Throughout the world today, burglar alarms have become quite common in many homes. The state of the economy combined with a rising crime rate in larger cities and metropolitan areas has increased the odds of being victimized by a burglar. So it is easy to understand the need for installing these alarms in order to protect one’s family and home. Advances in the technology of the better burglar alarms have also enabled the integration of other components such as flood and fire alarms.
Earlier burglar alarms
Originally, burglar alarms were not home security systems as we know them today. Before these systems were invented, homeowners used other methods or techniques to alert them of a burglar being in the home, such as using dogs or even livestock as their warning system. In other cases, the homeowner would place things in front of their doors that would make a noise should an intruder enter the home.
Bell burglar alarms
The first acceptable burglar alarms were invented by a British inventor named Tildesley who linked bells in a certain configuration so that they would make a noise if an intruder tripped them. This would alert anyone who was sleeping and wake them up so that they knew that a burglar had entered their home.
Electric burglar alarms
The first electric burglar alarms were invented in the early 1850’s by a gentleman named Edwin Holmes. Holmes actually improved upon the technology that was originally developed by Augustus Pope by obtaining his patent rights and expanding on Pope’s invention. Holmes added a bell to Pope’s system in order to alert the owner of the home whenever a burglar opened a door or window to the home. In the beginning, the majority of Holmes’ income came from selling his alarms to the wealthier residents of New York City.
Present day systems – over the past 160 years, burglar alarms have evolved into the sophisticated systems that we know and use today. Advancements and innovations in technology have enabled the incorporation of other components such as fire, flood, and smoke detectors. Additionally, these systems can be monitored by outside companies who watch over your home 24 hours a day and inform the authorities of any criminal activity that is occurring in your home whether or not you are there.
Interestingly enough, the potential for further improvements to these systems will depend on how sophisticated criminals get in the methods they use and the advancements that will be necessary to adjust to them.
Photo via O B McClintock burglar vault alarm
