Burglary is considered a property crime for all intents and purposes. It is different from robbery inasmuch as burglary tends to take place when no one is around. As such, it is not necessarily deemed as serious as robbery or other violent crimes. And that is of little comfort to people who have been victimized – whether at home or at the businesses they own.
One of the more troubling aspects of burglary is the fact that so many victims realize burglars have stolen more than their possessions. They come to the realization that their sense of safety and security has also been stolen. After all, what would stop a burglar from returning to the scene of the crime and potentially harming someone in the process?
That moment you realize burglars have stolen more than your possessions is the same moment you start thinking about strategies to prevent ever being victimized again. To that end, Vivint encourages property owners to seriously consider security systems with built-in video surveillance. They are insistent that security cameras save lives and property.
Burglaries at Homes
Burglaries typically take place at unoccupied homes. That makes sense when you stop to think about how burglars operate. They do not go looking to confront property owners, despite what television commercials and movies might lead you to believe. Rather, burglars look to steal from properties when no one else is around.
Statistics show that the front door is the number one entry point for burglars. It is followed by first-floor windows and back doors. Right off the bat, this tells you something about how to protect your home. This is where security cameras come into play.
A security camera aimed squarely at the front door automatically makes that entry point less attractive. One on the back door achieves the same thing. Homeowners can defend against entry through first-floor windows by planting thorny shrubs directly under those windows.
What Burglars Look For
If you are wondering what would make your home attractive to burglars, what they look for is no secret. The three biggest things that make your home a target are as follows:
- Location – Burglars look for houses off the beaten path. Suburban neighborhoods without a lot of traffic are doable, but homes outside of town are even better. Homes at the end of a cul-de-sac can also be attractive because of the limited amount of traffic cul-de-sacs see.
- Wealth – Burglars look for any signs of wealth. If they see expensive cars in the driveway and lots of toys in the garage with an open door, they might be tempted to come back later and pay a visit. They pay attention to the trash that goes out to the curb the day after Christmas as well.
- Appearance – Finally, burglars look for homes that shows signs of neglect. As the thinking goes, a homeowner not willing to put the time and effort into keeping up the appearance of the home probably doesn’t put a lot of effort into security either.
Burglaries at Businesses
Burglaries are not as commonplace at businesses as they are homes, but they still do occur. Burglars who target businesses are typically looking for either cash or items they can sell on the street very quickly. Such items include things like cell phones, sunglasses, and jewelry.
A business’s best defense against burglary is surveillance. This means both interior and exterior surveillance. Cameras mounted on the outside of the building, covering every point of entry, can help keep burglars at bay. A smash-and-grab burglar who decides to ignore external surveillance can still be surveilled by interior cameras also aimed at common entry points.
Experts also recommend fortifying doors and windows in order to make burglars work harder. The more work they have to do, the more likely they are to move on to easier targets. Lastly, bear in mind the three things that make your home a target for burglars. They make your business equally vulnerable.
Burglary is an unpleasant fact of life. However, you can protect yourself with a security system that includes video surveillance. Burglars hate video cameras, and they do what they can to avoid them.