How Burglars Know When to Strike
When you think of a burglary, do you envision a dark-clothed man creeping around a home under the cover of darkness? You might be surprised to learn that 65 percent of home burglaries occur between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., with the majority of those between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Why?
Because most burglars prefer to rob homes that are unoccupied. They want to get in and out in a few minutes and be on their way. So how do they know when your home is unoccupied?
They Knock
Simple but true — many burglars will park their car down the street and walk up to your door and knock to see if anyone is home. If someone answers, they’ll pretend to selling something or say they have the wrong house.
If no one answers the door or they don’t hear sounds of life inside, they’ll try the door and then walk around your house to see if they can find an easy point of entry.
You Have a Predictable Routine
Most of us live on a relatively regular schedule, leaving and returning to our homes around the same time of day. Burglars merely have to cruise your neighborhood or park and watch to learn pretty easily when your home is likely to be unoccupied.
This is why it’s good idea to get to know your neighbors and / or get a dog that likes to bark at strangers. Burglars hate nosy neighbors and barking dogs!
Social Media
While there’s nothing necessarily wrong with posting updates and news to social media, you have to use caution regarding the type of information posted here.
Burglars today are now using social media to determine when homes are unoccupied. If you post an update on your Facebook page indicating that you are leaving for or already on vacation, criminals may use this information to determine when your home is vacated.
To combat this, avoid posting “revealing” information about your personal travel plans. In addition, unless you need for your profile to be public for business purposes, set your social media profiles to private so that only your friends and family can see them.
No Cars in the Driveway or Garage
Another element burglars evaluate to determine when a home is unoccupied is by looking for cars in the driveway or garage. One option is to leave a locked car parked in your driveway if you plan to be away — just don’t leave the garage door opener or any valuables inside it!
If your garage has windows, burglars will look inside to see if there are any cars. Consider coating these windows with a frosted glass product to obscure their view.
If you live in a snowy climate, arrange to have someone clear your driveway of snow while you’re away.
Packages On Doorstep or Mailbox Is Full
Arrange to have your mail and packages held if you plan to be away for more than a day or two. Or ask neighbors to check for you and hang onto items until you return. If you have newspapers delivered, make sure to put a hold on those too.
Your Home Was Recently Serviced
How well do you know that plumber, electrician, or housekeeping service? While we all like to believe that companies run criminal background checks on all of their employees, that may not always be the case.
And even if an employee has a clean background, they may have friends or family members who don’t. They can be either coerced or even willing to share info with them about your home.
It is an uncomfortable thought for homeowners, but the person you hired to help you just may be plotting to rob your home at a later date.
So, how do you prevent this from happening?
- Get referrals from friends or neighbors when you need to hire contractors.
- Work with only reputable companies who vet their employees.
- Look for past customer reviews and references.
If this is still not enough, you can easily run a criminal background check online for a nominal fee.
In the end, the best line of defense is always an excellent home security system you can rely on.
Cultris Security Systems have been protecting homeowners for more than 10 years. Let us give you the peace of mind you deserve today.
Contact us to learn how we can help secure your home. Call 281-506-8466 or visit us online.
Image attribution: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bearpark/
