Burglary & break-ins · 6 min read
What burglars look for —
and what puts them off.
Most burglaries are opportunist and take under ten minutes. The house is chosen in seconds from the street. Here's what that decision is based on, and how to make yours the one they skip.
18 burglaries were reported within a mile of Wolverhampton centre last month. See the full picture →
How the house gets chosen
Surveys of convicted burglars, in the UK and the US, keep finding the same things: they want a house that looks empty, that has a hidden approach, and that gives them a way in without noise. They walk or drive the street first. They read the frontage: no car, post in the door, bins not moved, no lights on timers, a side gate that isn't locked, tall hedges that hide the side of the house. A camera that's visible and clearly real is one of the most consistently cited reasons for moving on to the next house.
Where they get in
- Rear and side. The majority of domestic break-ins are at the back or side of the house — out of sight of the street. That's why a camera on the side access and the rear matters more than two on the front.
- Doors before windows. A forced or unlocked door is more common than a smashed window. A door sensor on an alarm catches it instantly.
- Daytime, on weekdays. Plenty happen between 10am and 4pm when houses are predictably empty — not at 3am.
What actually deters
- Visible cameras with a light. A ColorVu-style camera that comes on white at night says 'you will be identifiable'. Burglars rate this above almost everything else.
- An alarm that's obviously live. A bell box on the front with a working LED. Even better: a doorbell camera that answers when they knock to check if anyone's in.
- Signs of occupancy. Lights on timers, a car on the drive, a neighbour who moves the bins.
- Locked gates and no hiding places. Cut back the hedge that screens the side of the house.
A camera on the front approach with colour night vision, one on the side access, one on the rear covering the back door and garden, and a doorbell camera — with an app-armed alarm on the doors if you want to be told the moment something opens. Three to five cameras placed well, not eight placed badly.
Your property decides. Not the logo.
Questions
Good to know.
Do burglars really avoid houses with CCTV?
In surveys of offenders, visible cameras are consistently among the top deterrents. Not a guarantee — but it moves the odds, and it gives you evidence if they try anyway.
Fake cameras — any use?
Briefly, until word gets round. And they give you nothing if something happens. A real entry-level camera costs little more.
Is a doorbell camera enough?
It covers the front door. Most break-ins are at the side or back — see doorbell vs CCTV.