Abstract: In a portable device sensitive to a change in movement a switch inside the device has a movable slug which increases the electrical resistance in an electrical circuit when the device is disturbed. Such increase in resistance in the electrical circuit unbalances two inputs of a Schmitt trigger to cause an output of the Schmitt trigger to switch a switching transistor to cause an oscillator to drive an output transducer to give an alarm. A feedback loop limits the period for which the alarm is given and a delay circuit prevents an alarm being given when the device is initially energized and before the two inputs of the Schmitt trigger are balanced.