Count to 15 slowly. In the time it took you to count to 15, one house in the United States was burgled, according to ASecureLife.com. One in 36 homes in the U.S is burgled each year and the average loss is $2,230 per break in, according to the FBI. In total burglaries cause $4.7 billion in property losses. Statistics on home invasions are harder to find, but also represent a risk for home owners.
Home security systems can reduce the risk of being burgled by as much as three times. A 2012 study of convicted burglars looked at factors that deterred burglars from a target house. The respondents indicated that they considered close proximity of other people, whether or not there were escape routes, and most importantly, signs of increased security such as alarm signs or outdoor cameras. Just over 60% of the burglars said they would avoid a home with an alarm altogether. Almost half of the 36 million security systems installed in the United States in 2012 were in residential homes.
According to Safewise, 85% of police officials believe that home monitoring systems can deter or prevent burglaries. Options are now quite varied, from wired to wireless, interactive systems. Safewise noted that up to a quarter of burglars indicated that they cut telephone or alarm wires before breaking into a home.
Although wireless home security systems are usually more expensive than traditional wired home systems, they do offer additional security because there are no wires that can be cut. Such systems also offer quite sophisticated automated home systems. Such interactive home security systems allow all aspects of security from monitoring to alerting. Many offer the ability to monitor your home or even arm the alarm from your smart device. They also can integrate into other smart home systems such as temperature control.
Investing in a home security system can be the difference between becoming a burglary statistic and enjoying peace of mind.