do not hide a key under the doormat, above the door, in the flower pots or window boxes, or in low shrubbery around the front door or porch.
Do not leave notes on the door, telling when you’ll be back. It’s another signal to burglars and they’ll know exactly how much time they have to do their dirty work.
Do not install a large pet entrance. Burglars have been known to squeeze through them to get into your home. If you have a pet entrance, make it smaller, or block it up while you’re away.
Do not tell pushy salespeople you have to leave. That may be just what they wants to hear. While you’re gone they may return and let themselves in.
Do not tell telephone survey people what you have. A burglar may be on the other end of the line trying to find out if it’s worthwhile to break into your home.
Do not let newspapers and mail pile up while you are out of town. The post office will hold it for you until you return.
Leave the radio on if you go out for a short time. Tune in a talk show or all-news station if there is one in your area. The burglar will have a hard time deciding if th voices are coming from the radio.
Cut breaks in your shrubbery. Prune the shrubs well so a burglar will find it difficult to hide behind them.
Keep your house keys on a separate ring. It’s a common trick for burglars to take jobs as parking lot attendants to have access to house keys to make quick copies.
Leave the car in the driveway when your out of town, if possible. If you have a garage, make sure the door is closed and windows are covered so no one can tell if it’s empty.
Call the Police or Sheriff to notify them of your absence. In small communities they will often check your property regularly.
Install and use deadbolt door locks and “pin” your easily accessible windows. A burglar usually doesn’t want to make a noise “breaking in.”
A nosy neighbor is a good neighbor. Let them know if you’re expecting anyone while you’re out.
Display your alarm system sign on the lawn and windows. Let the burglar know you have an alarm with a yard sign or window sticker. They will go look for easier targets of opportunity.
And get an alarm system if you don not have one now. Contact us today to find out how affordable one can be. Peace of mind, from Habitec Security.
Toledo Bar Shootout Caught on Tape
TOLEDO, Ohio – A hectic shootout between several patrons at the Route 66 Bar and Grill on Westwood Avenue near Nebraska Avenue in Toledo was captured on surveillance tape.
The shootout unfolded a few minutes before midnight late Thursday.
The surveillance video, released by Toledo police detectives Friday, shows the Route 66 bar packed with patrons. A few seconds into the video, some people are shown exchanging words with other patrons, yelling and screaming.
A few seconds later, bar patrons scatter in all directions as the words turned into a physical fight. Some of the patrons scramble for doors. One person is seen rolling over the pool table toward the doorway.
About a minute later, one patron is seen hiding behind the pool table with a pistol in his hand.
An unidentified man walks into the screen from a doorway on the left side of the bar, also with a pistol in his hand. A few beats later, shots ring out. The people that remained in the bar duck and drop to the floor.
Upwards of 20 shots were fire in the exchange. Luckily, nobody was hurt in the barrage of fire.
In another view from the surveillance video, many patrons flee out of the front entrance of the Route 66 bar in a mass exodus. After a few seconds of momentary calm, two people are shown pulling out handguns. Both fire into the bar.
The alleged suspects face felonious assault charges or possibly attempted murder charges once caught, Toledo police detectives said.
Source: http://www.foxtoledo.com/