Burglaries are often carried out by opportunistic thieves who prey on homes with an opening they can take advantage of, such as open windows or the lack of security measures. But what time of the day is a burglary most likely to happen?
- When do burglars typically break in?
- What to do if someone breaks into your home
- How to reduce the chances of a burglar entering your home
- Other FAQs
When do burglars typically break in?
Contrary to popular belief, most burglaries occur during the daytime rather than at night. Burglars often target homes when they believe residents are not present, with the majority of break-ins happening between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. The peak days for burglar activity are from Tuesday to Thursday, as burglars are less likely to strike on weekends when people are more likely to be at home.
Summer months tend to see more burglaries than winter months, largely because people are often away on holiday or spending more time outdoors. However, these trends can vary depending on location and other factors. For example, in the North West, there are 11.5 burglaries for every 1,000 houses, highlighting significant regional differences in burglary rates.
When do burglars typically break in?
Although many people associate break-ins with darkness, a significant portion of residential burglaries occur during daylight hours. For the year ending March 2023, 38.1% of domestic burglary incidents occurred during daylight, while 58.3% happened in the dark.
Nighttime burglaries are less common because burglars face a higher risk of being disturbed and caught by homeowners. However, since over half of burglaries still occur at night, maintaining consistent and effective security measures around the clock is essential to protect your home.
It’s also important to note that different types of burglars operate at different times. Professional burglars often prefer the daytime when residents are less likely to be home. In contrast, opportunistic thieves may attempt a break-in at night, using darkness as cover. Consistent and effective security measures are crucial to protect your home during the day and night.
What to do if someone breaks into your home
In the event of a home break-in, prioritize safety by having a pre-established emergency plan. If possible, evacuate immediately and call the police. If escape isn’t feasible, retreat to a designated safe room and contact authorities. Avoid confrontation with intruders, and cooperate if confronted. Use a family code word to alert others discreetly. After the incident, address emotional trauma, document losses, and file an insurance claim if needed. Remember, personal safety is paramount, and possessions are replaceable.
Read our more in-depth guide here
How to reduce the chances of a burglar entering your home
To keep unwanted intruders out of your home, there are many measures you can take to ensure your home is secure.
Invest in security doors
Your front door is arguably the most important line of defence for your property and installing a steel security door will vastly improve your front door security. When it comes to security doors, it’s important to purchase one that is made from sturdy materials, such as high-grade stainless steel.
Here are some of the security benefits of having a steel security door installed in your home:
Durable:
Not only will a steel security door add an extra barrier between your household and thieves, but it will also weather the elements.
Strength:
Steel is much stronger and more rigid than wood or uPVC making it a lot more difficult to brute force open without any specialist equipment.
Locking options:
Steel doors are available with strong, secure, multi-point locking systems. A multi-point locking system usually locks the door into the frame at multiple points with a simple turn of the key, giving a higher level of security.
Deterrent:
They also work well as a visual deterrent because anyone who is thinking of trying to break into a building through the door would see the steel door and probably not even bother trying to attack it.
Invest In good-quality locks
When choosing a good quality lock to prevent break-ins, there are several effective options to choose from. The type of lock you need is dependent on the door you are looking to secure. Consider the location of your door (internal or external), the material of your door, and how the lock system itself works.
Types of locks:
These have a key cylinder on both sides of the door. This means a key can be used to lock and unlock the door from either side. If a burglar broke the glass in your door, they would still need a key to unlock the door.
These locks are a hybrid option, offering the benefits of a thumb-turn lock in one cylinder, and a keyed lock in the other. The locks allow you to lock your door internally without the use of a key.
Perfect for doors that require keyed access from one side only. Usually used for keyed access from the exterior, such as a garage door.
Standard deadlocks have keyholes on both sides, which means if you lock the door when you are inside, you will need the key to get out.
These locks have a deadbolt and latch combined within a case. Sash locks are fitted into the material of a door, rather than onto the surface, and are designed to work with a pair of door handles.
In addition to installing a good locking mechanism on your door, be cautious about who you give a set of keys.
Find out more about choosing the right locking system for your door here.
Enhance home security with security lighting
Security lighting is a simple yet very effective deterrent to burglars. By installing outdoor lighting, you will have peace of mind with the knowledge that opportunistic thieves will be met with light and will be deterred from attempting to break in.
Most security lighting operates by motion detector (using Passive Infra-Red technology, or PIR built into the light). PIR sensor lighting acts on movement and is perfect for alerting based on activity. You can also purchase security lights with dusk to dawn timers.
Styles of security lights
- Floodlights: These are popular as they are robust and emit a glaring light once activated.
- Bulkheads: These tend to look industrial but are durable and resistant to both weather and vandalism. Bulkheads emit a more subtle light once triggered, and are often better used for general illumination rather than simply security.
- Sconce: These lights are designed in a lantern style and are mounted to the wall. They are the most subtle of the external security lights, but the most elegant and combine decorative and security functions.
Hide your valuable
Burglars target homes that they think will contain valuables. Leaving valuables on show, allows a burglar to see what is on offer in your home.
It’s important to remember that burglary is an opportunistic crime. Burglars will not want to spend a lot of time looking through a home to find things of value to steal. This is why there are obvious locations that they always check. You may think that your special under-the-mattress hiding spot for your money is a good one, but in reality, all these hiding spots have become too common and one of the first places that burglars look in. Hiding your valuables in less obvious places will help to keep them safe, even if a burglar has successfully broken into your home. These include hollowed-out books, a safe, boxes in the garage, inside a house plant, wrapped in foil, and stored in the freezer.
Invest in a safe
Security safes can be used to store a variety of things including cash, jewellery, watches, guns, debit and credit cards, and personal documents such as birth certificates and bank statements.
Befriend your neighbours
Befriending your neighbours plays a crucial role in your security. Neighbours can provide added security by watching over your home and property, especially if you are away for holidays or work. This can be reciprocated to help build trust between your neighbours and build a community that keeps an eye out for each other’s homes and property.
You could start a neighbourhood WhatsApp group to inform each other of any crime news in the area and to alert each other to any unusual behaviour.
Install a security alarm system
A security alarm system is a very effective way of protecting your home from burglars, as it can deter a break-in before it happens. A burglar’s main aim is not to be caught and will avoid break-ins that have too many obstacles. A security alarm will make it one step harder for an intruder to break in and they are likely to move on to an easier target.
An alarm system also provides you with peace of mind, especially if you are on holiday or at work. Your home will be secure, protected, and monitored even when it’s uninhabited. If there is a break-in, your security system will alert you so you will know if there is an intruder.
Install CCTV cameras
Homeowners will also find peace of mind from installing CCTV cameras. Criminals will be dissuaded from breaking into your home if they see CCTV cameras monitoring your home and the outside area.
Another benefit of CCTV is that modern systems provide remote monitoring on a computer, tablet, or mobile phone via a secure connection over the Internet. So whether you are out shopping or away on holiday, you can log in from anywhere in the world and check your CCTV cameras for activity. Insurance companies may also reduce your premium if you have CCTV installed.
Consult with a security expert
Consulting with a security expert will give you an understanding of the best measures you can take to secure your home. A security expert will look at all the aspects of your home and neighbourhood and advise you on what would achieve maximum protection for you and your home.
We have produced a more in-depth guide on this subject here
