What do burglars look for when they want to rob a home?
After a recent burglary to my own home where I have security screens and dogs, and live opposite a large number of townhouses where there are cars coming and going all the time, and school children walking past regularly, I wondered why they chose my home? I searched far and wide for answers. I wondered how I could make my home more secure so next time burglars give my home a miss. After lots of research I have found some interesting facts about burglaries.
Did you know that:
- 20.3% of Australian homes have been burgled at some point
- It takes 75% of burglars less than 5 minutes to enter a property
- Between 2018-2019, an estimated 2.4% of Australian households experienced a break-in, totalling 231,000.
What are the main reasons for targeting a premise?
The two main areas for targeting premises are (1) a lack of activity around the property; and (2) the visibility/attractiveness of the property.
Lack of activity is indicated by:
- Houses that appeared vacant or unoccupied
- Rubbish bins left outside on the curb
- No lights turned on inside the house in the evening
- No vehicles parked in the driveway
- An overflowing mailbox
Visibility/attraction iss ascertained by:
- Houses located in an affluent area
- Houses that had an expensive car in the driveway
- Any valuable items on display or in view either in the yard on from a door or window
What are the factors that would deter burglars from attempting to enter a property?
- A barking dog - 61.4%
- A working alarm system - 49.1%
- Sensor lights on the outside of the property - 22.8%
- Lights on inside of the house - 19.3%
- Grilled windows/doors - 19%
- An unknown area - 14%
- Visibility of the property from road - 14%
- Gates - 12.3%
A lack of security measures around the property is one of the first thing burglars check for when selecting a target. Fake or poorly implemented security systems that could be easily disarmed are not successful deterrents.
Fifty percent of burglars who discover the presence of an alarm while attempting a burglary, discontinue the attempt, while 31 percent will sometimes retreat. Around 13 percent will continue with the burglary attempt.
What is the most common method of entry?
- Through an unlocked door - 40%
- Breaking a door or window - 35%
- Through an unlocked window - 28%
- Picking or breaking a lock - 20%
- Other - 15%
For those of who attempt to hide a key in a secure location, think again. The usual hiding spots, underneath the doormat, under a pot plant or on the windowsill, are no longer a secure option.