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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Secret panic button behind bed...

137 replies

Prinstress · 07/12/2018 21:15

My DP just dropped into conversation his parents have a panic button hidden behind their bed that sets off an alarm and alerts a private security firm... He reckons its standard in every house on their estate Confused

They live in a nice 4 bed detached house but it's not a gated community or anything naice nice... AIBU to think this is a bit weird and not something most people have?

OP posts:
lisasimpsonssaxophone · 07/12/2018 23:56

When I was growing up we had a couple of them in my family home, which came with the burglar alarm.

When I was about 16 I had an ‘empty’ (a big party with all my friends while my parents were away for the night). Once everyone was nice and pissed on Bacardi Breezers one of my friends got curious about the button (while I was out of the room) and decided to press it.

The alarm went off and we all flew into a total panic. The phone rang and I proceeded to drunkenly sob and beg the man on the other end not to tell my parents because I wasn’t supposed to be having a party. He was very sympathetic (and I would imagine quite amused) but said he was obliged to send the police round unless I could give him the override code.

I had been given it by my parents, but couldn’t quite remember it so I tried about five times. I was clearly getting it really close (let’s say it was 2206 and I guessed 2209, 2205 etc) and this lovely guy was clearly rooting for me. I can remember him trying to subtly hint to me that I was getting close without actually saying it. Eventually he said ‘I’m really sorry but I have to call the police now’ and then I FINALLY remembered the code and I have never been so relieved in my life.

Ah, to be a teenager again.

BlackBeltInPresentWrapping · 07/12/2018 23:56

We have 2, installed following a burglary. We live in a rural area with a relatively low crime rate, but when it happens help is usually further away.

Can I remind pps who have security cameras (and webcams) to make sure they are strongly password protected, and not still with the factory password? Otherwise your home and family might end up being broadcast on one of those unsecured security camera/webcam websites, unfortunately.

Richelieu · 08/12/2018 00:11

The people saying 'only on Mumsnet would this be considered normal' - sorry, it is normal if you have an alarm system installed by perfectly everyday companies.

In exactly the same way as fruitbatdancer, we were burgled when we lived in our previous house - we didn't have an alarm. They got in while we were there, asleep. Not a nice feeling. So we were conscious of security when we moved to a much more rural place, and the (monitored) system has a button you can press if you wake up and think you hear someone in the house. It's in the bedroom for precisely that eventuality.

We're not royalty, titled or super-rich. Just don't want to go through a very unpleasant experience again.

CatAndHisKit · 08/12/2018 00:27

Richilieu, did you wake up and managed to call the police quietly, or were you/DH brave enough to confront them? that's the worst scenario (I think best not to hear them if it happens, to avoid that level of stress!). Definitely worth having the button.

FlyingMonkeys · 08/12/2018 00:30

Not standard no, but not much different to paying £8/12pmth for a private warden alarm to be fitted in an older or disabled person's home. In homes pre-fitted with them if you don't pay for the service I'm sure you could press the button and nothing would happen (obviously). The rich and famous generally have a better security set up than waiting on 4 blokes from 'SecurityRus' to rock up on the drive.

FrowningFlamingo · 08/12/2018 00:44

There's one in each bedroom in my parents house and our security system has a key fob we can press which we keep in our room. Ours isn't monitored, just sets off the alarm. My parent's is monitored. It's not that unusual - an option offered routinely by most home security system installation companies.

Rubies12345 · 08/12/2018 00:47

Bit strange
What if they accidentally pressed the button during sex

I remember a story years ago about Charles and Di doing just that

MazeCrystals · 08/12/2018 00:49

Blackbelt Shock I never knew this. I'm going to change my password right away!

Jeanclaudejackety · 08/12/2018 00:49

Sounds absolutely mental to me. The house I grew up in was burgled once or twice but I've never ever been one for feeling unsafe or being obsessive about security etc. If I was a kardashian, footballers wife or meghan markle maybe, but the average home surely isn't that full of stuff people would kill for?

BlackBeltInPresentWrapping · 08/12/2018 00:58

I think it often depends on what sort of burglary you've experienced, (or those close to you have).

The most important things stolen aren't high value items, but peace of mind, personal safety and sentimental items.

Tiscold · 08/12/2018 01:00

But is is worth threatening your family for though and attacking you, your husband and kids.

You have a car, money in the house, tech, jewellery, personal info that can be sold on. That thief wants that car and cash and they're coming to get it.

What do you do, press the alarm button that gets a call to the police, quick response and security guys on the way to chsck on you.

Or faf with the phone as they barge up stairs coming for the safe, or walk around downstairs eith knives and weapons as they look for the car kys while your kids are across the hall.

I know what i would choose.

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee · 08/12/2018 01:04

artesia
DS2, who was 2.5, managed to set it off and 4 minutes later we had 3 men in bullet proof vests, brandishing tasers, in the driveway

4 minutes.... and tasers?? Are you sure? Do you live overseas? Otherwise it sounds unlikely

Jeanclaudejackety · 08/12/2018 01:30

I just wouldn't ever think I'd be burgled. I live in suburbia. Why my house over hundreds of others. Maybe I'm naive but I sleep well at night. Laptops, phones, tablets, cars etc are insured. I have a tiny bit of sentimental jewelry, usually on my person. My dog is probably the most important 'possession' and they're a) a mutt and b) yappy as fuck. I just don't have it on my radar as something to worry about. I don't have a burglar alarm,
I don't even have a password on my phone. I lock my doors, close my downstairs windows and feel safe in my fairly mundane suburban life. But I respect those who feel they need more protection, of course.

tricky29 · 08/12/2018 01:40

We have a panic code on 2 alarm panels that call the police if keyed correctly or 2 alarm sensors in the house are triggered. After the initial fitting it costs £2 a week on the contract we have. It’s not just for mega-rich people. It gave us (me really) peace of mind after a burglary.

BlackBeltInPresentWrapping · 08/12/2018 01:51

I understand that the most usual time to fit panic buttons and an alarm is after a burglary. It certainly helped to begin to restore a little peace of mind when we did it.

PointlessPigeon · 08/12/2018 01:53

I have a panic button on my key fob that's linked it my house alarm. My keys are about 10 foot away at night. So prob not v useful.

In my old flat I had 2 panic buttons I stalled after I disturbed burglars

BlackBeltInPresentWrapping · 08/12/2018 01:57

You're not alone, Maze. It includes some video baby monitors. If you search 'unsecured cameras', news articles and the websites themselves will come up. There was also a thread on here about it recently, if anyone can find it and link.

safariboot · 08/12/2018 02:48

Never had such a button, but then never had an alarm either. Not been burgled yet, possibly because I've spent a lot of my life with "nothing worth stealing".

An alarm that doesn't notify the police or company strikes me as of limited use. I'd sooner spend my money on CCTV.

FlyingMonkeys · 08/12/2018 02:53

But the point is that's it's not that unusual/mental. It's literally a £8-20 a month service which you can choose to install if you wish. It's not like getting a 10k panic room installed in your home. The service isn't just 'for you', it's a private security firm that'll generate a fortune based on very few call outs overall, and the ones they do offset the business by a mile. Not that daft from their financial perspective really.

kateandme · 08/12/2018 03:11

one was in ours when we moved in so its deff not new this was decades ago.its a red on by the door though.which I think is a really good idea actually.i don't think it is wired in anymore though.i wonder what would happen if I triiiied…….
my gran and grandpa have one now though being old and stuff and it goes to careline.many old people have them for this reason now too.you can get an extention of this ina band on your wrist too.

MyOtherProfile · 08/12/2018 06:01

@DontDribbleOnTheCarpet what?! No lock? How does that work?

Never crossed my mind that ordinary people in ordinary houses would have panic buttons. We live in a nice big house in a nice village. I'm going to conduct a survey amongst our friends and neighbours later!

starwars80 · 08/12/2018 06:17

Its certainly not normal. We have 2 and I’ve never met anyone IRL who has them, or a security safe Hmm. DH is super security conscious (no specific reason why). We also have CCTV which was useful getting NDN arrested when he tried to assault me. Except for NDN we live in a very nice road in a very nice village.

Richelieu · 08/12/2018 06:46

CatAndHisKit no, we didn't hear a thing. But Dh had a job that meant very early starts and he'd actually got up, gone for a shower and come out of the bathroom when he suddenly felt a draught and realised the front door was open. Swiftly followed by the sound of a car starting up.....our car, which they were stealing.

Always take your essential valuables, and especially your car keys, with you to your bedroom at night! That was one important lesson we learned the hard way

nancy75 · 08/12/2018 07:22

Richelieu - totally disagree, if they want the car they’ll come into your bedroom to get the keys. Better to just let them have the car

RitaFairclough · 08/12/2018 07:33

If you have a monitored one, who comes? Do the police have time to attend to panic buttons that might have been pressed accidentally?

I agree with leaving car keys somewhere accessible. There is lots of car theft round us (not that anyone would want our Qashqai) and I would much rather they just took it than rummaged around the house!

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