What is the number one thing to deter burglars?

Author: Jimmy Little  |  Last update: Wednesday, June 11, 2025

1. Home Security Cameras. Our best deterrent for burglars is the presence of an outdoor security camera. Having cameras mounted around your exterior home is a great way to prevent burglars from entering your home!

What do burglars hate the most?

Alarm Systems

Burglars hate alarm systems - and for very good reason! Any indication that your home has a security system, such as yard signs, window stickers and a big alarm box, can act as a burglar deterrent and help prevent your home from being burgled.

What is the biggest deterrent for burglars?

Trellis, thorny plants, or a suitable anti-climb topping such as plastic spikes make it difficult for anyone climbing over a fence or gate. Planting prickly or barbed shrubbery along boundaries and fence lines acts as an effective natural barrier. Gravel driveways and paths will make sure you hear anyone approach.

What actually deters thieves?

Top 7 Burglar Deterrents to Keep Your Property Safe from Crime
  • Visible alarm systems. An intruder alarm should head up your priority list if you are looking to prevent break-ins. ...
  • CCTV cameras. ...
  • Locked doors and windows. ...
  • Thorny borders. ...
  • Lighting. ...
  • Barking dog. ...
  • Gravel.

What are robbers scared of?

“A good home security system should make a VERY loud noise. Noise is key to deterring burglars. Most burglars want to stay undetected, so when a window or door opens and an ear piercing sound fills the neighborhood, usually the intruder is scared off.

6 Home Security Hacks Proven to Stop Break Ins

What are fears of robbers?

From the Latin scelero, which means 'crime' or 'wickedness', scelerophobia is the fear of burglars, robbers and criminals. Someone who has scelerophobia might worry irrationally about being burgled in their own home and might struggle with sleep and feeling safe.

Which rooms are generally targeted first?

In speaking with our customers and security consultants, it's clear that most burglars head straight to a bedroom when they enter a home. If they can identify the primary bedroom, it will be their first target.

What scares burglars away?

Put up a security system yard sign

Security yard signs discourage many thieves. You may have already suspected it, but studies do confirm that burglars -- around 83% surveyed -- are scared off by signs that an alarm system is present, and one of the most straightforward is a literal sign or window sticker.

What deters crime the most?

The certainty of being caught is a vastly more powerful deterrent than the punishment. Research shows clearly that the chance of being caught is a vastly more effective deterrent than even draconian punishment.

Do Ring doorbells actually deter burglars?

Having a Ring doorbell can attract burglars instead of deterring them, according to experts. Alarms fitted on homes can indicate to thieves that there are valuable items worth stealing. Research has shown that alarms can increase the risk of burglaries and give a false sense of protection.

What houses do burglars avoid?

Houses that appear occupied—with the lights on, a vehicle in the driveway, visible activity, or audible noises from within—are less likely to be burglarized. 28 Even houses near occupied houses generally have a lower risk of burglary.

Should you pretend to be asleep if someone breaks in?

Burglars Do More Than Steal

At night, if you think you hear someone breaking in, leave safely if you can, then call the police. If you can't leave, lock yourself in a room with a phone and call the police. If an intruder is in your room, pretend you are asleep.

What is the best weapon against burglars?

Here's a comprehensive guide to the 10 best non-lethal self-defense weapons to help you feel secure without compromising your values.
  1. Stun Guns. ...
  2. Pepper Spray. ...
  3. Personal Alarms. ...
  4. Tactical Pens. ...
  5. Kubotans. ...
  6. Self-Defense Keychains. ...
  7. Tasers. ...
  8. Expandable Batons.

What time do most robberies occur at night?

Robberies happen in both daytime and nighttime. It depends upon the location, situation, human activity around the target, and the area of interest where the burglars want to strike. Specific hours of robberies usually fall between 9 p.m. to 12 p.m. and 4 a.m. to 6 a.m.

Does leaving TV on deter burglars?

Leave Your Radio and TV On. A loud radio or TV on can be an even better deterrent than an alarm (learn more burglar deterrent gadgets here )to prevent burglars and bandits from breaking into your home.

What is the most effective burglar deterrent?

What Are The Best Deterrence Against Burglars?
  • Security Cameras: These are incredibly effective, as statistics show that a significant percentage of burglars avoid homes with cameras. ...
  • Alarm Systems or Sirens: The loud noise from alarms and sirens can scare off intruders.

What is the best crime deterrent?

With that in mind, let's take a look at the top ten burglar deterrents to use in 2021:
  1. Home Security Cameras. ...
  2. Outdoor Lighting. ...
  3. Smart Video Doorbell Cameras. ...
  4. Dogs. ...
  5. Security Gates. ...
  6. Keeping Open Spaces Around Your Home. ...
  7. An Alarm System. ...
  8. Get Friendly With Your Neighbors.

Do security cameras actually deter crime?

Security cameras will generally deter and reduce burglary. If you install a security camera, your home is 300 % safer from break-ins than a home without a camera. Criminals don't want to be watched or recorded-this is one of the major reasons they are so effective.

How to deter thieves from your home?

Burglary Prevention Basics
  1. Make your home look occupied, and make it difficult to break in.
  2. Lock all outside doors and windows before you leave the house or go to bed. ...
  3. Leave lights on when you go out. ...
  4. Keep your garage door closed and locked.

Does leaving a light on at night deter burglars?

Less is more when it comes to using lights to deter burglars, it turns out. If you use smart lighting functionality through your home security system to make it seem as though someone is home, this may deter a burglar. If you simply leave your lights on all day and all night, you could do the opposite.

How to make your house unattractive to burglars?

Light Up Your House

Well-lit properties are less attractive to burglars and intruders because they are more likely to be seen by neighbors, pedestrians, or security cameras. Adequate lighting can act as a deterrent and make potential criminals think twice before approaching your home.

What burglars don't want you to know?

The 5 secrets burglars don't want you to know
  • Burglars want you to keep your doors and windows unlocked. ...
  • Burglars don't want you to be home. ...
  • Burglars want to spend as little time as possible inside your home. ...
  • If you own a dog, a burglar is much more likely to steer clear of your home.

What's the safest room in a hotel?

If possible, do not accept a room on the ground floor. The second floor is better, but the third or fourth floors are considered optimal. Rooms should be above the ground to make access from the window or balcony more difficult, but not so high that emergency services cannot access the room in case of fire.

What should be the first room you walk into in a house?

A foyer is the space you step into as you enter your home through the front door. Think of a foyer as a lobby or landing space when you walk through the front entryway of a home. It's the transition from outdoors to indoors.

Which rooms should be staged?

Kitchens and bathrooms sell homes for sure, but staged living rooms have a massive impact on how buyers feel about their future home. It's the place where they will entertain and spend most of their time outside of the bedroom.

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