Disclaimer This blog is about the graphic design of burglar alarms and has no connection with the companies featured. Most photos show vintage sounders and are not the latest products of the firms under discussion. For up-to-date info on any company, please visit their official website.
Burglar Alarm Britain
Where vigilante culture meets vernacular design
Access Security, Milton Keynes: arrow-house
Posted by on May 24, 2013
“Access Security” burglar alarm, Milton Keynes • The ever-popular arrow-house. That’s probably what they look like in Milton Keynes. • Spotted: Midsummer Boulevard, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK9, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Milton Keynes North
Home Care, Bath: basic
Posted by on May 23, 2013
“Home Care Bristol” burglar alarm, Bath • A very basic home. • Spotted: Broad Street, Bath, Avon, BA1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bath
Home Protection Systems, Bristol: verbal
Posted by on May 22, 2013
“Home Protection Systems” burglar alarm, Bristol • A verbal rather than a visual house. • Spotted: Ashton Road, Bristol, Avon, BS3, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Bristol South
Premia Security, Southwark: Dickensian
Posted by on May 21, 2013
“Premia Security” burglar alarm, Southwark • Another rooftop-mountain-pyramid -triangle thing. Notable for being found in Wild’s Rents, one of London’s most Dickensian-sounding roads. • Spotted: Wild’s Rents, Southwark, London, SE1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bermondsey and Old Southwark
DS Securities, Bath: monogramatic
Posted by on May 20, 2013
“DS Securities” burglar alarm, Bath • Unexplained acronym making a monogramatic rooftop. • Spotted: Cavendish Road, Bath, Avon, BA1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bath
Pritchard Security Systems, Cardiff: mountainous
Posted by on May 19, 2013
“Pritchard Security Systems” burglar alarm, Cardiff • Pyramids? Mountains? Rooftops? It’s Welsh, so it could be rooftops in front of a mountain. • Spotted: St Mary Street, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, CF10, Wales, 2012 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Cardiff Central
IHD Security Limited, Ealing: sonic dot
Posted by on May 18, 2013
“IHD Security Limited” burglar alarm, Ealing • Rounded 1970s house-arrow surrounding sonic dot and unexplained acronym. • Spotted: Bideford Avenue, Ealing, London, UB6, England, 2006 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Ealing North
Crime Cure, Bristol: old fave
Posted by on May 17, 2013
“Crime Cure” burglar alarm, Bristol • Update of an old favourite, as featured here. Where’s the house? It’s surrounding the massively complex heraldic device. • Spotted: The Arcade, Horsefair, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2013 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol West
Safe Homes, Lowestoft: diagonal
Posted by on May 16, 2013
“Safe Homes” burglar alarm, Lowestoft • Incorporating awkward diagonal logo. • Spotted: Town centre, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32, England, 2007 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Waveney
Imperial Security, Bristol: Chinese
Posted by on May 15, 2013
“Imperial Security” burglar alarm, Bristol • Chinese house! • Spotted: The Arcade, Horsefair, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2013 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol West
Tel Cam, Lambeth: Ecurity
Posted by on May 14, 2013
“Tel Cam Security Systems” burglar alarm, Lambeth • Or, in this case, Ecurity Systems. I think that’s a weird tall house in the middle of the triangle, but it’s a bit hard to say. • Spotted: Electric Avenue, Brixton, Lambeth, London, SW9, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Dulwich and West Norwood
Trust Alarms, Camden: blubbing
Posted by on May 13, 2013
“Trust Alarms” burglar alarm, Camden • Another version of the superb blubbing house I featured here, near the start of this blog. • Spotted: Leather Lane, Camden, London, EC1, England, 2011 • Poliatics: In the Labour constituency of Holborn and St Pancras
Wimpey Security, Southwark: reflected
Posted by on May 12, 2013
“Wimpey Security Systems Monitored Alarm” burglar alarm, Southwark • Another arrow-house, this time reflected into an angular crenellated shield. • Spotted: Glasshill Street, Southwark, London, SE1, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bermondsey and Old Southwark
Home Security Services, Southwark: arrow-house
Posted by on May 11, 2013
“Home Security Services” burglar alarm, Southwark • Cross between a giant arrow and a house, and pretty old and faded. • Spotted: Riley Road, Southwark, London, SE1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bermondsey and Old Southwark
Secure Installations Alarm, Falmouth: giant hand
Posted by on May 10, 2013
“Secure Installations Alarm” burglar alarm, Falmouth • Giant hand holding tiny house – nice. • Spotted: Market Strand, Falmouth, Cornwall, TR11, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Truro and Falmouth
Securaplace, Southwark: lockdown
Posted by on May 9, 2013
“Securaplace” burglar alarm, Southwark • Fabulous old sounder with a lock and a house. • Spotted: Borough High Street, Southwark, London, SE1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bermondsey and Old Southwark
Berkshire Home Alarms, Cirencester: bleak house
Posted by on May 8, 2013
“Berkshire Home Alarms Reading” burglar alarm, Cirencester • A rather bleak-looking house: found on some random new “executive” estate I was driving past. • Spotted: near Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Cotswolds
TAN Alarms, Bath: eaves
Posted by on May 7, 2013
“TAN Alarms” burglar alarm, Bath • Starting today: alarms with houses on, like this clever use of As as roof eaves (though no clue as to what TAN stands for). • Spotted: Pierrepont Street, Bath, Avon, BA1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bath
SAS, Sheffield: on call
Posted by on May 6, 2013
“SAS” burglar alarm, Sheffield • It’s always good to end with the SAS. And look, there’s their phone number. • Spotted: Middlewood Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S6, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough
SPE, Islington: shortform
Posted by on May 5, 2013
“SPE” burglar alarm, Islington • Short for Special Purpose Electronics, perhaps. • Spotted: St Peter’s Street, Islington, London, N1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Islington South and Finsbury
SHS, High Wycombe: minimalistic
Posted by on May 4, 2013
“SHS” burglar alarm, High Wycombe • Blimey, minimalistic. • Spotted: Town centre, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP11, England, 2008 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Wycombe
REB, Greenwich: faded
Posted by on May 3, 2013
“REB Security Services” burglar alarm, Greenwich • I think this says REB but it’s a bit hard to tell, it’s so faded and torn. • Spotted: Crane Street, Greenwich, London, SE10, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Greenwich and Woolwich
MFS, Bristol: circles
Posted by on May 2, 2013
“MFS” burglar alarm, Bristol • One of Bristol’s never-ending array of burglar alarms. I always like letters in circles. • Spotted: The Arcade, Horsefair, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2013 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol West
MCSS, Southwark: stencilled
Posted by on May 1, 2013
“MCSS” burglar alarm, Southwark • Randomly stencilled, army-style – that’s hard core old-school. • Spotted: Bermondsey Street, Southwark, London, SE1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bermondsey and Old Southwark
LPA, Emsworth: blurry
Posted by on April 30, 2013
“LPA” burglar alarm, Emsworth • Blurry and crap on all levels. • Spotted: North Street, Emsworth, Hampshire, PO10, England, 2003 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Havant
JA, Bath: worst
Posted by on April 29, 2013
“JA” burglar alarm, Bath • Officially the worst sounder design I have ever found. • Spotted: Belvedere, Lansdown Road, Bath, Avon, BA1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bath
IXP Alarm, York: bubbly
Posted by on April 28, 2013
“IXP Alarm” burglar alarm, York • As opposed to UXB or ISP, on a strange bubbly label. • Spotted: Bootham, York, Yorkshire, YO3, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of York Central
DSA, Lewisham: confusing
Posted by on April 27, 2013
“DSA” burglar alarm, Lewisham • Confusing typography: looks like DIA but probably says DSA. Graphic design 101 says not to use all upper-case script for this very reason. Apologies for blurriness, this was a very early burglar alarm shot. • Spotted: Deptford High Street, Lewisham, London, SE8, England, 2002 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Lewisham Deptford
CSS, Islington: Canadian
Posted by on April 26, 2013
“CSS” burglar alarm, Islington • Ah yes, the good old Canadian Space Society. • Spotted: Wharfdale Road, Islington, London, N1, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Islington South and Finsbury
County Intruder Alarms, Stroud: popular
Posted by on April 25, 2013
“County Intruder Alarms” burglar alarm, Stroud • Yet another CIA alarm – a popular name. See also Christie Intruder Alarms and Cirencester Intruder Alarms. • Spotted: London Road, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Stroud
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