Burglar Alarm
A film that demonstrates the effectiveness of a store’s burglar alarm.
This film displays burglar alarm technology produced by and demonstrated on location at Michigan Electronics, Inc., a magnetic recording development store located at 854 N. Rockwell St., Chicago, IL. The film begins with a scripted sequence in which the storekeeper locks the front door and departs. Shortly thereafter, an aspiring burglar approaches the storefront, proceeds to break into the entrance with a crowbar. He immediately bolts as an automated message plays, “Good evening, gentlemen, we remind you that this--,” but the recording stylistically pauses and rewinds to synchronously resume as a new shot displays the burglar in a second attempt. As a patrol car arrives to inspect the scene, the warning proceeds to replay in a loop, “...We remind you that this place is electronically guarded. We suggest that you turn around and disappear. Burglars! Burglars! Call the police! Call the police!” The film concludes with an interview of the storekeeper who notes that despite the alarm’s original intent as a gag, it is nonetheless effective as an alarm and will soon be available to the general public.