Many homeowners purchase a burglar alarm dummy box in place of the real thing. These alarms are mounted to the front of the property by the homeowner, but they are just empty boxes – they have no siren inside. Homeowners purchase these because they are cheap; in fact, you can purchase a dummy alarm for less than £20.

Gun Barrel Proof House, Banbury Street, by ell brown, on Flickr
  by  ell brown 

However, dummy alarms are not all they are cracked up to be. In this article, we will look at some of their biggest flaws.

False Economy

Burglars are used to checking potential targets for tell tale signs of alarm systems. Sometimes, burglary is their livelihood, so they will monitor houses for days to check the details. That is why dummy alarms fail to offer the same deterrent as a proper alarm system for a number of reasons.

For a start, most dummy alarms are simply a plastic box. Burglars are experts in noticing the subtle differences that make dummy alarms obvious, such as LED lights or wiring.

Some dummies do have these ‘faked’ features, but they are often less sophisticated than a real alarm.

Additionally, many dummy alarms are not mounted in realistic locations. An alarm installer – and a burglar – would instantly know that the alarm isn’t functional.

While dummy alarms are cheap, they don’t offer any of the hidden benefits of a real alarm, such as a reduction in your home insurance premiums. This proves that insurers do not place much faith in dummy alarms as effective deterrents.

Finally, remember: if your fake intruder alarm has a flashing light, you’ll need to climb a ladder every few months and change the batteries in the light. Any burglar watching your house will consider that a dead giveaway.

Real Alternatives

Naturally, the main purpose of an alarm is to prevent a break-in. If you have any doubts about a dummy alarm, a burglar will also see straight through it, and it won’t be a sound investment.

There are so many genuine alarms on the market, every homeowner can choose one to suit their budget and lifestyle. Affordable domestic alarms with bells are very effective and cost under £100. Your insurance company will value consider this alarm a valuable deterrent, thus helping to cut the cost of your premiums.

If you want to add a more comprehensive security alarm, ask Angel Security to quote on a silent alarm with monitoring. And remember: you’ll need to factor in the cost of maintenance, but our specialists can draw up a schedule that you can easily afford.

Don’t Put Your Home at Risk

If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Dummy alarms are no substitute for the real thing, and anyone who has been burgled will tell you how upsetting it is to have an intruder in their home. For complete peace of mind, always choose a real alarm. It need not cost you a fortune, and it could make the difference between an attempted burglary and the real thing.