Research by pollsters YouGov for the security product company RISCO suggests that some householders with an intruder alarm don’t use it. A survey of 4,237 British adults found that less than a third (32pc) have a burglar alarm in their home and, of these, less than half (49pc) actually set it when they go on holiday.
Of those Britons that rarely or never set their burglar alarm, one in five admit to forgetting to switch it on, while for 13pc of householders it’s because they fear getting false alarms. The same amount (13pc) rarely or never set their alarm because they find it too complicated.
The 2015 Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) estimated there were 800,000 domestic burglaries in 2014/2015, resulting in an average loss per incident of £2267 and damage costing £892.
Anna Royds, Head of Marketing at RISCO Group UK, said: “The cost of not having an alarm – or not using the one you have – can be considerable. And it’s not just the financial impact of domestic burglary that matters. Some 80% of those who experience a domestic burglary say they are emotionally affected by the incident, with around one in four having difficulty sleeping after a burglary.”
Householders should also be aware that not switching their burglar alarm on can affect their home insurance, potentially leaving them without cover in the event of a burglary, the firm adds.
One solution to forgetting to turn on an alarm is to choose one of the smartphone-operated burglar alarms available, the firm adds. The survey found interest in an alarm controlled by a smartphone or tablet, with 70pc of those with a burglar alarm aged 25-34 expressing an interest. Interest is not restricted to the young and tech-savvy, either: an alarm linked to their smartphone appeals to more than one in four (28pc) of those with a burglar alarm and aged 65 and over.
RISCO says that its SmartAlarm can be operated from a smartphone app, which allows householders to set and unset their alarm remotely. Forgetting to set an alarm is remedied with a few swipes on a smartphone screen. Alerts are automatically sent to a householder’s phone if the alarm is triggered, while users can even watch live images of their home on their smartphone if CCTV cameras are attached to their alarm.
On the survey
Visit: http://www.causeforalarm.co.uk. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 4,237 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between January 4 and 6, 2016. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18-plus).
Pictured: Property, Salcombe, south Devon.
