Do alarm systems prevent break-ins? The Truth About Alarm Systems (From a Burglar’s Point of View)

Do alarm systems prevent break-ins?

Ah, the internet. You know how it goes — one second you’re scrolling, and the next you’re deep into something you didn’t expect. That’s how I found myself on the American Crime Prevention Institute website, reading a blog titled Understanding Decisions To Burglarize.

The post referenced a 2012 study from the University of North Carolina in Charlotte where researchers interviewed 422 convicted burglars. I’ll be unpacking a lot of what they learned over the next few posts, but what really caught my attention was how much alarms factored into a burglar’s decision-making.

If you’ve been following my content for a while, you already know I’m a big advocate for using alarm systems as one layer of a good security plan. They aren’t magic — no system can prevent every break-in — but I didn’t fully appreciate just how effective they really are until I dug into this.

The key? Layout and strategy. A well-thought-out alarm system does more than make noise; it actively shapes the outcome of a break-in attempt. Here’s what I recommend if you want your system to actually work:

The Essentials of an Effective Alarm System:

1.     Proper signage — Make sure it’s clear there’s a system. You want them to know before they even try.

2.     Multiple sensors throughout the premises— Don’t cheap out. The Greater Sudbury Police have the VSARP Program for alarm response. [Read about it HERE] or [watch my CTV News interview HERE].

3.     Reliable professional monitoring — You aren’t on your phone 24/7, and you shouldn’t have to be. Someone needs to get help moving fast when it matters.

Why this setup matters:

✔ Burglars don’t like alarms About 60% of offenders said they would skip a property if they spotted an alarm, especially if they spent time planning.

✔ They don’t stick around Most burglars are gone within 3 minutes once the system trips.

✔ Help arrives faster Monitored alarms get emergency responders on the way. Quicker than self-monitoring. Quicker than “we’ll deal with it later.”

Like I always say — you can’t make your property break-in proof. But you can make it too risky for most crooks to bother.

If you want help designing an alarm system that actually works — or want to chat about other ways to help protect what matters most — my team and I at 360 Security Consultants are ready when you are.

Mike Pagnutti