I really like the idea of a Dummy Alarm Control Panel. Not because I’ve got anything worth stealing…sigh…but I rather fancy standing there at the front door officiously pushing buttons and making beeping sounds for all the world to see I’m a real playa. $29.98.

‘LED lights flashing in sequence and periodic beeps convince would-be intruders your alarm system is armed. When you press the authentic keypad, each key press emits a beep. When you enter the password, the panel beeps twice just like the real ones. Totally random patterns will completely confuse sneaky “shoulder surfers.”‘