How Burglars Defeat Home Security Systems

Defensive Action to Take Against Professional Thieves

Today's thieves are professional. You have to build your defense against them wi
th that in mind. They are as professional as your dentist, brain surgeon, and co
mputer repair man. They approach your house with care and preparation.
Some thieves are so good, they can visit your home, take a few items and be gone
without disturbing your house and you will never know they were there until day
s later you discover your checkbook or extra credit cards, or favorite necklace
is missing.
There are the bold ones who drive into a driveway with a delivery van or truck a
nd spend hours loading up their stolen goods in broad daylight. I've seen new ho
uses that have yet to be occupied suddenly get the appliances, light fixtures an
d even the carpet stolen on the night before the new owners were to move in. Thi
eves can take the strangest things.
Sometimes, they only need a few minutes to enter the front door using a ball poi
nt pen shaft as a key, make their way through the house and out the back door ca
rrying the loot. It happened to me. I was gone for only half an hour and came ho
me to ink stains on the front door and side paneling. When I opened the door the
house was all upside down and our check book, coin collections, some jewelry, c
ameras, and other small items were gone. So I learned something about defending
our home from burglars. Here are some suggestions:
Alarm Systems: If you have an alarm system in your house, DON'T use the protecti
ve sticker advertising the alarm company. While it is offered with good intentio
ns, the name of the alarm company tells the practiced burglar what kind of syste
m you have. He has the wiring diagrams to all the major systems, so he knows exa
ctly how to pry open the control cover and cut the right wire before the alarm h
as a chance to send its signal.
Instead, of using the company's pretty sticker, if you feel a warning is a deter
rent, then buy or make a generic one that simply says "HOUSE UNDER SURVEILLANCE"
Don't tell that you have motion detectors, floor contacts, wired windows, or ev
en silent alarms. Keep them guessing. The less you advertise the safer you are.
Defensive Action to Take Against Professional Thieves
If you live in a large house, consider zoned alarms. Set detectors in rooms away
from where you often spend your time in the house. Some thieves are so good the
y know you are in the living room watching TV and while you are enjoying your ti
me, they are busy in the next room going through your dresser, chests, and close
ts.
Remember that you have no alarm until you activate it. If it is turned off, it d
oesn't exist. So when you leave the house unattended, even for a few minutes, ac
tivate the alarm.
In my case, the policeman who investigated and took fingerprints said the thief
was probably in the house for less than three minutes. I had forgotten to turn t
he deadbolt on the front door. And even though the front door faces a busy stree
t, he must have known when I drove away, and simply walked up to the door and st
ripped the cover off his ball point pen and inserted the metal shaft just above
the key lock and walked in, wiping his hands of the ink on the house and the thi
ngs he touched inside. He got what he could easily take and then exited the back
door, jumped over the back privacy fence and disappeared. There were three othe
r burglaries in the neighborhood over the next two weeks, but no suspects were a
rrested.
Defensive Action: So turn on your alarms and lock your doors with deadbolts. EVE
RYTIME you leave. Practiced thieves work a neighborhood carefully. They have wat
ched you leave and arrive many times. They know your routine. They know when is
the best time to crash into your house and take what they want. Try to vary your
routine whenever possible. Every time you are in the neighborhood, drive by and
park in your driveway for a few minutes (perhaps make a cell phone call) and th
en drive away. When you leave to run an errand, sometimes drive around the block
and come back to the house for a few minutes and then leave on your errand.
Defensive Action to Take Against Professional Thieves
Protecting Your Valuables: Don't hide your valuables in the bedroom. That's the
first place a thief goes. They head directly for the dresser and look for the un
derwear and sock drawer and search it from top to bottom, often throwing most th
ings on the floor. That's where they often find the jewelry, coin collections, e
xtra credit cards, spare money, etc. The thief will separate your bedding and lo
ok under your mattress protector. He will go through your closets, especially th
e boxes up high. He will pull the boxes off the shelf tear open the tops and pea
k inside, then throw your cherished Christmas decorations on the floor. He will
search your medicine cabinet in the bathroom, often pushing your prescriptions t
o the floor, even in the toilet. He will riffle through your towels and sheets.
Forget about your food freezer and kitchen canisters, too. The dirty man who bro
ke into our house ran his hands into the flour, sugar and tea containers leaving
his ink smears behind.
Defensive Action: Store your precious items in a safe deposit box at the bank. I
f that is not always practical, then hide them in unusual places. Try under the
insulation in the attic over the garage. Or, on the bottom shelf of dirty tools
where a lot of things must be moved in order to get to them. Or, in a cut away h
ole in the wall behind heavy furniture. My computer was saved from the thief bec
ause it had so many wires going into it, it required more time to remove than th
e thief was willing to take. So tie or lock extra cords to your sound equipment,
small televisions, and CD, DVD cabinets etc.
Other Quick Defenses: Forget about growing thorny bushes in front of windows. Th
ieves wear double pants and shirts, first to keep out the thorns and second to c
hange identities when they leave your place. Keep bushes cut short so thieves wi
ll be exposed in your absence.
Forget the big dogs. Smart thieves know how to talk to them, pet them and feed t
hem. A small yapping dog that makes a lot of noise is better. They are unpredict
able with strangers.
Don't leave your lights on all the time. They only make it easier for the thieve
s. Instead set some lights on timers to come on and off at different times. Plac
e outside lights on motion detectors to come on when someone enters your drivewa
y or entrances - especially the back door.
Secure your door frames into the house with at least three-inch nails near your
lock cavities. This keeps the thieves from crashing in. The short half inch scre
ws used on the lock face plates are easy to overcome.
Never leave your garage door open or unlocked. It is a safe entry into your hous
e. You may be doing yard work in the back yard and a thief can walk into an open
garage, snatch what interests him and be gone. But he can also slip into your g
arage and then into the house, watch you work in the back yard while he is going
through your dresser, closets and cabinets.
Defensive Action to Take Against Professional Thieves
Exercise caution. Always lock your doors and windows Always turn on your alarm s
ystem. Make a deal with a trusted neighbor that you are leaving and not expectin
g deliveries. You watch his house and he watches your place. Never be shy about
calling the police when you spot suspicious people in your neighborhood. Join a
neighborhood watch group and help each other patrol the area. Thieves always go
for the safest and easiest work. Make it tough on them and they are likely to le
ave you alone.
==========================
How to Install a Home Security System
How to Install the Components: THIS IS OK > NOT REALLY THE BEST < BUT OK
Some home security systems are complex and should be installed by a professional
. However, there are many good home security systems sold in kit forms that can
be installed by any do-it-yourselfer. Most simple systems use a bell, loud buzze
r, or other sound source to note intrusion.
Installation involves mounting the sound source or sounder in a location where i
t can be easily heard. Then attach a circuit of switches to the sounder and conn
ect a battery to the system. Since the sounder operates from the battery, it rem
ains an effective alarm system even in the event of a power failure. Alternately
, battery-operated remote wireless sensors and controls can be installed. Howeve
r, make sure that batteries are replaced regularly.
©2006 Publications International, Ltd.
Because all switches in this closed-circuit system are in a wiring loop, opening
any one of them breaks the loop and triggers the bell-ringing circuit.
In electrical terminology, this alarm system is called a closed-circuit system.
When the doors and windows are shut, the attached switches are closed. Because a
ll the switches are in a wiring loop, opening any one of them breaks the loop an
d triggers the sounder circuit. Simply closing the door or window, moreover, doe
s not restore the switch loop circuit continuity and does not stop the sound unt
il either the battery becomes exhausted or someone switches off the circuit from
battery to sounder.
There is an electronic switch built into the sounder. This switch is turned on b
y breaking the magnetic-switch loop. A key-operated switch in the sounder circui
t allows you to turn the alarm system completely off when it is not needed. Also
, once the alarm goes on, operating the key switch is the only way to silence th
e sounder. Only someone who has a key to the switch can reset the system.
The switch device consists of two parts that look much alike: one small plastic
box that contains a strong magnet, and another that contains the actual switch.
When magnet and switch are not near each other, the switch contacts are separate
d and the switch is open. On the other hand, when the magnet and switch are near
each other, the switch contacts move together and the switch closes. The magnet
part of the device is screwed to a door or window, and the switch part is screw
ed to the door or window frame. Thus, opening a door or window separates magnet
from switch, causing the switch to open and trigger the alarm.
©2006 Publications International, Ltd.
This closed-circuit system is connected to a key switch, alarm bell, and batteri
es.
The three electronic parts that comprise the solid-state switch of the alarm sou
nder are mounted on a circuit board. Under the circuit board are a solenoid coil
and a plunger that strikes the bell or activates the electronic sounder. Below
the coil is a set of breaker points that causes the plunger to vibrate up and do
wn, activating the sound source.
Installing the Components
Install the sounder first. Decide where you want it located -- either to attract
the most attention for help or to scare away an intruder. If you decide to moun
t the sounder outdoors, you must drill a hole through the wall for the wires. To
shield the sounder from the weather, you should install it in a protective meta
l box of the type made especially for alarm sounders. Inside the box is a bracke
t for mounting a tamper switch that sets off the alarm system if someone tries t
o open the alarm sounder box. Located in the side of the box is the key switch t
hat allows a person with a key (but no one else) to activate, service, reset, or
deactivate the alarm system.
If you want the sounder to be located indoors, you need not install it in a prot
ective metal box. Mount the sounder on the wall in a place where it can be heard
easily. Placing an indoor sounder in a closet or other confined space is not re
commended.
The kit should include a mounting backplate attached to the sounder by a mountin
g screw. Remove the nut and separate the backplate from the sounder. You will se
e a pattern of holes in the backplate. Using wood screws, toggle bolts, or other
suitable fasteners, attach the plate to the wall at the place you have chosen t
o position the sounder. Mount the backplate with enough fasteners to hold the so
under solidly in place. Make sure that the plate is mounted right side up, and t
hat the correct side is forward. There is usually a tongue on the backplate that
should be at the top when it is mounted properly. Do not connect the sounder to
the backplate until later. You will find that the protective box for an outdoor
installation already contains a built-in backplate. Mount the box in the desire
d location.
Next, install the door and window switches. The magnet part goes on the door or
window, while the switch part goes on the window frame or doorjamb. Use the moun
ting screws in the kit to attach the parts. Try to position the two parts of the
switch so that they are close together -- almost touching -- when the window or
door is closed, and widely separated when the door or window starts to open.
If you wish, you can include fire sensor switches in the loop of entry-detection
switches. Use the kind of fire sensor switch that breaks the loop when the air
temperature in its vicinity reaches 135 degrees Farenheit.
Since that is more than the air temperature is ever likely to reach normally --
except in attics, furnace rooms, or over wood or coal stoves or other high-heat
producers -- you will never experience false alarms during hot weather. Install
190 degrees Farenheit sensors in normally hot locations. You should mount the fi
re sensor switches in the spots where you feel they will be most effective. Ther
e is no reason why you cannot put one or more sensor in every room that is being
wired for the security system.
Consider using current-conducting window foil tape for additional security. Silv
er foil with a self-adhesive backing is probably available where you purchase yo
ur alarm system. It is designed to trigger the alarm if an intruder breaks the g
lass in a door or a window. During installation, make sure there are no breaks i
n the foil that you stick on the glass; the tape must be continuous. Self-adhesi
ve foil terminals or connectors at the ends of the foil tapes let you connect th
e loop circuit wiring, and a flexible door cord allows you to open a foil-taped
door or window without setting off the alarm system.
In the next section, let's consider how to wire all of these components together
.
How to Wire the System
Once you have mounted the sounder backplate and installed all the switches, fire
sensors, and window foil, it is time to wire the system together. The wire for
the entry-detection switch loop is a thin (nearly transparent) two-wire cord tha
t is quite inconspicuous when you run it up the corner of a wall, down a door fr
ame, or along the baseboard.
Start at the point farthest away from the sounder (the foil taped to a window or
door glass, for example). Using a knife or wire stripper, bare about 3/4 inch o
f the wire ends. Loop each wire under a separate terminal screw on the switch or
door cord. Without cutting the two-wire cord, route it to the next device -- a
magnet switch, for example. Use small staples to keep the wire runs neat, but be
careful not to damage the wire when you hammer in the staples. At the second de
vice, use a knife to split apart the side-by-side conductors for a distance of a
few inches. Cut apart the copper-colored wire only -- do not cut apart both wir
es. Bare about 3/4 inch of the copper wire ends and connect them to the switch's
terminal screws.
Continue in this manner to the next switch, cutting apart only the copper-color
ed wire in the cord and attaching the bared ends of the cut wire under the termi
nal screws on the switch. One after the other, run the wire to all the entry-det
ection switches and fire sensors, finally running the two-wire cord to the sound
er backplate location.
If you need more than the spool of wire included in security system kits, buy an
other spool of the same wire gauge and start the new length at the last switch r
eached by the first length of wire. Cut off what remains of the first length of
wire at the switch, and bare the two conductors in both wires. Attach the copper
-colored wires to the switch terminal screws. Twist together the two silver-colo
red wires, and affix a small, solderless connector. Continue the run back to the
sounder with the new spool of wire, but do not connect the wire to the sounder
yet.
You have just finished wiring the intruder-entry sensor switch loop. If you did
it properly, the circuit of the copper-colored wire will go to and through all t
he switches, and the silver-colored wire will return from the farthest end with
no breaks or interruptions.
Now it is time to install the battery circuit. Purchase two 6-volt lantern-type
batteries or a suitable type of rechargeable battery pack. Decide where you are
going to locate the batteries; they can be hidden in a closet or a cabinet or pl
aced on a shelf you can install for that purpose. The security system kit should
contain some lengths of single-conductor wire called bell wire. One should be c
overed with red insulation and the other with black. Use this wire for connectin
g the batteries to the sounder.
In the battery-to-sounder circuit, you must connect the positive (+) and negativ
e (-) terminals of the battery to the sounder to make the solid-state switches o
perate properly. The bell wire ends are also black and red. Such color coding is
helpful for wiring the battery to the sounder correctly. Run both a black and a
red wire from the sounder location to the battery location. Connect the red wir
e to the positive (+) terminal of one of the cells, and connect the black wire t
o the negative (-) terminal of the other cell. Later, as a last step, you will c
onnect a wire between the negative (-) terminal of the first cell and the positi
ve (+) terminal of the other cell. Wait to do this, however, because while you a
re working on the installation you might accidentally touch the black and red wi
res together. Since that would quickly discharge the batteries, you should leave
the between-the-cells section of wire out until last.
Connecting the Sounder
Now it is time to connect the sounder. Use solderless connectors to join the bla
ck wire from the battery to the black wire of the sounder, and the red wire from
the battery to the red wire of the sounder. If your installation includes a key
switch, however, run the red wire first to the key switch and then to the sound
er. At the key switch, cut the red wire, strip insulation from the ends, and fas
ten each cut end under a separate screw terminal on the switch. Thus, operating
the key switch will open and close the circuit in the red wire.
Connect the wire ends from the switch loop to the two smaller wires on the sound
er. Fasten the sounder to its backplate, and tighten the attachment screw. Final
ly, with the key switch in the OFF position, attach the short wire between the t
wo battery cells.
Close all the entry-detection switches by shutting all windows and doors in the
loop. Turn the key switch on. The circuit should now be in operation. Test it by
opening a door. If you installed everything correctly, the alarm should sound.
When you close the door, the system should keep ringing. Turning off the key swi
tch, however, should shut off the alarm. When you turn the key switch back on, t
he alarm should remain off until the loop circuit is again interrupted.
If the alarm sounds as soon as you turn the key switch on, check the loop circui
t to make sure it is intact. All switches must be closed, all wires have to be a
ttached properly to switches under terminal screws, and no break can exist in th
e window foil. On the other hand, if the alarm does not sound when you open the
door, check to make sure that the key is on and that the wiring from the battery
to the sounder is correct.
Once you get the system into operation, set it off deliberately about once a wee
k just to make certain that the circuit is still in working condition and that t
he batteries still contain enough power to operate the system properly. Test the
system only briefly; then turn it off and reset it.
You can usually leave the security system turned on in the sentry mode for a con
siderable period of time. Since the entry-detection switch circuit draws a stand
by current of only about one-thousandth of an ampere, the batteries should last
for months when used only to supply the entry-detection switch loop. Using the s
ounder puts a heavy drain on the batteries. After the alarm has sounded for a fe
w hours, the batteries become exhausted and the alarm stops sounding. Know how m
uch use your batteries can stand, and replace or recharge them before their ener
gy is depleted.
When you combine this intruder alarm system with a timer that switches on lights
and a radio, you have a home security system that compares favorably with some
of the more elaborate and expensive systems. In addition, you have a security sy
stem that you can easily keep in good operating condition and at little expense.