What Are The Chances of Your House Being Robbed?

Burglars are smart, and always in search of easy targets. They research thoroughly and examine the security inadequacies of a house. They try to know when the house remains vacant so nobody could catch them.

Although the fear of burglary always haunts us in the background, most people hope for the best, while some take precautions.

Modern-day intruders have smarter plans, and they enter the house differently. If you are already a victim of a burglary, then there are high chances that it will happen again.

Maybe you have added an advanced security system, but there is still a possibility that these unwelcomed guests will come back. So, what are the chances of your house being robbed?

Let’s find out.

What are the possibilities of your house being robbed?

As per statistics, only 17% of homes in the United States have security systems. This is an eye-opening statistic and suggests that most houses are not safe.

One burglary happens every 13 seconds, and about 2.5 million burglaries occur every year.

Is your house at risk?

Most take place during the day when nobody is there in the house.  A luxurious fancy house is more likely to get robbed. If your home has multiple openings, then it can easily attract burglars.

Most burglars enter from the front door while some may also look for other opportunities that allow them to come-in.

What Are The Common Entry Points Used By The Burglars?

When it comes to home security, the first thing that comes to mind are good-quality locks.

Although you might have installed quality locks on your doors and windows, intruders are way smarter.

The most popular access points are the front door, patio doors, windows, and garage doors.

The front door is the favorite and common entry point. An unlocked front door welcomes thieves, so make sure to keep the front door locked when not in use.

Sliding doors are provided for extra ventilation and are out of view as they are commonly present at the back of a home. They can also be easy entry points for burglars.

The garage is another popular entry points for burglars because most garage doors are fragile and have unreliable locks.

Windows are the weakest parts of your house, especially the first-floor windows. Make sure you lock the window to avoid the risk of a burglary.

Suggested Read :

• Front Door Security
• Windows Security
• Garage Security
• Sliding Glass Door Security

When do burglars strike the most?

Burglars love summers, especially the July and August months, because this is the time when vacations are on.

Additionally, windows are left open in summer afternoons for ventilation.

All this is turn out to be an opportunity for thieves to breaking-in the house without much hassle. Homeowners should take the necessary steps to secure such scenarios.

What Should You Do If Someone Breaks Into your house?

1. Inform Cops

The first thing you should do is, call the police and inform them about the burglary. Do not touch anything while waiting for them to arrive.

It is important for the police to investigate and look for clues that can help in catching the thieves.

2. Secure The Details

Meanwhile, you can note down the details such as a description of the criminal, and vehicle used.

In case you had installed a security camera, it will be worth checking out the captured data to see and record data about the whole incident.

3. Photographs

Take photographs of the scene as that will help your insurance company and cops as well.

It is important as you should have a record of the state at which the entire place was after the robbery. It can serve as evidence when claiming the damage.

4. Contact Insurance Company

Write down the stolen items and call your insurance company within twenty-four hours of the incident.

This should be immediately done after you have taken the photographs and analyzed the damage.

The insurance agencies will immediately review the damage to settle your claim.

5. Inform Banks

Make sure you contact the financial institutions if an intruder has stolen your credit card, checks, or other monetary documents.

You have to do this once you know that these things have been stolen. Smart thieves may use your financial cards and documents for personal gains.

6. Replace Locks and Keys

Check for the broken locks and stolen keys. Replace them as early as possible so that intruders cannot easily enter your house again.

Yes, you might overlook this aspect as you are more concerned about the things stolen. There is a chance that the thief might try his luck whenever he seeks an opportunity in the future.

7. Call For Emotional Strength

Burglary affects emotionally, so you should take help from your friends and family as well as from the victim support groups.

It surely helps to lift your mood while the police and the insurance agencies do their tasks. It is very important to stay strong in such situations and deal with the incident calmly.

What Burglars Usually Steal & Look For In A House?

Intruders always look for expensive products and cash.

Ordinary items are of no use to them, so they search for special ones. They would essentially look for the following things inside the house:

Cash

Burglars are fond of cash because it is untraceable. Moreover, liquid cash is easy to carry and enables them to purchase whatever they like. Hence, a proper locker should be there to store your cash on a regular basis.

Jewelry

Jewelry is also one of the other preferred belongings burglars look for. Even a small piece of jewelry makes their project successful.

The locker should also be used to store your jewelry. Also, make it a habit of keeping each and everything you take out back to its place the moment you are done using it.

Costly items

Costly items include latest electronic products. Smaller gadgets are more comfortable to carry, so burglars leave behind the bulkier ones. Laptops, mobiles, smartphones are their favorite gadgets.

Medications

Now a day’s medication stealing is common in burglaries. They may prefer stealing prescribed medicines to re-sell. Expensive medication can be stolen and we are on most occasions least concerned if anything of that sorts could happen with us.

Credit cards

A credit card is another straightforward monetary benefit for burglars, as it can be used to make purchases instantly. Easy to carry and hide, the burglar can very quickly buy stuff and use all your credit before throwing it in the garbage.

Liquor

Most burglars won’t leave liquor if they could spot it, especially the expensive ones.  So, if you are fond of liquors, keep them safe too. Hence, a proper storage that is well protected is something you should always consider when you plan to have such expensive options at your place.

Know the mind of intruders

Nobody wants to experience a burglary. For this, it is essential to think like an intruder.

This helps to know the steps burglars would take to break-in the house and what safety measures can prevent them from coming inside. 

Let us know what intruders think.

A Vacant Home Welcomes Burglars

Burglars always want to break-in a house when no one is there as risks of being caught is comparatively lower.

To check this, they sometimes knock the door. They could simply make an excuse if someone answers. Otherwise, they try to unlock the door lock or look for other openings to enter.

Preventive Security Measures

Intruders hate security measures such as alarms or security cameras. They don’t want to be traced by the cops.

So, if you have installed advanced security systems in place, most burglars are discouraged to enter your house, though it is not the same in every case.

Neighborhood

A home located in the dark with many hiding places and a lifeless neighborhood is a potential target. If your house is present at the same locality, then it is important to take the necessary precautions.

Making Burglary Tough For intruders

Do you think that advanced security systems are the only way to protect a home from burglars? If so, then you should change the perspective as these state-of-the-art security systems add a layer of protection, but you should not solely depend on them. You can secure your home in various ways, such as:

• Use a premium quality lock and do not forget to keep the doors and windows locked
• Install deadbolts on front doors
• Make sure to reinforce the doors and windows
• Install motion-sensing lights in your premises
• Keep your expensive items secured and out of sight

Why Intruders Took Nothing After Breaking-in My House?

Burglars take minutes to steal your valuables, and try to get in and out as quickly as possible. In the meantime, if a burglar does not find anything, he might run away.

It is also possible that after entering the house, the burglar may have heard family members and left the house without stealing anything.

Experienced burglars have limited time and take things that come in their sight. So, if you have kept the valuables well-hidden, then burglar may not succeed with their intentions.

Conclusion

Burglary is a quick process, and if you have taken necessary precautions, it will not be easy for burglars to enter your house. Reinforcing the doors and windows is extremely important, and it is the foremost security measure. Clear the clutter so that thieves cannot hide behind anything. Last but not least, always keep the door and windows locked to secure your home.