Beat the Burglar

Beat the Burglar took the format of a light-entertainment daytime TV show based around home security. Presenter Dom would chat to the owners at their home, and they'd stand around chatting and laughing, as if he was a friend who'd popped round for tea. He'd explain that ex-burglar turned security consultant Mike would show them how thieves could enter their home and advise them how to improve the security of their home, before being led away to watch via cameras. Everyone was in a good mood.

That quickly changed, because Mike did not mess about. He'd get into the house using almost any means necessary, going from room to room, emptying drawers onto the floor and gathering anything of value. In one episode he found their car keys, loaded their valuables and TV into their own car on the drive and drove off leaving the front door open.

Meanwhile, the family are watching in abject horror, often in tears as their home is ransacked in front of them. Then Dom would take them, still shaking and sobbing, to meet the man who'd just desecrated their home, to discuss what had happened and how they could prevent it happening for real.

It was an absolute joy to watch, because you knew it would be an experience they could never forget, and would never be complacent about security again. If it was still around today, it would be the stuff of viral videos.

The concept for "Beat The Burglar" is that an ex-burglar (Mike Fraser) attempts to break into the houses of volunteers to put their home security (or lack of it) to the test. Then they look over the devastation caused by a burglary and make improvements to reduce the risk of it happening for real. Unfortunately most of the willing participants are of the type that think that putting the front door key under the mat or nearby flowerpot is highly original and safe, so that frequently it only takes the "burglar" seconds to make his entry before trashing the place looking for valuables.

The programme may help to shock some viewers into doing something about their security and so there is a beneficial side, as the participants often get extremely emotional as they watch on TV even though they know that it isn't for real. Coming back to a burgled house is a traumatic experience and any reduction in incidence is all to the good. The experiment is interesting as the 'victims' are often perplexed by the fact that the burglar would search the children's rooms, as though they somehow have a conscience about what do.

Sadly the show is extremely repetitive with very little difference between episodes. It would work in a one-off special type scenario, but fails badly in a series format as the method of entry and advice given is virtually the same every episode so that there is no incentive to watch more than one. Most of the advice is extremely obvious and commonsense in any case such as fitting burglar alarms, deadbolts to the doors, proper locks on the windows and gates etc. though it is dispensed like real pearls of wisdom. In some cases the measures/devices are already in place, but the owners are too lazy to use them thinking that it will never happen to them.

Watch one episodes if you are concerned about your home security. You will then have seen all you need to.