All That Glitters: The All-Time Biggest Jewelry Heists

ot just the stuff of movies, jewelry heists actually do exist, although they aren’t that frequent or easy as the movies would leave you to believe. However, they do take a lot of time, patience and precision. Nabbing that much loot isn’t done by chance—it takes a lot of skill and planning. Read below for some of the biggest jewelry heists in history, and, shocker, they all take place in the last 15 years!

 

Remember, diamonds really are a girl’s best friend, after all.

The Museon Museum Jewel Heist

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In December 2002, jewelry thieves pulled off one of the most mysterious diamond heists of all time. The Museon, a science museum in The Hague, Netherlands, was putting on a diamond exhibit intended to educate the public about the gems. There were royal pieces on display, including a wedding gift given by King William III to Queen Mary II of England in the 1600s.

Museum officials came in on Tuesday morning to find that six of the diamond exhibit’s 28 display cases were empty. The pieces disappeared either Sunday night or Monday morning, and because the museum is closed on Mondays, the theft went undetected for at least a day.

The Museon had 24-hour security guards monitoring all entrances and exits as well as 24-hour surveillance-cameras that covered every inch of the exhibit. The cabinets were in a motion-detection zone, and the displays that housed the most valuable pieces were made of reinforced glass.

Today, no one still has any idea how the heist happened. Nothing showed up on the video footage, the guards never saw a thing, the motion sensors never went off and the display cabinets had no evidence of tampering. The only signs of a break-in were the smashed window leading into the museum—and, of course, the empty cases. The precision of the heist suggests inside information was used, but investigators haven’t been able to make any connection between the robbery and museum staff.

The museum eventually put a price tag of about $12 million on the robbery, but since many of the stolen pieces had historical significance, the haul is really priceless. The gems will probably never turn up for auction because they’re too famous to go unnoticed by anyone in the jewelry world. Finally, detectives were forced to close the case because the lack of leads.

Harry Winston Jewelry Heist

 

While not with the same finesse of the Museon heist, one of the biggest jewelry heists in history struck the Harry Winston store in Paris when, on December 4, 2008, $118 million worth of jewelry was stolen.

Four armed robbers arrived at the store just before closing time and requested entrance over the intercom. Out of the four robbers, three were dressed in drag, with long blond tresses, sunglasses and winter scarves.  They strolled in with a small suitcase on wheels, then pulled out a hand grenade and a .357 Magnum, smashed display cases, shouted orders to employees, many of them by name. In less than 20 minutes they made off with millions of dollars worth of emeralds, rubies, and very large diamonds.

Members of the Pink Panthers gang that operates out of the Balkans and have been involved in some other high-profile jewel thefts were originally suspects, but were ruled out when on June 22, 25 suspects were arrested. There has been no word if any of the jewels have been recovered yet.

Carlton Jewelry Store

 

Also taking place in France, one of the biggest heists of its time occurred at the Carlton Jewelry Store in Cannes in 1994. With a much smaller loot of $60 million, this heist played much more like a gangster movie when three men burst into the Carlton Hotel’s jewelry store firing machine guns into the air. As store employees and customers panicked, the thieves quickly packed nearly $60 million worth of jewels into bags and made their escape.

Later on it was discovered that the rounds were in fact blanks. The thieves and the jewels are still at large.

Antwerp Diamond Heist

 

Antwerp is one of the two diamond capitals in the world. The other one is Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. Eighty percent of the world’s uncut gems go through Antwerp, and many of them are stored in the underground vault of the Antwerp Diamond Center building.

The largest diamond heist ever took place in Antwerp, Belgium, in 2003. With a value of at least $100 million in stolen jewels, this crime goes down in the history books as one of the biggest hauls.

At least four people had been planning the theft for years. They rented office space in the building in 2000, analyzed the alarm system and learned exactly how to bypass it. Now that’s patience. It’s still not exactly known how they pulled off the heist. The vault was thought to be impenetrable. It was protected by 10 layers of security, including infrared heat detectors, Doppler radar, a magnetic field, a seismic sensor, and a lock with 100 million possible combinations. They obtained keys to the vault and made copies. On the day of the break-in, they recorded over the security cameras and inserted fake tapes into the surveillance system to cover their movements.

Of the 189 safety deposit boxes where diamond brokers leave their stones while brokering deals, only 100 were emptied. The thieves had too many diamonds to carry, so they were forced to leave 37 vaults unopened, and Diamond Center employees came in to find loose diamonds strewn about the vault (see photo above).

The gang was identified as a group known as the School of Turin, a gang of thieves known for not using violence. The investigation led to Italy, and most of the group was arrested. Apparently, one of the thieves had left his DNA on a half-eaten sandwich among diamond-carrying bags dumped in a ditch near the crime scene. Another thief’s DNA was found in the vault. The leader, Leonardo Notarbartolo acted as a diamond merchant for years, apparently storing stones in the Diamond Center, and had somehow passed all of the Center’s background checks. He was released from prison earlier this year due to a short sentence based on circumstantial evidence.  Read more about Nortarbartolo.

The $100 million worth of gems they stole have never been found.

The Damiani Jewelry Heist

 

One of the most unusual heists in recent history could have easily been averted. A woman in Milan complained to police at least once about early-morning noise in her neighborhood. But because there was a construction project going on nearby, nothing came from her complaints. The police assumed that the noise was coming from the workmen. No one considered that the woman lived practically next door to the Damiani jewelry showroom.

Damiani is a world-famous jeweler. Its building was secure, with a high-tech alarm system and an armed guard at the front door. But, since the thieves had been drilling a hole every morning through the 4-foot wall that separated the showroom basement from the basement next door all the security didn’t matter.

The store had been preparing for a private showing, so there were no customers in the showroom. The thieves wore fake police uniforms and popped up in the showroom through an unguarded entrance. Unarmed they asked to see certain store records and then acted quickly, tying and gagging the staff. The operation took about a half hour, netting about $20 million in diamonds, rubies and gold.

There was one flaw in this heist though—the thieves would have made off with much more loot had it not been Oscar time. Some of the most valuable pieces were out on loan to Hollywood’s stars, including Oscar winner Tilda Swinton, who wore Damiani’s “Sahara Bracelet,” bearing 1,865 diamonds totaling more than 47 carats.

The investigation is ongoing. Police suspect an inside job as the timing was just too perfect.

If you’re scoffing at the amount of money these bandits have absconded with, perhaps you should be investigating a career change as a professional jewelry thief.

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Crimes comitted at the grocery

Much like our post on crimes you can commit in a marriage, there are other public crimes that aren’t punishable by fine or jail time, but it doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be. Here are our biggest crimes committed by fellow grocery shoppers. You know who you are.

Be nice to your fruit

Sneezing /Coughing on Food

Okay, so you’ve got a cold. That’s fine, but please don’t sneeze or cough all over the food we might buy. Cover your mouth; get a hanky. Whatever you have to do to protect food from gathering your germs—just do it. And don’t think twice.

Not Using Tongs For Samples

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Partaking in samples is all very legit. They are there for you to sample delicious things and maybe be persuaded into buying them. Fine. But, shoppers, it is not only a crime against your fellow customers but also to the grocery store and the food itself to stick your fingers into anything, especially when there are tongs right beside the container. If we could call the police on you we would.

Ducking Under the Sneeze Guard

Sneeze guards: there for a reason

This is in the same vein as the two crimes above. We do not want our food contaminated by other people. Now, this is hard with a lot of people shopping in the same place, but you can protect yourself and others by adhering to common courtesy. We’re always shocked by shoppers who duck under the sneeze guard to reach their food. If you’re getting a salad, chances are you can see clearly through the guard since it’s clear and you can probably reach underneath it a-okay. So, make sure you don’t dip your face under it. Not only is that gross, but it looks more uncomfortable than reaching under it easily.

Abusing Produce

We know you want to check your produce for the correct ripeness, but there is a difference between gently squeezing a fruit and manhandling it. See what you’re doing to that melon? That’s assault. And how about the rookies who don’t even know how to check for ripeness and just squeeze away, damaging fruit and vegetables that are perfectly usable in the process. Our avocados deserve better

Little Old Ladies Clogging Lines

 

We feel for the elderly, we do, but that doesn’t mean we don’t think they should get someone else to do their grocery shopping for them! For some strange reason, little old ladies always clog the checkout lines with counting out their change and rummaging through their coupons. We typically scan for the shortest line, but if we see an old lady at one, it’s on to the next.  Take your grandkid with you; he’ll speed things along.

But we certainly don’t condone running over any old ladies trying to get to the front of the line.

Asking the Baggers to Use Both Plastic and Paper

We’re fine with grocery stores that’ve banned plastic bags—environmentalists unite! And, well, we’ve been known to still get plastic bags when we plan to reuse them. But what we will never understand understand is those who insist on baggers using both plastic and paper bags to bag their groceries. Yeah, you don’t want your paper sacks to rip, but just make sure they’re not stuffed to the brink with groceries. They won’t rip. It’s  just wasteful. Where are the shopping police when you need them?

Driving Your Cart Down the Wrong Side

Maneuvering your grocery cart should be like driving a car. You should stop at the end of the aisle and look both ways before proceeding. Make sure to watch out for wayward kids and be able to stop at a moment’s notice. And always drive your cart down the right side of the aisle. If you don’t there’ll probably be a crash in the cereal aisle. Do we need grocery store traffic cops?

Via: www.weontech.com

ADT Home Security Review

ADT Home Security Review

 

There's nothing like the peace of mind in knowing that you and your family are safe, especially in your own home. That's why when looking for a home security system, it's important to have a foolproof, reliable and trusted brand. We've reviewed some of the top brands in the industry and asked the important questions, so you don't have to. Read below and get one step closer to the peace of mind you're looking for.

What areas of the country does ADT Home Security serve?

ADT is available all over the country and currently provides service to about 6 million people in North America. Internationally, ADT Home Security is available in more than 40 countries, from Costa Rica to the Philippines.

The systems protect its customers 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

How long has ADT Home Security been in business?

The company was founded in 1874, as American District Telegraph (ADT), and served as a telegraph delivery service. In the early 1900s, the company moved into security systems and, in the years since, has become the number one name in home security.

What differentiates ADT Home Security from the others?

ADT has been a trusted name not just for homeowners, but also for law enforcement agencies, the federal government and top Fortune 500 companies. Consider the following the following ADT customers:

• 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies


• half of the country's top 50 national and regional bank holding companies


• 72 of the nation's mid and large-size airports. ADT helps secure 19 of the top 30 busiest airports in the United States


• all federal courthouses nationwide


• of the top 100 largest retailers in the world, 45 are located in the United States. More than 80 percent of those retailers use some form of ADT security technology in some or all of their locations

ADT has also launched several public safety initiatives, including one in 1992 that provided domestic violence victims with free security systems in their homes. The program has been credited with saving the lives of 32 people.

Is ADT Home Security a full service provider?

Yes, ADT installs, services and monitors your home security system.

How much does ADT Home Security charge?

The price will of course be dependent on whether you're a homeowner looking for basic services for your house, or a bank looking for an intricate and highly complicated alarm system.

With a current Internet special, basic home security systems can be installed for $299 and cost only $42.99 for a monthly monitoring fee, meaning a total savings of $200. Otherwise, installation of the system typically costs around $499.

The system alerts homeowners on everything from burglary, fire and carbon monoxide in their home.

Customer Testimonials:

"At approximately 11:30 p.m. on a February evening, the ADT Customer Monitoring Center received an alarm transmission from the security monitoring system at Heather Cates' residence. Following notification of the proper authorities, ADT's swing shift associate called the premises and inquired as to the reason for the medical alarm signal.

ADT Associate: Are you OK?

Ms. Cates: I'm holding on. I'm nine months pregnant with my third baby and my water just broke!

Immediately, the ADT associate began to solicit additional information from Ms. Cates in order to update the medical team heading to her home, while at the same time making sure that this mother-to-be remained calm. Staying on the phone line, the ADT associate was conscientious enough to enlist the support of an outbound teammate who was able to relay crucial information until the paramedics arrived. The paramedics provided verbal confirmation that Ms. Cates was stable and ready to be transported to the hospital."

- Heather Cates

"With her husband John lying prone on the floor from a fall, Mary Brown signaled ADT for help from her home security monitoring system. Following an expeditious notification of the appropriate medical agency, a swing shift team member continued standard operating procedure and phoned the premises. A very distraught Mrs. Brown answered the phone wondering when medical assistance would arrive.

The ADT security-monitoring associate first attempted to calm Mrs. Brown, assuring her that an ambulance was en route to their residence. The associate then went on to ask a variety of questions that would afford ADT the opportunity to provide an in-depth update and disclose pertinent information regarding the gentleman's medical history to paramedics upon their arrival. As a result of thorough probing, the associate was able to notify the medical response team of Mr. Brown's respiratory condition at the time and alert them that the 76-year-old patient had experienced prior bouts with kidney disease and strokes."

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The Crimes Against Marriage

There are certain things that can be huge crimes against your spouse and your marriage. But what are the different levels of criminal acts you can commit and what are the penalties?

Misdemeanors

Women: Asking Your Husband to be Honest and Not Meaning It

Not a huge offense but annoying to men nonetheless, this little habit involves women asking for an opinion, demanding honesty, then getting upset when the honest answer isn’t the reaction they were looking for.

Example: “Honey, how do you feel about my mother? Be honest.” Response: “She’s a little insane.” Cue emotional outburst.

Really, women want men to be honest, but hearing the truth is sometimes painful. Maybe a little bending of the truth could be in order.

Fine: None. The husbands will just feel bad anyway. You might be able to weasel out some dish washing.

Men: Not Lowering the Toilet Seat

Okay, so it IS a big deal, fellas. Women can fall in if they aren’t paying attention to the seat, and that’s just plain gross.

Fine: See above. Some dish washing or taking out the trash might be in order.

 

Felonies

Women: Turning the Football Game Off

Football season may seem lengthy—it is—but there is no reason to turn off the big (or little) game unless someone has died or you need to go to the hospital. Men take this sport very seriously for some reason. They even join these things called fantasy leagues and compete over who knows football better. You might want to think twice before grabbing for the remote.

Fine: You will be sentenced to watch some Ultimate Fighter bouts. You really brought it upon yourself.

Men: Pausing Before Answering THE Question

We think you know what question we’re referring to. THE question. It can be asked in many different ways, but it all boils down the same: “Do I look fat?” You know you have to lie if the answer is indeed yes, but taking any sort of pause, no matter how insignificant to you, can be brutal. Don’t even look at her. Just answer quickly and follow it up with a brilliant compliment. Do not mention any of the following adjectives: thick, meaty, solid, likes to eat, bony, junk in ‘da trunk, badonkadonk, curvy, etc. Also, do not spout about society and their love of “skinny” women. This is also a trap.

Fine: You will have to buy her flowers, at least, if not copious amounts of  jewelry.

High Treason

Women: Letting Your Mother Move In

Ladies, it’s an undisputed fact that most husbands loathe their mothers-in-law—it’s even part of a Southwest Airlines commercial. We cannot explain it. It’s not rational in the slightest bit. They love their own moms and will defend her ’til their dying breaths, but your mom is totally fair game to them. Unless your mom is about to kick the bucket or is in a wheel chair, then maybe this is a forgivable offense, but, most likely, your husband does not want your mother visiting longer than a weekend, let alone move in with you.

Fine: We don’t want to talk divorce or anything, but chances might be likely.

Men: Saying Nice Things About Your Ex and/or Checking Out Your Wife’s Friends

These go in the same boat—basically either one is an act of high treason in your wife’s eyes. You are betraying her in so many ways.  Firstly, if you say nice things about your ex—her personality or her physical appearance—this is essentially telling your wife she’s not as good as your ex was. It doesn’t have to make sense, dudes. This is a fact. Forget the rule “if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.”

Secondly, your wife’s friends are not attractive. It is important you like them (or merely tolerate their existence), but you do not check them out or comment on their physical attractiveness. Think of them like sisters.

Fine: Okay, so maybe divorce isn’t imminent, but these acts of treason will not easily be forgiven or forgotten. Jewelry is required.

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Careers That Should Be Illegal

We already told you about the crimes committed in the grocery store, on the highway and in your marriage that aren’t exactly punishable with jail time or fines—although they should be—but there are definitely professions that are technically legal but seem one step away from being criminal. Read below for our take on smarmy—but legit—careers.

Car Salesman

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Car salesmen—and worse yet, used car salesmen—are perhaps the smarmiest of all professions. It is there job to do—and promise—whatever possible in order to get you into a car on their lot, so it’s hard to take what they say at face value.  When shopping for some new wheels, it’s hard to not feel like you’re being played or taken advantage of—or like there are some tactics used to seal the deal. It’s almost like a frat boy who’s circling the punch bowl for any willing lady to go home with him—that’s how used these salesman make us feel…

 

Realtor

Very similar to a car salesman, the Realtor and apartment locator use the same tactics but on a larger scale—your home. They weasel  you into a home that is probably out of your price range or an apartment that’s maybe facing construction you may not be aware of—all in the name of a commission. Now, we’re not saying they’re all bad, but pretty much any job that forces someone to use you for a commission check is probably not a very savory one, no? Both apartment locators and Realtors tend to get very antsy and impatient, which makes it sometimes difficult to close the deal when you’re unsure about the home you’re purchasing or apartment you’re renting.

 

Insurance Salesman

…or pretty much anything to do with insurance. Have you seen Michael Moore’s Sicko? The insurance industry is sometimes so corrupt sounding that it makes us want to move to France and enjoy unlimited amount of sick days. Anyone who has to sell you what you think your body is worth—or determine what your insurance doesn’t cover even though you thought it would—seems almost not out to screw you over instead of helping you. That’s why this profession makes the list, they are foes disguised as friends.

 

IRS Auditor

Do we even need to go into specifics here, folks? Auditors make you feel bad for not keeping receipts or feel stupid for not figuring out your taxes correctly. Also, they work for The Man, so, by definition, they must be evil—but still not illegal. Being audited also feels like an intense personal violation, especially coming from someone so impersonal.

Magician

 

Okay, we actually really love magicians, but, at the same time, we feel so manipulated by them. We know most of their tricks are slights of hand and fast changes or whatever but anytime something cool actually happens, we still feel like we’re being tricked  big time, and it almost makes the “magic” trick not as fun or as cool.

We do have a soft spot for the Masked Magician who reveals all the secrets of magicians’ acts—it’s like he’s the Donnie Brasco of magicians!

Mechanic

Who do you trust to fix your car?

Mechanics just seem to arbitrarily come up with a price for fixing your car; it seems to take them twice as long to fix it than they originally said and if you take your car to another shop, the estimate will be wildly different. It’s like they just make the whole thing up as they go along, and it’s pretty frustrating, which is why they make it onto this list.

Paris Hilton

Just no.  Sorry, Paris, having a “career” out of being famous should be outlawed.

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Stupid Crimes to Avoid During a Recession

Let’s admit it. Times are tough. Everything is getting more expensive, and jobs are becoming tougher to find. Maybe you’re not the smartest cookie in the bunch and want to resort to something a little less than kosher in terms of the law—not that we’re condoning anything illegal here. The following scams are hardly the best way to go about making a quick buck.

Selling Gas for Money

Sure gas still isn’t as high as it was last summer, but it’s still fairly expensive. We first heard of gas-selling scams on the F/X show It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, but that doesn’t mean other (slightly stupid) people haven’t tried this get-rich-quick scheme.

Apparently, it’s thought that if you buy a lot of gas, you can sell it to other customers. However, the flawed logic here is that you’ll have to buy the gas for the same price as the rest of the customers—unless you have some sort of great gas hookup, but then you wouldn’t be trying to scam your way to wealth—and then having to sell it for cheaper to get customers to purchase from you instead of the gas station. We think of it as a big, fat failed attempt at undercutting the gas industry to make money. It ain’t gonna happen.

Using Household Items as Drugs

For Home Cooking Use Only

Want a surefire way to piss off drug addicts and still get arrested at the same time? Go ahead and lace that illegal substance with a household ingredient and you’ll be facing not only jail time, but also angry customers.

There have always been the rumors of the half-assed drug dealers who mix their weed with Italian spices or cocaine with powdered sugar, but we’re not sure if anyone actually a) does this incredibly stupid thing or b) gets away with it.

Actually, on second thought, it’s probably just best to steer clear of the whole drug dealing industry altogether.

Running a Home Casino

We’ve seen TV shows and movies with super cool underground casinos.  They look like lots of fun, don’t they? Especially if you threw in some Prohibition-era hooch, and some sassy ladies. You’d have yourself a party.

We don’t condone gambling—when done in a legal way, everyone wins…well, almost everyone. But, if gambling is illegal in your town, this might not be the smartest way to get some cash flowing in. Sure, it sounds like a cool idea, but think about it—there is a ton of work involved with running a casino.  You have to get competent dealers, you need to know the odds, you need to have impeccable accounting skills and you need to know the rules in every game you host. It’s way too much work for an illegal endeavor, and if you’re really smart enough to pull something like this off, maybe you should just get work as an accountant or statistician.

Plus, check out what Arnold could do to your club.

 Don`t forget, that during the recession the home security system from your home is very important. Don`t neglect it.

Cultivating your own Diamond

You may think that creating jewels may be easy—well it’s not. Sure, coal eventually becomes a diamond, but this is over many, many, many years. You will be waiting throughout the next 50 recessions for that lump o’ coal to become anything worthwhile, and even then it’s iffy. Even Mythbusters proved this was pointless.

Photocopying Money

This may be the dumbest of all crimes. Money counterfeiting looks like it’s very complicated—we mean, it must be considering how complicated our money looks with all of its stamps, insignias and codes—although some people are quite good at it. So, it might not be the smartest of crimes to get into if you know nothing of counterfeiting money—especially if you figure that you can merely color copy money and get away with it. You will get totally busted the second you try to use that faux-dollar bill.

Although, apparently counterfeiting can save your life from time to time:

Via: www.weontech.com

Home Security Has Come a Long Way in the Past Century

 

Having top-notch home security can mean the difference between feeling vulnerable and feeling in control of your home and family. Home security has come a long way in the past century; as burglars have become more sophisticated, so have the means to repel them.

The Garza family of Houston, Texas thought their home was secure. They locked their doors. They lived in a good neighborhood. What more home security should they need? But one Friday afternoon they came home to a broken window and a ransacked house. Their TV, other electronics, even the kid's bikes, were gone. "How could this happen in broad daylight?" Asks Ed Garza. "The criminals are getting braver."

Clever Criminals

They aren't only getting braver, they're getting smarter. Criminals watch families closely to learn their habits, when they're home, when they're not. 40% of break-ins occur in the middle of the day while the family is at work or school. Burglars know that during the day there are likely to be fewer people around to keep an eye on the neighborhood, and they can treat homes like candy shops. Night is no longer the common criminal's only time on the job. They prowl at all hours, so your home security system must be ready and in place 24 hours a day.

Security is moving beyond strong locks and a guard dog and requires more vigilant standards. With burglars coming out into the day time and carefully planning their not-so-random attacks, safeguarding your home with a complex system requires you to put as much thought into it as the burglars do.

The basics: strong locks, trimmed back bushes, and nosy neighbors, are a good start, and you should make those the foundation for your home security system. But these days, a home security system requires a comprehensive network of components working together to protect your family from burglaries, fires, and other emergencies.

How a Wired or Wireless Home Security System Works

Wired or wireless, an alarm system does two things: when triggered, it not only lets out a shrill noise to draw attention to your home and scare away the intruder; it also alerts security personnel to the security breach and sends help right away.

There are many kinds of alarm systems. You can choose an alarm home security system that detects motion or an alarm system that detects window breakage or door entry.

Motion Sensor Home Security System

A motion sensor home security system detects unauthorized movement in or around your home. It senses infrared energy given off by a person in a secured area. On many motion sensor home security systems, an alarm is signaled only when the sensor is armed and the viewed energy has the correct temperature, motion, and timing associated with a burglar, thus safeguarding against false alarms. This sophisticated type of system is pet-proof, so Fido or Fluffy won't set off a false alarm, while Bruno the Burglar will be caught in the act.

A Window Break Home Security System

The other kind of alarm home security system is the window break system. Burglars love to break into windows, which, compared to doors, are much less secure. But a window break system detects when the glass is broken or the window is open without authorization, preventing burglars from simply smashing in a window and coming inside. If the Garza family had this sort of alarm system, chances are the burglar would have run away before stealing anything.

This type of home security system reduces the incidence of false alarms and break-ins. Simply affix the sensor to your window and it will safeguard your home.

Benefits of Any Home Security System

When you install a home security system in your home, you will enjoy decreased home insurance rates because insurance companies like knowing you have taken active steps to prevent damage and property loss in your home. Some home security system software also monitors your home and family for protection from fire and health emergencies as well.

A home security system can be a direct line to 911 -- the police, fire department, or ambulance. In the event of a break-in or other sudden emergency while you are home, you can hit the panic button and help will be on the way, thanks to your system.

The benefits of installing a home security system include:

o Permanent, 24-hour surveillance

o "Pet-immune" motion sensor systems available

o Security fits any size home

o Coded security power on/off puts you in control

o Preventive security as well as useful surveillance security

A Wireless Security Camera Home Security System

You have alarms, now how about some extra watchful eyes to guard you? A wireless camera home security system monitors you home with video surveillance that can capture any unsavory activity that can be used in court or used to protect your family from activities that may have otherwise gone unnoticed.

Benefits of a Wireless Security Camera Home Security System

o Easy to set up

o Cost efficient personal surveillance system

o Transportable, can move from room to room or house to house

o Send signals through walls and floors

A wireless security camera makes video surveillance easy, portable, and cost effective. Have your eyes peeled all the time with a wireless security camera.

Check out all we have in wireless security camera technology.

We also have wired security cameras for more permanent home security system surveillance.

Fire Alarm Home Security System

A system should include security from fires as well as from foe. Fires are a real threat to your home and family. Consider these statistics:

o There were 1,584,500 fires in the United States in 2003

o Fires resulted in 3,925 deaths, 18,125 injuries, and $12.3 billion in damages

o Residential fires represented 25.4% of all fires and 77.4% of structural fires

Fire alarms are a key part of your system. A fire alarm system alerts your family to danger and gets them safely out of the house. The early alert of a fire alarm system can also prevent a fire from actually destroying the structure of your home, protecting not only your loved ones but your house and what's inside. Home fire alarms should be a standard feature of your system.

Home fire alarms belong in every bedroom, plus the hallway, kitchen and den.
At a very low cost, home fire alarms save thousands of lives a year. There's simply no reason for home fire alarms not to be in every security system in America.

Explore our amazing collection of powerful lifesaving fire alarms.

The Power of a Comprehensive Home Security System

This combination of fire alarm, video surveillance, and 24-hour security monitoring will ensure that your home is under the utmost protection of a complex, sophisticated home security system. The Garzas learned their lesson the hard way. Don't wait until it's too late to start fending off burglars- outwit them at their own game by preventing all of their usual tricks. A little thought goes a long way in building a successful system.

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Unconventional Home Security Devices aka Home Alone-ing Your Home

Remember Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone and how he saved his family’s home from intruders by being a little more than inventive? What if you forgo all of the traditional security measures in your home and took your cue from this precocious kid? What kinds of nontraditional devices could you rig up to protect your home from sneaky crooks? Below are our suggestions for wacky ways to deter burglars.

 

Banana Peels

It’s common knowledge that banana peels can cause some of the funniest slips in cinema history, but even the Mythbusters proved that banana peels are incredibly slippery. So, why not place a bunch of banana peels under your window, causing your unfortunate crook to slip about like a Three Stooges clip? Maybe he’d think twice about continuing his ill-thought journey into your home.

 

Glue

Much like Kevin’s adventures in Home Alone, you can try to deter your would-be burglar with a little bit of glue. Maybe it wouldn’t stop him entirely, but it would most certainly stick his shoes to the ground, preferably outside—you wouldn’t want glued shoes to your floorboards, no?

Plus it would be funny to any passersby if the following happened:

 

Which leads us to our next uncommon security device…

Broken Glass

Annie Lennox said it best when she sang that love’s like walking on broken glass. So, once your burglar has lost his shoes—and is still stupid enough to forge ahead with his harebrained idea to rob you—you can easily slow him down further with a layout of broken glass. This tactic would also make a very loud alarm, as you’d definitely hear the noise of glass being crunched (and probably some loud screams).  Hey, it worked for Hans Gruber in Die Hard—not that we’re rooting for the bad guy here or anything.

 

Note: this device might not be suitable for those with pets or small children who like to roam during the middle of the night.

Cacti

Look at how thrifty you’re being! Once your crook tumbles down the stairs, you can set a well-placed cactus to cushion his fall—on a bed of sharp needles! Not only might he have a broken bone, but now this hapless burglar will have a tushie full of cacti. We’d be incredibly shocked if he didn’t give up after this debacle.

 

Electricity

If this robber makes it to your bedroom door after all the pain you’ve inflicted on him—which would be a shocker—then perhaps you should, literally, shock him. Rig up your metal doorknob to electrocute the crook should he make it up the stairs. There’s no way he’d be able to open the door after the pain he’s been put through on top of some good, ol’ fashioned electricity.

 

Of course, you could go the traditional route—complete with alarms, monitors and even a guard dog—by why not get creative with your home security system?

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Buying a home security system

Buying and installing a home security system yourself helps you to cut down on the costs of professional installation. However, do ensure that you buy your system from an authorized dealer, even if you’re planning to install it yourself. Unauthorized systems may be cheaper at first glance, but most of these do not guarantee you service and replacements. 

The first thing you need to do before buying your burglar alarm is to decide what kind of system you want to purchase. To do this, you need to perform a risk assessment. Large properties are best left to the experts, because the scale of work required would probably be too much for you to handle by yourself. However, regardless of whether you’re installing your system yourself or having the job done professionally, do a personal check on the areas of your house (and grounds, if you have them) to decide where you need sensors. Nobody knows your house like you do!

Many services ask for a monthly fee, especially if you need them to monitor your system for burglar and fire alarms. While it’s a good idea to opt for such monitoring, choose a service that does not require you to be tied to a contract for a lengthy period of time (for example, two or more years). Services like ADT and Brink, for instance, ask for a hefty monthly fee as well as a long-term contract. Choose a service that has a reasonable monthly fee and no contract, so that you can change the service at any time if you are not happy with it, without worrying about the contract.

The best place to buy your home security system is from a local dealer that has a license. (This is code for don't buy an alarm off eBay and expect it to rock.) Since most states now require legitimate dealers to possess permits for sales, it would be a good idea to check your dealer’s authorization before you buy from them.

A local dealer is your best bet, because they will help you customize your system according to your specific needs. While large-scale manufacturers also offer this service, they may be too busy to cater to an individual customer’s needs. Your local dealer, however, will probably be around when you need a fix. Choose a reliable dealer; ask around first, and don’t rely too heavily on advertisements because these can be deceptive. Word of mouth works best. Check with your friends and acquaintances and find out if you can find an established dealer who has had his business open for more than a few years.

Also, many users have found that large-scale manufacturers are not always prepared to replace small units, such as panels which are susceptible to failure if struck by lightning. Your local dealer will probably come right over and fix it at a nominal charge.

Whether you install your system yourself or get it professionally installed (which will double your costs), it’s a good idea to monitor your system yourself. Distance monitoring is not foolproof, and if your system gives way in the middle of the night, the odds are that you won’t get to know about it because the failure alarm will buzz at your supplier’s. 

If you are a do-it-yourself type, installing your own system can be a very good idea because in the process of the installation, you really get to know your own alarm. Having your home security system installed by someone else is a little bit like buying a car without looking under the hood first. Like any other piece of technology, alarms need to be learned and understood. Know your system and it will work wonders for you. Not knowing your system will put you at a distinct disadvantage, because you’ll be calling for help even for simple teething problems. However, if you’re too busy to baby-sit your system or are just reluctant to get involved in anything that requires more than pushing a button, your local dealer will probably be happy to install and explain the basic functions of your system to you.

While there are no hard and fast rules about buying systems off the internet, it’s best to pick an empirical store where you can get in touch with the provider should anything go wrong. The internet, however, is a useful resource for checking about costs and service providers with other users.

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Why Buy a Burglar Alarm System?

 

Why Buy a Burglar Alarm System?

In 2007, almost 2.2 million burglaries occurred in the U.S., costing victims an estimated $4.3 billion in total. The highest number of burglaries, 67.9 percent, occurred at home during the daytime. Despite the message sent by these alarming numbers, there are effective ways to prevent a burglary in your home. One study shows that a monitored alarm system makes a home three times less likely to be burglarized than a home without one. The following article will give you the nuts and bolts information on alarm system capabilities and how they can keep your home – and you - safe.

Burglar Alarm Systems: How do They Work?

When searching for a home security system, you'll most likely encounter two types of burglar alarms: hardwired and wireless. The two systems do essentially the same things, but how they do this varies.

• Hardwired systems, the more traditional choice, are wired directly through walls. In this system, all motion detectors and window and door motion sensors are wired directly to the central control system. If this sounds to technical, think of this: because all of the wires are concealed and reporting to one location, there are fewer chances for false alarms or interference with the system.


• Wireless systems, on the other hand, have small transmitters that wirelessly communicate information about doors or windows – and whether they’ve been opened – to the central point of the system. The devices are normally exposed near the protected area, like a window or door area.

When arming or disarming an alarm, each of the systems requires users to punch in a secured code. If the code is not entered or is improperly entered, an alarm will sound. Sensors in the alarm system detect movements in the house, which, depending on your alarm setting and whether the system is armed, will also sound an alarm. The systems also automatically contact the owner of the home by phone to alert them to the alarm and to inquire if police should be contacted.

Outdoor Alarms

The two alarms discussed above generally refer to indoor burglary alarm systems, but another option for outdoor alarms is also popular. Outdoor alarm systems also monitor your grounds and are sensitive to movements in the early days, the alarms were so sensitive that a cat walking on a lawn could set off the alarm. However, newer models have been programmed to measure the weight and height of an intruder. Unlike indoor alarms, outdoor alarm systems turn on floodlights when they are armed and sense movement in your yard. For this reason, they can be less affective in the day, though, the alarms sound an alarm when intruders are detected in driveways and garages.

Features to Consider before you Buy a Burglar Home Security System

Home security systems have several capabilities, including:

• Glassbreak detection

• Smoke and fire detection


• Garage door opening detection


• Easy-to-use controls


• Door opening detection


• Siren and alarm notification


• Interior motion detection


• Window opening detection


• Carbon monoxide detection

Many people think that these systems simply detect movements, doors opening or glass breaking, but the systems have more advanced features that have been added as technology has improved. Some less well-known features of these systems are fire, smoke and carbon monoxide detection. The systems, just like with traditional smoke alarms, sound an alarm when high amounts of smoke or heat are detected in the home. Alarms will also sound when dangerous levels of carbon monoxide are detected in your home. Carbon monoxide can’t be seen or smelled, and at high levels can kill a person within minutes, making this detection feature on alarm systems especially important. Buying a burglar home alarm system might just be worth the peace of mind it provides. To get a better idea of what your options are, fill out our simple quotes form and you'll be contacted by leading home security providers.

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