Our home is our castle, and like most Americans, the thought of burglars breaking into it is distressing. No one wants thieves tramping around their homes, cherry-picking items to steal, and digging through personal possessions. Of course, even the thought of such an intrusion strikes fear, much more if it happens when we are home or seemingly safely tucked up in our beds while napping or quietly watching a movie!
Is the likelihood of burglars breaking in when people are at home high?
Unfortunately, Yes. A 2020 FBI report showed that home burglaries tend to occur 27% more often during the day while people are likely home rather than at night, making up 31% ($200,512) of the stolen valuables. However, in most cases, people being home is accidental rather than calculated.
Read on to discover why burglaries occur when people are at home.
What The Evidence Says About Burglary
Sadly, burglaries in the presence of the homeowner or household members have been a reality for more than a million Americans. According to a U.S Department of Justice report, of 3.7 million home burglaries, more than 1 million happened when someone was at home!
You’re probably thinking burglars are a brazen bunch, walking into homes in broad daylight, not caring if they are seen or who is home. And you would be right. However, their thought process is actually very clever.
Burglars know that gainfully employed Americans (you) tend to go to work during the day. Usually, those who work are away from their homes between 6 am and 6 pm. This provides burglars with a 12-hour shopping window when the house is left unattended. Ample time to help themselves to your prize tv or PS5!
Reasons Why Burglars Prefer Daytime Break-ins:
- There’s a higher chance the house is empty – Most people are only at home at night. During the day, they’re at work or running errands, and the kids are at school. This reduces the chance of getting caught by someone in the house.
- Routines are predictable – Data shows that 65% of burglars know their victims and will use information about you, your schedule, and your home to plan their crimes. It’s easier for them to plan appropriate times to break in because they know the routine or schedule you follow.
- There’s reduced suspicion – It’s much easier for a burglar to approach a home during the day and not raise suspicion immediately. For example, burglars can pretend to be a handyman or salesperson and not alert passersby or neighbors.
- People let their guard down – Many Americans believe there is a higher chance of a burglary happening at night than during the day. As a result, they become less cautious during the day and may even leave their doors open.
How Do Burglaries Happen When People Are Home?
So if the evidence says more burglaries happen during the day when people are at work and away from their homes, why do burglaries still occur when people are at home? Surely this is an oxymoron in itself?
The truth is some burglars are just brazen and will break in to get what they want, not caring what time of day they decide to enter your home. Others, on the other hand, are not privy to changes in your plans.
Although a burglar might know your routine after carefully watching your home, they cannot plan for every eventuality (‘sick’ days or impromptu leaves of absence). As a result, their carefully planned daytime burglary could interrupt your gentle afternoon snooze on the sofa!
What To Do If A Burglar Breaks In When You’re At Home
Burglars try to avoid running into occupants by all means, but many burglaries still occur with someone at home, resulting in a violent home invasion. Here’s what you should do should you be home during a break-in:
1. Try to remain calm and quiet
Avoid panicking when you realize someone is in your home. You may be tempted to confront the intruder, but that option can turn dangerous quickly. You don’t know how they’ll react, and over 25% of those who interrupt burglars become violent crime victims.
2. Call 911
If you have your phone, call 911 and inform the operator of your name and address as clearly and quietly as possible. Tell them that someone is in your house and share any information you may have gained by listening, like how many intruders there are or whether they have weapons.
3. Escape if possible
You can try and escape from the house if you can leave without the burglar seeing you. Some good choices include going through a window or a fire escape.
4. Hideouts during a burglary if escape is impossible
Here are 5 creative ideas:
- If the intruders aren’t aware of you being home, keep it that way! If you can’t escape, remain locked in the room or hide in your closet, ideally in the most unsuspecting secret cupboard. Think of spots that a kid will hide in ie. behind clothes in a low closet, or use a step ladder or chair to get into the highest cupboard.
- If you have nowhere good to hide, your only option is to try to quietly lock the door, and barricade the door with furniture and heavy objects – wedges under the door work well.
- If you have pepper spray on hand, spray it a few meters away from ‘outside’ your room door, then seal the bottom of your door with a rolled-up towel and stand furthest away from your door. The lingering fumes of the pepper spray will be unexpectedly potent & debilitating outside your door should the burglars come anywhere near.
- If you have your car keys, press the car alarm button. Most burglars will flee at the sound of a car alarm, and you’ll not have given away your location in the house.
- If you have a home alarm system and you’re far from it, try to locate the nearest and safest panic button.
5. Cooperate and avoid confrontation
Ideally, you may not have to interact directly with the intruder, but if you do, cooperate with them and avoid any confrontation. Allow them to take whatever they came for and leave. Follow the instructions they give to the best of your ability without escalating the situation. No valuables are worth risking your safety.
NB. f you decide to take action against a burglar, keep in mind even they have rights (as weird as it may sound), you don’t want to end up in a lawsuit with the burglar suing you!
We detailed more in this article on getting sued as a homeowner during a burglary.
How To Burglar Proof Your House
Here are some steps you can take to ensure your house remains safe from intruders, during the day and at night:
- Reinforce doors and windows – these are common burglar entry points
- Install security lights – well-lit homes deter burglars
- Install security cameras or CCTV systems – most thieves don’t want to be identified, and many security systems can be linked to alarms or response teams.
Final Thoughts
Hundreds of burglaries occur every minute, and most occur during the day. The best way to prevent burglars from breaking into your house is through preventative measures like a security CCTV system, reinforcing all entry points, and staying vigilant.
