Do you think you know enough about home burglary to protect yourself against becoming a victim? Maybe you do, maybe you don’t.
I suspect most of us do not give burglary much of a thought until it happens to us. Yet knowing how burglars operate offers a leg up on defeating them.
Taking a closer look at home burglary reveals some interesting things. Some of these things may come as a surprise to you. Let us take a look and see.
Remember, your greatest tool for preventing home burglary is understanding how burglars work.
1. Burglars Enter Through the Front Door
Sometimes, the most surprising things are also the most obvious. Take burglary entry points. Did you know that burglars prefer easy, first floor entry?
So much so that more than one-third of all burglaries occur with entry through the front door. The question is, why?
The answer is actually quite simple. The front door is the main entry point for many houses. It is where residents come and go with frequency.
In addition, the occupants of a home don’t want to make entering and leaving more difficult on themselves. So the front door tends to be the least fortified entry point on the first floor.
Front doors are easily accessible. They don’t tend to be heavy doors that require quite a bit of effort to push open.
Their locks are rarely heavy-duty locks designed to keep burglars out. So in most cases, a swift kick at the right location will instantly breach the front door.
2. Burglars Often Enter Through Unlocked Doors
Have you ever seen stories on the news detailing burglars walking through neighborhoods and checking door handles? There is a reason.
Burglars are smart enough to know that people are careless about locking windows and doors. And in fact, more than 40% of us leave our windows and doors unlocked when we are home.
Burglars are willing to take their chances that someone might be home when they enter. If they find an unlocked door or window, they will help themselves.
Whether or not someone is on the other side of an unlocked door will likely determine the success of the burglary. But if a burglar finds an unlocked door, he’s at least willing to try.
3. Burglars Don’t Hang Around Too Long
Next, burglars are not the type to hang around for two long. They want to get in and out as quickly as possible. Some estimates suggest a good burglar can be in and out of a house in under 10 minutes. They know what they want, they know where to find it, and they make quick work of the job.
Incidentally, this is one of the main reasons video surveillance cameras are such an important tool. A skilled burglar can be in and out of a house long before the police arrive.
The threat of the police being called isn’t much of a deterrent. But when there are video cameras, it is a different ball game.
Video cameras produce evidence. Evidence can be used for both investigative and prosecutorial purposes. So even though police are slower to respond than most of us would like, video cameras are a big threat to burglars.
4. Burglars Love the Master Bedroom
Your typical burglar is after valuable items that can be quickly moved. Jewelry and small electronics are the big prizes.
Burglars are also happy to help themselves to cash, guns, and anything else they can stick in their pockets before dashing out. They want items they can quickly pawn or sell on the street.
Guess where burgers often find the most valuable items? If you guessed the master bedroom, you’re correct. The master bedroom is often the first destination.
Burglars know that’s where the loot is. If they have enough time, they will check the other bedrooms and a media room (if one exists).
5. Burglars Often Stick to the First Floor
When entering a multi-story home, burglars will often stick to the first floor – especially if the master bedroom is on that floor. The first floor is where they often find purses and handbags. It’s where they find keys, wallets, and cell phones.
If they don’t find enough items worth stealing on the first floor, they will venture upstairs. But if they get enough from the first floor to leave happy, they will not bother with the second floor. They will get out while they have the time.
6. The Best Burglars Are Very Observant
Every trade has its superstars. Right? Burglary is no exception. The very best burglars possess a characteristic that sets them above the rest: they are very observant.
They watch and pay attention. They may not plan a burglary for days or weeks, but they also don’t carelessly select their targets.
As an example, Vivint Home Security advises customers not to leave the garage door open even when they are home. Why?
Because a burglar can get a good idea of how attractive a home is by peeking in the garage.
Open garage doors are so inviting that Vivint recommends installing a smart garage door controller to ensure that the door stays down unless it must absolutely be open.
Vivint also recommends not placing valuables in areas where they could easily be seen through the windows. Burglars aren’t above peeking through windows to see what’s inside. While they are at it, they pay attention to any movement or sound in the house.
7. Burglars Are Deterred by Security Systems
Finally, burglars are deterred by home security systems. Remember that a burglar wants to get in and out quickly without drawing attention to himself.
Home security systems – especially those monitored around-the-clock – make a burglar’s presence known.
So given the choice between a home with a security system and one without, a typical burglar will choose the latter.
After reading this, you’re a bit more educated about how burglars work. Learn all you can to better protect yourself. Burglars can be stopped if you know what to do.
