NCJ Number
55383
Journal
CRIME PREVENTION REVIEW Volume: 6 Issue: 2 Dated: (JANUARY 1979) Pages: 23-30
Date Published
1979
Length
8 pages
Annotation
THE WALNUT GROVE, CALIF., POLICE DEPARTMENT'S INSTALLATION OF SILENT ALARMS TO PROTECT BUSINESSES FROM TYPEWRITER THEFTS IS DESCRIBED.
Abstract
THERE HAD BEEN AN EPIDEMIC OF OFFICE MACHINE THEFTS IN WALNUT GROVE, AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S EFFORTS TO CONVINCE MERCHANTS TO INSTALL ALARMS, PUT BARS ON THEIR WINDOWS, AND BOLT DOWN THEIR TYPEWRITERS HAD PROVED UNSUCCESSFUL. SO THE DEPARTMENT LEASED DIRECT-WIRE ALARMS FROM A LOCAL COMPANY AND INSTALLED THEM AT SIX BUSINESS SITES. (DIRECT-WIRE ALARMS ARE SILENT ALARMS SIMILAR TO THOSE USED BY BANKS. THEY ARE CONNECTED BY TELEPHONE CABLES, WHICH MUST BE SUPPLIED BY A TELEPHONE COMPANY.) THE ALARMS WERE INSTALLED DURING OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER 1977, REMAINED IN PLACE THROUGH MARCH 1978, AND THEN WERE RETURNED TO THE LESSOR FOR FULL CREDIT. DURING THE ALARM STAKEOUT, THERE WERE NO BREAK-INS OR ATTEMPTED BREAK-INS AT ANY OF THE PROTECTED SITES, ALTHOUGH THERE WERE TWO OR THREE FALSE ALARMS. THE OPERATION WAS JUDGED A SUCCESS. THE ADVANTAGES OF USING LEASED DIRECT-WIRE ALARM EQUIPMENT IN SPECIAL BURGLARY PREVENTION PROJECTS ARE POINTED OUT. DETAILS OF SITE SELECTION AND EQUIPMENT INSTALLATION PROCEDURES ARE PROVIDED, TOGETHER WITH A COPY OF THE AGREEMENT SIGNED BY PARTICIPATING MERCHANTS, WHO PAID ONLY THE TELEPHONE CABLE INSTALLATION AND USE COSTS. NO TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)