Your attic is not likely to be visited by a burglar because they are usually hard to find and access. So, it is always a good idea to store valuables in attic storage containers. As an extra safety precaution make sure to mark them with labels like “winter clothes” or “old shoes” to throw a burglar off of your scent.
Burglars said families should avoid hiding valuables in living room drawers and dressers, pots and pans and locked safes that are not secured to the floor or wall - as these are the places thieves search first.
Burglars love looking in your windows. They're looking for signs that you're home or gaming systems they'd like. Burglars will drive or walk through your neighborhood at night, before you close the blinds, just to pick their targets.
About 75 percent of burglars revealed that the bedroom was the first place they'd look for things to steal. Meanwhile, 26 percent said they'd check in an office or study, and 19 percent said the living room would be top on their lists (the burglars could choose more than one answer).
Not surprisingly, on average, homes that are burglarized tend to be homes that have no dogs. Large dogs may present a physical threat, but don't count ankle-biters out. They bark and attract a lot of attention. For those who do strike at night, poor lighting makes it harder for neighbors to see what they're doing.
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.
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 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)
Burglars have been known to 'mark' houses of interest as a reminder to themselves and as a signal to accomplices. This could be a graffiti symbol, a small dot of paint, or a piece of string tied to your fence.
What are the odds of your house being burgled? The FBI crime report expects one in every 36 homes in the US to experience a burglary.
“That's where you have your clothes, your jewelry, your extra cash, your weapons, your prescriptions—anything of value.” Hiding things under the mattress is one of the oldest tricks in the book, so a thief will likely check there for hidden treasures, he says. That might be why this is the first room burglars check.
The burglars will thieve whatever they can get their hands on, be it jewellery, electronics or trainers. Assuming no one's in, “The burglar will search the downstairs very quickly, and they'll search upstairs even quicker because nobody likes being trapped upstairs.
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 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.
When You Go to Bed. 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.
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.
Beyond just turning it on briefly when you're expecting someone or when you're running in and out at night on your property, it's fine to leave your porch light burning throughout the evening if you're home and indoor lights are on.
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.
Alarms help deter burglars
The majority (60%) of the burglars in the study said they would look for an alarm before robbing a house, and if an alarm system were present, most would move along to another target.
One of the best ways to deter burglars is with motion-activated lighting/camera combos. Ring offers affordable and highly effective options in their Spotlight Cam and Floodlight Cam. Other security cameras with built-in LED lights include Arlo and Nest Cam.