California Police Get Look at Anti-Theft Smoke Screen

MARINA DEL REY, CALIF. - Retired Los Angeles Police Department detective Brad McGrath and PROTECT Smoke Cannon dealer Martin Askgaard of Millennium Alarm recently demonstrated the latest anti-theft technology to supervisors of Southern California burglary squads from the Los Angeles Police and Sheriff, as well as the Santa Monica, Culver City, Inglewood and Beverly Hills police departments.

The PROTECT Smoke Cannon is undefeated by burglars worldwide. It stops "smash and grab" thieves by releasing thick clouds of dense but harmless fog which obscures their vision and forces them to flee the way they got in.

"The detectives are very enthusiastic after seeing that PROTECT actively drives burglars away before they can steal," McGrath said. "It fills in those vital moments after traditional alarms activate but before police can respond. That's when burglars take what they want and get away."

McGrath, a retired LAPD officer honored in 1994 as the city's "Detective of the Year," serves as a law enforcement liaison for PROTECT. He describes the product as the missing link in existing security systems.

"The public has come to realize that police protection, as good as it may be, isn't the only answer to crime," McGrath said. "To secure themselves and their property, property owners need to rely on technology and PROTECT closes the 'circle of protection' offered by traditional alarm systems."

The PROTECT Smoke Cannon has gained an 85 percent global market share in the fast-growing anti-burglary smoke industry. Introduced to the U.S. market in the spring of 2005, PROTECT has already made a major impact in the Europe, where it is used to safeguard banks, jewelry shops, drugstores, warehouses and schools, to name a few.

"Police officers like PROTECT because it prevents burglary losses in the first place," Askgaard said. "They acknowledge that stolen goods are rarely recovered and victims seldom get full reimbursement from insurance. Even if they do, premiums will soar."

Earlier PROTECT demonstrations to police officers in Florida and New Jersey have resulted in media coverage, including a recent appearance on NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. The Smoke Cannonâ„¢ will also be featured on the Discovery Channel's It Takes a Thief program during its new season.

PROTECT Security Systems of America is an active member of the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association (NBFAA), the Security Industry Association (SIA) and the Latin American Security Association (ALAS). PROTECT recently provided a $50,000 grant to the Western Burglar and Fire Alarm Association Universal Apprenticeship Training Program to launch a nationwide alarm technician distance learning program.

PROTECT is online at www.protectglobal.com.