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Homeowners Turn to Technology to Help Thwart Thieves
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The system should also have an inside and outside siren to scare off intruders plus a silent alarm code in case someone forces the homeowners to shut down the alarm.
Santamorena recommended at least three alarm keypads in the house: near the front door, back door and the master bedroom.
"If you think there's a problem, you ought to be able to press a panic button," he says.
Avoid the temptation to buy fake alarm company stickers. Experienced thieves will see right through them.
"I don't recommend people doing that at all, they're just kidding themselves," Santamorena said.
Even if a monitored security system is beyond a homeowner's budget, a number of other products offer ways to fill in the security gaps.
One item, by Armor Concepts, can prevent someone from kicking in a door.
Dubbed the Door Jamb Armor, it's a series of metal supports that slide over the existing door frame on a standard entry door, reinforcing it at the door jamb, the lock and the top and bottom hinges.
"All the parts of the door that break when it's kicked don't break anymore," said Alan Young, the company's chief executive.
A full set sells for about $125.
Next month, the company plans to debut a version of the Door Jamb that works with doors that have windows on either side of the door frame.
Another option is to install a biometric locks that use fingerprint recognition technology instead of a key.
