On Friday 11th January 2019, it was announced that the incarceration of criminals for non violent or sexual crimes, that would lead to a prison sentence of six month or less, may be abolished. So all petty crimes which include burglary and damage to property, will result in community service. The thinking behind this is a short prison sentence can ruin the offenders lives, by loss of employment, loss of their homes and such forth, but not long enough to deter them from re offending. It is also argued that by losing their jobs, the necessity to commit crimes such as theft to get money, increases.
With the police under-resourced, it is imperative to make sure that your property is as secure as possible, to deter petty criminals. CCTV cameras with night vision and high definition pictures are essential to provide evidence if anyone trespasses onto your property. CCTV systems are giving better quality images as technology improves making streaming onto the internet via a website or an app easier. Several years ago, companies installing CCTV would charge the client a small annual fee to host the images, for viewing on the internet. Now most CCTV systems allow this to happen free, by downloading an app or signing onto their web portals. A good quality system will also allow notification if a boundary or area has been activated by someone entering or crossing the boundary.
Intruder alarms have also advanced in recent years with the technology for passive inferred detectors able differentiate between people and pets. This allows for systems to be set when the home owner is away, but will not be activated if the cat, or dog is in the property. Hybrid systems have also made large advances in the market. A hybrid system allows hard wired devices and radio wave devices to work on the same system. This gives great flexibility to make alterations or additions to the system without the need to run a cable to the new devices. It also allows outbuildings to be connected to the main security alarm panel in the main building. One of the complaints by many wanting a security alarm installing, is the lack of activity by neighbours and or the police if the system is activated. One solution to this is to have a dial out device fitted to the system. This would scroll round several registered numbers in turn until the call is answered, allowing the property owner to ensure someone can attend to the property, in the event of the alarm being activated.
