A burglar used a ladder, that had been left at the construction site next door, to gain entry to an open 2nd floor window near 17th & Oak Street. Once inside, the crook(s) were able to ransack the upper floor of the house.
Unfortunately, there were no alarm devices on the second floor and the alarm only tripped when the crook(s) used the front door to escape.
There are a few lessons to be learned from this incident:
- Never leave any windows unlocked or open. This incident was, like most burglaries, a crime of convenience. The window was open (and visible from the street) and the ladder had also been left behind at the construction site.
- Every opening in your home needs to be connected to the alarm system. Unfortunately, it is still common that many alarm systems do not have detection on the 2nd floor. If they do, it is typically a single motion detector at the top of the stairs. It is very important that EVERY opening door and window has its own magnetic contact. If you like to keep certain windows open, use a fresh air contact. Click here to read a post about proper alarm system design.
- Consider using a double-sided deadbolt. In this case, a double-sided deadbolt on the front door would have resulted in the alarm tripping while the crooks were still inside (by tripping the front hall motion) and requiring them to find an alternative exit. If every main floor door had a double-sided deadbolt, the crook(s) would have been forced to leave the way they came in: through the window. This would have slowed them down a fair bit and greatly increased their odds of being caught in the act. Of course, double-sided deadbolts create some safety issues in the event of a fire that must be well thought out before you have them installed.
If it has been a few years since your alarm was installed, it is probably time to have it reviewed to ensure that you have appropriate detection and coverage in place. Give us a call at 604.644.1087 or email to set up an appointment.