If you keep your back door unlocked
Think leaving your back door unlocked or that ground-floor window cracked open is going unnoticed? Think again.
“The overwhelming number of burglars have no specific skill; they are looking for the easiest targets,” says Leonard A. Sipes, Jr., former senior specialist for crime prevention for the Department of Justice’s clearinghouse and the former director of information services for the National Crime Prevention Council, who now operates CrimeInAmerica.net.
“Most burglaries happen because of open or unlocked doors and windows.” In many cases, when scoping out your house, burglars will take note of any unlocked doors or windows—or, if they’ve been inside your house making a delivery or performing a service call, may leave an entry point unlocked so they can let themselves back in when you’re not home.
According to BJS data, entering through an unlocked or open door or window was the method of choice in half of reported burglaries.
