Stupid Burglar Alarms

PDD

Hi Folks,

I was wondering if someone could perhaps point me toward some information regarding burglar alarms and any limitations/restrictions that are placed on them. This weekend was ruined by someones house alarm going off practically all weekend, during the day and night. It would go off for about 45 mins then shut off for about the same time again and it would go off again.

Is anyone on a residents association that has perhaps dealt with this issue before and has a policy or agreement in place that helped aleviate the issue?

Is there anyting I can do within the bounds of the law to make sure the owners of the alarm actually take some action rather than me wasting my breath?

Dave

PS: I have no intention what so ever of creating conflict but knowing the law may be necessary as the offending house is in the estate next door and my residents association has said there is nothing they can do about it leaving it up to me.

Xiney

I worked in a hostel and there were often alarms of businesses going off in the area out of hours.

What I would do is:

Try to identify the company whose alarm it belonged to and ring them
If that was impossible, ring the guards (noise complaint but also, could have been a burglar!)


Honestly though, I think burglar alarms are just about the stupidest thing I've ever heard of. I've never heard of anyone going out to investigate one, most of the time it's nothing but a nuisance. I'd never install one myself - waste of money.

Edit: by company, I mean the company that sold the alarm. This can usually be found on a little plastic sign on the building, near the roof.

PDD

@Xiney - I completely agree, people are desensitised by them to the point where no one even bats an eyelid or even thinks there could be a burglarly going on when they actually go off. All the siren on the alarm actually does is cause a bloody nuisance. If you want someone to give a **** about an alarm going off have good neighbours or get phone-watch etc. There has to be some set of sensible limitations as to what alarms can do with regard to noise etc.

To the best of my knowledge anything from 8am - 10pm has to be rediculously loud before a noise complaint can be made (no idea what levels) and then after 10pm it has to go above a certain level before you can call the guards. Which is complete toss anyway as the measurement of sound levels is completely subjective (without equipment which is not so cheap and prolific) and as far as I know the Gardai dont even carry noise meters to check.

Del2005

Recently installed alarms have to cut out after 15 mins and not reactivate the external sensor, came in a couple of years ago not too sure when, so it's new contact the alarm installer and see if they can contact the owner as they have installed an illegal system.

I remember a story in a paper a good few years ago where someone took a hammer to the external siren of an alarm that was going off for a weekend. The owner took the hammer person to court and lost. AFAIK there is now a precedence set up and if an alarm is going off for a long time you can beat it off the wall, I'd get proper legal advice/do some research on this.

Weyhey

Del2005 wrote: »

Recently installed alarms have to cut out after 15 mins and not reactivate the external sensor, came in a couple of years ago not too sure when, so it's new contact the alarm installer and see if they can contact the owner as they have installed an illegal system.

I don't think the time limit exceeding 15 mins is illegal I think it is just best practice and/or a voluntary standard.

The government are looking at bringing in laws to reduce noise pollution similar to those in the UK where if a burglar alarm goes off too long the gardai will have the power to enter the premises to turn it off. The owner would also receive a fine and a hefty call out fee for gardai and locksmith.

See the following link for details. You have til 31st October to send in your comments. Personally I think it is a great idea.

http://www.environ.ie/en/Environment/NoisePollution/MainBody,18228,en.htm

You could ask your residents assoc to add something to their RA Etiquette on alarms. Won't really do you any good at the moment though.

Del2005

Weyhey wrote: »

I don't think the time limit exceeding 15 mins is illegal I think it is just best practice and/or a voluntary standard.

Nope it's definately law. Came in at the same time all installers had to register as security contrators. BTW it's also illegal to get an alarm installed by a non registered installer. Not too sure how that would affect DIY.

Tim M-U

Del2005 wrote: »

Nope it's definately law. Came in at the same time all installers had to register as security contrators. BTW it's also illegal to get an alarm installed by a non registered installer. Not too sure how that would affect DIY.

Its illegal to hire an non registered security guy, but it isn't illegal to install an alarm in your own home yourself.

TwoShedsJackson

Weyhey wrote: »

See the following link for details. You have til 31st October to send in your comments. Personally I think it is a great idea.

the environment website wrote:

The closing date for receipt of submissions on the issue of noise will be 31 October, 2008.

Bit late there Gormley has now brought the Noise Pollution Bill to the Dail though, read about it in the paper about ten days ago. The bit about Gardai being able to enter your house/premises isn't going in, I think, due to unconstitutionality, but as for the rest of it, hallelujah!!

The_Conductor

Groans (alarm blaring in background)......
Its mentioned earlier in this thread that there is a legal precedent for taking a lump hammer to an external alarm....... Are you sure this is the case. I have a hammer and a ladder ready to go here........

Sarn

We had to put up with a neighbours internal alarm going off for five days non-stop and they were four houses down :eek:

Here's the article. At least now there'll be fines.
Neighbours to face fines

Tim M-U

smccarrick wrote: »

Groans (alarm blaring in background)......
Its mentioned earlier in this thread that there is a legal precedent for taking a lump hammer to an external alarm....... Are you sure this is the case. I have a hammer and a ladder ready to go here........

I know how fustrated you are, on a sunday morning!. But it is illegal to damage other peoples property. Sorry about that.

The_Conductor

Tim M-U wrote: »

I know how fustrated you are, on a sunday morning!. But it is illegal to damage other peoples property. Sorry about that.

We got out of here for the day- and the backup battery is died on their alarm while we were away (another neighbour helpfully turned off their ESB at the meter.......) I am so looking forward to a good night's sleep tonight.......

altor

Tim M-U wrote: »

Its illegal to hire an non registered security guy, but it isn't illegal to install an alarm in your own home yourself.

its not illegal to install your own alarm but make sure you tell your insurance company you installed it yourself, dont just tell them the components comply with the standard :-)

Saruman

My alarm sends me a text as well as my parents. If it goes off while we are away I can have them drive to the house to turn it off or else call the neighbours who are usually looking after the cats if on holidays but if its only for the night, leave it to the parents.
I installed a CCTV system thats on the interweb so I can see if someone is in the house or not. If they are, call the gardai and if not, get someone to reset the alarm.
I could get a GSM sms system instead of using the landline as with that I can turn it off with an sms code.

bushy...

altor wrote: »

its not illegal to install your own alarm but make sure you tell your insurance company you installed it yourself, dont just tell them the components comply with the standard :-)

Don't tell them you have an alarm at all if you installed it yourself.
They could make it out to be worse than not having one very easily.

altor

Saruman wrote: »

My alarm sends me a text as well as my parents. If it goes off while we are away I can have them drive to the house to turn it off or else call the neighbours who are usually looking after the cats if on holidays but if its only for the night, leave it to the parents.
I installed a CCTV system thats on the interweb so I can see if someone is in the house or not. If they are, call the gardai and if not, get someone to reset the alarm.
I could get a GSM sms system instead of using the landline as with that I can turn it off with an sms code.

a gsm is the best option as if someone cuts your phone line then you wont get any message at all plus you wont be going on the internet to check out your cctv..

altor

bushy... wrote: »

Don't tell them you have an alarm at all if you installed it yourself.
They could make it out to be worse than not having one very easily.

could not agree more with you. even if you have an alarm and dont use it but have told your insurance company and are getting a discount you wont get paid out unless it was on..

Saruman

altor wrote: »

a gsm is the best option as if someone cuts your phone line then you wont get any message at all plus you wont be going on the internet to check out your cctv..

I am fully aware of that yes, it all boils down to money (cant justify it it at the moment) and I doubt your average thief is smart enough to cut a phone line before entering a house. A business or isolated house perhaps but a phone line would not be easy to access in a house that is in a housing estate. There are no wires visible that can be cut as they are under ground.

altor

Saruman wrote: »

I doubt your average thief is smart enough to cut a phone line before entering a house. A business or isolated house perhaps but a phone line would not be easy to access in a house that is in a housing estate. There are no wires visible that can be cut as they are under ground.

it is expensive for the gsm but if your going to be spending your money to protect your house it is worth it. new housing estates all over the country have a box on the side of there house which contains there main phone line, making it very easy to cut.. your average thief knows more than you think :-)

bushy...

Anyone thats chopping phone lines will have a GSM jammer , they're cheap and too available now

Saruman

altor wrote: »

it is expensive for the gsm but if your going to be spending your money to protect your house it is worth it. new housing estates all over the country have a box on the side of there house which contains there main phone line, making it very easy to cut.. your average thief knows more than you think :-)

You speaking from experience?

This would be fun just walking around town with people talking on their phones and a circle around you has people shouting "hello? You there? Can you hear me?"

altor

Saruman wrote: »

You speaking from experience?

This would be fun just walking around town with people talking on their phones and a circle around you has people shouting "hello? You there? Can you hear me?"

ha ha.. i am speaking from experience, i install alarms for a living and have seen this happen on many an occasion. the best one is people getting contacts installed on the openings of there windows. most windows are glazed from the outside so its only a matter of pulling the rubber seal and the bead falls out, so to does the glass and in they go. if the window is not opened the alarm wont go off. thats why i advise people to put shocks on there windows.. they pick up on someone taking out the glass, trying to force it open or even if they try to cut the glass. a motion detector in the house is also a good measure as a back up for if someone did get in..

Kipperhell

Our alarm broke and I rang the insurance company to see what way I was covered until it was fixed. We had no coverage while it was broken but if we said we didn't have one the cost was an extra €4 a year. Better off saying you don't have an alarm in case your house is broken into and you forgot to put on the alarm IMHO. They seem pretty useless to me for most people

screwlox

YOU ARE COVERED BY YOUR HOME INSURANCE, IF YOU ARE BURGLED AND YOUR ALARM NOT SET.........

HOWEVER:
If you are claiming a discount for having an alarm (which you obviously didn't use!), this % will be deducted from any claim you may make, as a result of that burglary.
Ring your insurance company to verify, if you doubt me.;)