Burglar Alarms - Art Attack

When it comes to art, it seems to be a timeless target for theft. Unlike most burglaries which tend to be opportunistic – where a thief sees an open window and no burglar alarms for example – art theft tends to be audacious and planned.

Time to Invest in High-Tech Burglary Alarms

The theft of Henry Moore's Reclining Figure is a good example of how audacious art thieves can be. Taken using a crane and truck, the sculpture worth around £5,000 if melted down is worth around £3m as an art piece. Selling well-known art works on is difficult because of the recognise-ability of the pieces, but there is a booming trade in art theft. As a result of thefts over the years many art galleries and museums have to review the effectiveness of the security - investing in high tech burglary alarms and state-of-the-art CCTV security systems is a must.

Priceless pieces

When it comes to art, it's difficult to put a price on many pieces deemed as national treasures. Stealing art often takes a lot of planning and daring – and the fact so much does get stolen says a lot about the inadequate or out-of-date burglar alarms and security systems in place in many museums.

The Scream

In Norway , huge publicity was generated by the theft of one of the world's most famous paintings – Edvard Munch's The Scream. The fact that armed robbers could take such a masterpiece valued at around £75m says a lot about inadequate security measures. The daring daylight robbery shows that vigilance is necessary at all times, not just at night time when the burglar alarms get switched on.

Broad daylight

Art heists receive much publicity, but it does seem that art tends to be an all too frequent victim of thieves. Burglary alarms tend to keep thieves at bay when galleries and museums are closed, but many well known art heists happen in broad daylight. In Scotland a painting valued at £50m – Madonna with the Yarnwinder – was stolen in 2003. The painting was taken during a public tour of Drumlanrig Castle where the robbers overpowered a guide. The chairman of the Art Loss Register told the BBC that the theft was easier to do in public rather than at night when all the burglar alarms were set.

The World's Most Famous Theft

The biggest art theft in history concerns the most famous painting in the world – The Mona Lisa. In 1911, Italian labourer Vincenzo Peruggia stole the painting off the wall's of the Louvre gallery when he was alone and unwatched and walked out with it hidden under his clothing. Today, state-of-the-art CCTV security and burglar alarms would make such a daring theft incredibly difficult. The painting, later recovered, is now secured in its own room in the Louvre and continues to attract thousands of tourists.

A COP Alarm can provide 24 hour protection for your residence or business with the emergency services on hand to respond in the event of any incident. We are focused on helping you to feel safe in your environment so that you have complete peace of mind. Established in 1994, with expertise in the IT industry and security trade,we specialise in high-end security solutions. For state of the art technology, including burglar alarms, our systems comply with British and European standards and offer a top level service at highly competitive prices. To find out how we can help you, telephone 0800 118 5 999 or Email: info@copalarms.co.uk. You can also contact us here here by filling out our online enquiry form.