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The sound of a burglar alarm going off in the middle of the night can be a scary or irritating experience. But what should you do? The answer depends on whether it’s your alarm going off or your neighbour’s.
Don’t panic! There are several reasons why your alarm may be sounding, and even if it’s due to an intruder, the alarm will probably have scared them off.
So, take a breath, stay calm and don’t do anything rash.
Check the status of your alarm via your app. If your app isn’t to hand or your alarm system doesn’t have one, don’t put yourself in potential danger by going to check the keypad display.
If you can’t be sure it’s a false alarm, go to a safe room – a room as far away as possible from where a burglar could enter and preferably has a door lock.
Make sure you have your phone, so you can call the police. Also, if you have a monitored alarm system, the alarm receiving service will be trying to contact you to assess the situation.
Your alarm monitoring centre will ask for your password, so make sure you’ve memorised it or stored it on your phone.
Stay in your safe place and wait for the authorities to arrive.
Look out the window to determine where the alarm is coming from and see if you can spot any suspicious activity. Don’t be tempted to go over to the property to investigate.
If you have your neighbour’s contact details try and get in touch with them to let them know their alarm is going off. If it’s a false alarm, they’ll be able to put your mind at ease.
If you’ve been unable to get in touch with the homeowner and have witnessed suspicious activity around the property, call the police on the non-emergency 101 number.
If you think a crime is in progress and the offenders may still be at the scene, call 999 immediately.
A neighbour’s alarm that goes off regularly may be classified as a noise nuisance. It’s best to speak to your neighbours first as they might not be aware there’s an issue. However, if this doesn’t resolve things, you can report the noise problem to your local council.
You can also refer the alarm to a professional maintenance company to investigate and repair it.
To book a free intruder alarm consultation and quote, please call us on 01392 368830 or complete our contact form.
