Alarm Operators in the ARC helped to put a prolific burglar behind bars more than 200 miles away - after he tried to claim he hadn’t actually broken into a house.

Surrey Police identified David Howard from forensic evidence found at the scene and he was arrested and charged. He later attempted to convince police and the court he hadn’t actually entered the property.

But thanks to the sophisticated nature of the security system protecting the house, the prosecution was able to prove the offender had gone inside – and even which rooms he had entered.

Alarm Centre Manager at Securi-Guard, Adrian Baker, supplied a detailed statement to police and it proved crucial in helping to convict 43-year-old Howard, who was sentenced to four years in prison at Guildford Crown Court earlier this month.

Securi-Guard was monitoring the system on behalf of the installers, Sector Alarm UK, which is based in Chiswick, London.
 
“When we checked the log of the alarm system we were not only able to prove this chap had actually got in the house, but thanks to the individual sensors, we could also track his movements through the house,” said Adrian.

“In this case, the technology used in the system was vital in giving us the information we needed to help the police. We are delighted we were able to help bring this man to justice”
 
The alarm system – A Visonic Powermax Plus - alerted police to the raid at a large detached house in Banstead in June this year, but although police arrived within minutes, the offender had already fled.

He admitted he had been at the property but gave an account, which denied he had actually entered the house, hoping he could get away with a lesser offence.

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