Michele Bennett, General Manager at ADT UK&I Subscriber, comments: “Home Alone’s protagonist Kevin McAllister was incredibly imaginative in the 1990 film, strategically creating icy stairs and hot doorknobs to dissuade the home intruders. However, in 2023 there would be no need for Kevin’s elaborate plan as his home security system would do most of the deterring. There are a few simpler ways you could stop intruders such as Harry and Marv this Christmas.”
What Kevin could do now:
- Install a video doorbell
Installing a video doorbell could have dissuaded the home intruders from approaching the house. This first line of defence can be essential for keeping the home safe from unwanted visitors, with the threat of having the face on camera and the increased chances of being caught deterring many. Kevin would have been able to talk to the burglars through the doorbell, notifying them that someone was at home. This may have acted as another deterrent.
Similarly, Kevin’s parents would have been notified about the activity at the front door, receiving a notification to their phone and being able to see live and recorded footage. This would have not only reminded them that Kevin was still at home, but they could also have taken action and phoned the police.
Keeping the home safe
- Connect his Christmas lights to a smart plug
In the film, burglars Harry and Marv could detect which families were not at home by their Christmas lights, which came on at the same time every day, signalling that they were on an automatic timer.
Nowadays, can connect Christmas lights to a smart plug and stagger the times that they turn on, making it seem as if they are being turned on manually each day. Can also turn smart plugs on and off using the smartphone.
- Home Intruder Alarm
ADT home alarms have two settings, Arm stay and Arm away. Arm stay is used to arm the premises whilst people are home, so, e.g., the sensors are on downstairs, whilst the upstairs one’s aren’t (allowing to go to the bathroom at night without triggering the alarm). Kevin could have set the alarm to Arm stay so that when he was upstairs and the burglars broke in, the alarm would have sounded, notifying the police straight away.
Deter unwanted visitors
- Security cameras
Outdoor cameras with Perimeter Guards can be used to deter unwanted visitors. Whilst Kevin’s idea to use the TV and gunshot noises to convince Harry and Marv that there was activity in the home was genius, the outdoor cameras equipped with Perimeter Guard is a slightly simpler way to warn them off. ADT outdoor cameras sound an audible deterrent noise when motion is detected inside an area to define. The cameras also come equipped with two-way audio allowing Kevin to again speak to and warn off the Wet Bandits.
- Flood detectors
The Wet Bandits were known for leaving their signature calling card of flooding their victims' properties, by blocking up the sinks and leaving the water running. If Kevin’s neighbours had ADT’s monitored flood detectors installed, they would have been notified when water was detected at their property.
