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ADT, same thing as blackbird.

DH grew up with an alarm system and feels it's necessary. I don't necessarily, but have grown accustom to having it. The only 'break in' we've had is some neighborhood kids rummaging around DH's car that was left unlocked.

We looked into getting ADT when we first moved in, but the alarm system tech was impressed with the already existing system. When an door or window opens an alarm sounds. He said that was a deterrent in itself. He said the onlything to improve our system besides monitoring like an ADT would be motion detector lights.

We have a combination of a monitored system and self installed/monitored cameras.

We got broken into about 3 years ago but still have not gotten a security system. I don't feel unsafe since I feel it was an isolated incident since the crime rates are very low and even the police were a little surprised. I agree with Skadi too, they are probably quick and in and out of there before anyone could show up, and as long as I am not home, stuff is replaceable. My only concern would be if we were home, which most petty thieves would avoid since they are likely not looking for confrontation, but an easy score. Though in your case, since it's happening so much around you, I would probably feel safer with it.

@Anagram: In case you're imagining I wear the gun on my hip like a cowboy in a western, just to clarify, the gun is in a very secure body holster underneath my pants. It could not be pulled out of the holster even if an adult yanked as hard as they could without pressing the safety lock first (the lock is made to be too difficult for children to press, if they could somehow access it). The gun itself also has a safety.

I'm glad that one guy jumped rather than have a confrontation. Statistics show that homeowners are not always so lucky.

I would never shoot a gun, my LO in the house or not, unless I felt that my family was in danger. If a situation were to arise where my family was in danger, I'd rather shoot a gun with LO in the house than die and leave LO without a mother.

But to each their own. Life is all about weighing the risks. It sounds like you feel a gun for personal defense is more risky than home intruders, and I get that.

We have a dog but the time our house was broken into it was a guy working at a neighbor's house and he saw me leave with the dog on a walk. We set up our drop cam when we are out of town but honestly I guess I figure that if someone breaks in and then discovers we have an alarm then it didn't help me that much.

@Anagram: Yikes! I don't know if that makes it any better or not either. At least it sounds like they are avoiding people and don't want (anymore) trouble (than they have caused) if they are willing jump out the window than be seen. If it's not worth the cost since they arent out to hurt anyone, maybe just make sure any valuables are hidden so they leave empty handed and check your place off as not worth breaking in to.

@Mae: Yeah, I think ten minutes is the national average, so it's going to vary by city. Even if I believed the police could arrive three minutes after I made the call, a lot can happen in three minutes and I'd rather have another option to fall back on if the police don't arrive in time.

I had ADT when I first moved in and lived alone...but once DH moved in, I didn't think I needed it anymore (plus we set it off by accident so many times it was annoying!)

But we still have the ADT signs up and hope that acts as a deterrent.

I have locks and a 45 pound dog that likes to bark. But honestly, if someone came inside, the only real threat she would pose is licking someone to death or tripping them when she rolls over for a belly rub.

Our home is wired for a security system but we've never felt the need to actually install and pay for one.

We have ADT. With the USAA discount its under $40/mo and only had to sign a 2 year contract.

I hate security systems. Our house came with one installed but we have never paid to have it monitored or turned it on. DH's parents have one and it seems like there is an issue every time we visit, either with it going off accidentally at night, or when we walk in the house and they've changed the code without telling us and we don't know how to turn it off. I had friends with security systems when I was growing up and again, they went off all the time just from people moving around the house. We live in an urban area with the crime that comes with it, but we really believe a deadbolt and common sense can get you pretty far. Our doors are always, always locked. Beyond that it's just stuff, we have it all insured and can replace it.

(We do also have two big loud territorial dogs and I think they would realistically serve as a major deterrent to an intruder, but that isn't why we adopted them and I don't rely on them for that purpose. That's not their job.)

@Anagram: I haven't read all the pp comments, but we have Cox Security as a bundle with cable and phone as well. It's similar to ADT I'm sure. It has 2 motion sensors (you can pay for additional) and sensors on certain windows and doors (again, you can pay for extras). We also paid for a camera, which we like and use all the time. You can see inside the house from a phone app or computer. I'd actually like to get more cameras installed, whether through Cox or maybe some Foscams. I have friends who just use Foscams and some online/app as well, so they can always monitor things at home.

* One other thing, is the Cox security made us set up a second password for the alarm. So if in any instance someone forced you to turn off the alarm, it would seem like it went off, but the police and alarm company would still be notified that you are in distress. There is also a button that you can hit for emergency and authorities would be immediately dispatched to your house.

My building has cameras EVERYWHERE. It also has a key pod system so they know who is entering and where. It is one thing I really like about apartment living.

I also have a dog.

When I lived in the country (at one point growing up) we had two homes and one was fitted with security- it never had any problems but the other home got broken into twice. (The homes were next to one another.) I probably would invest in a system if and when we move... always will have a dog though. I lived alone in a cabin and liked having my dog- at least they alert you.

ADT type monitored service. One nice thing is that it is also monitored for fire, which makes me feel better when our dogs are home alone.

We have an alarm system similar to ADT, installed by a local company who does a lot of properties my DH managed when he did commercial property management. It chimes when any of our 5 doors are opened, has motion sensors, is monitored by the police, and we can arm/ disarm it from our phones even if we're nowhere near home, which I think is cool if I forget to set it as we leave. Since having kids, I just don't feel safe without a security system.

We kept the sign for our security system that they used before we bought the place, but it isn't hooked up. Our security would be super aware neighbors who see everything that goes on (townhomes) and one 2 houses down has cameras set up that looks on our property too. We have a gun, but it is locked in a safe in our bedroom so I would have limited access to it depending on what happens. Most stuff happening around here is theft from people's porches or cars, not in their homes, and it is almost always young teens or 20-something drug addicts who are unarmed and just looking for things to sell.