Recent burglary exposes home-security system loophole

SAUSALITO, Calif.

Sausalito Police are warning homeowners their security systems may not be as secure as they think. A burglary Sunday afternoon on Cloud View Road exposed a weak link in the communication systems of some security companies.

The home that was burglarized had a home security system, but the burglar or burglars were able access the utility box outside the home and unplug the phone jack for the security system, without the security company being aware the system was disabled.

Sausalito Police Officer Nick White investigated the burglary and contacted the security company to find out what time the burglary occurred.

"And they told me there was no record of it, and they don't keep records of the hard line disconnects," said White. "I was very surprised and I was more surprised they didn't have a record at all, or a time stamp of when the disconnection would have occurred."

Police aren't revealing the name of the security company while officers investigate the crime.

"The fact that an alarm can be disarmed from the outside and not notify the police station or not notify the protection company is something I think we all have to be aware of," said Cloud View Road resident, Mark Grace. "I actually did have a small break-in and fortunately my alarm did go off. It actually scared the perpetrator out of the house right away, so I was glad that I did have an alarm."

However, Grace said burglaries have been on the rise in his neighborhood, and homeowners have been having meetings about it.

The street is lined with "Neighborhood Watch", "Video Surveillance", and various home security company signs. "I'm not feeling very secure right now," said Grace, who is moving to Mill Valley, and already considering his home security system there.

Police say they want homeowners to know how the recent burglary happened to they can arm themselves with information by asking their utility and security companies how secure their utility boxes and security systems are, and consider a wireless security system if it works for their households.

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Recent burglary exposes home-security system loophole