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Phony Laser Security System Proves Perception Is Reality
Hugh Pickens writes writes "Softpedia reports that Global Link Security Solutions are offering a product that doesn't actually do anything to alert an owner of a break-in to their home or business, but it displays "one hell of a laser show in an attempt to scare potential crooks into thinking that they have no chance of breaking in without triggering the alarm." According to the security firm, LaserScan has four lines of protection: a number of lasers that move along the walls and floors (video), an LED which indicates that there's a "link" to a satellite, a beeping alert, and a sticker placed on the front door. Although the company claims that none of their current customers has reported break-ins since the system has been installed, security guru Bruce Schneier highlights that the product only works if the product isn't very widely known."
...as it is not widely known.
Posting it on Slashdot sounds like a great idea. :)
The thing about "security theater", is that it's not 100% useless - it provides a very real psychological deterrent to someone thinking about breaking in.
Even if a criminal knew such a system was not real, they would not know it was not also paired with a real alarm system, or perhaps this version was real somehow. The kind of people breaking into things generally are not that well educated, so how could they really tell if the system was fake or not even knowing fake systems existed?
The problem with security theater in airports is that it causes way too much grief to outweigh the deterrence gained. But in this case there is no downside and the system would be very cheap to install.
True anecdote - when going to a summer college I had a car I had to park in a remote lot. I installed an LED I could turn on with a switch, that just sat there blinking.
The ONE DAY I forgot to turn on that switch, someone broke into my car and took a $10 cassette player (the window cost more than $50 to replace). After that I remembered every time to turn on my "alarm" and never had a problem again.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Real companies use tripods when they shoot promo videos.
ungggghhhh
It's all fun and games until your cat dies of exhaustion.
Where I used to work there was someone who put up no parking signs on their fence. I guess they parked their RV in their yard and wanted to be able to get it in and out. The city allows for a driveway, but you can't just say your entire frontage is no parking. Even so, the sign ensured that spot was almost always vacant. I parked there for a couple of years.
NRA stickers are a bad idea. Most break-ins occur when the burglar is reasonably sure that nobody's home. All the sticker does is advertise that there are guns here just waiting to be stolen.
BTW firearms rank right up there with cash and jewelry among desirable things to be stolen.
It's clear in their ad that their selling this IN ADDITION to a regular security system. It's just supposed scare off the thief before they break your window and you've got to pay a deductible. When I was in highschool I worked at a pizza shop. Every night the owner would close out the till, take the money drawer out and sit it on the counter, turn the register around and leave the drawer wide open facing the front window. I asked him why he did it and he said he had 3 break-ins where they had busted the front window and destroyed his cash register just to find out it was empty. Each time he had to pay $1000 deductible. Finally his insurance agent told him what to do with the cash register and he never had another break-in.
Fun fact I learned from dealing with wildlife up here in Canada: If you and a slower person are running from a bear, the bear will catch the slower person and immediately go after the still fleeing person because of their instinct to chase. The slower person can then hypothetically run away because they aren't in the bear's line of sight anymore.
TL;DR: It's better to be the slower person running from the bear.
It might be fake. But if they do an upgrade that actually does something, how's the perp gonna know?
There is a car with a light show on top, and a guy in an arresting blue outfit.