Resources
Read this before anyone sells you anything
Plain-spoken, sourced reporting on Texas security law, San Antonio crime and the fine print of the alarm business. Every figure links to where it came from.
Buying Guide · 9 min read
Before You Sign: How to Vet a Texas Security Company in One Evening
Texas licenses the people who sell, install, and monitor alarms. Most homeowners never check. Here is how to verify a company, read the contract that outlives the salesman, and use the three days the law gives you to change your mind.
Home Security · 9 min read
How Burglars Choose a House: What 422 Convicted Burglars Told Researchers
Researchers asked 422 people in prison for burglary how they pick a target. Most said they don’t plan much, most check for an alarm, and many simply move on when they find one. Here is what that means for the house you live in.
Local Crime & Safety · 8 min read
Porch Pirates, Texas Law, and the Box on Your Doorstep: What Changed and What Actually Works
Since 2019, taking a package off a Texas porch has been its own crime, and in 2025 the legislature widened it. The law is a fine thing to have after the fact. Here is how it works, and how to make sure your box is still there when you get home.
Texas Law · 9 min read
San Antonio’s Alarm Permit, Explained: The Rules, the Free Three, and How Not to Get Billed for the Cat
The City of San Antonio wants a permit for nearly every burglar, panic, and fire alarm inside city limits, and it keeps count of every false call. Here is how the system works, what it costs you in aggravation, and how to stay out of the escalating-fee column.
Texas Law · 9 min read
Texas Rental Security Device Law: The Locks Your Landlord Owes You, and What Happens If They Don’t
Texas is unusually specific about rental locks. The Property Code lists the devices a landlord must provide, sets a seven-day deadline to rekey after a tenant moves out, and gives renters real remedies. Here is the plain-English version, for tenants and landlords alike.
Texas Law · 9 min read
Texas Security Camera Laws: Audio, Neighbors, HOAs, and Handing Footage to Police
Texas lets you put cameras on your own home, and since 2021 most HOAs can’t stop you. The law gets more interesting around microphones, bathrooms, and the angle over your neighbor’s fence. Here is what homeowners should know before mounting the first camera.
Local Crime & Safety · 9 min read
Vehicle Burglary and Catalytic Converter Theft in San Antonio: The Numbers, the Law, and the Driveway
In San Antonio, the thing a car thief most wants is often not the car. It’s the handgun in the console, the laptop on the seat, or the catalytic converter underneath. Here is what local data and Texas law say, and how to make your driveway a bad place to shop.
Home Security · 8 min read
What Winter Storm Uri Taught Texas About Pipes, Power, and the Sensor That Calls You First
In February 2021 the cold did not break into Texas homes through the windows. It came in through the plumbing, and the bill arrived after the thaw. Here is what the storm did, and how a few small sensors turn a flooded house into a phone call.
Your next step
Reading is good. A walk-through is better.
A licensed specialist will look at your actual doors and windows and give you a written plan. Free, and no one will rush you.
- A licensed specialist walks every door, window and blind spot with you
- A written plan sized to the property — nothing padded
- Clear answers on monitoring, equipment ownership and terms