How burglars select which homes to target
In 2022/23 alone, there were 275,919 burglaries in England and Wales.
While many homeowners believe they have taken adequate measures to deter burglars, the reality is that criminals are far more effective at choosing their targets than most people think – and they base their choices on a number of factors. Understanding the factors a burglar considers when choosing a target can help homeowners to implement effective security to mitigate the chance of break-in.
Understanding what burglars look for
Burglars obviously look for properties that appear relatively easy to break into. They target properties in high-traffic areas or rural settings where security measures may be less stringent, or police response times slower. They carefully observe neighbourhoods to identify homes with predictable occupant patterns, such as when the homeowner leaves for work and returns home. As with squatters, they also often prefer houses at the end of a street where they are less likely to be observed.
Burglars typically seek the easiest entry points, such as open windows, unlocked doors, unfenced backyards, or even pet doors.
Properties with weak locks and a lack of visible security deterrents, such as alarm systems or “beware of dog” signs, are attractive targets. Burglars may also target homes that appear affluent, with signs such as well-maintained exteriors or expensive vehicles parked in the driveway. These outward signs of wealth can suggest the presence of valuable possessions within the home which have a greater resale price.
Unoccupied houses are attractive propositions for obvious reasons. They look for accumulating mail or newspapers, empty driveways, no lights on, or even an overall sense of inactivity are clues to burglars that no one is home.
Property owners sensibly try and make their houses look as if they are at home. However, burglars regularly see through the tricks homeowners apply. One burglar revealed that they rely on specific indicators to determine whether a homeowner is truly home or not.
“I often picked houses by the stupid tricks people use when they go out of town. …Tons of lights on, and an obnoxiously loud television on in the living room at 2am on a Sunday in an upper-middle-class neighbourhood,” one self-confessed criminal posting on the social discussion platform Reddit.
If an empty house cannot be found, the next best choice may be a property with a single inhabitant. Burglars can easily work out that a resident lives alone by checking mailbox names, letters, noticing unattended packages, or simply by observing a lack of additional occupants during a phase of hostile reconnaissance.
Safeguarding your home from burglars
Securing one’s home should start by keeping high-value items out of sight by keeping them in a safe. One should also implement a comprehensive home security system, including doorbell cameras, CCTV, and an intruder detection system (IDS), as they provide enhanced deterrence and detection.
If an alarm is triggered when a door or window is broken open, it is less likely that a criminal will persist in breaking into your house – and if they do, they will have less time to steal possessions and escape. Many CCTV systems provide a remote monitoring capability, either through a mobile phone, or through a third-party alarm receiving centre (ARC) which will call the owner and/or the police as soon as a break-in is detected.
Outdoor motion-activated security lighting is an effective way to deter intruders because they are less likely to want to break in when they can be clearly identified . Installing automated or motion-sensor lights can startle potential intruders and enhance the clarity of CCTV footage. Additionally, maintaining well-trimmed landscaping eliminates potential hiding spots for burglars. This, for example, may mean trimming hedges to waist height.
If you are going on holiday, it is certainly worth asking a friend or neighbour to pick your post up from inside the door daily, and make a few small changes so that it looks like someone is at home. If curtains, for example, are never moved, it is obvious that no one is at home.
Door should be constructed of solid timber or sturdy composite materials with reinforced frames. A master locksmith can verify that locks and hinges meet British Standard approval. Multiple door locks, hinge-bolts, and dog-bolts help spread the impact of a forced entry across the fame, making it much harder to break into.
Laminated glass, security film, or sash stops should be installed to deter burglars. Key-operated locks on windows outward-opening windows, or those that are accessible from the ground floor are recommended.
For high-value properties, it is certainly worth employing security guards to conduct regular patrols. Threat actors are far less likely to even try to break into a house when people are at home – although it is worth noting that criminals do target houses when the owners are at home. This is usually because they are targeting the safe. They will force the owner to open the safe under duress, because ripping it out a heavy safe and loading it into a vehicle is generally near impossible in a short time period.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/956906/burglaries-in-england-and-wales/
https://www.met.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/protect-home-crime/door-security-advice/
https://www.yourlocalsecurity.com/blog/how-do-burglars-decide-which-homes-to-target/
https://mtslocksmiths.co.uk/burglars-reveal-what-makes-certain-people-easy-targets/
https://www.met.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/protect-home-crime/window-security/
