Who Would Break Into A Home?
The image of the stealthy, skilled cat-burglar (as portrayed in movies and on television) is almost totally false. The vast majority of burglars, residential thieves and other home invaders are amateur opportunists. They are looking for quick and easy money, in this case by making off with your stuff which they can quickly resell.
This means that anything you do to make it harder to break into your home, or any changes that make you home less appealing to break into will vastly reduce your chances of being targeted by one of these parasites.
So what makes a specific home an appealing target? A number of things. The most immediate are:
- Unlocked doors and windows.
- Homes without an alarm system.
- Homes that appear unoccupied.
- High-priced valuables visible from the front of the house.
- Visible hiding places around the outside of the home (because of landscape features or lack of light).
These are the main things that burglars look for when targeting a property. Burglars like these things because they increase the chances of getting in and out, with goods, without getting caught. Looking over the above list, you can probably guess a few of the topics we’re going to talk about.
Again, anything you can do that will make it harder and less appealing to break into your home is a step in the right direction.
There are four main “components” to preventing burglaries and minimize the damage from break-ins. In the next section we’re going to discuss these components, but before we go any further I want you to know the two most important steps you can take to secure your home:
1. Lock your doors and windows: I cannot over-emphasize this one enough. Over a quarter of all break-ins happen through unlocked doors and windows. Even if you’re stepping out for just a few minutes, make sure doors and windows are locked. Even if you’re home, make sure doors and windows are locked. This includes garage doors.
2. Have a monitored security system installed: According to the FBI, homes that are protected with a monitored alarm system that is announced clearly on signs around the property are 400% less likely to be broken into. It’s one of the most effective deterrents you can have. You need the whole system though, not just the signs. While the signs are a definite deterrent, some burglars will look inside for signs of an alarm system.
Also, a monitored alarm system is an absolutely vital part of ALL of the components we’ll be talking about in the next section. A monitored security system is proven to be an effective deterrent; can increase the response time of emergency personnel; and most importantly provides you an early warning if someone breaks in while you’re home.
Here’s something that might shock you: The majority of burglaries happen during the day (from 6 AM until 6 PM) when you’re out of the home. Most burglars do not want to run into you. Some will even watch from nearby until you leave for work or the store.
If you have a monitored alarm, emergency personnel will be summoned when an intruder breaks into a protected area (whether you’re home or not), which increases the chances of keeping your valuables. Also, emergency personnel being summoned decreases the chances of the burglar still being in your home when you get back.