Justin, Nearly 2 years ago I had someone try to break into my apartment. It was late at night and the lights were off, but I wasn’t asleep. I heard a noise at the back door. I sneaked into the living room and switched on the outside lights. It startled the burgler and I saw him run off. . I then called a few burgler alarm service in my city and they all gave installation and monitoring quotes. I recommend you call a burglar alarm system installer to get your questions answered. Most companies offer a free installation special, so inquire about that too.

There was a rash of brake ins in my neighborhood, so after checking and finding out the police had been getting so many false alarms they would only come out if you called them reporting a brake in, so i checked and found a wireless alarm system i could install myself, it came with 16 door and window sensors, 3 motion detectors, 4 key chain remotes, the base unit that if alarm goes off will call 4 different people,
and two sirens that are easily heard all this for $230.00, Its called the Powerhouse X10,
I honestly thought this looked cheap at first but it has worked perfectly, and the sensors hide well.

Here are some sites that may help you:

Doors and windows can be easily secured. Replace your standard “knob with a keyhole” lockset with something better or add a deadbolt to each exterior door. Hardware stores sell locks that keep aluminum frame windows from being opened unless the lock is removed. They are made so you can get them off in a hurry from inside in case of fire or other emergency. If you have wooden frame windows you can drill a small hole through the opening frame and part way into the stationary frame. Insert a nail into the hole to keep someone from forcing the window open. Do NOT nail the window shut. I prefer photocell light fixtures around my house because they come on at dusk and go off at dawn. Motion sensors are good, too, but the constant cycling causes the bulbs to burn out much more quickly. Be sure to install one where there is a likely target for thieves. Keep your yard cut and any shrubbery cut back so there’s no where for potential thieves to hide.

My german shepard does a pretty good job securing my house!

First off fix the hole, go to someplace like the Coop Home Centre or Rona or somewhere, where you can buy tin that is on rolls for about $1.50 a foot, measure how big your hole is, or go to Habitat and ask about pieces of tin, get some tin snips and cut the piece bigger than the hole and fasten it with metal screws and use furnace tape of something to seal it tightly or caulking, whatever, it sounds like someone was standing on your a/c, cheapest thing get fake security ID tags, you can buy them at Cdn Tire for like 2 or 3 dollars. Make sure all your slider windows have sticks in them that make them tight to the frame.

Sensor lights are a good thing too but remember even a cat walking past will turn them on, but at least on the backside of the house its a good thing.

Had a security system at $30 a month, had more false alarms than anything over a 3 year term ends up costing about $1800 for the system. Anything of real value should be in a safety deposit box, don’t have things that you can obscure your vision like bushes around windows etc. Deadbolts with double keyed locks on doors and sticks in windows. Causse if they really want in they will bust a window anyways.