How Do Thieves Select A Home To Rob?

August 25th, 2023

Many of us living have had our lifestyles significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In some cases, it’s even changed the way we work and live. Some people spend a lot more time at home now, as work from home guidance becomes a more prominent alternative health and safety measure.

However, even with more people working from home, that doesn’t necessarily mean homes are safer. As the economy continues to struggle, crime finds more ways to try and make an easy buck, and theft is still one of the most common ways to do it. But what makes one home a more tempting target than another? Here are the characteristics thieves use when trying to pick a home for a robbery.

Low Visibility

Thieves like to reduce the risks of being seen or reported on by police—one of the best ways to do this by taking advantage of natural environmental features. Suppose there are a lot of bushes or hedges, for example. In that case, thieves can hide behind these and not be seen as they assess a home for valuables or study the living patterns of people inside.

Darkness also plays a role in this. If a house is covered by trees or has dark spots in a yard where someone can stand at night without being seen, this plays the same role as bushes and hedges. It makes it easier for a thief to scout a location.

Easy Access

In many cities, the standard practice is to keep all doors and windows locked at all times, and people who don’t do this often pay the price. Rural areas are generally more trusting since they know everyone in the community and crime rates tend to be lower, but at the same time, the risk is the same; easy access equals more vulnerability to crime.

People who leave doors or windows open to let the breeze in make it easier for people to gain access to a home. This is especially true of those doors or windows don’t have screens. Even if you do close your door or window, if the locks aren’t correctly, or you don’t check yourself to make sure they are locked, this can lead to intrusions into your property.

Poor Security

Finally, the one thing thieves are looking for is no rapid response to police or security. If a home has an alarm system or even a security camera system that is monitored, this means that even if a break-in is successful, a police or security response may be only minutes away.

Thieves have a much greater success rate if they can search a home at their leisure, such as if the homeowners are away on vacation and there literally days, or even weeks, to explore home. That luxury of time vanishes with the presence of security systems.

If you like to have a more secure home, we can help. Contact us and let us know what your security wishes are, and we can find the configuration that makes your home safer.