Burglary Prevention: How to Keep Your Home From Being Targeted by a Burglar | By Jordan Frankel
Burglary prevention requires an understanding of how burglars select homes to break into. It all comes down to risk versus reward. Risk involves the chance of the burglar getting caught and convicted, while reward refers to the valuables the burglar can steal and sell.
So, what’s the best way to keep burglars from targeting your home? Increase the risk of break-in for the criminal.
When it comes to reward, most homes offer valuables that appeal to burglars, from electronics to cash or even firearms. Because burglars seek these rewards, focusing on burglary prevention by increasing risk is crucial. The average burglar wants a quick, easy entry and exit with minimal risk of capture. By strengthening home security measures, you can make your home an unappealing target.
To reduce the likelihood that a burglar will target your home, it’s important to understand the criminal’s perspective.
The average burglar is typically a male between 16 to 21 years of age. Most live near or within the community of homes or apartments they target; others have friends or family that live in the community. Burglars benefit from knowing the layout of a neighborhood, the residents’ routines, and the level of security or law enforcement presence. The more a criminal knows, the more likely he can pull off his crime without getting caught.
To keep your home from being targeted by such a burglar, implementing visible layers of home security is important. According to home security expert, Jordan Frankel, a residence with highly visible security measures poses a higher risk to criminals, reducing the likelihood of a break-in.
Layered security provides the best approach to burglary prevention. By implementing visible security layers, you make your home a higher-risk target for criminals, which encourages them to look elsewhere. Below are essential security layers you can set up to deter intruders.
Burglars typically scope out potential targets before deciding to break in. Your outer security layer acts as the first line of break-in prevention.
Burglars avoid homes when they believe someone is inside. Here’s how to create the impression that someone is home:
While most burglars avoid breaking into occupied homes, some are more determined. For these cases, it’s essential to reinforce entry points with effective burglary prevention measures:
These security layers make breaking into your home require more time, effort, and noise than most burglars are willing to risk. This higher break-in prevention risk is a strong deterrent, often forcing criminals to abandon their attempts and flee.
Protecting your home from burglary requires a multi-layered security strategy. Adding each security layer boosts your burglary prevention efforts and increases risk for intruders. Begin implementing these break-in prevention measures today to keep your family and property safe.