'Shotgun' alarm to scare off burglars

The device fires blank cartridges

A man from Leeds has invented a burglar alarm which automatically fires a blank shotgun cartridge to scare off intruders.

David Auty, from Yeadon, came up with the device after a friend complained about burglars stealing from his property.

Now Mr Auty, 54, plans to market it to householders across the country.

The Site Sentry device works by being connected to the outside of a property and firing a 12-bore blank cartridge when triggered.

Successful trial

Mr Auty said: "In the light of the Tony Martin affair, people want to do all that they can, and are prepared to do all that they can, to protect their property within the parameters of the law."

He began work on the invention when farmer Stuart Petit, 50, from Rawdon, Leeds, asked for help to deter intruders from coming on to his property after numerous thefts.

And after a successful trial of a prototype on Mr Petit's farm, the Site Sentry device is being manufactured in volume.

David Auty thinks there is a market since the Tony Martin case

Mr Auty said his friend had been the victim of several burglaries, but since installing his invention the intruders had not succeeded.

Mr Auty claims his device - which took six months to make - is more effective than an ordinary burglar alarm system as it triggers before the intruders have entered the house.

He also believes people would take more notice of the sound of gunshot.

He said he had carried out a large amount of research and believed the device to be legal.

"It is not a gun," he said. "No one could make it into a firearm and it will only function in a vertical position."