Burglar resistant physical security, anyone else interested

Ambersky

Hi
Recently I was thinking about improving the security in my home due to a number of break ins in my local area.
I was thinking about getting my alarm system monitored and was checking into this forum to get some information on what thats all about.
It seemed that a security company would only consider phoning the Guards when at least two circuits had been broken in the home and there was no reply from the householder.
As I live alone I feel a dilemma about alarms going off in the first place. I want them to scare the potential burglar but dont know how to check if its just a false alarm or someone actually in my home without making myself vulnerable by going downstairs to check things out.
I have also felt afraid knowing that there was no where safe for me to go if there was someone in the house as my bedroom door would have given in if it was kicked or shouldered hard enough.

Now I know that people are concerned enough about sub standard and nuisance alarm systems to have gone to the bother of setting up regulatory standards that alarm systems are suppose to comply with.
So why do we not demand that the doors and windows that compose our physical security comply with a simular burglar resistant standard?
In some areas on the continent security doors are considered as standard.
We seem to think that all we need is a new lock but dont look at what the lock fits into or the door frame itself or what the door is made of.
Just Googling Burglar Resistance I got http://www.gunnebo.com/pt/Documents/Brochure_Standards.Regulations.Guide_1.1_EN.pdf
which gives some measure of burglar resistance of doors and windows in homes as well as larger places like banks etc.
Theres loads more information on the net on this issue of burglar resistance.
Why do we in Ireland seem to concentrate mainly on raising an alarm when someone gets into our homes.
Why do we not spend as much time and money into preventing intruders getting in in the first place?
Why is the issue of the kinds of doors and windows, the entrances into our homes not regulated in such a way as we know the safety standards that the window and doors we buy actually match up to.

altor

A second keypad in the bedroom would give you an indication of what has activated the alarm system. All new alarms connected to a monitoring station have to be able to send a verified alarm signal to the monitoring station. Keyholders need to be able to respond to the alarm activation also as they have to give the guards access to the premises unless it is a P.A that has being activated.

Do you know what type system you have installed ?

KoolKid

Ambersky wrote: »

It seemed that a security company would only consider phoning the Guards when at least two circuits had been broken in the home and there was no reply from the householder.

Not entirly correct.

From the Garda Policy on Monitored Alarms

An Garda Síochána will always respond to personal attack alarm activations, these are alarms activated

intentionally by a person who is in fear of criminal attack, on himself /herself or their property

As and from 31st January 2008 the policy of An Garda Síochána will be to respond to verified alarm activation only. A verified alarm is one that is verified by the activation of a secondary detection device as a sequential verified alarm, or by visual or audible inspection (including remote camera or microphone).

All Commercial Alarms must have verification technology installed by the 31ST January 2008. An Garda Siochana will not respond to non verified Commercial Alarms after that date. In order to allow Domestic Alarms holders more time to upgrade their alarm systems to verification technology, An Garda Siochana will still respond to non verified Domestic Alarms. It should be noted however that if a false activation is received by Gardai after the 31st January 2008, Garda response will be withdrawn until verification technology is installed.

Ambersky wrote: »

Why do we not spend as much time and money into preventing intruders getting in in the first place?

Why is the issue of the kinds of doors and windows, the entrances into our homes not regulated in such a way as we know the safety standards that the window and doors we buy actually match up to.

I would say the main stumbling blockes here would be the look & the cost s involved. We did do work on apartments a while back where those thype of doors were fitted as standard.

Ambersky

Thanks for the replies and thanks koolkid for the clarification.
Any reassurances are welcome.
I bought my alarm system 15 years ago, when I could afford it, 5 years after I moved into my house.
I went for a reputable company and am glad I did, one because I think that keeps burglars away and two because I haven't had any false alarms caused by wind or fireworks etc. So Im a happy customer in that regard.

Recently however as I have said there has been a spate of break ins in my area.
It all came to a head for me when my next door neighbour was broken into while she was asleep in bed and I felt I needed to update my own security.

When I asked around about how the burglars were getting into the houses I found out that there were weakness inherent in the door jambs and locks of our doors which ment that burglars had learned how to kick in the doors or snap the locks.

Now Im not familiar with the improvements in alarm systems since I installed mine but I have a limited amount of money to spend and realising that the physical security of my doors was compromised I felt I needed to do something about it.
Some of my neighbours have installed new, mainly PVC, front doors.
I went to fairco and the one I liked was €4,500 but thats my expensive taste for you.
A new front door can be expensive and even then you have no idea how safe they are as they dont seem to be measured by a national standard authority in the same way as say alarm systems.
When you buy an alarm system you can check out if it meets required standards or not.
When you buy doors and windows which after all are the things that are suppose to protect you and keep intruders out in the first place it seems anything goes.
Looking for information on Boards about buying new windows it seems to be fairly common for windows to be, I think its called beaded, on the outside which can make it possible for a burglar to simply remove the beading and take out the glass.
The same seems to be true for PVC doors, they can look fine but no one tells you about the weaknesses.

Anyway with my limited funds I decided to get new anti snap locks, got extra locks to reinforce my front and back doors from the inside and I got a new solid bedroom door with door jamb armour.
I want to keep intruders out in the first place.
Now that I have some more physical security I may save up and buy a new more secure front door and then I will update my alarm system, if I can afford it all that is.
Before I fork out for those things I will need to do more research on how burglar resistant they are and Im amazed at how difficult that can be.

I appreciate the information and advice I get on Boards.
So far I have taken information on getting some soundproofing done and I also got secondary windows installed based on advice from Boardsies. It was on this forum I found out about door jamb armour and reinforcing bedroom doors.
Thanks Lads

good logs...

would a baby monitor be any good it will let hear whats going on down stairs with out you haveing to go down to have a look ? also a down stairs light switch in the bedroom.

paddy147

I had another hard wired kepyad installed in the mainbedroom.

Great thing to do,and you can also set you're alarm from the comfort of you're bed at night,without having to run downstairs,set the alarm in the hallway and then run back upstairs again before it triggers.

Ambersky

Thats an idea good logs... hadnt thought of that might try it out.
Might do that one too paddy147 when I can afford to update my whole system

altor

Ambersky wrote: »

Thats an idea good logs... hadnt thought of that might try it out.
Might do that one too paddy147 when I can afford to update my whole system

Depending on the system you have installed then adding a keypad without upgrading might be a solution.

Neilw

One of these doors would probably be more secure than a upvc one.
http://prestigesecuritydoors.ie/doors.html

Ambersky

It’s been a while since I posted as I’ve been busy, but I heard some of the story of Alexandra on Joe Duffy last week.
She is the artist who was attacked with several cuts to her face and body as well as having her fingers cut off by an intruder into her home.

Eircom phonewatch also released figures around the same time that said there are approximately 500 burglaries occurring in Ireland each week and over 200 of these in the Dublin area (almost 30 per day!)
While the statistics seem to say that this doesnt mean there has been a big increase in burglaries people seem to be reporting burglars who are more willing to confront or attack home occupiers.
From listening to Joe Duffy there seems to be a lot of people quite frightened out there.

Im wondering if women and older men who feel more vulnerable or isolated are more concerned about this business of making sure your windows and doors are capable of actually keeping burglars out, than the able bodied men who want no more than an alarm to alert them to an intruder.

It was by chance that I read about http://burglarybusters.ie/on this forum when I was thinking about improving my own home security.
Now that I have a bedroom door reinforced with door jamb armour and an extra lock put in by that company I really feel more secure.
I don’t feel that sense of panic on hearing noises at night and feel more secure in the knowledge that I have one safe place to go and wait for assistance if needs be.

Ive heard loads of people on Joe Duffy during the week talking about concerns they have for their own personal safety or the safety of loved ones even in their own homes.
People who have actually been attacked seem to feel too vulnerable to even speak about it on the radio.
One woman would only speak about her attack when they disguised her voice.

It seems sensible to me that if you live alone and feel you would be vulnerable during a break in or if you feel the Guards would not get to you quickly because of your isolation, to make sure you have one place safe in your home to go to.
In all the discussions about security on the radio, well the bits I heard, I still didnt hear anything about safe rooms, door jamb armour, anti snap anti bump locks, security doors, window locks and other forms of actual physical security.
Instead of being scared I would like people to be given more options of ways to protect themselves or at least make themselves safe in at least one area of their home.

Bluehair

Ambersky wrote: »

I want to keep intruders out in the first place.

You're not alone.

It's a question of passive security vs active security. You need a good combination of both in my opinion.

Sadly like many we waited until something happened (we walked in our front door to meet two intruders!) before giving more serious consideration to home security.

Having subsequently learned how scarily easy it is to break in through a lot of standard doors/windows in Irish homes I'm still amazed why stopping them entering in the first place doesn't take priority over being made aware once they're in.

Seeing as this is the forum for it I'm keen to hear any opinions from the experts on this aspect of home security? Genuinely any good answers would be appreciated.