Who gets Targeted..?

In a nutshell there isn't a particular type of premises that gets targeted by a burglar. It can happen to absolutely anyone, and in every neighbourhood. No one is immune.

Possibly nothing could be more frightening or unnerving than arriving home to find that you have been burgled (unless, of course, you are home when it happens). No areas are immune from criminal activity and every dwelling is a potential target, but there are several things that you can do to make your home a safer and more secure place.
You may find it hard to believe but the main threat to your home comes not from a professional thief but from the opportunist, this doesn't mean that the opportunist is an amateur because they can be very experienced, and very skilled at avoiding detection. But as the name suggests they look for opportunities to burgle, and are very easily put off. If they cant see quick and easy pickings they will usually move on to a less aware target.

Its a fact that most Home Burglaries occur during the daytime, when the premises are less likely to be occupied due to work, or even those 15 minutes your away while you take the children to school, or just pop up the shops to get some bread.

Having selected the target they will usually knock at the front door - just to make sure no one is home. If you answer, they can make up a plausible reason for being there. Having had no reply, the burglar will move around the outside of the house, looking for signs of easy entrance and window locks, burglar alarms and dogs. Once confident that security is poor, and that no one is likely to disturb him, he will find an implement nearby and use it to force entry, usually by a rear door, window or sliding patio door. Once inside the burglar will be looking for cash and jewellery, but he (or she) may also steal smaller valuables, cameras, computers, CD players, or your video recorder. The main targeted area will probably be the master bedroom. It will be subjected to an untidy search of all the drawers, a quick rummage through any jewellery boxes and the bottom of the wardrobes.

Yes you are correct in thinking he's in a hurry. Its not his intention to stay any longer than a few minutes or so, its just a case of "get in, grab what he can, and get out".

Home Security Guidelines:

Lock all doors and windows, even if you are at home. This may sound like common sense to some, overkill to others, but it is perhaps the simplest way to keep unwanted guests from entering your home (including some relatives). Be sure to use high quality deadbolts on exterior doors and install pins in window frames to prevent them from being opened from the outside. Use a bar or similar device on sliding patio doors. Many of the primary locks can be easily defeated.

Install a wide-angle peephole in exterior doors. This will allow you to safely identify visitors BEFORE opening the door. If you cannot see who is at the door, DO NOT open it.

Install security lights around the perimeter of your house. These lights are relatively inexpensive and are great deterrents, especially if they are set with motion detectors. If you have existing lights without these sensors, there are even battery operated add-on motion sensors on the market now that simply screw into the existing light socket and mount near the fixture.

Use timers on interior lights when you are going to be away for an extended period of time. These can be set to turn lights/radios/televisions on and off intermittently to give the appearance that someone is home and may cause thieves to move on to the house with "no one home".

If you do not have a dog, consider getting one. A barking dog can frighten off even the boldest of burglars. Even if it is just a little ankle-biter, a dog can make enough noise to make the bad guy want to split the scene in a hurry. Obviously the bigger and more aggressive the dog, the more chance that the burglar may leave some memento of his visit behind (and I do mean "behind").

Install an electronic home security system. This is one of the most popular methods of protecting one's home and has resulted in one of the fastest growing industries today. While these systems do have their potential benefits, they can also be very annoying. I can speak from experience, the VAST majority of residential entry alarms are false. Whether they are caused by user error, weather conditions, or whatever, they can be a definite pain and may even cost more in response fees (some jurisdictions charge for repeated responses) than they are worth. Think hard on this one before you spend the money for a system. You might even seek out friends or neighbours with systems to get some firsthand feedback.

Make sure that your premises is clearly visible from the street during the day AND night. It is very frustrating and often increases the danger for all involved if emergency personnel cannot see your street address numbers when responding to help you. Well-lit house numbers and reflective paint with numbers on the curb at your driveway help a great deal.

Do not allow landscaping to create a burglar-friendly environment. Keep bushes and trees trimmed away from windows and entry points to avoid creating hiding places for criminals to lurk.

Engrave identification markings on your valuables. Avoid using your social security number. Instead, use your driver's license number, date of birth, or some other unique marking that would specifically show that the item is yours. Many, many items are recovered by the police and never returned to the rightful owners because they have no way to link them to the victim. Also record serial numbers when applicable and give them to the police officer taking the report for entry into the national computer database in case they are recovered in another jurisdiction.

Contact your local Police Force for a home security evaluation. They will take a thorough, objective look at your home and most are happy to provide this service free of charge.

Be sure to report suspicious activity in your neighbourhood to the police. Good burglars will stake out an area before they strike and are very commonly seen by residents in the area days or weeks before the crimes occur. If you see suspicious individuals or vehicles that "don't belong", call them in WHEN YOU SEE THEM. Don't wait until later that day or the next. If the police can arrive and contact these people during their "stakeout", they often spook them out of your area before they can do their deed. Even if a burglary does occur, the officer now has a good lead to follow up on. No matter how good your beat officer is, he/she does not know as well as you do what is normal in your area and what is not. Be their eyes and ears and work with them to keep things under control.

Do not hesitate to contact your local police for an "extra watch" on your home. Most departments will pass on information to the appropriate beat officers if you ask that they keep an extra eye on your property. Whether it is time for vacation or you have just seen some weird stuff lately, a little extra visual deterrence never hurts.

Time and the Intruder:

One of the most important weapons in your arsenal is TIME!, If you buy yourself some time, it will take the burglar longer to break in. The longer it takes, the more chance there is that he could get disturbed and give up.

There are several things you can do to slow him down or at least hinder access:

• Check Surroundings: The view of your house from both the road and your neighbours is very important. Hell think twice about breaking in if he could be seen, Cut down or trim trees, shrubs and undergrowth to open up the view. Avoid letting plants grow taller that 4ft. This aim here is to deprive the burglar of any cover.
• Fences and Gates: Repair holes in fences. Try to Fix flimsy trellis to the tops of the fence panels. They will break away under pressure, causing noise and inconvenience to the burglar.
• Weak Spots: Think about introducing defensive planting, Protect weak spots in your boundary with prickly plants, it is very effective. Prickly plants are a natural and very effective measure.
• 1st Floor Access: Think about ways to hinder access to those first floor windows, those adjacent to drainpipes or flat roofs are especially vulnerable. Think about using anti-climb paint on drainpipes, and perhaps getting some trellis style light fencing around the tops of any flat roofing.

But Proceed with caution.!! Remember to comply with the Owners and Occupiers Liabilities Act, it states that if you know of something that could be a danger to other people who are on your property (whether they are there lawfully or not!) you must take steps to prevent injury. In other words, put up a notice!.

• Secure your Outbuildings: Sheds and garages usually contain tools that can assist burglars to force an entry to your home. Screwdrivers, hammers, chisels, forks and spades are often used. They don't usually come equipped to commit the crime. Use good quality padlocks to secure shed doors. The fittings should be bolted through the wood into a 2mm steel plate.
  Consider purchasing one of those new generation shed alarms, there not exactly brilliant but much better than nothing.
• Security Lighting: Light up your house, I'm not suggesting Blackpool illuminations, just some simple motion sensing 500W flood lights front and back, and perhaps some Dusk till Dawn lighting on the sides. They can be fitted by any reasonably competent person. Many can be run from a standard 13amp socket. Be sure not to invade your neighbours space when installing flood lighting. Please consult a qualified electrician if you have any doubts.

Note: Most of the content on this page has been contributed by visitors to this site, and most will have it's original wording intact excepting the occasional spelling mistake or grammar correction.