Burglary Victim Forgot to Arm Alarm System

Every day I read stories of homeowners who have been victimized: their possessions stolen, some of the items irreplaceable, and their sense of security violated. And it seems to be getting worse. In most cases these victims of home intrusion did not exercise good home security habits, starting with having  a home security system. Remember – a burglary happens every 14 seconds in the US, but only one in five homes is protected by a monitored system. Even more compelling is the fact that a home with an alarm system is three times less likely to be hit than the unprotected house next door. But, you do need to arm your system for it to be effective. In this recent news report from Hanover, VA, one sad homeowner learned this painful lesson the hard way.

Truman Parmele said he feels violated after strangers rummaged through his house when he was out of town. "It was a good job. They cleaned it out pretty good," said Parmele. Gold necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings all stolen, along with a watch close to his heart. "An antique watch - we couldn't find it. Had been in the family 100 years. It was my grandfather's," said Parmele.

Multiple Victims

At least six homes were hit--- all during the day. Three in the town of Ashland, three in the county. One couple lost about $40,000 worth of gold jewelry, including some sentimental pieces he may never get back. He and his wife didn't know anyone had been in their home, until she went to accessorize. This trio is accused of hitting at least six homes between March and April.

This pattern is not unusual, including the times of the intrusions. Burglary investigations often show perps hitting a neighborhood or section of town they have studied, and then moving on to the next area before the police can react.

"The burglars were definitely familiar with the first victim in this situation," said Lt. Shelhorse of the Ashland Police. From there, authorities said the suspects moved north and west in rural Hanover. "There's a good chance they were watching to make sure nobody was there," said Lt. Shelhorse. Something to think about as vacation season fast approaches. "Make sure you keep your neighbors aware if you're going out of town, so they can keep an eye on your house. Make sure police know," said Lt. Shelhorse.

Homeowner's Big Mistake

Parmele said his alarm wasn't on the day the suspects came in through his kitchen window. Lt. Shelhorse said the burglary suspects sold some of their loot. Parmele said he's checked two pawn shops already, but can't find his grandfather's watch. "Very sentimental to us but at the same time we were glad we weren't here too," said Parmele.

The loss of property usually pales when compared to the sense of violation. Maybe that’s why more homeowners are adding monitored home security for peace of mind. FrontPoint is still your best resource for the crime statistics, burglar behaviors, and the latest technologies to thwart intruders – including our very popular Top 10 Home Security Tips. FrontPoint is also the only alarm company in the country to use safer cellular monitoring on every system we sell – and charge less for it. But what people really know us for is our smarter Interactive level of monitoring. Make sure your home is protected: by FrontPoint, the leader in wireless home security and the #1 ranked alarm company in the US. And remember to arm that alarm system!