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More homes turning to electric fencing for security
The Star/Asia News NetworkSaturday, Dec 20, 2014
PETALING JAYA, Malaysia - Approximately 170 homes in the Klang Valley stand ready to give would-be thieves a real shock should they try to break in - with more homes opting to install electric fences as deterrents to potential home intruders.
This is the view of those who supply and install these fences, such as Edmund Teoh Soon Meng, the owner of Kuala Lumpur-based Maxcel Security System - who said that his company was getting more orders in the last few months.
"The demand is very high these days. We get 10-15 new orders every month," said Teoh in a phone interview with The Star.
He added that Maxcel had installed electric fences in over 130 houses all over Malaysia since the company began operations three years ago.
"Most of our clients are in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. We have had some sales in Penang, Perak and Johor, but the bulk comes from Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, which contributes to 80% of our sales," said Teoh.
Asked why his clients wanted such security measures installed in their homes, he said his clients cited safety concerns.
"Even with CCTV and motion detectors, criminals can still threaten the owners. And because of this, they still want a first line of defence to act as a deterrent to make it difficult and time-consuming for criminals to break in," said Teoh.
Asked how much an electric fence could cost for a landed property, Teoh said a legally-installed fence could cost anywhere between RM15,000 to RM18,000.
Similar views were shared by MU-Softmedia Sdn. Bhd company manager Ahmad Zafrullah Ahmad Tahir, who said his company had installed about 20 fences at various homes across the Klang Valley since 2000.
"We have installed these fences in Rawang, Shah Alam, Bangi and Taman Tun. Most of our clients want these fences in their homes for their own security," said Ahmad Zafrullah.
When contacted, Intelligent Fence security solutions engineer Waran Tharma said that his company had installed over 100 electric fences for homes across Selangor since the company began operations in mid-2013.
"They usually talk about break-ins in their neighbourhood, or talk about reading about break-ins and robberies that have been reported in the newspapers. There is usually a trigger, a reasons for why our clients want these fences," said Waran.
He related an account of a client of his in Petaling Jaya.
"A client of mine, a Datuk in Petaling Jaya said he used to worry whenever he heard sounds near the wall of his house. But after installing the fence, there are times where'd hear people scream after getting a shock as they tried to climb the fence, and he doesn't feel worried anymore," said Waran.
When asked, Waran said an electric fence provided by his company could cost approximately RM 20,000 (S$75,500) for a landed property.
However, is the fear as real as many homeowners believe? When asked, USM criminologist Dr Geshina Ayu Mat Saat said that in many cases, a personal perception of a high crime rate could trigger sufficient fear in people for them to install electric fences or rig their home with booby-traps.
"Reports in the media could paint Malaysia as a nation with too much crime. But when I did a study last year, we found the fear was out of proportion.
Out of the 200 people surveyed, less than 20 of them had been actual victims. All 200 were fearful of becoming victims, however. The fear is out of proportion," she added.
She also said personal experiences of crime, especially traumatic or violent break-ins could prompt a homeowner to install electric fences or even homemade booby traps to protect themselves and their loved ones.
"Normally that happens when they have experienced a break-in or a family member, then they might go overboard, especially if someone was badly traumatized during the first break in. For example if someone was raped during the first break-in," said Geshina.
She added that some people could become paranoid after reading or hearing of crimes being committed.
"There is also a small group of people who are extremely concerned about their family's safety - they become paranoid after hearing of crimes. Those people will go overboard with buying very expensive equipment to protect their property or their family," said Geshina.
She said that when burglaries seemed to take place in a rampant manner in a neighborhood, it was often the case that a small gang of individuals was behind the crime spree.
"It is not a different criminal all the time. It goes back to the perception of crime, the fear of crime and the possibility of becoming a victim of crime," she added.
Geshina said that it was important for the public to know what really works in their environment to deter criminals, and understand the criminal behaviour common for their particular residential area.
She also said that the psychological profiles of criminals in the area have to be considered in choosing a security system as not everyone would be deterred by an electric fence.
"Are they thrill-seekers, answering a peer-group challenge. One thing that is common about criminals, when they are committing a crime, 90% are under the influences of drugs or alcohol or both - and that also influences the motivations of the criminal," said Geshina.
Geshina also cited instances of burglaries committed by criminals who committed such thefts because of the thrill of being able to break into homes seen as extremely secure.
"Even when the front door is open, they won't go through the front door - they will go through the roof and the ceiling because they want the challenge. It is then not so much about what they get from the house but the thrill of overcoming the challenge," she said.
Meanwhile, Selangor Community Policing Association chief Kuan Chee Heng said that while the rate of home break-ins was not high, a concern remains.
"There is a concern, the fear of crime factor is definitely high," said Kuan, who advocated alarms and closed-circuit television systems as opposed to electric fences or booby traps.
"Also with gated and guarded communities, people do not bother about their neighbors, and such communities have disintegrated the neighbourhood spirit as we are now dependent on foreign guards," he added.
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