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Summer Is Big for Burglaries!
Burglary Basics
Can Help You Protect Your Home
Rich Maganini
Facts, Stats on the Internet Offer Clues -- Planning an active
summer? So is the average burglar. Most communities will see a 10 to 18 percent increase
in burglaries in June, July and August. How can you better protect your home? You
can start by learning about who the average burglar is and how he plies his trade,
according to SecurityLink from Ameritech.
"Summer is a good time for homeowners to reassess their home security,"
said Tony Byerly, general manager at SecurityLink from Ameritech. "It helps
to know something about how burglars operate. There's a wealth of facts and statistics
available online from the FBI, the Bureau of Justice Statistics and other sources
that reveal important insights - insights you can use to develop an effective home
security strategy."
SecurityLink's own review of burglary data uncovered some important facts. How do
burglars pick their targets? Burglars prefer an empty house; in fact, about 59 percent
of burglaries occur during the day, when no one is home. Burglars encounter a resident
in only 13 percent of break-ins. Burglars also prefer homes that provide extra cover
and an easy getaway. Homes with tall privacy fences, large shrubs, no outdoor lighting
and easy access to major highways rate high on the hit list.
How do burglars get in? More than 80 percent enter a home through the first floor,
and over half get in through a front or back door. Another 25 percent come through
a first-floor window. A small percentage enters through the garage, basement or second
floor. Too often, homeowners make it easy for burglars - 40 percent of the time,
burglars enter through an unlocked door or window.
What do burglars take and how much? The average loss for a home is about $1,350.
The typical burglar will spend less than five minutes in a home and take only what
he can find and carry away quickly: jewelry, cash, tools, stereos, TVs and VCRs.
Home computers are also popular -- more than $1 billion worth are stolen every year.
"Home PCs are a big loss because of the information they contain on personal
finances, a home-based business or even family photos from today's new digital cameras,"
said Byerly. "At the minimum, you lose the information for good. Worst case,
a burglar has access to credit card and bank account numbers -- even your social
security number."
What are the chances you'll get the goods back? The odds are against you. The total
value of goods stolen is recovered in less than 10 percent of burglaries. And only
about 15 percent of burglaries are solved, far lower than the clearance rates for
other crimes. In most burglaries, there's very little physical evidence and no witnesses.
Who is the average burglar? More than 95 percent are male, and about 70 percent are
younger than 30. Most are repeat offenders, and many are armed -- 44 percent of convicted
burglars surveyed in one state said they carried a weapon.
According to Byerly, the facts indicate some
clear strategies for homeowners:
-- Before you go on vacation, take steps that make it look like someone is home.
Timers on lights and a stereo, and a neighbor or friend who'll cut the grass and
pick up newspapers and mail are all good strategies.
-- Install good locks at primary points of entry: first-floor doors and windows.
Doors should be secured with inch-and-a-half deadbolts. If you've just moved into
a new home, check all the locks on windows and doors to make sure they work.
-- Keep home electronics out of view from outside your home. Don't keep large sums
of cash at home, and consider storing some portable valuables -- such as family heirlooms
-- in a safe deposit box. Regularly back up computer files.
-- Make your home more visible to neighbors. Trim shrubs, open blinds when you're
away and install exterior lighting, including lights that are activated with motion
detectors.
-- Consider a dog or an alarm system -- both are effective deterrents because they
eliminate the potential for a quick hit. It's much easier to move on to the next
house.
For more information on home security, contact SecurityLink at +1 800-626-7182.
SecurityLink from Ameritech provides a variety
of advanced security, fire detection and electronic monitoring systems to more than
1.2 million residential, commercial and government customers throughout the United
States, Canada, Puerto Rico and Mexico.
(UG Network News)
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