Kids are picky eaters. Interior designers are picky decorators. And most of us are very picky when it comes to our coffee.

You know who’s not picky? Burglars. They’re opportunists who are happy to break in or vandalize any home, in any neighborhood, at any time. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics,7.9 million households experienced property crime in 2020.  

Therefore, learning how to prevent a burglary and following the advice of an expert in home security is more important than ever. Dominic Schwebs, with over 15 years of experience in the field, does just that at the Safe and Vault Store.

Robbery is defined as taking something from one person by using force, fear, or intimidation.

Burglary is defined as entering a building or other structure with the intent to commit a felony or theft therein.

• Each year, there are over 2.2 million burglaries in the US, which means that every 15 seconds, a burglary is committed.

• Home burglaries account for 70% of these crimes and typically spike during the summer months (July and August have the highest number of home burglaries).

• Midwestern and western states account for about 20% of burglaries, and the northeastern states account for the remaining 10%.

• Most burglaries occur between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., since that’s a prime timeframe where many homes are not occupied.

• The typical burglar lives within 2 miles of the victim, and, in fact may have even been in your home for repairs, yard work and so on.

• Most “burglars” want to break into your home, find something of value and get out quickly! In fact, according to the FBI the typical time a burglar is in your home is between 8 and 10 minutes.

Contact Dominic and the team at safeandvaultstore.com to learn how to store and protect your valuables from theft, fire, and natural disasters.

One of the best deterrents to stop a potential burglar dead in his tracks is motion lights combined with security cameras. If there’s motion or sound detected, the camera will catch it—and an alert is sent immediately to your cell phone. In addition, the incident is recorded and securely stored. A burglar doesn’t want to risk being caught on tape or identified—seeing a multi-camera security system is often enough incentive to send him packing.

In addition, deadbolts and electronic door locks are designed to prevent or slow down entry to your home and should be used.

The toughness of your deadbolt can directly impact how much abuse it can take. Deadbolts come in three tiers sorted by the ANSI grading system, with grade 1 being the strongest and grade 3 being the weakest.

Lock Grade 3
Lock must be able to handle 200,000 lock cycles
Lock must withstand 2 door strikes
Lock must meet a 150-pound weight test
Lock must withstand a 2-door-strike hammer test
Standard residential locks

Lock Grade 2
Lock must be able to handle 400,000 lock cycles
Lock must withstand 4 door strikes
Lock must meet a 250-pound weight test
Lock must withstand a 5-door-strike hammer test
High-quality residential locks

Lock Grade 1
Lock must be able to handle 800,000 lock cycles
Lock must withstand 6 door strikes
Lock must meet a 360-pound weight test
Lock must withstand a 10-door-strike hammer test
Commercial-grade locks

Slowing down entry is annoying to the burglar! Make their mission difficult by making sure yourentry doors are heavy duty.

• Replace hollow-core doors.
• Make sure you have a good deadbolt strike plate.
• Use longer screws (2-4”) than what comes with your deadbolt. They are usually less than 1” which means it’s only secured into the decorative wood trim around the door frame.
• Secure the door’s hinges.
• Reinforce the door frame and door jamb.

Also this one is common sense but just make sure to lock your door and windows when you’re away or even if you are at home. Studies show that up to 30% of burglars access the home through an unlocked door or window.

Pro-tip: For best burglar protection of your items and valuables, I recommend a safe that has a burglar rating and is bolted to the floor.

Learn about burglar raings here: Safe Burglar Ratings Explained

Time is a burglar’s enemy. They have limited time to find what they came for, grab it, and get out without being detected.

Reduce the amount of time a burglar has in your home so less damage or theft can occur. A security system that is tripped, starts beeping, and then lets the siren blare is not what a burglar wants to hear. Now he knows he has to get out of your home before the police are alerted or a neighbor comes to check. At this point, he’s likely to grab what’s easily in reach and leave.

This is why you want to store your most valuable items in a safe that is hidden.  

From biometric and fingerprint locking safes to jewelry safes, wall safes, floor safes, data media safes and high security burglar safes—there’s a safe for every sized item and budget.

Pro-tip: Ideally, a safe should be hidden and bolted to the wall or floor for the best protection.

Now’s the time to consult with an expert in home security. Implementing a plan of action in combination with the right products is one of the smartest things you can do to prevent a burglary.

Our dedicated and talented team of experts at the Safe and Vault Store are eager to work with you. We’ll listen to what matters most to you and help you find the ideal home security products to meet your unique specifications. Chat, send an email, or give us a call today!