Jason Brandt (Electro Watchman) talked to Hatch Realty about home security and what residents can do to protect themselves.
7 WAYS TO SECURE YOUR HOME IN FARGO-MOORHEAD
By: Andrew J. Young
Security in Fargo-Moorhead hasn’t ever meant much to its residents. We’re the type of town
where you leave your house and vehicle doors unlocked. Because why worry? Fargo has always
been the “safe,” “charming” and “friendly” town any city in the USA would be jealous of. And
although – when it comes to robberies – Fargo-Moorhead still sits below the national average,
according to the Fargo Forum, “Fargo [is] seeing more robberies and
shoplifting.” With more robberies surfacing in the last couple of months, it’s forecasted 2016 will
hit a record high and it’s more important than ever we take home security seriously.
According to Fargo police spokesman Lt. Mike Mitchell, “The bad news is there’s been an icrease
in robberies, but the good news is the relative high ‘clearance rate’ for robberies.” What Lt.
Mitchell means is the ability to gather enough evidence to prosecute individuals for these
crimes and robberies. The first step to gathering this information and ensuring your and your
family’s safety is implementing and practicing home security.
7 WAYS TO SECURE YOUR HOME IN FARGO-MOORHEAD, CONTINUED
Hatch Realty saw down with Electro Watchman, a company in Fargo dedicated to your safety
and security, and asked them two questions:
1. What can our community do to help make their home more secure if they’re not ready to buy or
implement a security system?
2. How much does it cost to put in a security system and can we work together to get our friends and
clients some additional equipment at no cost?
Jason Brandt, one of the sales managers with the company, gave us some great tips and
advice for home security and he’s throwing in some free equipment to any Hatch Realty friends
who give them a call. His pieces of advice:
1. When you’re home leave a light on or alternate turning lights on/off.
Burglars target homes they are sure have no residents active or home. Make it known you’re
home by having a television on and/or lights. If you’re away from home, they make
inexpensive Wifi enabled equipment to help you do this or devices to put your lights on a timer.
2. Make sure your windows are locked when they’re not open. “Most people will shut a
window and then walk away thinking it’s secure or they don’t have to worry. An unlocked
window is the first thing burglars will look for,” explained Brandt. As we enter winter, it’s
likely your windows will be closed for the next six months: As you close them, make sure they’re
locked and secure!
3. Be your own burglar. Go outside and pretend you’re a thief. How would you get in? Repeat
this exercise at night. What parts of the yard are dark or hidden enough to act as cover for an
intruder? These are areas you want to eliminate or illuminate with outdoor lighting.
4. Hide your toys (mostly, their garbage). When you get that new 60-inch plasma TV, don’t
leave the box out at the curb for a week until the garbage truck comes around. Instead, take it
just before the trash collectors come and better yet: Carry it to a nearby dumpster.
5. Brag about your trips when you come back. We know you want to tell the whole neighborhood and town about the luxury cruise you booked but save the boasting until you return
(besides, you’ll have your pictures then too!). And while you’re away arrange to have your mail
picked up by a friend or neighbor. “We can’t stress enough that if burglars know you’re away, it
creates an opportunity for them,” says Brandt.
7 WAYS TO SECURE YOUR HOME IN FARGO-MOORHEAD, CONTINUED
6. Hide the garage door opener in your vehicle. How often do you leave pieces of mail in
your car? Think about the person information (and your address) that’s right in every glove
compartment. Brandt illustrated the perfect burglar scenario to us: “Burglars will break into a
car; find a piece of mail or personal document with an address; take the garage door opener;
leave us thinking we misplaced our opener; and while they know we’re away at work, they’ll use
the
opener to access our home.” Brandt explained that simply hiding your opener somewhere in
your car and taking it in the house in the evenings are two simple steps to curb the problem.
7. Add a home security system. For many people in Fargo and the Midwest this seems
unreasonable. Why add an expensive system to your home when the chances of ever
needing its protection are so small. We find security in saying “It will never happen to me.”
Electro Watchman makes securing your home and your loved ones in it easy and at an
expense you almost can’t argue with. And, if you’re a friend of Hatch Realty, you’re going to get
a free water-detection unit for your basement: Which would be a great addition to any home
near the Red River come spring.
Adding a Home Security System to Your Home and Its Cost
Through Hatch Realty and Electro Watchman’s relationship our friends and family can have a
1) Security system installed in their home;
2) Flood/water or low temperature detector added to their system; and
3) One Year monitoring for as little as $650.
After year one the monthly monitoring is less than $30/month. If you’re buying a new home
through us we’ll work directly with Electro Watchman to have your system in place and ready
when you move in. At a cost of $750 for your first year, home security just makes sense.
Our homes are our investment and in them are the people and things we love. Home
security in Fargo-Moorhead is something you might not take seriously now but it will be
something you regret not taking seriously if it happens to you. Take time to assess your home
for its safety and live with the peace of mind knowing your loved ones are home, safe.
SOURCES
Tran, Tu-Uten. (2015, February 27). Fargo seeing more robberies and shoplifting, but crime overall is below 10-year
average. Inforum.com. Retrieved from: http://www.inforum.com/news/crime/3689413-fargo-seeing-more-robberiesand-shoplifting-crime-overall-below-10-year-average
1 W. Water St., Suite 110
St. Paul, MN 55107
(651) 227-8461
(800) 666-5453 (24 hrs.)
4715 19th Street SE
Mandan, ND 58554
(701) 258-6169
(800) 371-6169 (24 hrs.)
QTY.
2219-12th Street North
Fargo, ND 58102
(701) 235-9511
(800) 235-9511 (24 hrs.)
DESCRIPTION
1710-50th St. W. Suite B
Sioux Falls, SD 57105
(605) 336-1240
(800) 994-1240 (24 hrs.)
EACH
TOTAL
VISTA HOME SECURITY PACKAGE
1
V21IPWLSK103
Wireless Security System Package
289.00
289.00
-
Kit includes: Vista 21 IP Control Panel, Battery, RJ31X Jack/Cord, 1-5800 PIR-RES Motion Sensor,
2
-
2
2-5818-KT Door/Window Contacts, 6160-KT keypad, 5883H Receiver and Siren
1
5800PIR-RES
PIR Motion Sensor w/Pet Immunity, Wireless
100.00
-
5815-KT
Door/Window Transmitter Wireless
75.00
-
5818MNL-KT
Recessed Door/Window Transmitter Wireless
85.00
-
5853-KT
Glass Break Sensor wireless
100.00
-
6160-KT
Additional Keypad
140.00
-
5815OHD
Over Head Door Contact Wireless
125.00
-
5800WAVE-KT
Siren Wireless
95.00
-
5800CO-KT
Carbon Monoxide Detector wireless
140.00
-
5804BDV-KT
Four-Button Key Fob Wireless bi-directional voice
105.00
-
5808LST-KT
Photoelectric Smoke Detector Wireless
125.00
-
5809-KT
Heat Detector Fixed Temperature 135 degrees, Wireless
75.00
5821-KT
Low Temperature Wireless, 45 degrees
75.00
5821-470PB-KT
Flood Sensor w/Probe Wireless
75.00
5802WXT
Personal Panic Button Wireless
60.00
VISTA-GSMV4G
4G snap in Cellular Commuication card
Residential Vista Monitoring Plus:3
includes: All alarm signals, Daily Test and RSP4
Hatch Realty customers
- receive
a free Low Temperature or Water
(Sump) Alarm. a $75 value
-
-
99.00
EQUIPMENT SUB TOTAL
$29.95 / month annual billing
X
289.00
359.40
Internet Monitoring ADD:
Total Connect
ADD:
$5.00 / month annual billing
$5.00 / month annual billing
#
#
-
Cellular Monitoring ADD:
$15.00 / month annual billing
#
-
1
May be substitued with a 5853-KT glass break sensor.
The keypad and siren are hardwired devices.
3
Minimum contract term is 3 years.
4
RSP-includes all parts and labor to repair alarm system, due to normal use. It does not include system upgrades. Service plan
hours are 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday thru Friday, excluding Holidays. Normal rates apply at all other times. Plan service area is
a 25 mile radius from your service center. A surcharge will apply to customers outside of this radius. Surcharge will be 10%
less than your service centers standard service rate.
2
TAX
648.40
-
TOTAL
$648.40
Terms: Installation and 1st year Monitoring Contract due upon acceptance
CONTACT:
New Customer
ADDRESS:
PHONE #:
CITY/ST/ZIP:
EMAIL:
DATE:
CONTACT #:
ESTIMATED BY:
701-235-9511
ORDER APPROVED BY:
-
Equipment, Installation & 1st Year of Monitoring SUB TOTAL
THIS ESTIMATE WILL BE GOOD FOR 30 DAYS
NAME:
-
CONTACT EMAIL:
DATE:
Jason Brandt
[email protected]