BURGLARS could be in luck, as security alarms will be ignored if they go off too many times in error.

According to the latest Brookmans Park Neighbourhood Watch newsletter, there has been a “sharp rise” in the number of ‘boy who cried wolf’ incidents with alarms wrongly being set off.

Commenting on the Brookmans Park Newsletter Community Discussion Forum, David Brewer wrote: “Local residents have been warned that they must keep their burglar alarms in proper working order.

“And if they continue to be set off in error the properties will not be visited by police.”

He added: “The onus is on residents to ensure that the alarms are used correctly.”

Commenting on the same discussion, Pcso Louise Luxford, whose beat covers Brookmans Park and Little Heath, did not refute the claim, but said the policy was “a last resort”.

A police spokeswoman told the Welwyn Hatfield Times: “If there are three false intruder alarm activations from a monitored alarm system in a 12-month period, the alarm is suspended from the police system for a period of 90 days.

“This is until either the alarm has been clear of activations or the alarm itself has had an upgrade.

“We do this both to ensure alarms are in proper working order and police officers are not diverted away from genuine emergency calls.”

The spokeswoman added the force was committed to tackling burglary across the county, under its dedicated banner Operation Guardian.

She urged people to continue to report crimes by calling 0845 33 00 222 – or, if a burglary is in progress, call 999.