The following video is of a recent burglary in Ashford Park Neighborhood, Atlanta.  It provides  great insight into how some burglars operate.   Did you know that every 14.6 Seconds, a burglary takes place in the U.S. and most of these burglaries occur between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.?   So, what are some precautionary measures outside of a home alarm system that you can take to decrease your risk of a home burglary?

• Burglars want to spend less than 60 seconds breaking into a home.  Deadbolt locks and window pins will increase this time thus sending the burglar away.
• Burglars search for homes that appear to be unoccupied.  A car in the driveway, motion-sensitive outdoor lighting, and TVs on timers all give the impression that someone is home.
• Trees and shrubs around your property create great hiding places for burglars.  Keep this in mind when planning your landscape.  It might be time to get rid of that overgrown bush in front of your window.  Also, secure lawn tools and ladders in a shed or garage.  Burglars like to use these items to help break into your home.

Hope to see you all there!

On May 18th, 2011, Gary Cerny and TJ Kilgore of NorthStar Security, Inc. were presented with the Better Business Bureau Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics!

NorthStar Security Inc. has always placed a high emphasis on being ethical within their maket and, as a result, they have been recognized by the Atlanta business community.   If there is a positive to come out of the recession it is how it has effectively awakened consumers to do their research and educate themselves on what they are purchasing and who they will purchase from.  In return, companies of all sizes are making a greater effort and placing more urgency on responsive customer service and their personal code of ethics.  NorthStar Security, Inc. was founded under the assumption that success grows from passion and integrity.  They have never wavered from their core values and, as a result, have created a true success story within the security industry.  It is a necessity for a successful company to become an active partner in not just understanding the customer's issues, but also working to provide solutions that they too understand. NorthStar has adopted this philosophy and practices it by offering no contract options, never using proprietary equipment, and educating the customer on how exactly a security system works.  NorthStar Security values their clients as part of the NorthStar family and understands that trust is earned through transparent sales, service, and business practices.  As stated by TJ Kilgore, President of NorthStar Security, "Our code of ethics is built around the idea that if we are 100% transparent and honest, our customer will choose NorthStar and we will have gained a long term loyal client.  This will provide us with sustainable success within the marketplace".  Congratulations to the local Atlanta business, NorthStar Security, Inc., for turly understanding and practicing marketplace ethics.

The recent news story on East Atlanta Residents being assaulted in their own driveways raises a lot of concern.  NortStar would like to keep our customers up to date with the latest crime trends and make sure Atlanta residents are doing all they can to protect themselves against such crimes.  When looking at the current crime trends, that can be viewed on www.crimemapping.com , it is obvious that assault was the number one crime committed in March followed by burglaries.  NorthStar encourages you and your family to watch this news story to learn more about what today's criminals are doing.

ATLANTA, Ga. - Some residents in east Atlanta say they now have to check to make sure it is safe before they leave their homes. Police say a robber is targeting people in the area, and he's using a specific method to make his victims vulnerable.

Robber Targets East Atlanta Residents: MyFoxATLANTA.com

Internet sales have risen dramatically in recent years.  On line shopping is a huge convenience when purchasing anything from TVs to music and even cars and trucks......but home security systems?  It is a growing concern of mine that, in order to save a few bucks, homeowners are turning to purchasing security equipment from online vendors and attempting to self-install them.  We recently have had several home-owners that purchased security equipment from Internet sites call our company.  They have found themselves in a situation where they are unable to finish their installs and need professional help.  Quite often very intelligent and tech-savvy people come to realize that we are in a very specialized industry and it's not as simple as it is made out to be from those who sell the equipment on line.  On line stores fail to mention that this specialized and expensive equipment requires an intricate knowledge of how to correctly program the system and the ability to properly test the equipment and back -end monitoring signals that are needed to get an adequate security system installed.  By the time we get these calls, the do-it-yourselfers are quite frustrated, have spent a lot of money and valuable time trying to install their system and wish they had just contacted a company to take care of this in the first place.

It's cold outside!  Now that the cold weather has set in, our Service Department has been receiving calls from customers who can't get their remote keychain to work properly.  Before you change your battery read the following question and answer.

Question: Why Do Batteries Discharge More Quickly in Cold Weather?

Life can be so hectic! With parents working and having children with busy schedules, it can become increasingly hard to keep track of everything that's going on. With total connect services, you can know when your kids are home alone, make sure they are okay by receiving video notification if someone is at the door and a text message when the door is open. You can even be notified if the liquor cabinet was opened. Total Connect can help you feel close to your family and home even when you can't physically be there.

Did you know that every 14.6 Seconds, a burglary takes place in the U.S. and most of these burglaries occur between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.?   So, what are some precautionary measures outside of a home alarm system that you can take to decrease your risk of a home burglary?

WOODSTOCK, Ga. -- Matt Cargle has an ADT alarm system, but now he's cautious about who he lets inside his home wearing an ADT shirt."Two days ago, I was notified via Twitter to watch out for two people posing as ADT salesmen going door-to-door seeing if people wanted alarm systems," said Cargle.Cargle lives in the Park at Kingsgate subdivision in Woodstock.