Yes, an arms race between burglars and house owners; but also an arms race between house owners and house owners, and between insurance companies and insurance companies. After all, it doesn't have to be - and probably can never be - 100% secure; but if you make it visibly more secure than the guy down the street's, or visibly more trouble than it's worth, or both, then - harsh as it is - that's enough..
Along the lines of "If you and a friend wake a tiger, you have only one hope of survival: trip your friend.", right? --AC?
Pretty much. Although you miss the continuation "And when you get back to civilisation, blame your friend." which also applies here. --Vitenka
Of course, this sometimes leads to extremes of silliness. The classic example being the yellow 'neighbourhood watch' sign on the gatepost to a farmhouse, with no other habitation within five miles.
It also breaks down somewhat, since you have to have enough security to counter the allure of the riches you appear to have available for stealing. So it doesn't matter that your mansion has more security than a cardboard box - few people will burgle a cardboard box.
Well, it's like the OP(MoonShadow) said: you need to make it "visibly more trouble than it's worth". The "guy down the street's" assumes roughly comparable apparent value of contents. --AC
Current baselines as required by most insurance companies:
Mortice locks on all doors and windows (Amusingly, Yale locks' patent expires soon. The plus side will be more hole in the wall key duplicators. The downside will less licensing for hole in the wall key duplicators.)
All windows should be double glazed (To make them harder to break - although this is a fire hazard problem, which leads the fire service to distribute info on how to break them (sharpish object to the corner) and thus defeats the object)
Deadbolts on all doors - and engaged during the night (I guess this one makes sense. Though most burglaries occur while the home is unoccupied. Most thefts, of course, are performed by the other occupants.)
Alarm system on doors, preferably also windows, and motion sensors. (Useless though - when was the last time anyone did anything about an alarm other than curse at it?)
There's always the variety that telephones the police, who get very upset at your pets..
True, but after a few calls they start ignoring it too, leaving it undefended. Oooh - missed one - there's been a rise in the sales of fake alarm boxes. They look just like normal alarm boxes, but the flashing light doesn't connect to anything. Of course, buying them from a MarketStall whose owner will then chat about them down the pub may not be a move made by the smartest person on the block. --Vitenka
Oddly - none seem to mind the continuing practice of leaving a key under the mat.
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