Do you think your home is protected from burglars? If you answered yes, you might want to revisit your false sense of security’
A burglary occurs every eight seconds, which translates to about 200 per hour and nearly 5,000 each day. To prevent a home intruder from ripping you off, you should learn about some burglary facts that will motivate you to do more to protect your most valued possessions.
Burglars Avoid Home Electronic Security Systems
Put you self in a burglar’s shoes. Would take the time and assume the risk involved in trying to break into a home wired with a comprehensive electronic security system? A report released by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology shows more than 60% of burglars convicted of at least one offense said the installation of an electronic home security system forces them to search for another home that does not include any electronic monitoring. Burglars work on a within a tight time window, which means simply attaching stickers and installing signs that present the security company’s logo should be enough to deter most burglars.
When You’re at Work…
…Burglars like to play. Contrary to what most homeowners think, the majority of residential burglaries happen between 10 in the morning and three in the afternoon. Burglars prefer homes to be vacant of people to ensure an efficient theft operation. Most burglars prefer not to encounter distractions and/or resistance from residents. The 10 to 3 period also means school age children and adolescents are not around to delay a burglary. A home security system that includes cameras and motion detectors should discourage most thieves. Adding a few diversion safes also causes problems for burglars by extending the time spent inside of a home
Your Neighbor, the Thief
We’re not talking about your best friend who live across the street or even your next door nemesis who parks on part of your property. We just want you to know that thieves who live within two miles of a targeted commit the majority of burglaries. Close proximity means the thief is familiar not only with your home exterior, but also your daily routines. He or she knows when you’re home and when you’re away for extended periods. The nearby burglar looks for signs that you and your family have taken a vacation or plan to take a vacation. Have you heard about the family that posted on a Facebook page the timeline of an upcoming vacation? A neighbor down the street saw the post and then cleaned the family out after they took off for sunny Southern California.
The Open Door Welcome Mat
More than one-third of all burglaries committed in the United States involve a thief walking through an unlocked front door. You can purchase the most advanced electronic home security system and still lose some of your finest jewelry by leaving the front door unlocked. Some burglars can detect weaknesses in the design of a front door and hence, apply force to open the door. About 30% of burglaries happen because burglars enter a home via an unlocked first floor window. You might as well leave the front door or first floor window open and leave a welcome mat out to greet a burglar.
It’s a Sprint, Not a Marathon
Unlike the comical depictions of burglars found in movies and television shows, burglars do not enter your home, make breakfast, and then clean out your easy to enter vault. Burglars treat their craft like Usain Bolt treats the 100-meter dash. Although experts differ on the exact time the average burglar spends inside of a home, most experts agree it is less than 10 minutes.
One of the more disheartening facts about burglaries is that most of the crimes go unsolved. It typically takes repeat offenses for law enforcement to establish a criminal profile that narrows the list of suspects. With that in mind, don’t become another burglary statistic by installing an advanced electronic home security system and complementing it with several diversion safes.