Movies vs. Reality: The Truth About Burglaries
Myth 1: Burglaries always occur at night
A classic scene: a pair of burglars, approaching in the darkness, whispering plans as they prepare to break into a house under the cover of night.
Unfortunately, these scenes are far removed from reality. Actually, In real life the majority of burglaries occur during daylight and not night time. Specifically between 10 AM and 3 PM. "Why is that?" you might ask.
THE ANSWER: It's simple, you do not need shadows when there is nobody to see you in the light, right?
At these times, most homes are empty with children at school and adults at work. It provides the best opportunity for burglars to act without the risk of being noticed by occupants or nosy neighbors.
Myth 2: Burglars are criminal geniuses
In reality burglars are not criminal geniuses as movies usually portray. Most burglars are simply opportunistic and they look for easy ways to make money.
They look for the path of least resistance. They will typically search for homes that offer easy access through unsecured windows or doors. Their aim is to quickly slip in and out unnoticed.
Entry Points in Numbers
Discover the typical entry points and methods used by burglars to gain access to your house. Our infographic below sheds light on key statistics, and will help you better understand how to protect your property against these intruders.
Entry Tactics: The Burglar’s Preferred Tools
There are two types of entry methods to break into homes: loud entry and silent entry. Each method involves a different set of tools and tactics that are chosen based on the situation and the level of risk the burglar is willing to take.
Loud Entry Methods
For loud entries, burglars often favor using tools that provide significant leverage which will give them access to the premise quickly. A crowbar or pry bar is a popular choice for forcing open a poorly installed or inadequately reinforced door.
A proper installation is critical: doors should have their hinges secured with 3-inch screws, and both the strike and the bolt plates should also be reinforced similarly. Without these precautions, your door will require less force to open, making the burglar’s job much easier.
Other tools frequently employed in loud entries include screwdrivers, hammers, cutters, and other general tools. Any tool that can assist the burglar in creating leverage and breaking through physical barriers quickly is a potential 'burglary tool' in his mind.
Lastly, the most determined of them will use power tools; such as drills and torches. To safeguard against these forced entries, investing in high-security locks is essential. These locks are not only hardened and can withstand prying attacks, they are also designed to protect common drilling points, making it much harder life for burglars.
Silent Entry Methods
In silent entries, burglars prefer methods that attract less attention. These methods often exploit human error or your lock's tolerances, because both methods are quite.
The first thing burglars will typically look for are doors that were left open or keys left hidden outside. If you are dealing with a more sophisticated burglar he might try to pick your lock by exploiting your lock's tolerance. The tools commonly used are lockpicks, the notorious 'bump keys', and various self-made devices designed to quietly bypass locks.
To defend against silent entries, simple habits like ensuring doors are always locked and avoiding hiding keys outdoors can significantly enhance your home's security.
Another thing would be to consider installing high-security locks. High-security resist forced entries and are also resistant to picking and bumping attempts. High-security locks offer very small lock tolerances to the burglar which makes them almost impossible to bypass by 'bumping' or picking.
Proven Tips to Enhance Home Safety
As we've explored the various methods and tools burglars use to enter homes, it's clear that knowing what to look out for is only half the battle. The 2nd half is to take measures. Here are 3 easy proven tips that will drastically increase your security:
By understanding how burglars operate and taking proactive measures to secure your home, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of becoming a burglary victim/target.
Burglars nightmare is being caught, If it looks like too much effort to the burglar he will not try. The goal is to make your home less attractive to potential burglars by increasing the risk and difficulty associated with choosing your home as their target.
A high-security lock can be a great deterrent and will discourage must of the burglars out there. And for those who care about their security we will defiantly recommend researching high-security lock options.
We hope you found the information in this article valuable.
