Because it's so commonly used, burglars go all the way to the master's bedroom even though it can be far from the front or back door. The drawers, closets, and space under the bed are still quite lucrative for thieves looking for money and jewellery.
Burglars Know Where to Find the Goods
Most people keep valuables in their bedrooms, so no surprise that is the first stop for a thief.
Burglars will make a beeline to the room with the most valuables. “The good stop is always going to be in the master bedroom,” says Chris McGoey, CPP, CSP, CAM, president of McGoey Security Consulting.
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).
Here's how you can tell if a burglar is watching your house: The same unfamiliar vehicle hanging around over the course of several days, either frequently driving by your place, or parked nearby. Unfamiliar individuals walking back and forth on your street or back alley. Anyone taking photos of your home or property.
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)
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.
Ask friends, family, or neighbors to just be present on your property — use your patio, play in your yard, or bring in the mail. Invite a neighbor to keep a car parked in your driveway. During the holidays, they may be happy if they need overflow for visitors. Install a fake security camera for as low as $8.
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.
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.
Just make sure the items you're hiding are in a waterproof container, too. inside a false wall outlet. Make sure it's not a live receptacle or in the way of any electrical wiring. within hollowed-out/removable building components, such as wainscoting, floor panels, door jambs, window sills, and cabinet doors.
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'.
This blunts anxiety and gives them greater confidence. It also helps explain why so many burglars urinate and defecate in homes they are robbing. Walsh's sources said it was a combination of drink, fear and physical exercise and a reluctance to risk being trapped in a small room such as a toilet.
You can use a metal detector to look for buried objects or you can just look for clues, like a dip in the ground or a patch of dirt that looks different. Dig gently; there shouldn't be wiring buried there, but water lines and drain pipes are common.
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.
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.
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.
Not only is having a bunch of flyers or stickers stuck in your door a nuisance, it can also serve as a way for burglars to mark your home. Many burglars will stick flyers or stickers on homes that they think are unoccupied to serve as an indicator for their accomplices that the home is unguarded.
Another sign that a burglar is casing homes in the area is that you notice strangers approaching houses. The stranger will walk part way up the driveway and stare at the house. Some will knock on the door and ask for something from the homeowner—a glass of water, a pen and paper, or to use the bathroom.
[:en] What are your odds that your home will be broken into? According to data from the FBI 2016 crime report, we can expect 1 in 36 homes in the United States to be burglarized.
According to data from the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services Division, larceny-theft is one of the most common types of robbery.
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.