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.
If you happen to be in your home during a home invasion, you should never put yourself in danger. It is a bad idea to confront a burglar. For one, you can't be sure if there are more than one intruders, and more importantly, whether or not they are armed.
The identity of the offender was unknown in 46% of burglaries. *On average, household members became victims of violent crimes in about 266,560 burglaries annually. Offenders known to their victims accounted for 65% of these burglaries; strangers accounted for 28%.
The average time it takes to commit a burglary typically ranges from 90 seconds to 12 minutes. (FBI) Most burglaries are not violent. One study found that actual violence or even the threat “ranged from a low of .
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)
What's more, the majority of burglaries were committed by people who knew their victims, according to a 2020 SafeAtLast report.
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.
Thieves Tend to Break In Between 10 AM and 3 PM
Movie after movie depicts thieves sneaking into houses under the cover of darkness. But, as noted in When Do Most Burglaries Occur?
The average burglar takes less than a minute to break into your home and overall 8 to 12 minutes to get out again. In the first minute, the burglar lurks outside your property, looking for signs that there is no one there and assessing whether your house is a good target.
Front door: 34% of burglars twist the doorknob and walk right in. First-floor windows: 23% use a first-floor open window to break into your home. Back door: 22% come in through the back door. Garage doors: 9% gain entrance through the garage.
The truth is that pooping at the scene of the crime does not always seem like a personal statement or message, but perhaps a sign of heightened excitement.
Store a few small items in a wall or mantel clock, as long as the clock itself isn't worth stealing! Tape them to the back or put them in any open cavities. Steer clear of these hiding places, because that's where burglars always look first!
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.
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.
If you walk into your home to find that it's been robbed, you should leave the house immediately, go back to your car or to a neighbor's home, and call the 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.
Many people are rightfully concerned with questions like do burglars break-in at night or what time do most break-ins occur in the US? According to the FBI burglary data from 2018, 51% of all reported burglaries occurred in the daytime compared to 32% at night.
A Dog's Protection Only Goes So Far
The warning signs of a dog on the property may deter some intruders, but this doesn't work on all burglars. Savvy or brash criminals may not be fazed by the presence of a dog and might try to distract them.
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.
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.