“You always want to hit the bedroom first,” a burglar said. “You are going to have jewelry. The jewelry is usually in the bedroom. Guns and stuff like that are in the closet, usually in the bedroom.”
Unlocked windows and doors, open windows, doggy doors, and open garages are all signs a home may be easy to enter. Hidden keys near the front or back doors that are easy to find (under door mats or rocks, for example) also make homes easy to burglarize.
According to her research, an overwhelming majority of burglars enter homes through the doors and windows. Thirty-four percent use the front door, while 22 percent get in through the back door. Twenty-three percent use first-floor windows.
Research shows that burglars tend to prefer corner houses because they're more accessible and they generally have fewer neighboring houses.
Most burglaries occur between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., since that's a prime timeframe where many homes are not occupied.
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.
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.
Shockingly, 85% of burglars will know their victims.
According to home break-ins statistics, it's far more likely that the person knows you.
Any house that's secluded may also be a target. Corner homes are iffy. They allow thieves to scope the area (including your habits) easily by simply driving by and naturally slowing or stopping for a turn. Depending on your neighborhood's layout, they may also be less visible to neighbors and police.
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)
“The most popular items that burglars are looking to steal are typically cash, jewelry, and electronics.
When asked what room holidaymakers should store their valuables in, criminals said children's bedrooms - which many burglars rule a no-go area - as well as under sofas. One offender said they never entered children's bedrooms or playrooms when they broke into homes, calling it an 'unwritten rule'.
Robberies varied according to the region with the Southern States having the highest percentage of 38.3%, the Western States 23.6%, the Northeastern States 18.5%, and the Midwestern States at 19.5%.
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.
Most Burglars Admit Alarm Systems Deter Them
In a University of North Carolina at Charlotte study that surveyed 422 convicted burglars, 83% of burglars admitted they check homes for alarms before breaking in. 60% of the burglars claimed an alarm would change their minds.
Green Porch Light Meaning. A green porch light usually shows appreciation for U.S. veterans and active military members. However, you will also see green lights for St. Patrick's Day, Memorial Day, and Lyme disease awareness month.
Burglars often scope out a home, or 'window shop', before robbing it – they look at the entry and exit points and see if there are any valuables on display. Shielding your house with a tall fence will minimise that risk and may prevent a potential break-in.
Unfortunately, after one “successful” burglary, intruders are likely to come back and target the same home again. Some studies show that only 1.2% of burgled residences experienced 29% of all burglaries. Repeat burglaries also often occur quickly after the first one—25% within one week and 51% within one month.