~ Line-Cut Research ~

S.I.A. Line-Cut Research: new findings give you many reasons to care

PART 1 of 3 - Dealer/installer misperceptions put alarm industry and customers at risk.

S.I.A., the Security Industry Association, has responded to requests from dealers and manufacturers by initiating a special interest group for wireless signaling. To establish baseline conditions, hard data was sought on criminals who cut phone wires before perpetrating their acts. The only known study of this problem began in 1998 at the request of Sentrol. Their goal was similar: to document as far as possible what is the factual status of line-cut in the US today. S.I.A. now brings this extended summary before the alarm industry in response to the need for statistically meaningful information. Revealed here are the patterns of evidence found in 3,513 line-cut events.

The F.B.I. publishes an annual statistical summary of local police activity called the "Uniform Crime Report." This covers many felonies, including burglary, but not the method of the crime. Therefore, it omits details such as the intentional cutting of phone wires before break-ins. However, this new research brings forth, from publicly accessible records, proof of 60 murders and rapes by burglars who cut phone wires.

Setting forth on this project, several dealers were polled about their perceptions regarding line-cut. Many said that sales representatives might not risk a sale by adding on to the basic proposal. Some said that customers would not pay for line supervision. Others face credibility issues because competitors have assured the customer that there is nothing to worry about with line-cut. Most dealers agreed that they were seeing line-cut more frequently and that they were embarrassed if a system their company designed and installed had been compromised.

When questioned about their handling of customers' inquiries, typical industry responses have been that

1) line-cut happens more to commercial locations than residential,

2) it only happens with professionals who hit jewelry stores, for example, not homes or offices, and

3) it is primarily urban, inner-city crime, not suburban.

However, all three of these perspectives are invalidated by this research. line-cut is happening in homes almost as often as businesses. It is being done by young amateurs, and it is as widespread as the internet. For that matter, criminally detailed lessons in how to compromise alarms are available at various web sites.

 



~ Ask Us About Line-Cut Supervision ~