It only takes 75% of burglars 5 minutes or less to illegally gain entry to a property, and research conducted by Budget Direct found that of the reported break-ins, 74% of the households had property stolen and 49% of the households had property damaged.
Research by police also found that the main reasons perpetrators targeted a home were because the house appeared vacant or unoccupied, the rubbish bins were left outside, no lights were on in the evening, there were no vehicles parked in the driveway or the mailbox was overflowing.
With that in mind, we’ve put together a list of reasons a burglar might target your home.
- Not using all the locks on your door, all the time
One lock is easy to get past, but two locks might put a would-be thief off his game. - Having parcels left at the front door or in the front garden
It’s easy for thieves to steal from you without being confronted. - Leaving boxes for expensive gadgets on the streets outside your house
It shows potential thieves what you have inside your home. - An unlocked or unsecured mail box
Your mail could be stolen and used in identity theft. - Leaving the remote to your garage door or gate in a visible spot in your car
It’s easy to break a car window, grab the remote and gain access to a house. - Leaving spare keys under door mats and pot plants
They’re the first places anyone checks for spare keys. - Leaving first-level windows unlocked
An unlocked window is just as good as an unlocked door, and flyscreen won’t protect your home. - An overgrown and unkept front garden
This suggests no one is home, or won’t notice things going missing. - Unlocked or unsecured garden shed or garage
Power tools and bicycles can be worth a lot of money and are expensive to replace, so be sure to lock them up. - Not having motion-sensor lights outside
Thieves can gain access to a property without being seen at night time, so make the job harder by putting motion-sensor security lights around your property.
You might also like:
The biggest home security mistake, according to an ex-thief
5 strange items being stolen from Aussie homes right now
Want to know how to fit new window locks? Watch the video below.
