The single best deterrent for burglars is visible security signage combined with outdoor cameras or a video doorbell. Intruders look for low-risk targets, and visibly announcing that a property is monitored and alarmed deters the vast majority of break-ins before they happen.
Burglars hate anything that makes a break-in noisy, time-consuming, or highly visible. Criminals look for the path of least resistance; if a target requires too much effort or poses a high risk of getting caught, they will simply move on to an easier home.
The most effective burglar deterrents rely on a combination of visual friction and making your home look occupied. According to former burglars and security experts, visible CCTV cameras, security system signage, and large, barking dogs top the list. Most thieves are opportunists who avoid difficult targets.
Robbers and burglars are primarily deterred by the fear of getting caught, difficulty of entry, and lack of easy reward. The most effective deterrents include:
Preventing nighttime break-ins comes down to making your home an unappealing and difficult target. The most actionable steps include keeping exterior motion-sensor lights on, ensuring all entry points are locked with deadbolts, and securing sliding doors with heavy-duty rods or security film.
A good place to hide valuables could be the entrance area, for example, as it is often overlooked. An unused fireplace can also be used as a hiding place: simply remove the cover, place valuables inside and then close it again. It is unlikely that a thief will look there.
Nighttime Burglaries
Around 21.8% of burglaries happen at night, between midnight and 4 a.m. Some reports say the numbers are closer to 53% during the day and 47% at night, showing that while burglars prefer daytime, the danger is there all the time.
Finding ways to make it look like you're at home even when you're not is a great way to deter burglars. But it's also important to try to change up your routine every so often for the times you are home. Though burglars don't always stake out homes before they choose to break in, it does happen.
On average, a burglar spends 8 to 12 minutes inside a house. They typically gain entry in less than a minute by kicking in a door or smashing a window and prioritize grabbing high-value, easily transportable items before quickly fleeing to avoid police detection.
With that in mind, let's take a look at the top ten burglar deterrents to use in 2021:
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A strong alibi can be one of the best defenses against burglary charges. If you were not at the scene when the crime happened, proving where you were can challenge the case against you. Your lawyer can collect evidence like receipts, phone records, or videos showing you somewhere else during the crime.
Which homes do burglars target?
Avoid keeping your items in the prime spots like your master bedroom, bedroom closet, desk drawer in your study room, your jewelry box, or the cabinet in the hallway. These are the most common places where burglars search for these items.
Perfume and fragrance: costly products that are relatively easy to steal. Small electrical goods and accessories: electric toothbrushes, smart speakers, iPads, headphones, shavers, data sticks. Smartphones are slightly less likely to be stolen because of robust security devices.
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Don't. Leaving your lights on all night doesn't send the message that your home. Instead, choose times you would normally use lighting during the evenings. If you use timers, set them to turn on and off in different rooms to give the appearance that someone is moving around your home.
Unfortunately, the answer is often yes. Research shows that if burglars aren't caught after their first attempt, they're much more likely to return — sometimes within days. Learn how to prevent repeat burglaries. It is generally believed that burglars will not return to the same place more than once.
Burglars look for valuables in places they can access quickly, such as dresser drawers, under the mattress, in closets, and in obvious caches like cookie jars or desk organizers. They typically bypass areas that require physical labor, are messy to dig through, or offer low reward for their time.
A burglar sign is a marking supposedly left on or near a property by a burglar or their accomplice, signalling in code that the building is vulnerable or unoccupied.
Police typically recommend using high-quality deadbolt locks, specifically ANSI Grade 1 or Grade 2 deadbolts, for exterior doors.
Ring doorbells serve as a highly effective visual deterrent for opportunistic thieves, but they do not physically prevent break-ins. While many burglars will avoid a house with a visible camera, tech-savvy intruders can bypass them using signal jammers or disguises, and some may view them as an indicator of valuable items inside.
More burglaries occur in the summer months than in the winter months. In what season do burglaries most often occur? A study completed by the Bureau of Justice Statistics showed a spike in burglary during summer months in a study from 1993-2010 with the exception of three years during that period.
The average burglar has only two options for entering your residence: doors and windows. Examine your entry points and see how well they would stand up to a thief. Doors and windows can be fashionably secured with ornate, yet sturdy, door handles and locks.
Often, a burglar breaks in at a rear sliding glass door, kitchen or bedroom window. Many times these portals are left unlocked. Where the windows are locked, many burglars carry tools and will pry open sliding windows or even large sliding doors.