Burglar alarm sellers in Kerala are thriving as more and more Malayalis are opting for home security systems in view of the rising incidence of attack on elders by criminals. Sale of home security system has skyrocketed in the past five years, with over a hundred per cent increase in sale.
Suresh Namboothiry, head of security systems at Godrej & Boyce, said “Awareness about security systems has increased tremendously over the last five years. This is evident from the boost in sales, which is more than 100 per cent in the past five years. The sale goes up by 35-40 per cent each year with most of the customers being NRIs and people who were residing in cities like Mumbai and Delhi.”
With the police groping in the dark on several murders and robberies in which elders were targeted, many people believe it is wise to invest in burglar alarms. The drop in burglar alarm prices over 40 per cent due to the development of quality indigenous burglar alarm systems is a major factor in the boost in sales, say security experts.
Builders and construction experts state that many people now incorporate the wiring for security systems while they build their houses so that they can retrofit burglar alarms if needed. Safety factor has acquired a prime position in the mind of most city residents and investment on this side is considered necessary by many.
People who are abroad or have been out of the state are the main consumers, say home security system providers. “Ninety per cent of the customers are people who have returned from cities like Mumbai or Delhi and Non Resident Indians (NRIs),” said Suresh. These people are more aware about security systems, he added.
Security systems are customised according to the type of risks and needs of the customers, said Suresh. “In houses where elderly people reside alone, we incorporate Automatic Telephone Dialer (ATD), which can dial nine preset telephone numbers when the alarm goes off,” he said. This system eliminates the need to remember telephone numbers, which is very mostly impossible for elderly people at the time of an emergency. The receiver of the call will hear a recorded message asking for help or assistance.
Video door, a facility which shows a video footage of the person ringing the door bell, is a much sought-after system by NRIs, said Suresh. The system also allows the residents to talk to the person at the door before opening the door, thereby allowing them to decide whether to let the person in or not.
Another feature advantageous to elders is the panic switch, which enables them to activate the alarm if a seemingly harmless person turns violent or hostile. These switches are fixed at different points in the house for easy reach.
A basic security system costs around Rs 7,000-8,000, which is nothing when compared to the security and confidence it gives back to the residents. Most house owners go for the basic system, which includes a control panel, few panic switches costing Rs 500 each and one or two door sensors at Rs 300 each. Security system providers say that this is enough to protect the people from intruders. But NRI families often go a step forward and install fire sensors and motion detectors for added safety, they said.
A select few who consider spending on security systems go for a complete system, which enables the customer to monitor his house from anywhere in the world, stated security system providers. This system alerts the house owner through his cell phone in the event of an intrusion and also sends a message through the Internet. This system not only protects the house, but also monitors the surrounding areas and alerts the owner if any intrusion occurs.
