Knowing when most burglaries occur is powerful information. 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.
According to a crime analysis by Vivint Smart Home, 50.3% of burglaries occur at night between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. while the other half (49.7%) happen in daylight hours. For clarity sake, Vivint, which was recently acquired by energy giant NRG, makes sure to clarify the difference between larceny/theft and burglary.
In reality, your biggest risk of a break-in isn't at night. Research actually suggests that break-ins are most likely to happen during the day. Burglars are most likely to enter homes on weekdays between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. or from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Where do they look? The first place a burglar will look for keys is exactly where most people leave them, which tends to be right near the front door, for convenience of course. Other common places include nightstands, or inside purses or bags.
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.
Remember that the vast majority of home invaders are chasing easy-to-sell valuables and aren't there with the intent of harming residents. According to the FBI, most burglars don't intentionally choose targets when residents are home, so they're surprised to discover people in the house.
Home Security Cameras
Our best deterrent for burglars is the presence of an outdoor security camera. Having cameras mounted around your exterior home is a great way to prevent burglars from entering your home! This immediately makes it look as though burgling your home will be more of a risk.
Most home burglaries take place during the day.
While the darkness tends to cause apprehensive feelings, most burglars actually prefer to break in during the day. FBI.org tells us that home break-ins are more common in daylight hours. Why?
The burglars in this particular study did not come to a clear consensus on whether lighting was a sufficient deterrent: "Responses were mixed regarding lights on in a home. Some said it was a deterrent. But one burglar said the combination of lights on and blinds closed created an attractive location."
These are the most common points of entry for home break-ins: Front door: 34% of burglars twist the doorknob and walk right in. First-floor windows: 23% use a first-floor open window to break into your home. Back door: 22% come in through the back door.
According to data from the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services Division, larceny-theft is one of the most common types of robbery.
What type of crime is more likely to happen during the day? Most crimes occurred between noon and 7 p.m., when many people are out and about.
They seek out any opening that they can take advantage of, specifically doors and windows that are left open or unlocked or are easy to force. Anything of value that they might spot through a window will only spur them on. But it really doesn't take much to deter these thieves – just smart thinking.
Burglars look under the bed, in closets, in dresser drawers and medicine cabinets in your bathroom. Next burglars will hit up the kitchen and living room for electronics, credit cards, keys and personal information.
Burglars are after anything valuable you have at home, like electronics, designer clothing, firearms and even furniture. If these items are easily accessible, it's possible a thief could steal them. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to protect your personal items from being stolen in a break-in.
If someone broke into your house, there's a good chance they will return. There are many reasons why a burglar or robber might target you a second time: Knowledge of the home layout, including entry points. Knowledge of valuables they left behind the first time.
Past trauma or experience – Scelerophobia can be induced by experiencing or witnessing criminal activity. For example, your home might have been burgled or the home of someone in your family or in your street. Genetics – You're more likely to develop scelerophobia if a direct relative has a phobia or OCD.
Biometric safes are the most secure type of safe. They are considered “high security” safes and demand a steep price. However, due to their quality, it is incredibly difficult to break into a biometric safe.
An investigative report by KGW8 out of Oregon surveyed 86 burglars. The study concluded that if “a homeowner had a big, loud dog most burglars would stay away.” One of the convicted burglars even said, “dogs are a deal breaker for me… Big breeds, home protectors are the best to keep people out.”
When you're home at night. This is a good time to leave the porch light on. It alerts burglars to your presence, particularly if indoor lights are on too. The porch light also acts as a spotlight on the front door.