It is often our first reaction after being burglarized, to purchase an alarm system. Unfortunately, this is when you are most vulnerable. Take your time, and be sure you know what kind of system is right for you, what environmental factors need to be taken into consideration, and what your budget will allow in terms of buying or leasing a system, as well as monthly monitoring costs. Before purchasing an alarm system, contact your local police department and Better Business Bureau or Office of Consumer Affairs. Some police departments track the false alarm rates of alarm companies.
False alarms are an indicator of the quality of the alarm installation and user education.
Consumer offices can usually tell you the nature of and how many complaints have been filed against an alarm company with whom you may be considering doing business. The consumer office should also be able to tell you if those filed complaints, if any, were satisfactorily resolved or not. You may then take the information you learn from the above sources and make a much more informed decision about the company you select to install and monitor your alarm system. Inquire if your state requires alarm companies to be licensed. Some police departments require local licensing, which may be in addition to any licensing required on a state level.