- Home break-ins are a serious issue, occurring approximately once every 15 seconds in America.
- It’s essential to invest in quality door and window locks, as well as security systems, including CCTV cameras and alarm systems.
- Valuables should be kept out of sight or hidden, and people should make it appear that someone is always home even when they are not.
- Lastly, one should take extra precautions if living in a bad neighborhood with a higher crime rate.
- Motion sensor lights and alerting trusted neighbors of travel plans can also help to deter burglars.
A home break-in is a serious matter. Not only is it a violation of your personal space, but it can also be a traumatic event. Fortunately, you can take steps to prevent a break-in from happening in the first place. Here’s how common home break-ins are in America and what you can do to protect your home.
How Common Are Home Break-Ins?
While the number of home break-ins that occur in America each year is difficult to determine, the FBI estimates that there are about two million burglaries annually. That works out to about one burglary every 15 seconds. And while it’s true that the rate of burglaries has been declining in recent years, that doesn’t make it any less important to take steps to protect your home.
Reasons Why Burglars Would Target Your Home
There are various reasons why burglars would target your home. Here are some of them:
Easy Break-In
If your windows and doors are easy to force open or don’t have locks that are strong enough to deter a burglar, your home is an easy target. To make your home more secure, invest in quality door locks. Most burglars enter a home through the front door, and by having the right locks, you can drastically reduce their chances of a break-in. Locks on your windows are a must as well.
Lack of Security Systems
Security systems are a great way to deter burglars. If a burglar knows there’s a chance they’ll be caught on camera or the alarm will sound if they break in, they’re much less likely to target your home. Here are some security systems you should have in your home:
- CCTV: Cameras can be placed around your property to monitor activity. They can also be a deterrent since burglars are less likely to target homes with visible security cameras.
- Alarm System: Installing an alarm system will notify you when someone is trying to break into your home and will alert the authorities if there’s a break-in attempt.
- Smart Devices: Smart devices such as doorbell cameras, motion detectors, and smart locks can also monitor activity around your property.
Valuable Items in Plain Sight
If a burglar can see valuable items like electronics, jewelry, or cash through your windows, they’re much more likely to target your home. So keep your valuables out of sight or at least hide from view to discourage burglars. For example, if you have expensive jewelry, keep it in a drawer or safe rather than leaving it out on your dresser, where it can be seen by anyone who walks by your house.
Lack of Home Presence
Burglars typically target homes when they know the occupants aren’t there because it minimizes the chance of getting caught if you’re not home very often-whether because you work long hours or frequently travel for leisure-your home is more likely to be burglarized than a home where someone is always present.
To make your home less attractive to burglars, consider investing in timers for lights and TVs so that it appears someone is always home even when you’re not. You should also let trusted neighbors know when you’ll be gone so they can keep an eye on your property while you’re away.
Bad Neighborhood
Lastly, if you live in a bad neighborhood with a high crime rate, your chance of being burglarized is much greater. As such, it’s essential to be extra vigilant about protecting your home and its contents.
It’s also vital that your street lights are working and that your yard is well-lit. Motion sensor lights are a great way to make your property less inviting to burglars. It’s also good to have neighborhood watch programs so that everyone is looking out for each other. It has the possibility to stop crime from happening in the first place, making it a good program for any community.
You can significantly reduce the chances of becoming a break-in victim by taking the necessary steps to protect your home. The key is to know how common home break-ins are, what burglars may look for when targeting a home, and how to make your property less attractive to criminals.
