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Understanding the Burglar

There are generally three different types of burglars: the professional, the semi-professional and the amateur. Although the average homeowner will probably not have to face a professional thief who focuses on extremely valuable items, you need to be aware of semi-professional and amateur burglars.

Residential burglars are often male teenagers who live near your home. They are opportunists who look for easy targets. If the risk of detection is too high, the average burglar will not attempt to enter your home.

Burglars know that the key to success is planning. The semi-professional burglar may scout a neighborhood for up to a week, while the amateur burglar will spend only a few hours "casing" a residence. After determining his target, the average burglar spends just a few minutes burglarizing it.

Whether you leave your home for five minutes or five weeks, recognize that it's vulnerable whenever it's unoccupied. While you cannot be home all of the time, you can devise a home security program that works for you around the clock.