How To Outsmart Burglars

While residential burglaries have fallen by 3% from 2022 to 2023 (Council of Criminal Justice), that doesn’t mean we should drop our guards to home security and burglary prevention. 

No one wants to deal with the emotional and financial stress of a break-in. Thankfully, smart home security systems and professional monitoring have taken a lot of worry of protecting your home. But is installing a home security system enough to ensure your protection? In this blog post, we’ll outline the most recent burglary statistics and the steps you can take to fortify your home from a break-in. 

Know the Statistics About Burglaries 2022

Staying up to date with the latest burglary statistics and trends is a good way to stay one step ahead of a burglar. Some general burglary facts to be aware of:

• On average, over 1 million home burglaries occur in the United States each year.

• More than half (62%, to be exact) of home break-ins take place during daylight hours.

• According to the Bureau of Justice and FBI, 34% of burglars enter homes through the front door, and a whopping 83% of would-be burglars check for the presence of an alarm system before attempting to break in.

• The average home invasion lasts between 8 and 10 minutes.

• According to Alarms.org, a person is home during a burglary nearly a third of the time.

• According to a study by SimpliSafe, 45% of respondents shared that they had packages stolen from their front porch or home during the holidays.

• According to the UNC Department of Criminal Justice & Criminology, 60% of burglars said that the presence of an alarm system would deter them from breaking in.

Don’t Forget to Lock Your Doors

It may seem like a given, but locking your front door is one of the best deterrents to a break-in. Locking your door as you leave may already be a habit for some, while for others, it may be an issue of being distracted, forgetting, or leaving the door unlocked for known visitors. 

If you often find yourself forgetting to leave the door unlocked, consider installing a smart door lock that will allow you to lock your door on the go through your home security system’s app or providing a PIN to those who are scheduled to visit your home. 

Get Creative When Pretending To Be Home

While some burglars are brave enough to break into a home while a household member is home, many will steer clear of a home that looks occupied. Setting timers on lights is one of the old-school ways to show that you are home. Other tactics include:

• Keeping the radio or TV on loud

• Adding a “beware of dog” sign to your yard or window

• Keeping your garage doors closed 

• Pausing mail delivery if you are away on an extended vacation

• Enlisting a neighbor or trusted friend to check in on the house during the day

Change Up Your Routine to Keep a Burglar on Their Toes

Finding ways to make it look like you’re at home even when you’re not is a great way to deter burglars. But it’s also important to try to change up your routine every so often for the times you are home. Though burglars don’t always stake out homes before they choose to break in, it does happen. They’ll pay attention to when you leave the house, who lives in the house, when/where you walk your dog, etc. Especially if you’re living alone, avoid keeping to a strict routine and mix it up every month or so. 

Keep Your Home Visible

Burglars will generally look for homes that are easy for them to break into without being seen. This means that you need to keep your home visible from the street, the side, etc. Consider lighting the exterior of your home and keeping your hedges cut low so burglars don’t have an opportunity to stay concealed when entering a first-floor window or door. 

Protect Yourself With Professional Monitoring

With a professional monitoring plan, you will provide your home with an extra layer of protection. In the instance that a burglar does make their way into your home, a professional monitoring agent will be notified in the event of a triggered entry, motion or camera alarm. When an alarm is triggered, professional monitoring agents will be able to verify if the alarm is a real one and call the emergency authorities to address the situation quickly. 

Thankfully, there are many ways to protect your home and family from a break-in, and one way is with a smart home security system. Shop our packages to get started.