By: Richard Armen
Submitted: 2011-10-01 18:08:26 | Word Count: 591
Did you know that a burglary happens somewhere in the United States every 14.7 seconds? This amounts to over two million burglaries annually. Experienced burglars can break into almost any home in mere seconds. Though no home is completely safe from attack, there are certainly security precautions you can take to make your home less of a target. Taking these steps requires first understanding how a burglar might get inside. Facts about burglars' entry points might surprise you.
Nearly half of all burglaries don't require the burglar to literally "break in." In fact, fully two fifths of all burglaries do not require forced entry because a door or window has been left open, unlocked and unguarded. The best way to protect your family from becoming part of this statistic is to make a concentrated effort never to leave doors or windows unlocked. If you don't have alarms on these entry points, a burglar who opens an unlocked door or window can simply go about their business calmly.
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The most common entry point is the front door. In fact, more than a third of burglars come through the front entrance. Though you might assume that no burglar would be brazen enough to walk through the front door (especially during daylight hours, when the majority of burglaries happen), the truth is, your neighbors probably wouldn't notice a strange man standing on your porch. To prevent this possibility, make sure the door is secure, with a good deadbolt lock, as well as security lighting and a surveillance camera or dummy camera. In addition, consider forming a Neighborhood Watch, or a group of neighbors committed to keeping an eye on each others' homes.
The burglars who don't come in through the front door typically walk in your yard to a side or back door, where large bushes or fences shield them from the street. Their first step is to check for an unlocked, ground-floor entry point. Windows are popular entry points for burglars because far too many homeowners leave them open or unlocked when leaving the home. Even if they are locked, a burglar could simply break, the window, which makes it essential to install glass break detectors on any ground-floor windows large enough for a burglar to slip through.
Make sure that the back door is just as secure as the front door. Avoid placing a key under the mat or on top of the door frame, where any experienced burglar will know to look for it. Keep side and back entrances free of bushes or other obstructions that would prevent the burglar from being seen from the street or spotted by a neighbor. Burglars like entrances where they can take their time getting into the home. Take extra security measures around these entry points by installing motion detection lights or alarms.
Though doors or ground floor windows are the most common entry points, there are others. For example, a large tree allows a resourceful burglar to climb up to the second story, where families may be more likely to leave their bedroom windows open. Sliding glass doors leading to a patio or balcony are easily forced open or broken. Finally, an attached garage is often less protected than the rest of the home, and may even hold valuable tools or other possessions on its own.
Clearly, any door or window large enough for a person to crawl through could be targeted by an intruder. Take the necessary steps, including the installation of alarms, cameras, lighting, and other security features, before it is too late.
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