When many people think of burglaries, they instantly imagine a masked burglar sneaking around a house late at night, when everyone’s asleep. When the crook sets off the burglar alarm, the whole family is alerted. However, this image is the basis of one of the most popular myths about burglar alarms. In actuality, more burglaries occur during the daytime rather than at night. Why is this? What can you do to maximize your home in the event of either a daytime or nighttime burglary? I hope to answer some of your questions.
The simple truth is, your average burglar doesn’t want to make any contact with the people inside the home they’re breaking into. Most burglars are small time criminals looking to pawn your items for cash. They’re likely to be just as afraid of you as you’d be of them. Most people are usually in their homes more at night than during the day. This includes both you and your neighbors. Also, more people are likely to activate their burglar alarms at night than they are during the day.
However, during the weekday, you’re likely to be at work, and your children are likely to be at school. A burglar who breaks in during the day usually has been casing the house to ensure that there’s no one home. They also can see your burglar alarm system better in daylight, so they might have better luck in disabling any alarms they see. In areas where security is lax, an experienced burglar can enter the house with no difficulty and just look like a resident coming home.
Nighttime burglaries are of course still a concern. A burglar who strikes at night may not be smart enough to realize the advantages of a daytime break in, or they may strike during holidays when most people are out travelling. Most commercial burglaries occur at night time. The reason for this is that it’s better to deal with one alarm than a building full of people plus maybe a couple of security guards.
The key is to make sure your house is just as protected during the day as it is during the night. Make sure any burglar alarms you have are activated any time you leave the house for more than a couple of minutes. Keep all your doors and windows locked and closed. If you notice any suspicious persons observing you leaving your house, call the police immediately.
