A Criminologist’s Advice on Preventing the Most Common Home Burglaries

Home burglaries aren’t random: Burglars act in predictable ways, which is why well-applied home security devices can be so effective at stopping them. In most cases, thieves look for an easy target, from holiday gift deliveries on a porch to open windows. But in addition to testing the latest home safety tech, I wanted to dig deeper into break-in behaviors.

In addition to learning what criminals had to say about plying their craft, I spoke with James Lynch, professor and former chair of the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Maryland.

“Professional burglars who have some skills will pick a target not just because it’s vulnerable, but also because it’s more likely to have the type of belongings that could easily be turned into cash,” Lynch said, providing several valuable insights into how burglars behave.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Common ways burglars break into homes

1. Looking for unlocked doors

While it may sound simple, the most common way burglars enter homes is through an unlocked door or window. This is according to a survey of 86 inmates convicted of burglary, conducted by KGW-TV in Portland, Oregon. Yes, most burglars will simply try doors and windows to see what opens, especially in the middle of the day when there aren’t many people around. For a burglar, it’s a fast and low-risk option that doesn’t require any planning, equipment or special skills.

When doors and windows were locked, burglars surveyed said they preferred kicking in the door as opposed to breaking a window. Kicking a door in makes less noise than broken glass and doesn’t pose a safety risk to the burglar.

2. Finding affluent homes

“If there’s evidence of affluence, where a burglar could get a good return on their investment, that type of home will attract burglars,” Lynch said. “But it depends on the burglar’s level of sophistication. Some will go around without much planning and try doors until they find one that’s open.”

3. Finding homes with cover

Some reports indicate single-family homes in the middle of the street are more likely to be broken into than homes on the corner. This may be because corner homes have greater visibility. 

Conversely, in apartment buildings, Lynch pointed out that corner units with two sides of exposure have a greater likelihood of getting hit than units with only one side of exposure. It could be that more entrances and exits in these buildings give burglars more places to hide or plan an escape.

4. Returning to the same house

Studies in the UK point to a pattern of repeat victimization. “If you were burglarized once, there’s a good chance you’ll be burglarized again within the next 10 days,” Lynch said. “There are two theories on this pattern. One is the burglars saw something they couldn’t take the first time, so they come back for it. The second is they’ve already found a way to gain entrance or get past your security, and they want to capitalize on that before you have a chance to repair your door or window.”

This pattern holds for near-repeat victimization. For instance, if the house next door gets burglarized, the probability of your house getting burglarized increases, he said.

“These patterns are consistent with burglary as an occupation,” Lynch said.

5. Watching the garage

In addition to doors and windows, burglars can access your home through your attached garage. People often leave the door from the house to the garage unlocked and may not be as diligent about securing garage windows and walk-in doors.

Read more: Your Guide to Calling 911: Helpful Tips When Reporting an Emergency

How you can stop home break-ins from happening to you

There are several steps you can take to protect your home, loved ones and belongings from burglars. But the most important step is to secure your doors and windows.

1. Locks

As simple as locking doors and windows sounds, a survey by YouGov showed that 7% of Americans surveyed do not lock their doors when they go out, and 23% do not lock them when they’re home. People in the Northwest and Northeast regions of the US are most likely to leave their doors unlocked. 

“If people would just lock their doors and windows, that would prevent a lot of burglaries,” Lynch said.

Another tip is to rekey your locks when you first move in: You don’t know who the previous owner gave keys to. By rekeying your locks, you can know and control who has access to your home.This can also give you the opportunity to improve the quality of your locks.