Why Self-Monitored Home Alarm Systems Don’t Work

[Europlex]

A good old USofA example, but just as relevant.

Why Self-Monitored Home Alarm Systems Don’t Work

Self-monitored alarm systems have become a growing trend amongst end users.
At least once a week I am asked if it is possible to monitor your own alarm system. Even commercial & retail clients are asking me. Of course, the answer is always an unequivocal "No", which is always followed by the client's inevitable question, "Why?"
At this point, most people think I am just being biased because I want to sell them a monitored system. Every time this happens I tell them the same story about Joel Matlin, president of AlarmForce, & how the self-monitored portion of his home alarm system almost failed him completely.
VideoRelay -- monitored by the end user
AlarmForce is one of North America's largest home alarm companies. Their systems include the typical features found in today's modern alarms: wireless devices, two-way voice, & motion-activated cameras marketed by AlarmForce as VideoRelay.
VideoRelay is a low resolution camera that calls or emails images to users whenever it is activated. The camera has also built in two-way voice capabilities. The crippling catch? The camera is not monitored by the AlarmForce central station; it is monitored by the end user.
February 4, 2012, Joel Matlin was visiting friends in Florida when his VideoRelay camera was triggered at his Toronto area home (more than 2,000 kilo meters away).
His VideoRelay camera first called his cell phone, but he missed the call. Moments later, his phone received an email with images of several suspicious men outside his front door. By the time Matlin read the email, the men were gone & he was not able to utilize the two-way voice feature.
Instead, he called the Toronto Police & asked them to check on his home & emailed them the images from his camera. He also called his step-son, Robbie, who was away from the home but would be returning later that night. Matlin then turned off his cell phone & went to sleep.
Back in Toronto (at 4:30 a.m.) Matlin's step-son Robbie awoke to the sound of the alarm system announcing the phone line had been cut.
Seconds later he heard someone trying to kick in the front door. He ran downstairs, turned on the lights, & confronted a group of men who immediately fled. Had Matlin's cell phone been turned on, he would have received several alarms as the men surrounded the house leading up to the phone line cut.
Instead, Matlin was sound asleep in Florida, none the wiser of what had just taken place at his home in Toronto.
Lucky for Matlin, no one was hurt & nothing was stolen. The men who attempted the break-in were arrested later that day in connection with several other break & enters that took place around the same time.
The lesson to be learned is that Matlin's alarm system never failed him. The monitoring system for his camera failed because it was self-monitored.
Had the initial alarm gone to a professional monitoring station, they would have been able to communicate with the would-be thieves while dispatching police, & had the thieves realised the system was monitored, they surely would not have returned.

 

[socdesign]

"At this point, most people think I am just being biased because I want to sell them a monitored system."

Surely not...

Like monitored systems, there are many flavours of self monitored systems. Some with backup paths, multiple recipients, Etc.

There are many people out there with monitored contracts where a line cut would result in no police response, so your story is slightly biased. The majority of the public have no idea of how robust their expensive monitoring contracts actually are.

 

[JohnD]

I spy, with my little eye, another diatribe by a fanatic opposed to low-cost DIY systems.

"If you buy a budget system for £150 it will not be as good as you might get if you spend £2,000 plus £200 a year"

Well blow me down, who'd have thought it?

If you scour the world looking for examples, there's no surprise you can find one that for some reason has no audble siren, and that is unable to phone out if the phone line is vulnerable and is cut. That would apply. whether it was a DIY or a pro install.

The tale does point up, though, the advantage of a system that phones out to several keyholders, and the advantage of having several keyholders who are local and will be willing and able to attend in the event of an alarm. Without that, police will probably not turn up even for a pro alarm unless they happen to be passing and have nothing better to do.

 

[JohnD]

BTW the idea of a monitoring station "despatching police" is untrue, misleading and laughable.

The advert was written by somebody in the monitored alarm trade.

Does anyone not know what sort of response to expect from police, to a call that says 'there was someone here but they've gone now.'

 

[mdf290]

I don't doubt that your story is true. It is however just a single example.
I can actually say exactly the opposite and that self monitored systems DO work.
I could easily start a topic heading ' Why Professionally Monitored Alarm systems do not work'
citing all the reasons relating to non guaranteed police response and the realities that your nominated keyholders can easily ignore their mobiles just as easily as anyone else.

But I would not post such a topic as the moderators would simply delete it as it would be seen as advertising or troll baiting.

That story you mention is also misleading. The important detail is that the homeowner ignored his call.
That does not surprise me actually as his system sent a text.

I actually think a system that calls out with a dialled call is much better. people hearing their phone ring at three in the morning are very likely to answer it as it would have to be an important call. I would answer any late call like that instinctively in case something bad had happened. A text however I may just ignore and wait to read in the morning.

 

[bernardgreen]

BTW the idea of a monitoring station "despatching police" is untrue, misleading and laughable.

But they DO notify the police and give an indication of the urgency of the matter.

Does anyone not know what sort of response to expect from police, to a call that says 'there was someone here but they've gone now.'

As a key holder I can confirm that police have attended a house after being notified of the alarm by the monitoring service. Response was fast. On one occasion they arrived ( 4 miles ) before me ( 200 yards ).

 

[bernardgreen]

I actually think a system that calls out with a dialled call is much better. people hearing their phone ring at three in the morning are very likely to answer it

And then in a sleepy stupor and shocked that their friend's house has been broken into have to react logically and efficiently to deal with the matter.

Or the owner miles from home gets the call.

So once awake and thinking clearly what do they do ?,

What can they do ?

Most often by the time they are fully awake it is too late to do anything other than arrange for the property to be secured against further invasions. At least monitoring station staff are awake and alert when the call arrives and may be able to get police or other local response on scene to reduce damage / loss. They have lists of on call companies for urgent services such as security staff, boarding up companies etc and procedures for dealing with the matter.

Even though I am well used to being called out from a warm bed in the middle of the night I still need a few minutes to fully wake up.

as it would have to be an important call. I would answer any late call like that instinctively in case something bad had happened. A text however I may just ignore and wait to read in the morning.

Some people turn their phone off at night without thinking about calls from a friend's alarm system.

And what if the line is already busy and the alarm call cannot get through.

Un-monitored alarms do work ( most of the time ) in as far as detecting the break in. It is the response to the alarm that is in question and very often that is the weak point where the overall sytem fails to be effective.

 

[JohnD]

It is very important to remember that contrary to the fraudulent lie by the person selling monitored alarms who wrote that advert, monitoring rooms do not despatch police, and no alarm or monitoring company should be allowed to give the false impression that they guarantee police attendance.

I can confirm that sometimes police do attend quite quickly.

I can also confirm that a recent call from my commercial premises, confirmed by three keyholders who chased the intruders away, had a PCSO call in three days later, no earlier response was available.

 

[Europlex]

Can't any body read?

It's NOT my story, it is a direct quote from an AMERICAN 'security' site. Jeez.

 

[Europlex]

It is very important to remember that contrary to the fraudulent lie by the person selling monitored alarms who wrote that advert, monitoring rooms do not despatch police, and no alarm or monitoring company should be allowed to give the false impression that they guarantee police attendance.

I do hope that is not directed at me.

So you know how all the different American police forces work with ARCs then, please enlighten us.

 

[JohnD]

I do hope that is not directed at me.

It's NOT my story, it is a direct quote from an AMERICAN 'security' site. Jeez.

Can't any body read?

Jeez.

I can read.

You are surely not intending to allege that commercial American alarm monitoring companies are in control of police officers and are in a position to despatch them.

If you choose to post unattributed tales under your own name, then you can expect to receive criticism for any far-fetched claim made in your post.

 

[JohnD]

BTW the idea of a monitoring station "despatching police" is untrue, misleading and laughable.

But they DO notify the police and give an indication of the urgency of the matter.

But they don't despatch them, which is what Europlex said in his post.

 

[Europlex]

Other than the very first line of my post, I said NOTHING, the rest is as I said in that first line.

 

[JohnD]

If you choose to post unattributed tales under your own name, then you can expect to receive criticism for any far-fetched claim made in your post.

 

[Europlex]

I have been in the security business for more years than I care to remember, I have no need to justify anything I write or quote, you can take it or leave it.