Like any concern, the more you learn about burglary, the more effectively you can protect your home and family. Here are ten surprising facts about burglary, and security tips, every home owner should know.
1. Security Systems Deter Burglars
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology published a report which stated about 60% of convicted burglars admitted a visible security system influenced their decision to target another home.
Home Security Tip: Get a monitored home security system to help reduce the chance of being a burglary victim. Yard signs and window stickers alert potential intruders to your security system. Make sure the signs and stickers are visible from every approach to your home—not just the front entrance.
2. Most burglaries take place between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
That’s right, being a burglar is a day job since most people are at work or not home during the day. Plus, in areas like Phoenix and Scottsdale there are many of our retirement communities, meaning homes are vacant for months at a time and are often targets of break-ins and burglaries.
Home Security Tip: Install indoor and outdoor motion-activated home security cameras so you can check on your home throughout the day on your mobile device. Plus, you will receive alerts when motion activated camera are triggered. These cameras will also capture wild life that strolls your property as well, a well placed security camera can create the next viral video on the internet.
3. Most break-ins are committed by burglars who live nearby.
The typical burglar lives within two miles of the target home. Since they live close, it’s easy for them to learn your family’s daily schedule and strike when they know you’re not home. Your very own neighbors may be watching what you publish on social media to know when your home is vacant so they can plan their strike.
Home Security Tip: To help minimize the risk of a burglary, vary your routine as much as possible and have someone take care of your home when you’re out of town. Post vacation pictures AFTER the vacation and never announce when you are leaving your home on social media.
4. It Only Take About 10 Minutes to Burglarize a Home.
Burglars look for homes that are easy targets. That’s why some of the statistics are so high. Buglers are quick and often get a thrill from the experience of breaking into a house and getting away with what they want without being seen. We have all heard stories of a single neighborhood experiencing a high volume of crime for a few weeks and then poof is stops.
Home Security Tip: Strengthen your home’s defense by getting a home security system, keeping all entrances closed and locked, and installing a high-quality front door. Then go a step further: join, or form, a neighborhood watch group and use a crime mapping website to keep up-to-date on local crime trends.
5. Close to 30% of burglars enter a home through an unlocked door or window.
First floor windows and doors are especially well-liked by burglars, particularly when a burglar can be concealed behind overgrown vegetation.
Home Security Tip: Keep all entry points closed, locked, and alarmed, even when you’re at home. In the desert climate, consider keeping cactus or other dangerous vegetation under windows. Even the savviest intruder doesn’t typically mess with a prickly pair cactus that is strategically placed near windows.
6. An astonishing 34% of burglars enter through the front door!
Whether they walk through an open front door or kick in a locked one, burglars aren’t shy about using your home’s primary entry point. We have all neglected to lock our front door or a sliding door in the back of the home at one time or another.
Home Security Tip: Strengthen your home’s defense by getting a home security system, keeping all entrances closed and locked, and installing a high-quality front door. Go a step further and install motion activated cameras at all entry points so irregular activity at your home is documented.
7. Burglars go to the master bedroom first.
For the most part, most people feel safe in their home, therefore, rarely lock up valuables, we like to see them on display on our nightstands or dressers. So once a burglar breaks in, they head straight for the master bedroom, where they scavenge through dresser drawers and nightstands, look under mattresses, and search closets. Burglars make their money from finding, cash, jewelry, and weapons which are easily sold to generate cash.
Home Security Tip: Store your valuables in a safe that’s bolted to the floor, hide them in unlikely locations, especially when traveling or leaving your home for an extended period.
8. The is a staggering $2,251 per burglary victim.
The price of a home security system pales in comparison to the emotional and monetary cost of a burglary. The FBI reports that burglary victims in 2014 lost a total of $3.9 billion, and nearly 75% of the burgled locations were residential properties.
Home Security Tip: There’s a home security solution for almost every budget. You can get a basic home security plan for as little as $34.99 per month. Plus, getting a monitored security system may also qualify you for a discount on your homeowner’s insurance policy.
9. In 3 out of 10 burglaries occur when someone is home.
Coming home to find your material possessions stolen is frightening enough, but victims who are home when the burglary occurs experience an entirely different level of tramua. According to a crime victimization survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice, a household member is present during approximately 28% of burglaries, and 7% of these victims experienced some type of violent crime. This is probably the most concerning of all the facts we have listed.
10. Less than 15% of burglaries reported result in arrest
Burglaries are exceptionally hard crimes to solve. Even if the burglar is found, you may not be reunited with your lost property. Keep in mind, burglars know the statistics are in their favor.
Home Security Tip: Due to recent advances in home security solutions, more criminals can be caught on camera. For instance, by using a home security camera with a live video feed, a homeowner in Scottsdale, Arizona was able to see that two burglars were inside his home. In addition, we are routinely seeing criminals stealing packages off front porches thanks to door bell security cameras which are easy to install.
These statistics confirm that using a monitored home security system and taking precautions can help protect your family from a burglary. The Security Experts at iWired are ready to help you design a security system to fit your family’s needs and budget.
Live chat with us today at www.iwired.com
