BURGLAR alarms and CCTV systems hold no fear for a new breed of organised urban burglars who are planning and executing up to 10 raids a day in a particular area, a security expert has claimed.
Electronic signal jammers which can be bought for as little as €40 and simple hoodies to prevent identification are being used as professional burglary gangs ignore traditional deterrents and can break into homes in as little as nine seconds.
Managing Director of Santry-based Fairco Windows and Doors, Jim Toal, who has advised security authorities on burglary prevention over the past decade, believes that planned burglaries have replaced opportunism for criminals.
“The day of the opportunistic burglar is gone,” said Mr Toal. “The new generation plan and execute their burglaries professionally.
“Burglars now typically operate in groups and will take time to drive around an area and identify 10-12 houses which fit their ideal criteria.
“In an urban setting, these criteria can include the houses of elderly people who may regularly go to mass or the shops and leave the house unattended, houses that are surrounded by hedges or may have large vehicles parked outside to block the view from the street.
“Basically, they are looking for unattended houses where they can go about their business for the best part unseen.”
Mr Toal said the new breed of burglar is not phased by alarms and will either jam the system or is prepared to take the chance that neighbours or passers-by will ignore the ringing.
“They are secure in the knowledge that they have a time window as long as the occupier is not near the house, as the gardai will not immediately attend a ringing alarm unless the householder rings them,” he said.
“When it comes to more sophisticated alarm systems, burglary teams are taking the chance that the alarm is monitored through the phone line and simply remotely copying the IP address of the transmission system and jamming the alarm.
“These transmission jammers are readily available to would-be thieves for as little as €40, and are operational up to a 30-metre radius.
“Any device that is built to transmit or receive a wireless signal at a specific frequency can be overwhelmed by a stronger signal coming in on the same frequency – and that is what these cheap GSM, 3G and 4G devices are doing.”
Mr Toal said most burglars wear long hoods that mask their faces from above. He said this means they circumvent many CCTV systems which, even in normal circumstances, are not capable of zooming right in to give a clear picture of a burglar’s face.
“The average burglar now has all the tools of the trade to break and enter into an average home, regardless of whether an alarm or CCTV system is fitted or not,” he added.
“There really is only one way to prevent burglaries, and that is to make it impossible for the burglar to gain access to your house – and that’s what we have done, at very little extra cost.”
Fairco is offering to give householders €3,000 if an intruder even attempts to gain access to their home through Ireland’s first guaranteed burglar-proof windows and doors. For more information, visit www.fairco.ie
