As you venture away from your home for that long vacation or to your other place of residence, protecting your home is vital especially if you live in a tourist or seasonal area like South Florida.
In the United States, a burglary takes place about every eighteen seconds, which adds up to nearly 200 per hour, and approximately 4,800 every day. These statistics are startling, but they highlight the fact that burglary is a crime you need to be aware of. In addition, recent crime statistics show that the three highest types of crime in Florida are robberies, theft, and assault, and with robberies and theft being in the top three, it makes leaving your home for long periods of time quite stressful. Most criminals, squatters, and intruders seek out areas that are known for seasonal living and/or infrequent holiday visits, making homes in these areas prime targets.
Although a security system can assist in deterring crime as a report by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology pointed out about 60% of convicted burglars stated the presence of a security system influenced their decision to target another home, it leaves 40% who are willing to test the system, per say. All in all, a security system is not full-proof. With all the technology that is available to criminals, they are becoming more of a threat as they are extrapolating on their cunning and devious ways on how to effectively break and enter.
As a homeowner it is important to keep abreast of latest crime trends that may impact you, your family, or your home. With most burglaries taking place between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., it is obvious that intruders like the prospect of an empty home, which makes a home that is not being occupied an opportunity for a thief. In addition, since the typical burglar resides within two miles of the target home they are able to scope out the daily routines of individuals, which makes it key to have unexpected drop-ins by home watch service providers to keep criminals at bay.
It is also important to know that 30% of burglars enter a home through an unlocked door or window or through areas of foliage making routine checks and routine lawn maintenance and upkeep critical. Not to mention, a typical home that has been burglarized has an average property dollar loss of $2,251, but the vandalism costs and emotional costs can take their toll as well. It has been reported by the FBI that burglary victims in 2014 lost a total of $3.9 billion, and nearly 75% of the burgled locations were residential properties. One of the worst statistics is that only 13.6% of burglaries in 2014 resulted in arrests because they are so hard to solve leaving recourse for damages a mute point.
Taking precautions with hiring a home watch service provider helps reduce your home from becoming a part of one of these statistics.
