Burglars break in through rooftops

Burglars are going to great heights to break-into Albany businesses, through the roof. Business-owners along West Broad Avenue reported to police at least three different attempted roof-top burglaries in the past week.

The latest roof-top break-in police responded to is at Daddy Records on West Broad Avenue. It happened sometime late Thursday night to early Friday morning.

The burglars entered through the roof and made a big hole in the ceiling to gain access to the store. It is the same way burglars entered into the 229 Fashions store, right up the road.

The owner of 229 Fashions Tim Shelton says it's not easy starting a business in Albany from the ground up. And the challenges are magnified when criminals strike.

"It hurt you know because I work real hard.

Police investigate another sex attack

A 24-year-old woman is the latest victim to join the growing number of women to be sexually assaulted in Brisbane.

Police say the victim was walking home along Blakeney Street in the inner-city suburb of Highgate Hill shortly before midnight when she was grabbed by a teenager and pushed to the ground and assaulted.

Her screams scared her attacker off.

The offender is described as being about 15 to 17-years-old.

Police are trying to stem the flow of assaults on the city's northside through Operation Echo Shine.

So far there have been 38 confirmed attacks on women in the area, despite ongoing police warnings about personal safety.

Griffith University criminologist Stephen Smallbone said last week those responsible are being driven by the notoriety of their crimes or their sexual fantasies and warned the attacks may escalate.

ADT Unveils Custom Home Gold Service to Cater Exclusively to the ...

ADT Security Services, a unit of Tyco Fire & Security, today announced the introduction of its ADT Custom Home Gold Service platform aimed at providing affluent homeowners with one-on-one, customized security and automation products and services to meet the demands of their lifestyle and home environment.

In addition to customized traditional security services such as burglary, fire, smoke and carbon monoxide alarm systems and services, ADT Custom Home Gold Service includes a selection of home automation offerings including full video services that allow homeowners to look in and record video of their home remotely from anywhere in the world.

"For many years, ADT has been helping our commercial customers meld emerging technologies into their security applications," said John Koch, president of ADT North America.

False alarms on home-security systems now carry bigger fines

A 2005 state law allowed cities to increase fines for false burglar alarms, and Austin started charging slightly larger fines three months ago, said Anna Weaver, who supervises the police department's alarm unit.

The Austin City Council will vote Thursday to add those changes to a city ordinance.

At least 300 other cities and counties have penalties for false alarms because "they're a huge problem," said Jim Cogswell, president of the Maryland-based False Alarm Reduction Association.

"In some communities, as many as 80 percent of homes have security systems, so even one false alarm for each is a drain on police and fire departments."

Austin police responded to 23,800 false alarms last year. Homeowners used to be charged $50 for six or more false alarms in a year.