In order to see how alarm systems can be an effective way of preventing the burglary of your home, let's take a look at them from the other side of the fence. What goes through a burglar's mind when he realizes that a home is protected by an alarm system? We'll use some home security facts along the way to prove the point.

Let's say that the burglar drives through a neighborhood the week before he plans to make his break-in. At one end of this neighborhood there are four houses. He sees that one is protected by an alarm system, thanks to the big "Protected by..." sign in the yard. Given that the other homes are similar in size and quality, the secured home is automatically crossed off the list. Why try to burglarize a home where the security system is going to go off and alert the whole neighborhood of his presence, when he can just hit the house next-door hassle-free?

So, he's decided on one of the homes, sans home alarm, in particular. He returns to the neighborhood the following week in the middle of the day in his "repair" van. Did you know that around 60 percent of burglaries actually occur during the daytime? This statistic and others can be found through the web sites of the FBI and the NBFAA. Let's get back to the story. Our burglar gets to the backdoor of the targeted home and realizes from the sticker on the door that this home is protected as well. Rather than continue with the plan anyway, he knows it's still easier to try another target.

Someone appears to be home in the third house, so the burglar goes to the last house on the end of the block. This time the coast is clear. No home alarm in sight. He enters and exits in a matter of minutes, clutching jewelry, a DVD player, a couple of iPods and an Xbox 360. He hops back in the van and off he goes, never to be caught. The neighbor that was home in the third house was taking a nap. Either way, a neighbor calling the police doesn't have the same effect as an unbearable siren going off, especially since by the time the police arrive the burglar would be long gone.

While the situation may seem contrived, something extremely similar could easily occur in your neighborhood. Keep in mind that a burglary occurs about every 15 seconds in the U.S. Did you know that the average break-in costs the homeowner over $1,700? Just think. It all could have been avoided for less than $50 a month. That's right. It's that affordable to prevent a huge monetary loss. Or worse, you could lose family heirlooms, such as a ring that has been passed down for generations.

Given the fear that home alarms provoke in potential intruders, this should be a no-brainer. You've seen how the average burglar tends to act in a simulated circumstance. Sure, it's not a situation constructed by research sociologists or criminologists, but it makes good, common sense. Break into the house with an alarm or the one without? Which one would you choose?