The statistics on burglaries in the U.S. are chilling. Our attorneys want you to be in the know this holiday season by sharing the facts and the best burglary prevention methods. This way, if you are headed out of town you don’t have to stress and worry about your home while you’re away. With COVID impacting our holidays this year, many of us cancelled our holiday plans – or never made any to begin with. If that’s the case, you may want to educate yourself on burglaries around the holidays so you don’t find yourself becoming a statistic.
Attorneys Share the Statistics
According to safewise.com:
- On average, a burglary happens twice a minute.
- The average loss from a break-in event is nearly $3,000.
- Burglary is the #1 concern over any other property crime.
- Burglaries typically occur during the day.
- More burglaries happen during the month of June than any other time of the year (but there is a spike again during the holiday season).
- Burglaries are more common in rural areas.
- Renters are more often burglarized than homeowners.
- While burglaries are a major concern, they are decreasing as technologies have gotten smarter and cheaper.
Read the full article on their site: Safewise.
Be Proactive to Help Prevent a Burglary in Your Home
Be Insured.
If something were to happen to your home and/or valuables inside of it, the best way to be reimbursed is to have valuables insured. This is the #1 way to mitigate loss if you were to experience an unfortunate burglary event. Even if you get insurance, you’ll want to document with photos what valuables are in the home. Take photos!
Stay OFF Social Media.
While it may be tempting to show off your holiday vacation spot or share the latest family photo, it’s not the best idea. It shares with the entire world that your home is open and available for anyone and everyone. Try to wait until you’ve returned home to give the world an update on your holiday travels.
Home Security System and/or Security Cameras.
It’s always better to be safe than sorry. To ensure your home is as secure as possible, we recommend investing in the latest security technology to help enhance the safety of your home. There are plenty of options for those on a budget that simply need a system that works.
Use Plenty of Exterior Lighting.
It’s the holidays. Many of us have holiday decorations and lights around the house anyway, so be sure to use them to your advantage. Turn on sensor lights, porch lights, side lighting, holiday lights, etc. The trick, though, is to not leave them on 24/7. Burglars catch onto this and know you’re not home. Timers and sensors are the best options for exterior lighting usage while you’re away.
Don’t Leave Empty Boxes of Expensive Items by the Curb.
This note is especially important to those families that are exchanging gifts before leaving their home. If you open gifts before leaving for vacation, don’t leave empty boxes of expensive items on the curb. This is a sign that you’re a house worth considering breaking into. Also, don’t leave your trash can out all week. It’s just another tell tale sign that no one is home.
We Wish You and Your Family a Safe and Happy Holiday Season!
The list provided above is a short summary of ideas to help prevent a burglary in your home if you’re traveling for the holidays. Our attorneys hope your family have a very safe and blessed holiday this year. If you or a family member is unfortunately affected by a burglary at any time of year and you’re in need of legal assistance, reach out to our team to see how we can help. Happy Holidays!