How Burglary Shaped Kathy Sizemore’s Home Security Experience

How Kathy Sizemore’s Childhood Burglary Experience Ignited Her Passion for Home Security

Growing Up with Home Burglary in Anaheim, CA

Growing up in Anaheim, CA, my childhood home wasn’t in a bad neighborhood. However, it was on the border between residential and commercial property. This area often had a lot of activity. As a result, it was easy for people who didn’t belong to go unnoticed and commit crimes. Intruders broke into my childhood home three times while I was growing up. These experiences ignited my passion for providing families with real home security.

The First Break-In: A Terrifying Experience

Our house was burglarized for the first time when I was in third grade. Like many typical “latch key” kids of the 1980s, I was the first person to arrive home at the end of the workday. The feeling of terror when I found our front door unlocked and left ajar is something I will never forget. Someone had opened drawers and cabinets, throwing their contents around. Once I realized that our home had been broken into our home, I ran outside. Not knowing what to do, I sat alone and scared on the curb for two hours until my parents came home.

DIY Alarm Solutions and Their Challenges in Home Security

After this first burglary, my dad took action. He went down to our neighborhood Radio Shack and purchased a DIY alarm system. This alarm solution was a sleek brown box that detected motion. It plugged into the wall in my parents’ room and sat on my mom’s nightstand. If someone walked in front of the box, a big red bell in the attic would ring, notifying us. Every morning when I left for school, I would turn the alarm on. When I arrived home after school, I would turn it off.

My Dad’s Radio Shack DIY solution was not foolproof. It frequently triggered false alarms. I will never forget the terror I felt as a child the first time I arrived at the front door of my home and heard that red bell ringing. Many panicked questions went through my mind. Should I go inside? Should I run and hide? Should I wait for my parents to get home? I remembered my school teachers telling us to call 911 if it was an emergency and we needed police help. I ran across the street to a shopping center and used the nearest payphone to call 911 to report our home had been burglarized because the alarm was ringing.

The Second and Third Burglaries: More Home Security Lessons

Intruders burglarized my childhood home two more times while I was growing up. The second time, my dad discovered it. Finally, the third time, I found it. A broken window and the opened front door very clearly gave the burglary away. My dad’s DIY alarm solution did nothing to ward off intruders or protect us from crime. After many false alarms, neighbors considered it an annoyance and disabled it.

Discovering Professional Alarm Monitoring

When Chris and I started dating, he shared with me about his family’s security business. I was amazed by the concept of professional alarm monitoring. “You mean when the alarm goes off someone knows right away and calls the police for you? You don’t have to go inside, find the burglar and call the police yourself?” Enthusiastically, I joined the business helping with installs before we even married.

Why Professional Security Systems Matter for Security

I know how it feels to have my home burglarized. Experiencing the inconvenience and anxiety caused by false alarms has given me a unique perspective. Discovering that someone violated your space and stole your valuable belongings can be overwhelming. This emotional toll leaves you feeling vulnerable and unsafe in your own home. My commitment to ensuring that our customers never have to go through the same ordeal drives my work.

False alarms are not only inconvenient but can also create a sense of constant dread. Each time the alarm sounds, it triggers a rush of fear and uncertainty. You find yourself questioning whether it’s a real threat or just another false alarm. This kind of stress is something I aim to eliminate for my clients by providing reliable and efficient security systems.

Moreover, the intrusion of a burglar leaves more than just a physical mess. It shatters your peace of mind and sense of security. Burglars often take or destroy irreplaceable personal items filled with sentimental value. A home is supposed to provide a sense of safety, but burglary deeply compromises it. I want to ensure that no one has to face such a distressing situation.

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Why Choose Professional Home Security

That trauma is my why. It’s why I work to install the highest quality home security and business security installations, so our customers don’t have to be inconvenienced, anxious, or afraid when it comes to their security. It’s why we custom design every client’s security system to their unique, individual needs and install a comprehensive system designed to detect intrusion the instant an intruder attempts to violate the perimeter of your space.

We use the latest technology to ensure reliable and effective protection. Our systems include advanced motion detectors and high-resolution surveillance cameras. Additionally, we prioritize your safety by integrating smart home features that allow for remote monitoring and control through your smartphone.

I also encourage every A-Bell client to enroll in 24-hour central station monitoring. Professionals provide continuous oversight of your security system, promptly addressing any alarms. In the event of an emergency, the monitoring center can immediately notify law enforcement or emergency responders, significantly reducing response times and enhancing your safety.

Choosing professional home security means choosing peace of mind. Knowing that a specifically designed system protects your loved ones and belongings brings great comfort. It means never having to experience the vulnerability and fear of discovering a burglary all by yourself. With A-Bell Alarms, you can trust that your security is our top priority.