So says Berry Everitt, MD of the Chas Everitt International property group, who notes: "Sophisticated alarm systems do have obvious advantages. They alert you when intruders try to gain access to your property; they summon help from neighbours or a security company if you are connected to their surveillance network; and they may save you some money on your insurance premiums.

"Fear of the murder and mayhem that can occur during a burglary is also often strong enough to overcome homeowners' concerns about the cost, maintenance and monitoring fees on such systems."

Prevention better than cure
But security experts say that the aim of homeowners should be to deter crime as much as to combat it, and that significant results can be achieved by simply altering one's physical surroundings.

They point out that some house designs, while charming and attractive, can encourage criminal activity. Recessed gateways and alcoves, for example, offer hiding places for criminals while fences or walls with crosspieces can be used as 'ladder' rungs.

"On the other hand, simple measures such as pruning overgrown vegetation at entrances and installing garden lights to eliminate dark hiding spots can go a long way to discourage would-be burglars."

Writing in the Property Signposts newsletter, Everitt says the experts also agree that there are three types of burglars — professional, semi-professional and amateur — and that homeowners are fortunately mostly only exposed to members of the last two categories.

Don't be an easy target
"These criminals are essentially opportunists looking for easy targets, and will generally think twice about attempting a burglary when the risk of detection is high. Thus they will tend to avoid well-lit homes and ones where it might take them a long time 'out in the open' to get in.

"However, if your home has recently been burgled, the odds of it happening again are high, because the criminals will figure on the stolen items having been replaced with new ones. And when your house is unoccupied — while you are at work, for example — it is be more vulnerable.

"You'll need to keep that in mind when reviewing your security arrangements — and it may be well worth your while to seek advice from a security professional."