I’m curious if any of you have security systems and what your experience has been with them. It used to be that only rich folks and those in unsafe areas had security systems, but with the advancement of technology, there are many affordable options on the market.
This week, we had a bit of a fiasco involving a security system. My brother-in-law recently bought a fixer-upper house, and he installed a security system.
While my brother-in-law was away on a camping trip, we received a call early in the morning from the security company, informing us that the alarm had gone off at the house. They sent police officers over and determined that someone had broken in, so they asked us to go over to the house to talk to the cops. We live a good bit away, but we loaded up in the car and drove over there.
The cops were very professional and kind, and they patiently waited at the house until we arrived, so we could look around and determine what had been taken. The TV was missing, as was my brother-in-law’s computer. The officers had been in the area when they had received the call, so they had arrived at the front door quickly enough to see the burglar run out the back. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to catch him.
So that was our positive security system experience. We hadn’t quite understood why my brother-in-law had purchased it, especially since he doesn’t have many valuables, but after that situation, we were glad.
The next day, however, we weren’t so glad. At 5:00 in the morning, the same company called again and said that someone had “pressed the medical alert button.” What is that supposed to mean? She asked if the homeowner had one of those buttons that the elderly and those with health problems wear around their necks in case of a fall or other medical situation. Seems to me like the security company should know the answer to that question…
We kindly informed her that my brother-in-law is young and in good health. Then they she told us that there is a similar button on the security system keypad that could trigger that alarm. At that point, we were sufficiently nervous. We explained that my brother-in-law was still out of town and that no one was supposed to be inside the house.
To make a long story short, emergency personnel went over to the house to look for signs of robbery. They didn’t go inside but said that everything looked fine from the outside, so they left. At that point, we were already wide awake, so we decided to drive over to double check that nothing had been stolen.
It was still dark outside, and I was afraid that the burglar was perhaps hiding inside the house, so I kept watch in the yard while my brave, heroic husband entered the house and began checking every room (even the creepy, old basement) to make sure no one was inside and nothing was amiss.
Everything was fine and dandy, but that still doesn’t explain how the medical alert button was pressed. We plan to suggest that my brother-in-law try a different security company.