Home Security Glossary
Breaking and Entering -- When someone enters your house illegally with the intention of theft or assault.
Cat Burglar -- A thief that enters your house at night to steal easily-accessible valuables while you sleep such as jewelry, credit cards, and money.
Continually Monitored Alarm -- This is a home security system that is monitored 24-7 by a security monitoring service.
Felony -- Generally, a felony is a crime punishable by at least a year in prison and a fine. The definition can change from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, though. A crime may be considered a felony depending on the dollar amount of the goods destroyed or stolen.
Home Security System -- A home security system can be anything undertaken to protect your home from accidents and crime.
Larceny -- Stealing of personal property.
Motion Detectors -- These sensors are part of a home security system. They act as triggers when motion is detected, although today infrared motion detectors are becoming more common (triggered by body heat).
NCIC -- The National Crime Information Center. They maintain a central computer resource often used by law-enforcement groups.
Risk Assessment -- An analysis of the threats in your neighborhood and to your property.
Temperature-Sensor Alarms -- Falling and rising temperatures trigger these alarms; they are usually used to warn homeowners when the temperature drops below freezing near water pipes.
Wedge Alarms -- Wedge alarms are relatively cheap, battery-powered, and fit under your door like a doorstop; they go off if somebody tries to open the door.