Unfortunately, burglaries and break-ins happen quite regularly in homes across North America. In 2010, a burglary took place every 15 seconds in the United States. The best way to prevent burglaries and to protect yourself is to understand where and when they take place and to secure your home with the appropriate security technology. Understanding burglary statistics is key.
Renter’s Insurance recently published burglary statistics on break ins in the United States. The information can help you understand how burglar’s think so that you are able to better protect your home, your valuables and your family.
In Depth Info on Burglary Statistics
Burglaries of residential properties accounted for 73.9% of all burglary offenses in 2010. Contrary to what some may believe, the majority of residential burglaries take place during the day, not at night. Most burglaries take place between 10am and 3pm, since most people are away from their homes during these times. Break ins take place most often during the summer months (July and August) while February has the fewest number of break ins. Weather is certainly a factor in these cases and the fact that many people take long vacations during the summer makes their homes tempting targets for burglars.Single-family homes in the middle of a block are more common targets for burglars than homes on corner lots. This is likely because a house on the corner is more easily spotted than a house in the middle of a block. Burglars do not want to be caught committing crimes and thus they target homes where they are less likely to be noticed.
How do burglars get into your home?
According to burglar statistics, in most cases, criminals enter your home in the same way that you do, through the front door. This was the entry point of choice in 34% of burglaries. A first floor window was chosen in 23% of cases and the back door was used in 22%. Garages are used to enter a home 9% of the time.From looking at burglary statistics, we see that most criminals head to the master bedroom first when breaking into a home. This is usually where jewelry, safes, cash and other valuables are held. The most common places for burglars to look for items in your bedroom are in dresser drawers, desks and in closets. Home offices are also a major target for burglars, as these rooms usually include electronics and other valuable items.
Money, jewelry and electronics are by far the most frequently stolen items in home burglaries.
You can protect yourself from a burglary with strong home security tools. For more information on burglary statistics or to speak with one of our loss prevention professionals about protecting your home and your valuables, please contact us today. We have been protecting people and property for more than 20 years and understand how to use burglary statistics to protect a property.