AV Fire, Security & Electric

Loss Prevention specialist Vince Minicheillo has two words of advice to homeowners in these rough economic times: be careful.

With the jobless rate at the highest level in 14 years, and dropping home values forcing foreclosures, many people are desperate to make ends meet. Most will turn to assistance from social services, their families, or just 'weather the storm', but others will take matters into their own hands -- literally.

Minichiello, who co-owns AV Fire, Security and Electric along with partner Andy Stuppi, has seen the problem first-hand."We're seeing more burglaries and robberies lately, and some of them are very bold," he states. "A Kirkland resident recently had a 52" television stolen from his home at 4:00 a.m., while he was asleep."

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AV Fire & Security

P.O. Box 517, Milton, WA 98354

(253) 255-2250

E-mail: vince@av-fire.com

"Many of the instances I've seen are the 'smash and grab' type, where they break a window, grab the stuff and run," Vince explains. "The police can't respond in time, and they get away with it. The homeowners are searching for a way to prevent this, since they feel vulnerable."

Business is Brisk

Vince and Andy started their business in 2003, and have six full-time employees. Based in Milton, they specialize in fire and security alarms, and have an electrical contractors license. Business lately has been brisk, as people are trying to protect themselves and their property from thieves.

Get to Know Your Neighbors

Vince attributes much of the problem to the fact that neighbors don't communicate with neighbors as much anymore. Everyone is too busy, and neighborhood meetings and Block Watches go by the wayside.

"When neighbors were closer, outsiders coming in from outside their neighborhood would attract attention. Now, either no one is home, or the neighbors aren't watching out for one another," Vince explains. "This makes people more susceptible to break-ins, so they want locks and alarms to protect them."

Security systems do help, and crime statistics back that up. Emergency panic alarms are a big deterrent, and police response times in many communities is adequate, but sometimes that isn't enough.

"When an alarm is set off, other neighbors don't always go outside to see what the problem is. Either they think it's a false alarm or don't want to get involved because they don't know their neighbors," Vince says. "There's no connection between them, so they don't feel as compelled to help."

"The police are busy with more important things, and residential burglar alarms are low on the list of priorities, so response times are slow."

But an alarm, backed up by vigilant neighbors, is what really makes the difference. Once it gets around in burglary circles that there are too many deterrents in a particular neighborhood, thieves will go somewhere else, where it isn't as difficult.

Complicating the situation is that many burglar alarms turn out to be false, triggered by poor installation, wind, or even pets. Some homeowners aren't careful, and trigger the alarm themselves. This has led some cities to impose fines to homeowners after a number of false alarms. It ends up like the tale of "The boy who cried wolf", with no one believing it.

So, the police don't respond in time, and the neighbors don't see or hear anything. The criminal gets away, and the victims feel violated. The incidents continue, as the criminals know that this neighborhood is an easy mark, either due to apathy or empty houses.

What is a Person to Do?

Vince suggests getting to know your neighbors, starting a Block Watch program, and keeping an eye on suspicious activity in your neighborhood. Don't be afraid to report a stranger or a suspicious activity to the authorities. Chances are if you think there's something suspicious going on, your instincts are probably right. And, even if it turns out to be nothing, at least it makes people aware that they're being helped. Relying on the police to keep crime under control without the public's assistance is not realistic.

Also, it's important to have a professional alarm company install your security. Do-it-yourself kits and friends or family can mean the alarm will go off for no reason or, worse yet, that it won't work when the real thing happens. Don't trust your belongings to a cut-rate device or installer, you may regret it.

It's better to be safe than sorry, and in this current economic situation, it's taken on added significance.