Put tools, bikes and other items away when you're done using them. If your possessions are too visible, burglars may wonder what else you have inside. Dogs are exceptional deterrents to theft. Let your dog be seen — and heard.
Burglars don't want to be seen. They looked for homes with big fences and overgrown trees or bushes. “Home away from other homes, blind spots, older window frames, cheap wooden doors,” wrote a burglar. “Large trees, bushes or shrubs around the home, or very reserved and conservative neighbors,” wrote another inmate.
There are multiple simple ways to deter burglars; exterior lighting, blinds or curtains, and decluttering your landscaping can all help make your house less attractive to burglars.
Do security lights deter burglars? Yes, they can. Light makes it hard for them to conceal their identity, so they are more likely to find a darker home.
Knowing when most burglaries occur is powerful information. The most common times for break-ins occur between 10 am and 3 pm. Rather than being guarded by night, most burglars choose the daytime to attempt a break-in, targeting homes when they believe no one will be present.
Unfortunately, there are no exact statistics about how often do burglars get into a house (or condo) by breaking the window. Experience shows, however, that in about 5-15 percent of the cases where criminals entered a house through a window, they did so by breaking the glass.
While you're home at night, it's a good idea to keep your lights on. However, as soon as you're ready to go to bed for the evening, you should be mindful and turn your lights off. You should treat your porch light the same as you would any other room in the house.
Fortunately, unlike movies, most burglars are looking to steal your belongings, not harm you. It's still pretty terrifying, though, to wake up in the middle of the night and realize someone else is in your house—and one can't exactly read a burglar's mind or know his or her intentions.
The four main ways a burglar will choose their job include the following: Look for vulnerable folks (elderly, those living alone, easy targets, etc.) Opportunistic (very little forethought or planning) Desirability of property (smarter criminals)
Shockingly, 85% of burglars will know their victims.
According to home break-ins statistics, it's far more likely that the person knows you.
Leave the house and call 911
If you arrive home and think your home has been burglarized, get out immediately. Do not look for the thief. Then, call 911. You don't need to confirm that items have been stolen to contact police.
Contrary to popular belief, most burglaries do not occur at night at all. Instead, 65% of burglaries occur between 6am and 6pm. Most burglars do not want to risk encountering someone so they will try your home when you're most likely to be at work. The most common hours for a burglary to occur are between 10am-3pm.
Most of the time, they're not “breaking” in at all
Twenty-three percent use first-floor windows. And oftentimes, those doors and windows aren't even locked. Even items in your yard can be a target for burglars.
The answer is a definite yes. As you can see, there are several ways a burglar can open a window and get into your home. In most cases, they don't even bother with the lock itself. If your windows have poor quality locks, they can be easily forced open.
Contrary to popular belief, it is not uncommon for burglars to target the same place twice. They believe that if they were able to escape successfully the first time, they would be able to do it again.
Homes without security features: Did you know that homes without a security system are three times as likely to be broken into? Many burglars will scout for alarm systems and opt out if those features are present.
Burglars are most likely to be male and under 25 years old. 85% of break ins are by amateurs and done out of desperation, which some might suggest makes them more dangerous.
Burglars are often captured on CCTV camera footage which can lead to them being caught by the police. They are also act as a deterrent for potential intruders.