Just to add some thought......
At our local V.F.W. we had an alarm system that was wired to a call-up company. We also had a "panic button" behind the bar, that went direct to the PD. But that's another story.
The door switches were set up for a 30 second call. The siren was a 60 second call. Most of the alarm call backs were from Bar Maids not beating the 30 second time on lock-up or un-lock.
One time we got several calls in the night that even included the police, but was finally found. Someone had brought one of those silver party ballons, and everytime the hot air furnace would kick-on the ballon would float around and trip the motion detector. It took about 4 calls to figure that one out.
But....the bad boys moving, as someone here said. It happened about 4 a.m.. Got a call from the security company to call the PD for the V.F.W.. They were on the scene and I was the calling party.
When I got there the PD ran my license number to verify that I was me. The siren was still going off, the back door was demaged but no entry there. The front door was major demage but no entry there. However the side door, wood, was busted out and entry gained.
They had already been inside. They said it was clear and wanted me to go inside to shut off the siren. They hadn't checked the upstairs and that was where the safe was. I refused to go in till they check the up stairs. They did with guns drawn, and it was clear.
Results....The 2 doors that were demaged wern't moved enough to trip the switchs. We could tell how far entry was made on the inside once the serin tripped by the way things were knocked over, from a hasty exit. Nothing was stolen.
Some members thought that the alarm was junk because we got broke into, not the case. It did exactly what it was suppose to do. "Call alarm company, (neighbor), call PD, Scare away" $39.95 a month at the time.
One more short story /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif An old neighbor had installed his own alarm system with a siren in the coopala. When he would test it he would call me first with a warning. There was about 3 acres between us and it was loud.
Before he left for the 4th of July weekend, he asked me to call the PD if I hear the siren and that nobody was to be there. Sure ..no problem. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
Well, during the week-end it tripped 4 different times, and I called the PD each time. They came out each time and circled the house on foot guns drawn. Nada
Mistake 1. I had no keys to the house.
Mistake 2. I had no phone number to reach him or his family.
Mistake 3. He left the phone plugged in. Every time someone rang the phone, the noise sensor would trip the siren.
So,......do some planning, and give a trusted neighbor all the info that they need. George
