Preventing False Burglar Alarms

False burglar alarms occur when your security monitoring company is notified of suspicious activity at your home that, in reality, is not an event necessitating further intervention by police or other emergency response teams.  However, if any type of strange activity is registered, the security company is obligated to locate you or another family member to verify the situation. Although unexpected phone calls can be a minor annoyance, a false burglar alarm has the potential to become a major headache if not addressed in a timely manner. 

False alarms can be detrimental in a few ways.  First, they can be costly; you will be required to shoulder the cost of police, firefighters, or any other response groups, which is a much more justifiable expense in the event of an actual emergency. Second, false alarms utilize important community resources that could have been put toward a more worthwhile cause and may indirectly jeopardize the life or property of someone else.

What are the most common causes of false burglar alarms?

• An error made by the user
• Faulty equipment
• Property vandalism
• Natural disasters/acts of God

How can false alarms be avoided or prevented?

• Teach all family members (and house guests or house-sitters, if applicable) how to operate the system. Make sure the keypad is out of reach of curious toddler fingers.
• Review your equipment for problems once a month. Alert your security company to any damaged or defective parts of your system immediately and request repairs as soon as is convenient for you.
• Write out simple instructions (omit passwords, however) and leave these near the keypad.
• Keep your contact information up-to-date with your security company so that they can reach you quickly in the event of a real or false alarm. Provide them with the phone numbers of long-term house guests, house sitters, or other family members – especially if you plan to go on vacation and entrust your home to someone else.