Where did we, as a society, get the idea that extensive home security technology is necessary? For the 17 years I've lived in my house, we've had one security measure: a lock on the door. Hard to believe, I know, but somehow we managed to keep the hypothetical Warren Township cat burglars out with that simple technology. Why, then, did so many of my friends' families feel like they needed keypads, motion detectors, and security cameras? Maybe they felt safer, knowing that the objective eyes of their security system could stay awake all night when they couldn't. The security companies slept easier, too, knowing that as long as people are afraid, they will be willing to pay lots of money.
The security Keypad is the first offender. I don't mean the kind that lets you open your garage if you've forgotten your house key- that thing has saved me from standing out in the rain about 300 times. I mean the Keypad that exists inside the house, which must be deactivated with a code upon entry to prevent an intruder alarm from sounding and alerting the security company. I have never known anyone with a keypad who doesn't have some horror story forgetting the code, not deactivating the alarm fast enough, or having security officers show up at their home when there was no emergency. Of course, at the end of these stories, people always say the same thing: "At least I know that if it had been a burglar, the alarm system works." Everyone loves a false positive.
Of course, if someone really wanted to rob one of the McMansions of Warren, they'd probably assume that there was a security system and know how to work around it. If they were breaking in to kidnap or murder someone, an alarm that goes off after 30 seconds and summons cops 30 minutes later isn't going to stop them.
Motion sensors are similarly problematic. The town crest of Warren has a stag on it- that should be a hint. My town is full of deer. I see about 5 per day in my own backyard alone. If you install motion sensors turn on floodlights for your backyard in Warren Township, you are wasting your money. Not only will you not catch any criminals ("Oh my god, lights turned on! I renounce my life of crime forever"), you'll "catch" about a thousand deer, squirrels, stray cats, fallen branches, and chipmunks every night. Marvel as the security system you bought to make you feel safe ends up making you feel even more paranoid!
Security Cameras, while useful for some institutions, are another stupid thing to have in your home. If someone is breaking into your house, they probably have a contingency plan in case of cameras (which, it turns out, are pretty vulnerable to spray paint). Even if the cameras catch the villain on tape, they don't prevent the crime from happening. Besides, Warren is in the top 10% for low property crime rate when compared to surrounding towns, which also have low crime rates. That means that while 1 security tape in your entire life might catch a guy stealing your Renoir replica (you should thank him), the other 99, 452, 173 tapes will show you absolutely nothing. You will have willingly paid for a digital eye to watch nothing happen in your house for 30 years.Technology is helpful, but somehow companies that produce technology make us think that we need their products. Home security makes people feel safe (or so they say), but it also malfunctions, frustrates, and costs a ton of money. If you really, sincerely feel that your comfortable suburban home is going to be broken into, learn some self-defense. Ask a shellshocked Vietnam vet to help you set up some trip wires in your backyard while he mutters to you about rice fields. Better yet, get a dog. Sure, it's not cheap, but at least it won't beep and flash lights at you every time you can't remember a numeric code. Just do yourself a favor and don't waste your money on technology that doesn't keep you safe.
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