Where can I find detailed residential break-in statistics ?

[Fred Mau]

Okay, I know all about the FBI's uniform crime statics regarding the
quanitities of residential breakins, but how can I find a more detailed
statistical analysis of M.O. ?

Such as: What percentage are simple daylight "front-door" approaches by
someone first posing as a salesman/pollster/etc ? What percentage even
attempt to cut the phone wire or otherwise disable the alarm ? And outside
of one's own house, what NEIGHBORHOOD qualities are statistically
significant ?

- FM -

 

[[email protected]]

Okay, I know all about the FBI's uniform crime statics regarding the
quanitities of residential breakins, but how can I find a more detailed
statistical analysis of M.O. ?

Such as: What percentage are simple daylight "front-door" approaches by
someone first posing as a salesman/pollster/etc ? What percentage even
attempt to cut the phone wire or otherwise disable the alarm ? And outside
of one's own house, what NEIGHBORHOOD qualities are statistically
significant ?

- FM -

I've been researching - or trying to research - these same statistics
so will be paying close attention to the thread. The only thing I've
found so far is that alarm company yard signs and window decals seem to
significantly abate break-in attempts. I'll try to find the specific
stats, but it was a non-trivial difference between houses with security
systems "advertised" to the world and those without.

Brian.

 

[[email protected]]

Okay, I know all about the FBI's uniform crime statics regarding the
quanitities of residential breakins, but how can I find a more detailed
statistical analysis of M.O. ?

Such as: What percentage are simple daylight "front-door" approaches by
someone first posing as a salesman/pollster/etc ? What percentage even
attempt to cut the phone wire or otherwise disable the alarm ? And outside
of one's own house, what NEIGHBORHOOD qualities are statistically
significant ?

- FM -

I've been researching - or trying to research - these same statistics
so will be paying close attention to the thread. The only thing I've
found so far is that alarm company yard signs and window decals seem to
significantly abate break-in attempts. I'll try to find the specific
stats, but it was a non-trivial difference between houses with security
systems "advertised" to the world and those without.

Brian.

 

[[email protected]]

Here are a couple bullet points from http://www.hfpro.com/tips.cfm
which seem to indicate that yard signs and window decals themselves
(with or without an actual alarm installed) are a very effective
deterrent:

- Recent survey's show that a house is 400% less likely to be
intruded if it has a security system.

- Home Security companies who provide monitoring report that 98% or
more of their calls are false alarms.

Here's some additional information about burglaries indicating 50% of
residential break-ins occur during the day.:
http://www.altonpolice.com/burglary.html


Brian.

 

[R.H.Campbell]

Sounds to me like you want to know the kind of information that most likely
wouldn't be part of any formal statistical data base, but would more likely
come from those in the business who have been in it for awhile, and have
formed some "educated opinions". Here are my OPINIONS (and bear in mind,
that's all they are.....)

1- Most residential break ins take place between 10 am and 3 pm on weekdays
when most homes are more likely to be empty
2- Most breakins are through the front door by simply kicking it in,
followed by breaking a window (at least where they are not the newer, double
paned windows) , followed by forcing a patio door, or a basement window.
3- At any given time, one in ten front doors is unlocked, either with
someone in the home, or empty because the owner has simply forgotten to lock
the door when he or she left (poor security habits)
4- Neighbourhoods in the process of being built (first six months) are more
likely to be the targets of criminals than older established neighbourhoods
where people are more likely to know each other, and the heavy presence of
trucks and other casual vehicles is not as common.
5- Yes, decals and signs do provide some measure of security in their own
right, but not nearly as much as in the past.
6- Many break and enters could easily be prevented if homeowners would take
simple precautions to make their homes less of a target. Good physical
security precautions can be (and should be) a valuable first line of
defence.
7- Damn few alarms are ever tampered with because the average residential
break in is more of a crime of opportunity than a planned event.
8- Your average home burglar is a drugged up idiot !!

And a few other high points that don't have to do with any crime (or do
they...hmmm....)

1- The more the alarm is sold as "free", the more it's going to cost you
over the longer run !
2- The average life of an alarm system installation is 84 months; the
average life of a mass marketing alarm salesman when he comes to my door
during supper hour is.....well.....I'll never tell !!!
3- The sound of utter silence is the response when I reply to the alarm
salesman's request to sign a long term contract, with the only question
worth asking......"why should I; what's in it for me ?"

Damn, I'm beginning to think I've been in this business too long.....

R.H.Campbell
Home Security Metal Products
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
www.homemetal.com

 

[Brian]

Why not the obvious Ask your local police department? I live in Springfield
M O and work close with the police. They are always willing to help..

--
Brian
[email protected]

Zwave Outlet
http://www.tech-home.com

 

[[email protected]]

I think it is wise to keep in mind and in the mind of non-alarm owners that it
isn't the actual yard sign that deters a burglary. It's actually all the people
who *do* have alarm systems and the consequences of breaking into a premises
that *does* have an alarm system, that is the real deterent.
Jim

I don't know. Given the statistics about the typical burglar profile,
most are young amateurs looking for crimes of opportunity. I think
that when canvasing a neighborhood at 3:30AM, a security sign in the
front yard is enough of a deterent to make the usually uneducated,
unprofessional would-be-burglar move on to the next house. And on the
flip side, I highly doubt most residential security systems would
prevent the educated professional burglar from getting in undetected.
Thankfully, these types of theives are 1 in <a very large number>.
Brian.

 

[Fred Mau]

Most residential attacks happen during the day when nobody is home and my
experience is that most are either through an unlocked door or window
(something like 75% fall into this group) or by kicking in the front door
(if the doors don't have deadbolt locks) or breaking a small low window as
a last resort...

Yes, this more-or-less matches what I've been hearing locally (Washington
County Oregon, a suburb of Portland). The figure I heard from the local
Brink's rep (for what it's worth) is that "9 out of 10" occur during the
daytime, someone rings the doorbell pretending to be a salesman/pollster/etc
and then kicks in the front door when nobody answers.

Still, I'd be extremely curious to see some "official" statistics on the
subject.

Of course, Washington County is solidly middle class, not exactly a priority
target for highly skilled cat-burglars. It wouldn't surprise me if the
statistcs here are significantly different than, for instance, Westchester
County NY or Marin County CA.

Or are ALL burglaries everywhere generally the same, with any sort of skill
involved being an extreme rarity ?


- FM -

 

[Fred Mau]

Why not the obvious Ask your local police department? I live in
Springfield M O and work close with the police. They are always willing to
help..

Been there, done that. The local Sheriff's Office can tell me that the
county had 2,258 residential burglaries for a population of 443,737 but
doesn't segregate their statistics beyond that.

In our county - and for that matter, apparently in ALL of Oregon if not
elsewhere too - the biggest SINGLE problem is strung-out meth users looking
for an easy score. Which would imply relatively unsophisticated methods.
But of course that's not to say that it's the ONLY crime that ever happens,
it just happens to be the hot-button issue at the moment.


- FM -