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
Category Archives: Initial-based
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
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
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
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
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
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
BTA, Westminster: conglomerate
Posted by on April 24, 2013
“BTA” burglar alarm, City of Westminster • I think BTA was actually a massive conglomerate of some kind. • Spotted: Rochester Row, City of Westminster, London, SW1, England, 2005 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Cities of London and Westminster
ADA, Manchester: old lady
Posted by on April 23, 2013
“ADA” burglar alarm, Manchester • Old lady’s name on burglar alarm shocker. And the start of the “Awkward Diagonal Logo” theme. • Spotted: Victoria Station, Victoria Station Approach, Manchester, Lancashire, M3, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Manchester Central
City Alarms, Tower Hamlets: Millennium Dome
Posted by on April 20, 2013
“City Alarms” burglar alarm, Tower Hamlets • Ah, some recognisable lumps on the London skyline, though oddly not the Gherkin. It must be post-2000, as it includes the Millennium Dome; there’s an earlier City alarm here that doesn’t. • Spotted: Leyden Street, Tower Hamlets, London, E1, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Bethnal Green and Bow
L or L Security, Hackney: handbasket
Posted by on April 19, 2013
“L or L Security” burglar alarm, Hackney • A city in a padlock that looks like a basket. Excellent. But I have no idea what the weird name L or L means – hell in a handbasket? • Spotted: Broadway Market, Hackney, London, E8, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch
Electric City, York: New York
Posted by on April 18, 2013
“Electric City” burglar alarm, York • I think that’s the Empire State Building on this discotastic sounder; it was found in old York, so there’s some logic, I suppose. • Spotted: Gillygate, York, Yorkshire, YO3, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of York Central
Zodiac Security, Camden: big Z
Posted by on April 17, 2013
“Zodiac Security” burglar alarm, Camden • No big Y (oh why oh why?), but here’s a stonking Z to end; there’s another Zodiac Security sounder here. That’s enough big letters; tomorrow, cities. • Spotted: Finchley Road, Camden, London, NW3, England, 2007 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hampstead and Kilburn
Exco Secure, Falmouth: big X
Posted by on April 16, 2013
“Exco Secure” burglar alarm, Falmouth • Bet you thought I wouldn’t find a big X. But I did, and here it is. A play on Exeter, I imagine. • Spotted: Arwenack Street, Falmouth, Cornwall, TR11, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Truro and Falmouth
Western Technologies, Brighton: big W
Posted by on April 15, 2013
“Western Technologies Limited Armour Flash” burglar alarm, Brighton • A nice big W amidst Bridget Riley-ish op-art waves, actually found in the south east. • Spotted: Gloucester Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Green constituency of Brighton Pavilion
Telecom Alarms Ltd, Islington: big T
Posted by on April 14, 2013
“Telecom Alarms Ltd” burglar alarm, Islington • The strangely named (I always think) Telecom alarms has a boring logo, but at least it contains a big T. • Spotted: Clerkenwell Green, Islington, London, EC1, England, 2007 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Islington South and Finsbury
Securus, Lowestoft: Big S
Posted by on April 13, 2013
“Securus Alarm” burglar alarm, Lowestoft • Great old sounder with a big S and a clever name: as well as sounding like ”Secure Us”, Securus is also Latin for fearless, or untroubled (I shall overlook its other meaning of careless or negligent). • Spotted: Town centre, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32, England, 2007 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Waveney
Romec, Oxford: big R
Posted by on April 12, 2013
“Romec” burglar alarm, Oxford • Romec, like Malgor, sounds like the capital city of a minor Balkan nation. It’s got a nice big R though. (If there were two of them, it would be big Rs…) • Spotted: Cornmarket, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Oxford East
Q Guard, Islington: big Q
Posted by on April 11, 2013
“Q Guard Security” burglar alarm, Islington • At last, a chance to feature the Q Guard logo with its excellent big Q. How can one not think of James Bond gadgets? • Spotted: Goswell Road, Islington, London, EC1, England, 2006 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Islington South and Finsbury
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