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AIBU?

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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:
Kemer2018 · 08/12/2018 07:41

I'd love one.
I'd also like shutters on all my windows and doors for night time.

MakeLemonade · 08/12/2018 07:42

Ours is monitored and a security guard comes if the alarm goes off and they can’t verify it was us (they call our mobiles and then speak through the control panel) but if they can verify an intruder via the cameras they will call the police. Police will only respond if a burglary is under way, not just for an alarm going off. I think if you call them more than three times for false alarms/cock ups they won’t respond anymore and you have to pay to lift the restriction.

Notacluethisxmas · 08/12/2018 07:46

I had one fitted. Had a problem with a stalker about 15 years ago.

Don't live in that house anymore though.

Spudlet · 08/12/2018 07:50

Some friends had an alarm wired to a security firm, but they still got burgled while they were away. It was a targeted thing - they reckon the thieves watched the house then set the alarm off deliberately, waited a little way away until the security firm had been to check the house was ok (meaning the firm thought there was a fault with the alarm), then went in and took jewellery and all sorts.

TartedUpYard · 08/12/2018 07:52

There was one in our house when we first moved in, just one that was connected to the house alarm. Unfortunately it was situated next to the alarm box in the cupboard under the stairs. Not much use in there Confused.

Youmadorwhat · 08/12/2018 07:58

Yep here’s one

Secret panic button behind bed...
GlitteryFluff · 08/12/2018 08:03

Don't take your keys & valuable to bed! Means they'll come looking for them and you're more at risk.
Keep keys etc near-ish to the front door but not in sight. They'll come in, get what they want and leave with less risk of you being hurt. Cars etc will be insured. You can get another. There's only one you/your family.

Vicky1990 · 08/12/2018 08:04

According to statistics, and information given by ex burglars, most burglaries are opportunistic and not planned.
If a house has a visible burglar alarm box, or security cameras fitted outside the building it is less likely to be chosen by a burglar, this is your first line of deterrent.
They are more likely to pass by and select a house with no security systems visible, this is the most sensible thing to do.
Having security is not only to protect your property, but more to protect you and your family.
A friend who used to fit alarms used to say, it is as good as having a policeman standing outside your house.

BigGreenOlives · 08/12/2018 08:06

We have one in our room & one by the front door.

stayathomer · 08/12/2018 08:13

yep used to be totally common, had this conversation in the pub with friends one night, went home to dm saying how posh it was that she had this and a house phone and she laughed and said back then they didn't pay for mobile phones tv or internet and the cost of house phones security wasn't even close to what it is now, so it wasn't a posh thing at all, they just rated security ( and then she gave me a look so I shut up;))

malpa · 08/12/2018 08:28

Oh, this brings back memories.
When I was younger we had panic buttons as part of the burglar-alarm system - one next to my parents' bed and one at the foot of the stairs. The latter came in very handy when a man (men?) tried breaking in one night. Dad was at work, I was about 7, my brother 9 (we were in bed), while mum was downstairs.

I was woken by the sound of smashing glass and mum shouting at someone. I jumped out of bed and hid at the top of the stairs. The downstairs window was broke and a man's arm was sticking through, trying to undo the latch. Mum was shouting and hitting his arm while he was trying to hit her back. It was quite surreal.

Then she must have remembered the panic button as she suddenly let go of the guy and jabbed it. At that point she spotted me at the top of the stairs and just burst into tears when I asked her if she was okay. My brother was oblivious to all of it and slept through the whole thing.

It wasn't a silent alarm, though in a way that was probably for the best as the guy seemed determined to get in (he didn't seem to care how much noise he was making). The alarm woke up half the street and he ran off; we never found out who he was.

I've never had a panic button since, don't know anybody else who has one, and completely forgot about it until reading this thread, but I'd recommend people to get one. I believe it certainly saved us from harm that night.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 08/12/2018 08:31

We've had one beside the bed for over 25 years - it was installed with the burglar alarm. There's another beside the front door, used only once when some wretched kid who was round the house playing with dds decided to poke it - you apparently have to press quite hard - and the police turned up within minutes.
I was abjectly apologetic, but they said not to worry, it happens quite a lot.

Lovemusic33 · 08/12/2018 08:34

I know someone who has cctv and alarms all over his house, one alarm goes direct to the police. Entering his house is crazy, deactivating various alarms before going through the door. He hasn’t got money in the house but keeps guns (he has a reinforced secure cupboard for them).

I don’t really have any security in my house, just a dog that will lick anyone to death that comes in.

I can see why some people would want emergency buttons, I think it depends where you live and what you have in your home, I gues your job could also come into it. I live a pretty boring life and I have no money or expensive items, as far as I know there’s no one that would want to murder me Grin

JustABetterPlayer · 08/12/2018 08:49

I’d probably have one but there’s no real need where I live. Plus I’d just throw my wife at an intruder, she’s vicious if you wake her up.

BangingOn · 08/12/2018 08:56

We have one as part of our monitored alarm system. We have no immediate neighbours and can feel a little isolated at night so it’s reassuring to have.

Rosy17 · 08/12/2018 09:11

It's not that unusual. We had panic buttons fitted after an armed robbery at our house. I wish we'd had them before. You don't have to live in a mansion to be a target.
They can be a pain if they go off due to a fault though. We had the police turn up a couple of times and I didn't know it had gone off (they don't make a sound).

mindutopia · 08/12/2018 09:11

What a world. I've literally not locked my door at night in about 7 years (barring a few times when dh was away and we'd had some suspicious cars spotted around that week). My in laws don't lock their door ever. Even if they go out. They went on holiday for a week for the first time in a long time and it took days to actually find the key because they hadn't used it in so long. To be fair, there are more sheep here than people. I had no idea panic buttons were a thing outside the world of the Kardashians.

silvercuckoo · 08/12/2018 09:27

I need one. Had burglars break in twice last year whilst I was at home alone with the children, my blood still freezes when I remember.

gamerwidow · 08/12/2018 09:58

I am surprised so many people have them and burglar alarms. If it helps people feel safe there is no harm but I’m just surprised.We were burgled 7 years ago they took all our portable electronic devices like laptops and games consoles. Never occurred to me to do anything other than make the point of entry more secure. Most burglaries where we live are opportunistic where the see a weak back door or similar and we were just unlucky.
Not judging those who had a stronger reaction to a burglary, things affect people in different ways, just not something I’d realised.

Sitranced · 08/12/2018 10:28

If you've got one, has anyone ever used it and was effective at helping to stop or catching the burglary?

Stephisaur · 08/12/2018 10:31

My parents had one in our old house. It was wired to the house alarm though so would just set it off immediately if there was a threat. It was useful if the alarm hadn’t been set I guess?

They never used it. We used to lock the door and alarm the house at night, never had an issue.

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee · 08/12/2018 10:33

gamerwidow
I am surprised so many people have them and burglar alarms

Our insurance company insists we have and use an alarm.

BangingOn · 08/12/2018 11:20

Our insurance company also insist that we have one.

When we were broken into the fact that the alarm was monitored and the phone rang instantly got them out of the house much quicker as they knew the police were on their way. It also meant that we came straight home and our dogs weren’t left in an unsecured property with broken glass on the floor for more than 10 minutes.

We now have Ring motion detection cameras around the outside of the house as advised by the police.

Caprisunorange · 08/12/2018 11:24

I wonder how insurance companies decide some people have to have them? Maybe the value of your contents or something?

Nedzilla · 08/12/2018 11:33

Our old flat in London had them. One by the door, and one in bedroom. As far as I know every flat had them in the block, and they were built in 1980 so not a 'new' thing. In a 'nice' area also so I think they must have just been put in as a standard feature at the time, not due to high security actually needed.
We just stuck masking tape over them with a 'do not touch' written on tape in permanent pen, and ignored them.

I think they would be a good idea and would get them added to where I live now if I felt uneasy or had any threats etc. Its far easier for somebody at risk to push than have to find phone and dial 999.