Not every city or town requires a user permit or registration of your security system, so it is imperative that you check with your local zoning board. What happens if you ignore filing a permit? In many communities, it would result in a fine and quite possibly non-response from emergency services.

The purpose of the permits, according to a number of home security companies and municipalities, is to help cut down on false alarms. For instance, Pittsburgh’s police department put out a FAQ regarding permitting requirements for alarm systems, and in answering the question on why a permit is needed, it states, “In 1992 Ordinance (Ord.54-1991) was created by City Council and put into law to cut down on the false alarm calls received by the Police Department. When a Police Officer responds to a false alarm call, it takes time away from responding to real alarm calls.”

False alarms are a growing problem across the country, especially as more private residence and businesses are installing security systems, and more and more are instituting new laws and fines to try and keep the false alarms at a minimum. As ADT pointed out on its website, “Some cities and localities that operate a police and/or fire department have historically struggled with the problem of false alarms from home security systems. A “false alarm” occurs when a security system sends a signal to the authorities that there is an emergency when in fact there is none. This becomes a waste of police, fire and medical resources who respond to non-emergencies, which creates additional cost and safety issues for the municipalities that are operating the emergency services.”

Home security systems have made it easy for their customers to keep in compliance with the permit laws. ADT, for example, has a form on its website that allows users to type in their zip code to see whether or not their area requires registration. XFINITY’s website has information for each state and its permitting requirement.

There are two primary types of permits for home security systems. One is a state-monitoring permit; the other is for local emergency entities. The permits are usually renewed on an annual basis. Again, everything is dependent on the actual municipality and its rules, but you may be expected to re-register if you change home security providers or if your home is already installed with a system when you purchase it.

As for those potential false alarm penalties, most communities will waive fines or fees for a limited number of false alarms – if you have a permit.

Bhardwaj is not alone. As more people want to have some sort of home security setup, but either can’t afford to or don’t want to spend a lot of money on a security system, they are turning to Skype, which is most popularly used for video chats with distant friends and relatives at little to no cost. According to Wink News, Cape Coral resident Jim Niehaus hooked up a webcam to his computer and uses his smartphone to call in and check on his home.

According to Robert Siciliano, using Skype as your home security system is as easy as turning on a computer, and he provided the following instructions on how to set up your Skype security system:

1. Clean up the operating system and make it functional. Connect it to the Net and leave it on.

2. Install cheap $10 webcams that have audio and the cam will pan the area, tilt and zoom.

3. Dig out your old computer speakers and connect them to the PC and set the m to LOUD.

4. If you haven’t already download and install free Skype. Make sure you can access Skype from both your home and an off-site location like your office computer or smartphone.

5. You need to set up 2 different accounts on Skype, one for home and one for the device where you’ll be using to check in. Each has a different user name and set them to auto login when the PC starts.

6. Download and set up the old home PC or laptop with free LogMeIn.com remote access technology software. This software allows you to remotely access the home PC from anywhere. When you log into your home PC from the road you can fully control that home PC like you are sitting in front of it..

7. From work or your phone, Skype into the home PC and call it from your work PC or phone then answer the call while remotely logged in.

8. Now you have full control over the web camera on the home PC and you can pan, tilt zoom and your voice now broadcasts over the home PC speakers.

9. If you Skype in and see a burglar call the police. Then start talking to him like you’re in the next room and tell him that the cops are coming.

Making home security more environmentally friendly can come about in different ways. It could be as simple as the company providing your security changing the way it does business. For example, Protect America Inc. has decided to lower its environmental impact by going to paperless billing and reconsidering its product packaging. According to The Gilmore Mirror:

“Protect America’s green initiative is the result of an efficiency audit that sought ways to limit costs and reduce overall waste. Reducing the amount of paper waste associated with packaging, manuals, and invoices quickly became the focus of the new project as the cost of paper has increased substantially over the years. Highlights of Protect America’s green initiative have been new installation manuals and a box redesign that drastically reduces paper use. The company’s new box is intended to eliminate pages from the installation manual by incorporating certain information directly into the design.”

You can also use your home security system to help save on energy costs around your home. Wireless security systems generally use less energy than wired systems. Also, many systems are set up to be hooked into the homes overall controls, so you can use your security system to adjust the temperature and the lights remotely. That’s especially handy for those who leave for work and return home in winter darkness. It’s nice to have lights on when coming and going, but they don’t need to be on while the sun shines. Being able to control the lights remotely not only saves on electricity, but also eliminates one of the clues to intruders that your home is unoccupied.

If you find that it is time to upgrade your windows and doors to be more energy efficient, you can build security into the installations, with shatterproof glass in windows and solid doors with a peephole rather than a window and top-of-the-line lock systems.

Some simple, do-it-yourself security efforts are the greenest options of all because they don’t require any electricity or paperwork. A quick walk around the perimeter of the home can alert you to danger areas – places where intruders can be hidden, ladders and tables that can be easily climbed to enter open windows, and discovering ways someone can enter your property easily. The most energy efficient security system of all? Simply locking doors, windows, and fence gates.

Sounds ideal, right?  But like anything that is connected to the Internet, you are at a risk of getting hacked. And according to the FBI, hackers have been targeting security cameras. A quick Google search of “security camera hack” brings up YouTube videos and other sites providing instructions on how to do it.

It isn’t just Web cams being targeted, either. According to a Wired article, all types of security cameras, from the ones you use in your home to the ones used at your local bank, can become the target of hackers.

Perhaps you are thinking, “It is just a Web cam or a security camera. It is meant to watch what’s happening. What’s the big deal?” The big deal, as Wired so deftly explained, is this: “Obtaining unauthorized access to such systems could allow thieves to case a facility before breaking into it, turn cameras away from areas they don’t want monitored or zoom in on sensitive papers or prototype products at a workstation. The cameras could also be used to spy on hospitals, restaurants and other facilities to identify celebrities and others who enter.”

Chances are you aren’t going to catch any celebrities breaking and entering your home on your security camera set up, but the other issue – allowing thieves to case a facility before breaking in – should be taken to heart. If your camera is hacked into, a potential intruder will be able to see exactly what you are seeing when you are keeping tabs. Depending on where your camera is located – and the tendency is to focus on the primary point of entrance – an intruder will be able to figure out when people are leaving the home and returning and how active the daily routine is at the home. While it is true, an intruder could do the same thing by sitting in a parked car near your house or keeping tabs on your neighborhood, but being able to do it via a computer makes it much easier for the intruder. And as we know, thieves like things made easy.

What steps can you take to make sure your security camera is safe from hackers? If it is a DIY security system, take the same steps you would take to protect your regular computer. AS CNET tech expert Dan Ackerman explained in an article for KTRK in Houston: “Make sure your firewall is turned on at all times and you have your anti-virus, anti-malware apps running constantly. And if you’re not using the camera you can either disable it by simply putting a post it over it, or if it’s plugged in via USB, unplugging that.”

Also, Wired, added, make sure that all of the security settings are at the highest level, rather than at the default. Plus, change any passwords that come with your network or camera. As the article pointed out: “Compounding the problem is the fact that the systems come deployed with default easy-to-guess passwords that are seldom changed by customers. They also don’t lock-out a user after a certain number of incorrect password guesses. This means that even if a customer changes the password, an attacker can crack it through a bruteforce attack.”

Or, if you have hired a security company to provide your camera surveillance, discuss your concerns of hacked systems with your representative. Find out what they are doing on their end to make sure you aren’t dealing with the additional threat of a hacked network.

For example, in Tulsa, Okla., this fall, a woman was caught stealing mail from neighborhood mailboxes. Her actions were caught by not just one security camera, but two. According to Fox23.com, “Video from a neighbor’s camera caught a woman casually pulling mail out of mailboxes. Across the street the neighbor also caught her on camera on his home surveillance system. The home recording caught [Jennifer] Steffen hiding behind the bushes sifting through mail she didn’t want.”

The story is becoming more common. In fact, consider it the 21^st century version of the neighborhood watch. That’s how it is approached in an Oakland, Calif., neighborhood. Called the “Neighborhood Guard,” residents keep watch with both their eyes and infrared camera systems. According to San Francisco’s KGO-TV, “Neighborhood Guard captures images with high-tech cameras and stores the information to a cloud-based server system. If a crime happens in the neighborhood, all they have to do is point, click and send the information to authorities.”

In fact, the story continued, the camera system picked up unusual activity in front of one neighborhood home. When the owner went out to investigate, he found the KGO reporter talking to another neighbor about the Neighborhood Guard program.

One of the most important elements to these stories is having security cameras that focus on the perimeter of your home. Many home owners focus on the interior. A quick look at how experts recommend setting up a DIY home security system: take an old webcam, set it up to an old computer that can be hooked up to the network, and focus it on a door or window. And that is a great way to keep track of the comings and goings inside your house.

DIY systems do catch intruders – or at least provides a way for police to identify potential suspects. The problem is, they aren’t caught on tape until after they’ve already made it inside.

Having a camera system that records areas outside of the house doesn’t necessarily mean that an intruder won’t break in. However, having a camera that overlooks your street and/or your backyard gives you the chance to see if there is something unusual happening on your property or in the neighborhood, especially at times of day when you aren’t home to notice. Chances are if you are at work, most of your neighbors are, too. So, a strange car driving up and down your street for a week wouldn’t be detected firsthand, but it would be caught on video. It may be nothing but a new neighbor, or it could be someone checking things out for a possible break in.

However, for a home security system to prevent crime before it happens, the video needs to be reviewed with some regularity – you can’t know if there is something unusual happening if you don’t see it or have something to compare it to, after all. You may also want to have a neighborhood watch meeting with your neighbors. There is a growing concern of privacy rights and security cameras. While you have every right to protect your home and property, you don’t want your neighbors thinking you are spying on them! Getting your neighbors in on the security watch may spur them to set up their own systems or set up a neighborhood watch program (or it might just be a chance to get to know your neighbors).

Finally, talk to local law enforcement. Get advice from them on how to best position your camera so it protects your property but can also capture a wider picture.

In the end, the idea of a home security system is for your peace of mind. What could create better peace of mind than knowing the entire neighborhood is safe?

Ironic, isn’t it? For the vast majority of us, our home is the most expensive single item we purchase and it holds not only all of our belongings but everything we hold most dear. And yet, we tend to overlook ways to keep it best secured.

If building a new home, Canadian security consultant Frank Fourchalk pointed out that home security measures should be included with the plans of granite countertops and walk-in showers.

In a Vancouver Sun article, Fourchalk recommended that every new home should include a built-in video intercom system. “With the decreasing costs of this type of technology, there is no excuse not to have one of these units installed as standard equipment. This allows you to view and speak to visitors at your front door without having to open it,” he wrote.

Because burglars enter your house through windows and doors, these items should be purchased not only for aesthetics but also a barrier to prevent unwanted guests. Doors made of fiberglass may be the safest. According to the DIY Network, “Steel doors have the image of being the most secure of all entry doors but reality doesn’t always support this image. You can take almost any knife or pointed object and punch right through the thin steel in most steel doors. You can’t do this to a fiberglass entry door. If someone tries to kick in your front door, they may not get in, but they will undoubtedly dent the door if it is steel. Again, this won’t happen with a fiberglass door. Fiberglass doors are just as secure as steel doors.”

However, Consumer Reports found that the material the door is made from doesn’t matter if the lock system fails. “Use a lock with a 1-inch-long deadbolt and a reinforced metal box strike. Use 3-inch-long mounting screws so they lodge in the framing beyond the doorjamb. And don’t overlook the door that leads into your house from the garage,” the article stated.

Don’t forget about the security of the garage door, either. Try to avoid garage doors with windows, but if you insist on having a little natural light in your garage, consider frosted windows that let in light but won’t show a passerby whether or not your vehicle is parked inside.

All windows should include locks and screens. The screen can be turned into an alarm sensor, which can provide the first warning in a break in. You should also include windows with a security film. The film is invisible, so you’ll never notice it, but if someone tries to break the window, instead of shattering, it will crack, much like a windshield.

The way you landscape your home should also take security into consideration. Keep bushes and trees away from the side of the house. They provide a hiding place for potential burglars. Also, while you might think your windows are too high for a burglar to reach, the landscaping or outdoor furniture could be easily turned into a makeshift ladder if situated too close to a window.
If you are buying an already existing home, ask about what the current homeowner has done to upgrade security and make notes about how easy it would be to make your own security improvements. Locks should always be changed when moving into a new home, so this is a good time to upgrade. You may also want to consider replacing the garage door opener and replacing the locks on gates. While you may get the keys from the previous owners, you never know who else may have a set of keys or extra garage door opener or knows the codes to get inside the house.

If you have a security system, use it!

According to the New York Police Department, plenty of people have a security system installed in their home, but they don’t turn it on. The holidays are a good time to evaluate your home security system, as well. Are you protecting the areas of the home that are most vulnerable? If you use security cameras, plan to aim one at your Christmas tree or wherever you are storing (or hiding) presents as well as on doors or windows. Well-placed cameras may not stop a burglary, but news stories show that more criminals are being identified and caught with home camera systems.

Lock up the house

Burglars are always looking for the easiest way inside and will look for unlocked doors and windows. Don’t forget to lock up fence gates, as well, so a prowler can’t slip around to the back, and possibly more secluded area, of the property to find a way inside (and people tend to leave back doors and windows unlocked while locking front doors and windows). And as EMC Security pointed out, “One holiday problem can occur when exterior Christmas light extension cords are run inside through a window and prevent it from being secured. Hire an electrician or handyman to install an inexpensive exterior outlet for your holiday lights.”

Speaking of lights, put them on timers

Security experts encourage homeowners to put interior lights on timers so the home looks lived in. But how often do you see dark houses with exterior Christmas lights shining or outdoor lights on in the middle of the afternoon?  Exterior lights draw attention to your home – that’s the point – and a burglar will notice tell-tale signs of an empty home with Christmas lights. Even if you are just going out to a party or shopping, make sure both exterior and interior lights make the house look lived in.

Share holiday photos after the holidays

Thanks to social media, it is easy to share your holidays with the world as they happen. The New York Police Department noted that there is no such thing as privacy in the Internet Age (not to mention, too many people are lax on privacy settings, so you never know who is seeing your updates). Don’t announce your holiday plans online, and if you want to share photos, do so when you are back in your own living room. However, going “dark” on the Internet for an unusual period of time can also alert a not-so-innocent friend that you aren’t home. An occasional update that doesn’t reveal too much about your whereabouts can make it seem like you are in your normal routine – just turn off the location tracker first.

Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors

Make sure smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working, fire extinguishers are handy, and you have an escape route planned.  According to FEMA, more than 400 Americans die in a fire over the holiday season. Candles are a popular decoration during the season, so either be sure to never leave the house or go to bed with a candle still burning, or consider flameless candle options. Don’t overload electrical outlets. Don’t put live trees or other decorations too close to the fireplace (take down those stockings while the fire is burning).

Camouflage your holiday trash

Nothing says “rob me!” like boxes from new television sets, computers, gaming systems, and other expensive items put out on trash day.  Cut down boxes and take them to a recycling center if possible. Otherwise, make sure they are in bags and out of sight.

Find a pet sitter

The best thing you can do to protect your home is to make it seem lived in. Rather than put your dog or cat in a kennel over the holidays, hire a trusted friend or relative to stop by and care for the pet. That way, there is regular activity at the house, plus someone is there to bring in the paper and the mail (if you forgot to stop delivery) and shovel the driveway if there is a snow storm. Plus, the barking dog will act as an extra level of protection if someone does try to break in while the house is empty.

HSS had the wonderful opportunity of getting to ask the CEO of LaserShield, Anthony Dohrmann, several questions about his company, the different offerings of LaserShield, and what we can look forward to going into the future from LaserShield.

HomeSecuritySystems: How and when was LaserShield created?

Anthony Dohrmann: LaserShield was founded in 1999. The goal of the company was to create instant burglar protection for renters of homes and apartments, who are burglarized over 80% more than those with owned homes. Especially in multi-family apartment environments, the noise level of service providers along with the voluminous number of residents and guests, is an ideal environment for burglars. Residents become numb to the frequent traffic and activities of their living quarters and it’s easy to blend in to the general flow of activities unnoticed. We created a plug and go system that could easily be expanded and relocated when customers moved. We avoided devices that were complicated to install or permanent fixtures that were more prohibited in the rental atmosphere.

LaserShield aired on QVC in 2003 and launched nationwide in major retail stores in 2005. Because of its reliability and simplicity of setup, coupled with authentic, high quality emergency response, LaserShield became an instant hit. It was promoted on Good Morning America, The View, New York Times and countless other media outlets. More and more single family homeowners began picking up the product, followed by a large population of adopters in the small business community. Most alarm companies view small businesses operators as risky financial investments, as compared to high credit score, home owners with lien-able assets. Business owners are charged a premium to offset the risk with more upfront out of pocket security investments and higher monthly fees. LaserShield now caters to a variety of customer demographics and is one of only a handful of companies to provide and service customers in all 50 states.

HSS: LaserShield offers both LaserShield Basic and LaserShield PRO. What are the key differences between the two offerings?

AD: Customers today are more technically savvy. They want upgradeable solutions with increasing features including perimeter protection, glass breakage, home automation, fire and CO protection. Our expanding business market was interested in video capabilities, after hours security status alerts, and monitoring of employee activities who interact with the business and security system. We created a branded security package that provided a broader array of options for customers seeking flexibility and higher levels of protection.

HSS: A growing number of apartment dwellers no longer using landlines to make phone calls. Do you need a landline to use LaserShield, or is there a way around this?

AD: We provide an optional cellular GSM adapter named the Cyclone for wireless alarm monitoring. We also have a module named the Sparrow to enable emergency response monitoring over IP networks. We believe landlines are still the most reliable method of transmitting alarm signals to a central station with all things considered. Yet, we recognize the evolving technology communication platforms and provide alternatives to our customers.

HSS: At its core LaserShield is a home security company, but still has to compete with the other home security companies on the technology front. Are there any interesting gadgets in the works at LaserShield that we can look forward to in the future?

AD: LaserShield is security for home and office. Because we’re so affordable, we’re a great solution for the burglar triple play reports we get from the field. Burglars visit business owners to check their hours of operation. They often steal the distracted business owners car and use glovebox documentation such as registration and insurance information to find the entrepreneurs home address. While the business owner is busy servicing customers their car is used to load up items from an unoccupied home. The first police report is for the missing automobile. The second is at the residence after close of business. While the business owner is surveying their burglarized residence with law enforcement the intruder robs the business. LaserShield provides the most affordable solutions in the industry and can typically protect a business owner’s office and their home, for less than the competition can protect just one.

LaserShield is committed to the R&D efforts required to remain innovative. We collaborate with OEM equipment suppliers and our own engineers. We’re developing security applications for smart phones to expand monitoring and supervision capabilities, researching new sensing technologies, and beginning to invest in specialized tracking solutions for military and undercover law enforcement who are abducted, or taken under duress. LaserShield is also beginning to expand service offerings into the healthcare and wellness market. By working with an affiliation called LifeSupport Medical, a product called The Electronic Caregiver provides various forms of environmental hazard detection, medical alert and medication management features.

“ADS is proud to offer a home automation service from a company that has always had safety and security as its primary focus,” ADS President and COO, John Cerasuolo, said. “ADS Home Control merges seamlessly with our core business, home security, to offer an ideal home management experience.”

Capabilities include remote access to your alarm system allowing you to arm and disarm from a smartphone, as well as the ability to lock and unlock doors, turn lights on and off, adjust your thermostat settings, and even turn on and off your home’s appliances. These different components can all be accessed through the ADS Aniware mobile app which is available to download on the iPhone, Android, and Blackberry smartphones.

ADS Security is helping to solidify the movement for all home security companies to begin offering, if they don’t already, their own home security and home automation bundles to stay in line with the rest of the competition otherwise they will be easily knocked out of the race to protect American homes and businesses.

Established in 1990 ADS currently serves over 70,000 residences and commercial properties in the southeastern United States region and monitors for emergencies from their Tennessee-based CSAA Five Diamond Central Station.

Apple Store Burglary

Suspect crashes through the front of an Apple store with what looks like a BMW. Second suspect rushes in and tries to take as many valuables as he can while the driver tries to back out of the store. After several attempts the driver is able to back out of the store, soon after his accomplice has already left.

Planet Cellular Burglary

The suspect enters the store after breaking down the entrance with a piece of concrete and kicks down the door to the inventory closet, grabs what they can and rushes out of the store. The suspect then comes back and goes to the inventory closet and turns on the light to further investigate what can be taken.

Residential Burglary on 7200 Bernstein, Caddo, Louisiana

Two suspects are seen on surveillance video loading objects from a residential home into their vehicle. Another accomplice is seen in a vehicle behind the main burglary vehicle. The second vehicle then leads the way out of the neighborhood with the vehicle with all the stolen property following it.