“YOU CANNOT PUT A PRICE ON PEACE OF MIND”
by Contributor
(May 31, 2017) — When most people think of burglaries they imagine an intruder sneaking into their home while they sleep, searching through their house with a flashlight. However, according to new research, most burglaries occur in broad daylight, between the hours of 10:00 am – 3:00 pm, hours when most people are at work and when unscrupulous individuals can be reasonably certain houses are empty. Therefore, many Americans are planning their home security on incorrect assumptions. Good home security is essential to keeping you and your family safe and your mind at ease while you’re away from home. Below are a few of the most common misconceptions about burglaries and home security and how they should affect your home security planning.
34% of Burglars Enter Through the Front Door
Many of us don’t think of our front door as a point of vulnerability in home security. After all, the front door is designed to prevent unwanted entry. However, any security system is only as good as the people that operate it and it is easy to be lulled into a false sense of security by assuming that no burglar would even bother to try the front door. This leads many Americans to leave their front doors unlocked. On paper, this might seem like an obvious oversight, but of course, it’s something that we’ve all done. Even if you plan to only be out for a short while you should make sure you keep your door locked.
Most Burglaries Take Less Than 10 Minutes
You might think that a burglar would want to take their time and search through every nook and cranny for stray dollars and or valuable jewelry. In fact, burglars prefer easy and obvious targets and aim to get in and out as quickly as possible. When leaving your home, make sure that items like laptops and tablets aren’t sitting out in clear view through the window. Obviously, you can’t pack away your flat screen TV every time you leave the house, but a burglar is also unlikely to be able to carry that away unnoticed.
For 3 in Every 10 Burglaries, Someone is Home
Being burgled is always a traumatic experience, but many victims take a sense of relief in the fact that they weren’t at the property during the time the intruder entered. However, in 30% of cases someone is home and this, of course, puts them in great danger. Intruders can be unpredictable and if they feel physically threatened by a homeowner defending themselves they might attack. No amount of careful planning is going to deter the most determined burglar, but a home security system may well do.
These can range from alarms designed to scare the intruder away as soon as they make entry, to sophisticated systems involving motion sensors and automatic calls to the police. Even those on a budget should seriously consider investing in some form of electronic home security. There is a range of companies available who can help here, some more reputable than others. ADT are an example of an established company and ADT prices are among the most competitive in the industry.
You cannot put a price on peace of mind, just like you cannot put a price on the value of family heirlooms that might attract a burglar. Talk to your home security supplier to decide what arrangements you can put in place to keep you, your family, and your possessions safe.