Burglary Statistics: The Hard Numbers

Read more about this article: https://www.alarms.org/burglary-statistics/

While today’s burglary statistics show an overall decrease in burglary rates, thousands of homes (roughly 325,000) are still being broken into every year – often in plain view, during the day. In fact, property crimes in 2015 resulted in losses estimated at $14.3 billion.

When do burglaries occur?

• There are 1,495,790 burglaries during the day. Break ins are 6% more likely to occur during the day between 6am and 6pm while people are at work or running errands.
• There are 1,324,090 burglaries during the night. The cover of night brings security for intruders but also means people are more likely be home.
• Snow and cold are also a significant deterrent. The lowest amount of burglaries happen in the month of February.
• A report from the U.S. Department of Justiceshowed that from 1993 to 2010, on average, burglary rates were highest in the summer, with about 9% lower rates in spring, 6% lower in fall, and 11% lower in winter.

​There is one burglary every 13 seconds.

There are roughly 2.5 million burglaries a year, 66% of those being home break ins. Police solve only 13% of reported burglary cases due to lack of a witness or physical evidence.

What are my protection options?

Not surprisingly, burglars will typically avoid a house if it is too difficult or risky. The following are steps you can take to prevent home intrusion:

• Make your house less appealing by removing overgrown brush or other structures that can provide cover.
• Get metal doors or at least solid core wood on exterior entrances. Pair with a beefy deadbolt for good measure.
• To go the extra mile, install a heavy-duty strike plate with screws that go deep into the frame.
• Add a dowel or board into the track of sliding doors or windows. This prevents it from moving, even if it’s unlocked.
• Add security cameras and make sure they are visible.  You can even buy dummy cameras if you only want to use them for deterrence.
• If you’re keeping a window open, make sure it isn’t more than 4 inches wide.
• Keep the entryway or porch locked, too. An open porch provides cover for those breaking into the main door.
• If someone you don’t know knocks on the door be loud – make your presence known.
• If you choose to answer the door, do so while on the phone with a friend or pretend you’re on the phone. This tells the potential burglar that someone will know if there’s a break in.
• If you’re sure a burglary is in progress, call 911 and shout loud statements like, “Honey – get the gun!” When they know you’re aware and have self-defense measures in place they are much less likely to follow through. For elderly residents who live alone,medical alert systems  can usually alert the police as well.
• If you’ve just moved in, make sure you change the locks on all exterior doors to be safe.
• Get to know your neighbors. They’re your first line of defense – you watch their house, they watch yours.