Home security systems in Memphis and other cities are serving their purpose well as vital components in the efforts to thwart crimes against property. A survey commissioned by the Alarm Industry Research & Educational Foundation (AIREF) determined that there is definitive value in instituting measures that uphold the pillars of effective security: detection, prevention, and deterrence. Suburban homes in Greenwich, Connecticut experienced a decrease in crimes against property that coincided with the increase in installation of home alarms complemented by other security guidelines. The findings were considered relative and reflective of security setups in locations like Memphis where crime rates in recent years have been on the rise.

In the context of the survey, there were several prevention precautions that came into play in reducing the incidence of burglary, robbery, and other intrusion incidents. Deadbolts and pins in doors and windows, among others, made break-ins more difficult for malefactors. Deterrent precautions, on the other hand, involved security measures that gave intruders the perception that homes were occupied at the time of the intended crime. Interior and exterior lights, for example, lit areas burglars avoided. They also steered clear of households that had cars in the driveway, TVs on timers, and other signs of human presence.

Detection precautions, on the other hand, entailed the use of electronic devices that companies like Frase Protection provide. Security systems such as burglar alarms broadcast messages of break-ins to the neighborhood, or even to law enforcers. AIREF claimed that the chances of home theft can be reduced by more than 66 percent in properties with alarms and other deterrent measures.

Security experts are optimistic about the numbers. Three out of four intrusions were averted by audible alarm systems. Statistics show that houses worth over $600,000 but armed with security gadgets are over five times less likely to be looted than simpler homes which are not equipped with these systems.

Average loss from theft is also significantly reduced with home alarms; $3,266 for homes with alarms, compared with $5,343 for houses without. About 90 percent of convicted burglars, according to information culled from security organizations, confessed that they avoided homes with alarm systems. Many of them said they wouldn’t attempt to rob a house in the presence of alarms.

Despite the proven value of home alarms, AIREF was quick to clarify that they don’t automatically ensure safety. Effective Memphis home security, after all, depends on reliance in alarms coupled with other practical precautions.