# Neighbors burglar alarm has been sounding for a solid week **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 28, 2011, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbors-burglar-alarm-has-been-sounding-for-a-solid-week/580019 "2011-04-28T12:22:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbors-burglar-alarm-has-been-sounding-for-a-solid-week/580019/21 "2011-04-28T16:31:57Z")
And please keep us posted as to the outcome! ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbors-burglar-alarm-has-been-sounding-for-a-solid-week/580019/22 "2011-04-28T17:06:14Z")
Go to a hotel. Present the neighbour and the HOA\* and the alarm company\* with the bill for compensation, with a demand letter indicating you’re go to small claims court. Follow through if necessary, and make sure you’ve filed a complaint with the police and that you have some record that they came by, and that you also talked to the HOA and alarm company. (HOA and alarm co. won’t pay up because they aren’t responsible, but it’s still better to paper everybody). Think of it this way. If they left on a faucet that caused a flood that required you vacate your home for X number of days, they’d probably be liable not just repairs but also for your accommodation. I wouldn’t put up with that crap. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbors-burglar-alarm-has-been-sounding-for-a-solid-week/580019/23 "2011-04-28T17:25:56Z")
Four hours is probably the extreme outside of what’s tolerable for something like this. Funny how the authorities never have any problem barging in and telling people what noises they can make until something like this happens, and suddenly their hands are tied. It’s crystal-clear this wouldn’t be happening next to the police station or the White House, and everybody knows that. Get the TV news involved, and maybe also your local politician. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbors-burglar-alarm-has-been-sounding-for-a-solid-week/580019/24 "2011-04-28T17:36:33Z")
> [@Rushgeekgirl](#): > > You would think the police would at least break in to make sure nobody’s injured or dead inside the home. This was my first thought. What if the guy was burgled and maimed or something awful in his apartment? Isn’t the whole point of an alarm system that the cops come out when the company contacts them? Usually, you aren’t home when your home is broken into, right? So, if I haven an alarm, am not home, and someone breaks in. . . the cops wont check if I’m being burgled? Seems. . . not useful. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbors-burglar-alarm-has-been-sounding-for-a-solid-week/580019/25 "2011-04-28T17:38:47Z")
> [@sparky\_1](#): > > And please keep us posted as to the outcome! Absolutely! Now I’m hooked. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbors-burglar-alarm-has-been-sounding-for-a-solid-week/580019/26 "2011-04-28T17:44:42Z")
I still think you need to just start flipping breakers on this guy’s box until the alarm quits. Then, if you are feeling magnanimous, turn all but the last one back on. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbors-burglar-alarm-has-been-sounding-for-a-solid-week/580019/27 "2011-04-28T17:54:55Z")
If they can gain access, they can rip the battery out to the siren. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbors-burglar-alarm-has-been-sounding-for-a-solid-week/580019/28 "2011-04-28T18:06:11Z")
> [@UncleRojelio](#): > > I still think you need to just start flipping breakers on this guy’s box until the alarm quits. Then, if you are feeling magnanimous, turn all but the last one back on. The alarm panel and/or klaxon will have 12V battery back-ups, standard - so you wouldn’t know the right breaker had been opened until after the battery had fully discharged. Tampering with the neighbour’s power is probably a bad idea, anyway - unless you can get the condo association to take responsibility. ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbors-burglar-alarm-has-been-sounding-for-a-solid-week/580019/29 "2011-04-28T20:47:26Z")
> [@BlackKnight](#): > > Might I suggest that this is the _perfect_ time to burgle your neighbor? I like the way you think!😃 ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbors-burglar-alarm-has-been-sounding-for-a-solid-week/580019/30 "2011-04-28T22:31:38Z")
Do we have any way of knowing that the homeowner _isn’t_ dead on the floor after a robbery attempt gone sour? Call the cops again and bring it up. Be worried. Be very worried. Keep asking if they’re dead.\*\* ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbors-burglar-alarm-has-been-sounding-for-a-solid-week/580019/31 "2011-04-28T22:39:11Z")
Get pregnant. Have a baby boy. Buy boy drumset for Christmas. Enjoy sweet revenge. Just in case this goes on longer than you’d hope. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbors-burglar-alarm-has-been-sounding-for-a-solid-week/580019/32 "2011-04-30T16:05:22Z")
Any word yet? Were they dead? ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbors-burglar-alarm-has-been-sounding-for-a-solid-week/580019/33 "2011-04-30T16:14:21Z")
> [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > The alarm panel and/or klaxon will have 12V battery back-ups, standard - so you wouldn’t know the right breaker had been opened until after the battery had fully discharged. > > Tampering with the neighbour’s power is probably a bad idea, anyway - unless you can get the condo association to take responsibility. Then just turn them all off. Wear gloves in case CSI is called in. You don’t have to come back and post for all the world to see what you did. ---
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbors-burglar-alarm-has-been-sounding-for-a-solid-week/580019/34 "2011-04-30T17:53:13Z")
Call the media. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbors-burglar-alarm-has-been-sounding-for-a-solid-week/580019/35 "2011-05-02T11:04:05Z")
So… any update on the situation? Hope it’s worked out. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbors-burglar-alarm-has-been-sounding-for-a-solid-week/580019/36 "2011-05-02T11:21:05Z")
This is my first read of the thread and I too thought this proves you could steal everything they own. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbors-burglar-alarm-has-been-sounding-for-a-solid-week/580019/37 "2011-05-02T12:20:18Z")
> [@Rushgeekgirl](#): > > You would think the police would at least break in to make sure nobody’s injured or dead inside the home. For the record, the police don’t seem to think this way. I called them once when an armored car pulled out of a 7-11 parking lot in a tire-squealing roar and _drove the wrong way_ down the access road, forcing cars off into the grass, then _ran a red light_. My first thought was “something must be terribly wrong.” The police said “If you have a complaint about the driver, call the armored car company.” “What if the driver’s dead, or tied up in the back?” I replied. The police were _not_ interested. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbors-burglar-alarm-has-been-sounding-for-a-solid-week/580019/38 "2011-05-02T14:22:18Z")
Come back, **JHE1967**! Come back! ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbors-burglar-alarm-has-been-sounding-for-a-solid-week/580019/39 "2011-05-02T14:34:26Z")
Maybe he’s staying in a motel or with friends and has no Internet access. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbors-burglar-alarm-has-been-sounding-for-a-solid-week/580019/40 "2011-05-02T15:38:06Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > For the record, the police don’t seem to think this way. I called them once when an armored car pulled out of a 7-11 parking lot in a tire-squealing roar and _drove the wrong way_ down the access road, forcing cars off into the grass, then _ran a red light_. My first thought was “something must be terribly wrong.” > > The police said “If you have a complaint about the driver, call the armored car company.” “911, what’s your emergency?” “Yeah.. oh my GOD… oh my GOD! A PLANE just flew into the WORLD TRADE CENTER and exploded!” “Ma’am, you’ll need to contact the airline if you have a problem with your flight.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbors-burglar-alarm-has-been-sounding-for-a-solid-week/580019.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbors-burglar-alarm-has-been-sounding-for-a-solid-week/580019.md?page=3)