Five Most Common Reasons Residents Get Burglarized | By Jordan Frankel

According to the FBI’s 2017  Uniform Crime Report (UCR), over the last five-year reporting period (2013-2017) property crimes, including burglary, have been on the decline. However, there were still approximately 1,402,000 million burglaries across the nation in 2017. Of those burglaries, 67.2% involved residential properties. 

Because burglary and other property crimes will always be a part of our society, it is important to understand how to protect against them. One of the best ways to do this is to learn about the mistakes residents make that leave them vulnerable to burglary.

5 Mistakes that Put Residents at Risk for Burglary

According to Jordan Frankel, residential security expert, many of today’s burglaries occur because of the common mistakes residents make in terms of home security, or lack thereof. The five most common mistakes Jordan Frankel has found among victims of burglary are as follows: 

1. Failing to lock windows and doors. According to the FBI’s crime data, over 30% of the burglaries that occur in the U.S. are the result of residents leaving a window or door to their home unlocked. 

Home Security Tip: No matter how safe you think your neighborhood is, be sure to lock your doors and windows every time you leave and at night before you retire for the evening. You should also keep your doors locked when you are home. 

1. Relying solely on locked windows and doors as home security.  Many residents rely on nothing more than the standard locks on their windows and doors for home security. The FBI’s crime statistics go to show what a critical mistake this is, because the majority of burglaries are committed by breaking through a window or door that is locked.

Home Security Tip: Invest in quality home security products designed to make breaking in through a window or door extremely difficult. The OnGARD security door brace and BurglarGARD window security film are excellent examples of the affordable yet highly effective devices that can prevent intruders from entering your residence.

1. Leaving the home alarm system off. Many residents have an alarm system but fail to turn it on before they leave their residence. Many also tend to keep the alarm turned off when they are inside their home. 

Home Security Tip: A home alarm can both deter and scare off an intruder after the alarm is sounded. It can also provide you with the warning you need should an intruder break a window or enter through a door in your residence. If you don’t have an alarm system, you should get one. If you have one, be sure to activate the alarm before you leave your residence. You should also keep the alarm on when you are home. 

1. Opening the door to strangers. Some criminals scope out homes and gain entry into them by disguising themselves as sales reps, utility workers, and even police officers. Many residents continue to open their doors to these criminals in disguise.

Home Security Tip:  NEVER open the door to a stranger! Be sure to educate your children and other family members about the potential dangers. Provide a way to view who is at the door without opening it. This can be done by equipping your home with a wireless surveillance system with a portable LCD monitor that allows you to see who is outside from any room in your house.

1. Posting vacation plans and other times you are away from home through social media. More and more criminals are turning to social media to locate people who have vacations planned. Residents who report their whereabouts through social media also place themselves at risk of being burglarized while they are away.

Home Security Tip: Wait until you get back from your vacation/trip to share your fun times through your social media pages. If you want to tell certain family or friends about your plans before you leave, talk to them privately.

Learn from the Mistakes of Burglary Victims and Increase Your Home Security

Burglary occurs in every neighborhood across the nation. To reduce your risk, learn from the mistakes that so many of the victims of burglary have made and increase your home security. The more difficult you make it for an intruder to break into your home, the less likely you are to be burglarized.