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Comment by leereeves | Hacker News Reader

Can't they just cut the phone cable instead?

Right, but I guess they'd either have to climb a pole or figure out where it's buried to do that. In my neighborhood, they could just yank the fiber from the fiber pedestal conveniently located near the sidewalk every other house.

Traditionally the way this was solved for businesses was with a cellular or (before that) radio back up. My dad's photoshop/darkroom business in Miami in the 70s/80s had a radio connected alarm, but ultimately, a physical barrier (solid barred backdoor, a gate across the windows in front) was the best preventative. The pawn shop in the same strip mall wasn't so lucky: thieves used a sledge hammer to make a hole in the cinder block wall from behind while somehow avoiding setting off the shop's alarm.

I'm still trying to imagine a burglar carrying an axe to break into a house. I saw some crazy shit growing up in Miami and even I can't imagine that.

In the late 80s/90s it became popular to steal cars and drive them into buildings then follow up with a second car and load up as much as possible in 60 seconds then flee before the police arrived. Had to install concrete filled pipe to prevent that from occurring.

If you'd cased the joint beforehand, and figured an axe was the easiest and quickest way to disable the alarm, why not?

That's what the axe was for. One chop.

And dramatic meme :) Pliers works too.

Outdoor wiring is usually in conduit. Not so easy with pliers.

Axe offers the advantages of analog and one loud noise, but is noticeable. Cordless angle grinders and oscillating multitools are portable and can handle a variety of steel obstacles, from locks to conduit. But they are loud and take a few seconds to cut through obstacles.

Hi it's Vince with Slap Chop

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