5 things burglars don’t want you to know for your house security
The first thing that comes to mind when thinking of a burglar breaking into your house would be a black masked man entering from your windowsill in the middle of the night.
Generally, break-ins are usually carried out in the following methods:
- Through lock picking
- Glass breaking of window or doors
- Tampering with security features such as CCTVs or alarm sensor systems
- Forced entry
Based on SECOM Smart Malaysia’s experience in providing house security solutions for over two decades, most point of entries for break-ins in residential areas in Malaysia typically take place through front doors (48% to 52% break-ins fall into this category) and back doors (30% to 38%). Break-ins also typically take place from the lower levels instead of from the top levels before working their way down for landed properties.
Motives for break-ins are usually rooted from money. Some motives for break-ins also arise from the desire of making this activity a business and steady source of income. Robbers are now craftier and tend to target much more valuable assets instead of simple cell phones onto assets such as home or vehicle spare keys so that reoccurring break-ins can take place with more ease the second time round.
In this article, we will cover 5 things burglars wouldn’t want you to know when breaking into your home. For example, did you know that having a guard dog or any yappy loud pet can help prevent break-ins in your home? Understanding a burglar’s motive helps explain why these break-ins happen and gives you a head start in better safeguarding and securing your home.
Without further ado, here are 5 things burglars do not want you to know for your house security needs.
1. Installed house security devices deters break-ins
Similar to having guard dogs and security guards, house security devices in place at your home also help deter break-ins. Some security providers provide a decal of their services for you to display on your house. These decals and security devices such as CCTV cameras for security get robbers second doubting if your house is worth breaking into, making your house a less favourable target.
Most houses that do not have house security systems installed tend to lure break-ins as it is a lot easier for burglars to enter your home. Lack of security systems neither secure your home, nor guard the home.
In Malaysia, it may not come as a surprise to some extent that burglars are still willing to attempt break-in despite house security devices installed in place. However, with alarm systems and 24-hour monitoring services provided by security providers such as SECOM Smart Malaysia, these services can further deter such attempts. Alarm systems, upon trigger during break-in, limits intruders time in ransacking efforts prior to respective authorities appearing on site.
Security providers such as SECOM Smart Malaysia also provides different house security devices that complement one another and is catered to your security needs in securing your home such as our 24-hour central monitoring service that can assist during such break-ins in contacting respective authorities and providing report logs when filing for respective reports on post breaches.
Using such services from security providers will help deter crime and break-ins, for your house security and peace of mind.
2. House security options are affordable and cheaper than you think!
Burglars and intruders would like you to think that house security options such as alarm systems are way too expensive for any household to afford. In fact, many households think that house security options such as alarm systems are indeed too expensive and not worth purchasing in guarding homes.
This is a common misconception, and unfortunately this is also what burglars want you think!
As mentioned in our previous point, home security systems installed help deter crime. Lack of them attracts intruders and break-ins. You may regret not spending for robust security service after you’ve suffered a break-in into your home, with intruders stealing your assets, and your family in emotional distress, or even directly harmed. Such things happen too frequently to count. It is always easier to brush it off with the thought of “should have”.
According to Ryan Tee, Managing Director of ADC Security Technologies Sdn Bhd, “Security systems are almost mandatory in today’s modern development, as the percentage of investment is less than 10% of the total building cost.” (Source: Malaysian surveillance and security technologies poised to meet world standards | Malay Mail)
Future losses due to lack of house security systems and devices in place could cost more than investing in affordable house security systems and solutions. Security providers offer various packages based on your house security needs.
SECOM Smart Malaysia’s house security options are customizable from basic packages to much more integrated ones. SECOM Smart Malaysia’s team of expert security consultants will first survey your premises before suggesting you the appropriate home security package based on your house security needs and budget.
Think of the value you would be investing in when you choose reliable security providers such as SECOM Smart Malaysia. A gated community with flimsy gates securing your home can still be broken into with robbers tearing down flimsy gates in seconds. Investing a little more into a sturdier gate and fencing can better deters break-in.
Looking at this example, we leave the thought of “Do not be penny wise, pound foolish” with you. That’s what burglars hope for.
3. “Harmless” sites can still be dangerous
“Harmless” sites in this point refers to sites and areas that we, the public, deem to be harmless. This includes an empty plot of land in a residential area. We assume that such land is typically harmless as they are empty and pose no threat to the general public.
Burglars, however, tend to stake out at such “harmless” sites.
As these sites tend not to have any cameras for security or any 24-hour monitoring systems overwatching them, burglars tend to move through them, unnoticed.
For neighbourhoods with construction sites, there are also instances where construction workers who spend months at work, could have been surveying and taking notes of the neighbourhood in preparation for their big break-in.
The same can be said for guarded residential areas with security guards to secure homes. The assumption that those who drive expensive cars are residents in such an area, could in fact, be syndicates to a much bigger break-in operation.
Always be wary of your surroundings and do not let your guard down, even in a secured residential area. Having security systems in place such as cameras for security and sensors can help your neighbourhood keep track of movements to guard your homes in your housing area.
4. Burglars are not afraid to do it all again
One of the most protected assets of burglars would be their identification information such as face identification.
Burglars tend to wear masks to hide their identity.
The same goes for their cars and mode of transportation. To mask the identity of the mode of transportation used during the break-in, burglars will tend to use rental cars. Some burglars are not afraid to use weapons and force themselves to take whatever they desire, as they believe that their identity remains hidden through these measurements of camouflage.
Since they believe that their identity has not been exposed during the break-in, attempted break-in for the second and following consecutive times can reoccur. Burglars can also share information with their peers in robbing the same house again.
Cameras for security set up on premises for house security purposes can help identify such intruders. However, as mentioned earlier, such information can be shared among peers and different intruders, who can still choose to target the same house, over and over again.
Just because your house has been broken into previously, it does not necessarily make it “break-in free”.
5. Burglars learn from experience
We have mentioned a few times throughout this article that burglars are craftier with their methods and plan when they will do break-ins.
Burglars are aware of typical tell-tale signs of empty houses such as a dark home, which often indicates no one at home.
Burglars have now learned that homeowners are aware of those tell-tale signs of empty houses enticing burglars. They have now come up with strategies to out-manoeuvre any homeowner who tries to gain a secure home for their own assets, loved ones and livelihoods. Signs such as “Beware of a guard dog” still work as crime deterrence but are not enough or as effective as before.
Burglars today have slowly evolved over time. They learn and adapt accordingly and are aware that some of these threats do not pose much of a threat to them. Installing fake CCTVs or leaving lights on intentionally as house security measures are not effective deterrence.
Burglars can now see through such threats and test to see if these threats or house security measures are functional. For example, burglars today can test to see if anyone is home by throwing pebbles onto windows or by monitoring fake CCTVs to see if there are any lights to indicate functionality. Some bigger crime organizations would plan elaborately and target only elite customers, getting craftier and knowledgeable over time in this area. They would spend a long time familiarizing themselves with the household’s routines and learn from their past experiences.
Therefore, we cannot stress further the importance of equipping your homes with functional house security options and solutions such as 24-hour monitoring security features, along with other measures (link to “safety measures for family and loved ones” article). Read more our articles to further guard your homes. Secure your home and loved ones today.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are a lot of motives to various break-ins. Typically, a burglar will first survey the area prior to break-in. Each break-in has its own plan of conduct. It never hurts to take the extra step and effort to better safeguard your home and loved ones.
We recommend that you have house security systems in place, which better provide professional 24-hours monitoring services such as SECOM Smart Malaysia’s alarm systems and 24-hour central monitoring service. With SECOM Smart Malaysia, be assured that your house security needs will be accommodated the best way we can with reliable house security devices in guarding and securing your home.
