How Burglars Break Into Houses

A cunning house burglar will come up with all sorts of innovative ways to break into a home, especially if they’re desperate. In general, though, burglars want an easy time of it and will always look for the simplest way to access your property. So if you want to know how burglars break into houses, the answer is in whatever way they can. Although residential burglaries are down overall, that doesn’t mean we should rest on our laurels. Despite the decline in recent years, criminals still break in to one property every 15 seconds in the US. To make things even worse, recent data shows that 72.6 percent of property crimes involve domestic households.^[1]

There is also an increase in the number of people who don’t even bother to report break-ins. The reason for this is because there never seems to be any real interest from law enforcement to do anything about it. This video explains all:

 

 

If It’s to Be It’s Up to Me

Most burglaries go unsolved, meaning the victims don’t usually get their valuables back. If it’s the usual kind of stuff like costly electronics, your contents insurance will reimburse you if you have it. Alas, millions of folks don’t have insurance or they’re underinsured. But it’s often the sentimental things that people get upset about the most. These are those irreplaceable items that may have no monetary value to speak of, but are priceless to the owner. There is also the emotional trauma that can often come with house break-ins. The best thing any of us can do to reduce property crimes is to prevent them from happening in the first place. We might not be able to stop them 100 percent, but we can at least reduce the risk by a considerable amount.

Understand how burglars choose the buildings they break into. With a little knowledge, you’re in a better position to strengthen your own home security. Here are seven of the most common things a burglar looks for before deciding to break into a residential property. See if you can spot any of your own vulnerabilities in this list. If you can, look for ways to protect you and your property better.^[2]

1. Unlocked doors or windows (30 percent of all break-ins), including front, back and side doors
2. Forced entry (62 percent) through windows and doors (check for strength and security)
3. Unoccupied signals (mail piling up behind letter box, deliveries not taken in, etc.)
4. Little or no obvious security (cameras, lighting, dogs, alarms, neighborhood watch stickers, etc.)
5. Easy hiding places in the grounds, i.e. tall, dense greenery. Grow plants below window sills
6. Burglars posing as officials or tradesmen (never let anyone in without verifying ID first)
7. Monitor social media. Don’t even discuss holiday plans or trips away on public networks

Regarding that last point, the internet is becoming a growing problem. Whatever you post online stays online, even if you delete it. Today’s savvy burglars embrace modern technology and are always surfing the web for clues.

By taking a few sensible precautions, you can do your bit to help reduce the alarming number of property crimes in the US.

Resources

1. https://www2.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2009/offenses/property_crime/burglary.html
2. http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/household-safety/security/10-ways-to-break-into-a-house.htm