Break-ins can happen to anyone, at any time. But there are steps you can take to protect your home and family from becoming victims.
This blog post will provide you with information on the different types of break-ins, the impact they can have, and how to implement effective home security measures.
What is the meaning of breaking in?
Breaking in, also known as burglary, is the act of entering a building or other enclosed space without permission, with the intent to commit a crime, such as theft. Break-ins can occur in any type of building, but homes are a common target.
Defining Home Invasions
A home invasion is a type of break-in that occurs when the occupants are home. Home invasions can be particularly dangerous, as the occupants are at risk of being harmed by the burglar.
Types of Break-Ins
There are two main types of break-ins: forced entry and opportunistic entry.
Forced entry break-ins occur when the burglar uses force to gain entry to the building. This may involve breaking a window, picking a lock, or kicking in a door.
Opportunistic entry break-ins occur when the burglar gains entry to the building through an unlocked door or window.
Impact of break-ins
Break-ins can have a devastating impact on victims, both emotionally and financially. Victims of break-ins may experience feelings of fear, anxiety, and violation. They may also suffer financial losses due to stolen property or damage to their home.
Home Security Essentials
Given the omnipresent threat of break-ins, fortifying your home against intruders is paramount. From high-tech security systems to age-old lock and key mechanisms, here’s your guide to ensuring your home remains a sanctuary.
Strengthening Your Home’s Defense
1. Secure doors and windows
This includes installing deadbolt locks on all exterior doors, reinforcing sliding doors, and keeping windows locked when you are not home.
2. Install a home security system
Home security systems can deter burglars and alert you if there is a break-in.
3. Install outdoor lighting
Outdoor lighting can make your home less inviting to burglars and make it easier to see suspicious activity at night.
Neighborhood Watch Programs
Neighborhood watch programs are a great way to get involved in your community and improve the security of your neighborhood.
Neighborhood watch programs
involve residents working together to watch out for suspicious activity and report it to the police.
Locksmith Tips
1. Choose the right locks
When choosing locks for your home, look for locks that are certified by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
2. Rekeying or replacing locks
If you move into a new home or have lost a key, it is important to rekey or replace all of the locks in your home. This will help to ensure that only authorized people have access to your home.
3. Key control measures
Implement key control measures to prevent unauthorized people from having access to your keys. This may include storing keys in a safe place, keeping track of who has keys, and changing the locks if a key is lost or stolen.
The Human Factor
The human factor is one of the most important aspects of home security. By taking simple steps to reduce your risk of becoming a victim of a break-in, you can make your home a safer place for yourself and your family
The Role of Occupants
Home safety habits. There are a number of home safety habits that you can adopt to reduce your risk of becoming a victim of a break-in. These habits include locking doors and windows when you leave.
1. Home safety habits
- Locking doors and windows when you leave home, even if it is just for a few minutes
- Setting your home alarm system when you leave home, at night, and when you are on vacation
- Trimming trees and shrubs around your home so that burglars cannot hide
- Installing motion sensor lights around your home
- Keeping your garage door closed and locked when you are not using it
- Being careful about what information you share on social media, as burglars may use this information to target your home
2. Educating Family Members
It is important to educate your family members about home safety habits. This includes teaching them how to lock doors and windows, set the alarm system, and report suspicious activity to the police.
Travel and Break-Ins
When you are traveling, it is important to take steps to protect your home from a break-in. These steps include:
- Having a neighbor or friend check on your home regularly
- Putting your mail on hold
- Discontinuing newspaper deliveries
- Using timers to turn on and off lights in your home
- Leaving a radio or TV on to create the illusion that someone is home
Securing Valuables
It is also important to secure your valuables when you are away from home. This may involve storing valuables in a safe deposit box, locking them in a safe, or hiding them in a secure location.
Technology and Break-Ins
Technology can be a valuable tool for improving home security. However, it is important to be aware of the security vulnerabilities associated with smart home devices and video surveillance systems.
Smart Home Vulnerabilities
Smart home devices, such as thermostats, door locks, and security cameras, are connected to the internet. This makes them vulnerable to hacking and other cybersecurity threats. To protect your smart home devices, it is important to keep the software up to date and use strong passwords.
1. Internet of Things (IoT) Risks
The Internet of Things (IoT) is the growing network of physical objects that are connected somehow to the internet direct and indirect. IoT devices include smart home devices, as well as other devices such as wearables and connected cars. IoT devices can be vulnerable to hacking and other cybersecurity threats. To protect your IoT devices, it is important to keep the software up to date and use strong passwords.
2. Securing Smart Devices
To secure your smart devices, you can take the following steps:
Keep the software up to date. Software updates usually include security versions that can help you to protect your devices from known vulnerabilities.
Use strong passwords. Avoid using weak passwords such as “123456” or “password.” Instead, use a strong password that is at least 12 characters long and includes a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
Enable two-factor authentication (2FA). 2FA adds additional security layer to your account by requiring you to enter a code that is sent to you on your phone in addition to your password when you log in.
Be careful about the information that you are sharing with smart home apps. Only share the information that is necessary for the app to function.
Disabling features that you are not using. If you are not using a particular feature on your smart device, disable it. This will help to reduce the risk of the feature being exploited by a hacker.
Home Security Apps
Home security apps can be used to monitor your property and receive alerts if there is a break-in. Some home security apps also allow you to control your smart home devices.
1. Monitoring Your Property
Home security apps can monitor your property using video surveillance cameras, motion sensors, and door and window sensors. If a sensor is triggered, the app will send you an alert.
2. Alerts and Notifications
Home security apps can send you alerts and notifications in a variety of ways, including push notifications, email, and text messages. You can customize the alerts and notifications that you receive so that you only receive the information that is important to you.
Video Surveillance
Video surveillance systems can be used to deter burglars and record evidence of a break-in. Video surveillance systems can be used to monitor both the interior and exterior of your home.
1. Types of Cameras
There are two main types of video surveillance cameras: wired and wireless. Wired cameras are connected to a power source and a recording device using cables. Wireless cameras connect to a power source and a recording device using a wireless signal.
2. Where to Place Them
Video surveillance cameras should be placed in strategic locations around your home. This may include the front door, back door, garage door, and other areas where burglars are likely to enter.
Recovering After a Break-In
Home Insurance
If you have homeowner’s insurance, you may be able to file a claim to recover your losses from the break-in. Before you file a claim, be sure to review your policy to understand your coverage and what you need to do to file a claim successfully.
1. Understanding Your Coverage
Most homeowner’s insurance policies cover theft of personal property. However, there may be limits to your coverage and there may be certain items that are not covered. For example, some policies may have special limits on the value of jewelry or collectibles.
2. Filing a Claim
To file a claim with your insurance company, you will need to provide them with a copy of the police report, a list of the stolen items, and receipts for any items that you are claiming. You may also need to answer questions about the break-in and your security measures.
Emotional Recovery
Being the victim of a break-in can be a traumatic experience. It is normal to feel a range of emotions, such as anger, fear, and violation. It is important to allow yourself to feel these emotions and to seek support from friends, family, or a mental health professional if needed.
There are a number of coping strategies that can help you to recover from the emotional trauma of a break-in. These strategies include:
1. Talking about what happened
Talking to a trusted friend, family member, or therapist can help you to process your emotions and begin to heal.
2. Creating a safety plan
Making a plan for how you will stay safe in the future can help you to feel more in control. Your safety plan may include things like installing a home security system, changing your locks, and being more aware of your surroundings.
Retaking control of your space. Cleaning and organizing your home can help you to reclaim your space and feel more comfortable in your own home again.
Homes that burglars target
Burglars typically target homes that they perceive as being easy to break into and/or containing valuables. Some of the factors that burglars consider when choosing a target include:
Lack of visibility: Burglars are less likely to target homes that are well-lit and visible to neighbors and passersby.
Insecure entry points: Burglars look for homes with unlocked doors or windows, or with weak locks that can be easily broken.
Signs of absence: Burglars are more likely to target homes that appear to be unoccupied. This may include homes with no cars in the driveway, no lights on inside, or newspapers piling up on the doorstep.
Presence of valuables: Burglars are likely to target homes that they believe contain valuables, such as electronics, jewelry, and cash.
How can you prevent break-ins?
The best way to prevent a break-in is to make your home an unattractive target to burglars. This can be done by taking the following steps:
Install deadbolt locks on all exterior doors. Deadbolt locks are more difficult to break than standard locks and can deter burglars.
Reinforce sliding doors. Sliding doors are a common entry point for burglars. To reinforce your sliding doors, you can install a sliding door lock or a security bar.
Keep windows locked when you are not home. Even if you are only away from home for a few minutes, it is important to keep your windows locked.
Install motion sensor lights around your home. Motion sensor lights can deter burglars and make it easier to see suspicious activity at night.
Keep your garage door closed and locked when you are not using it. Garage doors are another common entry point for burglars.
Be careful about the information you are sharing on social media. Burglars may use information that you share on social media to target your home. For example, if you post about being on vacation, a burglar may know that your home is empty.
Educate your family members about home safety habits. Make sure that your family members know how to lock doors and windows, set the alarm system, and report suspicious activity to the police.
Take steps to protect your home when you are traveling. This includes having a neighbor or friend check on your home regularly, putting your mail on hold, discontinuing newspaper deliveries, using timers to turn on and off lights in your home, and leaving a radio or TV on to create the illusion that someone is home.
Secure your valuables when you are away from home. This may involve storing valuables in a safe deposit box, locking them in a safe, or hiding them in a secure location.
Keep your smart home devices and video surveillance systems secure. This includes keeping the software up to date, using strong passwords, and enabling two-factor authentication.
By following these tips, you can make your home a safer place for yourself and your family.
What time do most break-ins happen?
Most break-ins happen between 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM, when people are most likely to be away from home. However, break-ins can happen at any time of day or night.
Conclusion
Break-ins can happen to anyone, anywhere, and at any time. But there are steps you can take to protect your home and family from becoming victims. By taking the time to implement effective home security measures, you can make your home a safer place.
Here is a summary of the points discussed in our blog post
- Break-ins can happen to anyone, at any time.
- There are a number of things you can do to improve the security of your home and reduce the risk of a break-in.
- These include strengthening your home’s defense, getting involved in a neighborhood watch program, and following home safety habits.
- It is also important to secure your valuables when you are away from home and to keep your smart home devices and video surveillance systems secure.
By taking these steps, you can make your home a safer place for yourself and your family.
