28% of break-ins occur when the homeowner is home – burglars will often ring the doorbell to see if anyone is home. They will use tools and bricks or rocks to help force entry, and ladders, bins or stools to help them climb over fences and into windows. They will often target times when someone is expected to be away from their house such as during the school run or holidays.
Criminals often choose a home because they have seen a specific vehicle they want to steal and they judge the keys are more than likely to be inside the residence
The most common points of entry for home break-ins are:
- Front door: 34% of burglars try the doorknob and if it is unlocked they walk right in.
- First-floor windows: 23% will use a first-floor open window to break in.
- Back door: 22% come in through the back door.
- Garage doors: 9% gain entrance through the garage (sheds and garages are often vulnerable as they are not that secure and contain tools which the burglar can use to assist them to gain entry to a home).
Upon entry burglars usually go to the main bedroom where many households keep money and jewellery. If they are unsatisfied with what you have in the main bedroom, they often then ransack the rest of the house so they can steal as much as possible, before calling a partner to approach with a vehicle to they can load up the goods. The average burglar takes less than a minute to break into your home and 8 to 12 minutes to get out again.
After the robbery burglars will quickly turn the stolen items into cash. Usually, they unload the loot anonymously by selling through eBay, Craigslist, or a pawn shop, which makes it almost impossible to find property once it is stolen.
Remember that many burglars return to homes that they’ve previously burgled because the homeowner has failed to upgrade security following the first burglary.
Your home should have some form of a security system, whether it’s a basic DIY system or one that comes with professional monitoring and home automation. Today there are plenty of home security options for every budget and every level of protection.
GBSG offer free advice without obligation to homeowners wishing to invest in a comprehensive home security system.
Call us on 01775 821 100 to arrange and appointment.
