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This and other wireless devices represent not only a new wave in technological efficiency, but in cost and aesthetics as well. Fans of the technology, like the Smithsonian's Doug Hall, readily recognize the benefits of wireless. "Wireless technology has made protecting exhibits more flexible -- and in some cases cheaper, negating the need to run cable and conduit throughout a facility or home." Now, a few keystrokes and a software tweak are all it takes to relocate a piece.

Another class of cutting edge devices used to protect collections is biometrics, which dispenses with the needs for cards and keys. Retina and thumb scanners might seem tres Sci-Fi, but they have some very down-to-earth applications protecting art and antiques. Put on jewelry drawers, cabinets and vaults, crime-busters like hand geometry recognition systems by Identix do not accept fake ID's -- ever.

And just as in many other aspects of modern life, the Internet plays an important role here as well. "With a proper broadband connection, alarm events can be sent via the internet to a central station, or even to an owners PDA" (personal digital assistant), says security guru Delaney Broussard, president of Global Custom Security, a security and systems provider to estates, celebrities and Fortune 500 companies.

Some systems, however, seem to fall off the leading edge, evoking more Austin Powers than 007. One such device, similar to an air-bag, is filled with a sticky resin. Once an alarm has been tripped, an attached low-level explosive device disgorges a wave of sticky resin onto an intruder, literally stopping them in their tracks. Very messy, baby.

Whatever devices are chosen from a quiver of options to protect art and antiques, the take-away from the experts is the same: security is never a single item; it's always a multi-pronged defense. For instance, if a window is cut and a glass sensor is bypassed, one could then count on infrared beam. If the infrared is beaten, then the fall back is the tamper sensor on the piece itself. (Think of the concentric walls of a medieval fortress).

The reason for this, according to the LAPD's top art cop, Detective Don Hrycyk, who heads up the only dedicated art & antiques detail in the country, is that owners need to outflank the bad guys.

"Don't assume crooks will use a normal entry point like doors and windows," he observes. "I've seen entries that look like Fort Knox, but the problem is, crooks make their own entrance." He points to a recent break-in at a Los Angeles gallery as prime example. In this incident, thieves cut through a roof and false ceiling and lifted two Maxfield Parrish murals valued at close to five million dollars. Devices such as heat sensors and motion detectors, he notes, can be hugely valuable in breaches such as these where culprits have bypassed perimeter security.

Unfortunately, art thieves aren't the only threat to one's collection. Fire, and in some areas, earthquakes and floods, also present real threats. Fire systems have also become very sophisticated, with detectors that analyze air density and heat gauges that monitor rapid rises in temperature. Other options include fire-resistant textiles, similar to the ones used in race cars, which can be used to cover fine pieces in an emergency.

For those uncomfortably familiar with the Richter Scale, earthquake protection involves secure and discreet mounting systems, such as the seismic isolation systems deployed by companies like Rich Neilson Studios. Used primarily for larger sculptures, isolation mounts employ a sophisticated system of springs and bearings that allow a piece to move in the direction of a shake, much like the underground systems that support West Coast skyscrapers.

Whatever ill they are protecting you from, however, like any piece of electronics, these systems need care and feeding. "They're like living organisms," says Broussard, "And need evaluation and calibration." With proper care and maintenance, however, these systems can have an almost indefinite shelf life, with upgrades and some maintenance even performed over the internet. Sometimes, however, even the most clever mousetraps fail to catch their prey, and that's when services like the Art Loss Register and OBJECT ID programs become value tools in recovering lost or stolen art.

While the Art Loss Register provides an invaluable screening tool to gauge a work's provenance, OBJECT ID is an international protocol for cataloguing detailed descriptions of works of art and antiques. And then there are people like Det. Hrycyk, who spring into action when a piece is stolen. There is some good news in all of this, he assures. "We've recovered over 40 million dollars worth of pilfered art and collectibles because they are some of the best items to recover," he says. "As time goes by, they don't change. Jewelry can be melted down, a car can be painted, but a Warhol stays a Warhol."

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