A St Ives resident had their home broken into by professional thieves while away for the weekend. The thieves thoroughly ransacked the home, opening all drawers and containers and stealing small valuable items. The resident was traumatized by the violation of privacy. They have since installed a security system from Specialised Security Systems and now ensures it is always armed for added peace of mind.

1. Home Invasion!
Security scare in St Ives
Locking your doors is no longer enough to
stave off increasingly savvy criminals who
have been targeting St Ives and its surrounds
in recent months, as one unhappy resident
found out.
Back from a blissful weekend away,
this St Ives resident never expected to find
her place ransacked in the sleepy suburb she
has called home for 24 years. On the surface
everything looked exactly as she had left
it, but when she walked into the living and
sleeping areas towards the back of the house,
she was confronted with a horrific shock.
Every item of clothing in the house had
been pulled from hangars and drawers;
every drawer had been opened and upended;
and the safe, along with crowbars and other
implements, was lying at the bottom of her
pool. On closer inspection, food containers
and ice-cream in the fridge and freezer, had
been opened, and some eaten, as the criminals
continued their search for hidden items.
“These were professionals who knew
exactly what they were doing,” the resident
recalls. “They knew we were away and that
they would have time to do a thorough search
without being visible from the street. They
had enough time and skill to unbolt the safe
from the wall and, when they couldn’t open
the combination, had enough time and tools
to burn the safe open and then throw it into the
pool so it couldn’t be dusted for fingerprints.
And, they only took valuables that were small
enough to carry away like cameras, laptops,
money and jewellery.”
But more than the financial loss, and
even irreplaceable loss of jewellery with
sentimental value, this resident was horrified
that her privacy and personal space had been
violated. Not only had the criminals rifled
through her personal items and even touched
and eaten her food, but they had also seen
pictures of her family and had access to
personal information on the stolen laptops.
“We have been living in St Ives for 24
years and go away often and had never felt
the need for anything beyond every-day,
commonsense security like locking doors,”
the resident says. “But, clearly there is no
room for complacency or thinking ‘this won’t
happen to me’”, she says. “Even if there’s
only one incident and it’s you, that’s one too
many!”
Today, this resident is “completely in tune”
with her alarm. Switching to AWAY mode
when she goes out and HOME mode when
she is at home or at night has become “second
nature” and she urges fellow residents to
invest in the same. Her Specialised Security
Systems alarm comes complete with a wall
panel, remote control, smoke alarm, and
internal sensors that are set to accommodate
her family’s needs, she says. In particular, she
loves that she can enjoy total security, while
still leaving windows ajar so she doesn’t feel
trapped in a stuffy house.
The spike in crime is not going to go away,
she says. Many people are still suffering the
effects of the global financial crisis and there
is ever more building going on in the St Ives
area and surrounds, she explains, adding that
the police have still not found the perpetrators
of the crime in her home. “I highly
recommend Specialised Security Systems,”
she says, noting that Joel Abramowitz is
“highly professional, reliable, meticulous,
and an absolute gentleman in dealing with us
at what was a very traumatic time.”
SPECIALISED SECURITY SYSTEMS
NEWSIndependent Living
You can have your own virtual
‘Guardian Angel’ page 2
ATTENTION!
HOME OWNERS!
“Don’t YOU be the next home invasion victim!”
Don’t make it easy for criminals to break into your home and steal your most
precious belongings. Criminals are lazy and they pick the easy targets. So don’t let your
home be an easy target for these vermin.
FREE “20 Point Safety Audit” valued at $47.00
Yours FREE!
Call Joel Abramowitz from Specialised Security Systems today on 1800 225 276 and
discover the 13 simple strategies that stop thieves invading your home. This is a FREE,
no-obligation security check, and will only take 10 minutes out of your busy schedule.
And what’s more, it can even be done on the phone for added convenience.
Give yourself peace of mind … call today! But hurry, only 20 FREE Safety Audits
available. STOP thieves making YOU their next victim. Take action & take control.
Free Call today on 1800 225 276 and start feeling
secure in your own home.
SPECIALISED
security systems
SPECIALISED SECURITY SYSTEMS 4
But, clearly
there is no room
for complacency or
thinking ‘this won’t
happen to me’”, she
says. “Even if there’s
only one incident
and it’s you, that’s
one too many!
“
“
Specialised Security Systems’
fire detection system came up trumps in
Petersham recently when a resident of a 20-
room boarding house unlawfully attempted
to cook popcorn in their bedroom – and then
tried – unsuccessfully – to disable the smoke
alarm.
Cooking popcorn is a forbidden practice in
bedrooms in the property, which is protected
by monitored smoke detectors in every
bedroom and passageway. The fire alarm was
activated, which immediately woke up and
alerted all the other sleeping residents to the
situation. Management was simultaneously
advised by the dual telephone dialer that
reports both back-to-base security response
and also dialed four private mobile numbers
to report a voice message.
The embarrassed resident then tried to
disconnect and disable the smoke sensor in
an attempt to hush the noisy screamer within
the device. The removal of the detector
from the detector base then reported the
tamper signal to the management, still
causing the screamer to remain activated.
The desperate resident then removed the
back-up battery from the smoke detector,
thinking they had finally defeated the
system. But, Specialised Security Systems’
smart Powermax solution was able to sense
that the smoke detector was now finally
disabled when it failed to receive the regular
‘heartbeat’ or ‘all okay’ signal, which is
normally transmitted every 20 minutes
from each of the 28 smoke detectors.
The culprit was foiled and disaster was
averted, thanks to Specialised Security
Systems’ smart solution with a brain, that
thinks, smells, sees, hears and feels for
you!
St Ives
resident
counts on
“talking”
alarm
The recent spike in
break and enter crime
in St Ives has left one
resident unphased. He
has his own personal
security guard in the
guise of a state-of-the-
art SENTRY alarm
system that doesn’t
“cry wolf” but actually
“talks” to him!
“Person in garden”; “Laundry door
open”; “Up the stairs”. You could be forgiven
for thinking this St Ives resident has his own
personal security guard, alerting him to any
suspicious activity in or outside his double-
storey house.
But, in fact, he is using a sophisticated,
state-of-the-art wireless Israeli-made military
security solution that has been adapted for
home use and has a unique built-in intercom
system that actually speaks to you.
A long-time believer in home security, this
St Ives resident hasn’t looked back since a
friend alerted him to Specialised Security
Systems’SENTRYsolution. “It’s a whole new
concept in security with highly sophisticated
technical equipment far superior to what we
have seen on the market before,” he says.
“It’s a fantastic modular system providing
total perimeter protection and every
conceivable internal motion sensor,” the
resident says. “But what I love most about it
is that it actually talks to me!”
This is clearly one resident who believes
a screaming alarm, while useful in scaring
off possible intruders, also scares the living
daylights of innocent bystanders in its range.
And often for no good reason, as false alarms
are almost as common as alerts to genuine
intruders.
Alarming recent research from Australian
insurance group AAMI reveals that almost
half of all alarm alerts nationwide are not
treated seriously. 43% of Sydneysiders
recently polled by AAMI said they did not
investigate or call police when they heard a
home alarm go off, very similar to the national
average of 42% of home alarm owners.
Home alarms are a good deterrent, says a
local police crime prevention officer, but he
emphasizes that they need to be good quality
because false alarms ultimately defeat the
purpose of having home alarm security. Too
many false alarms, he explains, in fact, stops
residents from reacting to alarms, seriously
reducing their efficacy.
And, indeed, we all know what happened to
“the boy who cried wolf”!
Smoke alarm prevents
possible disaster in
Petersham
Specialised Security Systems’ fire detection system recently averted
what could have been a costly disaster for Raine & Horne in
Petersham, not to mention an even more costly possible tragedy and
loss of life.
www.sentry.com.au
Master Security Licence No 407479594
Smoke alarms save lives
• Smoke alarms have been responsible
for saving many hundreds of lives in
Australia and overseas.
• While regulations vary from state
to state, in most states it is now
mandatory to install at least one
alarm.
• A better level of protection is gained
by installing a smoke alarm in each
bedroom, in corridors and hallways
that lead to exits and the living area.
• More than 90% of children under
the age of 16 will not wake from deep
sleep from a smoke alarm sounding
in their bedroom.
Source: Fire Protection Association of Australia

2. Research from insurance group AAMI
suggests that Sydneysiders are bigger
believers in home alarms than elsewhere in
the country. An opinion poll conducted in
2009 revealed some interesting details about
home security users in metropolitan Sydney,
including the North Shore, and compared
with their national counterparts. When asked:
* Which measure do you take for home
security when on holidays: 32% said
‘activate alarm’ (national 23%)
* Which measure do you think is most
effective when the home is left empty:
28% said ‘activate alarm’ (national: 22%)
* Which security measure do you have: 38%
said they have an alarm (27% national)
* Do you sometimes go out without turning
your alarm on: 14% said ‘yes’ (national
12%)
AAMI certainly takes home security
seriously, says Corporate Affairs Manager
Yves Noldus. Although obtaining home
contents cover from AAMI does not
necessarily require a burglar alarm to be
installed, having one will reduce premiums
paid, he explained. Customers with more than
$80,000 worth of specified contents, however,
do need to have deadlocks, window locks
and a back-to-base alarm before they will
get cover. And, if the total sum for contents
insured is more than $500,000, it needs to be
referred to a supervisor for acceptance.
Despite the recent spike in home break and
enter incidents in St Ives and surrounding
areas, overall incidents have tended to remain
steady, but there is no room for complacency,
says a local police crime prevention officer.
As the recent home break-in and enter
incidents in St Ives and surrounding areas
have shown, it is impossible to totally
eradicate these incidents. There will always
be “spikes of crime”, with criminals usually
targeting areas where there is a low level of
police presence at any given time for any
given reason, the official explains. “The
police can’t be everywhere all the time, so
offenders displaced by police presence in
certain areas, will target areas where there is
low level of police presence at any point in
time.”
The official agrees that home alarm systems
play an important role in providing home
security, but emphasizes that these need to
be good quality as false alarms undermine
the whole notion of alarm security. He also
urges residents to invest in good quality doors
and locks and to remain vigilant by being
aware of their surroundings and not leaving
implements around that can be used to gain
access to their homes or properties.
SPECIALISED SECURITY SYSTEMS 3
Sydneysiders say
“yes” to home security
Specialised
Security
Systems
PO Box 914,
St Ives NSW
Australia 2075
P: 1800 225 276
F: (02) 9449 9531
M: 0414 425 276
joel@sentry.com.au
www.sentry.com.au
SPECIALISED SECURITY SYSTEMS 2
Specialised Security Systems
has been providing innovative, affordable,
simple to use and install wireless security
systems to home and small business owners
in the Sydney metropolitan area since 1996
and is able to deliver productsAustralia-wide.
The company prides itself in selling only
the highest quality home and small business
security monitoring systems. These include
products manufactured by Visonic, a world
leader in wireless security and protection
technology. Its Visonic Powermax Pro is
a reliable, portable and simple-to-install
technologically advanced security system
that thinks for you.
It is your eyes, in the guise of motion sensors
that detect movement; your ears, in the guise
of sensors that listen for smashing doors
or windows; your nose, in that it can smell
smoke long before you do; your mouth, in the
guise of a siren that yells and rings and even
talks to you (see page 3); and your hands, in
the guise of remote controls at your fingertips
for easy operation.
With headquarters in Israel, the Visonic
group is an international leader in the
development and manufacture of high-quality
electronic security systems and components.
Hundreds of thousands of families and
businesses in more than 70 countries rely
on Visonic home security systems to protect
their homes.
Specialised Security Systems will install
and supply perfectly customised security
systems backed up by an exceptional level
of one-on-one service, face-to-face education
and on-going support to customers in Sydney
and the surrounding area.
Anyone looking for a security system to
keep themselves or their property safe and
secure, whether they are home owners or
small business proprietors, can rest assured
they are in safe hands when calling on
Specialised Security Systems.
Specialised Security Systems also offers a
revolutionary portable self-monitored alarm
system, which has no ongoing monthly fees,
and is suitable for a range of applications
where electricity is not available, including
vehicles like cars, caravans, boats and trucks,
as well shops, building and construction sites,
garages and sheds.
Wireless means all the bells and whistles
with none of the mess and fuss, and you can
take it with you when you move home or
office. With all Specialised Security Systems’
solutions, the keyword is simple – simple to
install, simple to use and simple to move.
Independent
living solutions
Not only does Specialised Security Systems keep the bad guys out, but it also
provides a range of innovative independent living solutions that address the needs of
Australia’s rapidly aging population – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Its virtual companion product, Guardian Angel, provides protection
for any person living alone. Whether you are concerned about your
own safety or the wellbeing of a loved one, Guardian Angel ensures
that anyone can continue to enjoy a rich independent lifestyle by
always being alert to unusual or unexpected incidents. The system will
issue an alert if an activity does not happen when it should, indicating
the need for possible intervention.
Meanwhile, its Amber Health Safety support solution is not only an emergency
response system, but also comes complete with a medication reminder, fall and inactivity detection and telemedicine capabilities. Both
products connect to family and offer two-way voice speech and monitors.
Free call 1800 225 276 www.sentry.com.au
Sentry:Your 24/7
eyes earsFrom homes to small businesses,
from security and independent living
solutions to fire protection, Specialised
Security Systems’ extensive range of
intelligent wireless security options
allows users to customize for their
specialized needs.
HOME Safety tips
• Install good quality alarms that minimize false alarms
• Ensure you have good quality doors, windows and locks
• Don’t leave garden furniture around – like a ladder that can be used to get to a window
or a spade that can be used to force open a door or window
• Be careful of high structures like pergolas that can be used to get into high windows
• Hide valuables in pots and pans as burglars often use metal detectors to find jewellery
and cash
• Lock side gate entrances into yards at all times
• Become a member of Neighbourhood Watch
• Be aware of your surroundings, including burglars turning off power or water to test
if you are away from your home
ABOUT THE MD
Joel Abramowitz -
Managing Director,
Specialised Security
Systems
Joel Abramowitz has more
than 30 years of experience in the home
and small business security industry,
cutting his teeth in Johannesburg, one
of the toughest cities in the world.
His dedication to the protection of
people and property in such dangerous
conditions has given him a wealth of
experience about security standards.
He also has a clear understanding of
the need for discretion and privacy, and
which systems are the most reliable and
effective. “I am completely passionate
about the innovative and high-quality
security products we provide,” he said,
adding that the company also prides
itself on offering customized solutions.
PRODUCT FEATURES
• Advanced wireless transmission
technology
• Portable and easily expandable
• Easy to use and install
• Remotely controlled from devices
like mobile phones
• Minimal false alarms
• ASIAL certificate of compliance
• Total perimeter protection
• Smoke, fire, gas, flood alerts
• Talks to you and sends talking alerts
to mobile phones
• HOME mode for night-time security
alarms only doors and windows
allowing you to move freely inside
• AWAY mode turns on entire system
when you are away, allowing pets to
still move around inside
Sydneysiders have given a clear thumbs up
to home security systems.
Visonic Powermax Pro security system