You lock your doors and even double-check them before bedtime. This is how you keep your family safe. But did you ever stop to consider why an individual would break into your home? More importantly, what exactly is on their mind when they do it? Burglars aren’t just shadowy figures targeting your TV. Some are calculated, and others are opportunists. Sometimes, there are other motivations unrelated to money. Are you genuinely committed to fortifying your home and making it burglar-proof? You need solutions that offer more than locks and cameras alone. It starts with thinking like a burglar and outlining motives for you to enhance security for you and your family.
Psychology of Burglars: Understanding Motives to Enhance Security
Not All Burglars Are Looking for the Same Thing
We usually envision a hoodie-clad stranger sneaking through your backyard. But this vision doesn’t reflect reality. Some burglars don’t necessarily plan break-ins. They may:
- Stroll by your home, see that your place is never lit up at one particular time
- Notice Amazon boxes piling up on your porch like you’re constructing a cardboard fortress
That may be all they need to give it a go.
Then there are the criminals who plan. They notice:
- When you walk the dog
- When your car leaves your driveway
- When the sprinklers turn on
They’re not opportunists; they pay attention to your movements and analyze your behavior patterns.
Sometimes it’s not what you have that matters. In some instances, more frequently than you’d like to consider, an intruder breaks in to feel in control. They might be upset with the world. They might be upset with you.
What’s the Motive Behind the Break-In?
Many people assume break-ins are always about financial gain. Sure, financial pressures make people do silly things and turn to crime. But scratch underneath the surface, and you’ll find the motives begin to change.
For some people, it’s addiction—housebreaking is an easy route to getting a fix. Others do it because it’s some kind of dare, something to make them street-tough and respected by others. Or it’s just something to do when nothing else seems worthwhile.
Then, there’s the spiteful break-in—the one criminals commit to intentionally shake up your world. You probably fired them at work, or they followed you home after you flipped them off in traffic. To prove a point, they came back later for revenge.
Now your home is being victimized, not because of its contents, but because it belongs to you.
These are the emotional motivations that slip past conventional security tactics. You may be unable to out-tech an individual driven by anger or grievance. But you can identify potential shortcomings if you know what’s driving them. You can build layers of deterrents to stop them before they reach your door.
Motives to Enhance Security: Your Daily Routine May Give You Away
Criminals don’t need the complete layout of your home—they need access to your routines. They’ll know more about what you don’t do than what you are doing, making you an easy target.
- Do you turn that same light on night after night like clockwork? That informs them no one’s home to turn it off.
- Do you leave curtains open when you’re on vacation or away for the weekend? That’s an open invitation to have a look.
- Are you someone who enjoys the feel of the open windows, even when you aren’t home?
Here’s a thought people rarely consider—the burglar could’ve been in your home already. Potential intruders can be a delivery person, a contractor, or a visiting friend of your neighbor.
They notice the sliding door latch catches when you open it. They spot your spare key hiding under your decorative frog statue. Maybe that little encounter was their reconnaissance stage—and you never knew it happened. Now is the time to take effective security measures.
Security Begins in the Mind, Not the Front Door
Yes, you require solid locks. Yes, the motion lights are helpful too. However, the most effective security begins with changing your attitude.
When you think like a burglar instead of a homeowner, you notice the vulnerable points in your security that require attention. Avoid letting your home become a potential target.
Contact your local locksmith and work with a professional security team to deter burglars and avoid potential threats to your home and family.
Carl Jarl Locksmiths | Home Security Systems Omaha, NE
Carl Jarl Locksmiths can secure your business with panic bars, exit locks, card access systems, and more. We guarantee our locks and offer 24/7 service to keep your business safe at all times.
Always use the services of a trusted local Locksmith/Home Security Company. Carl Jarl Locksmiths offers products and services to make your home safe and secure. Your Security is our top priority.
- We are licensed, bonded, and insured
- Provide immediate response
- We have a 24-hour locksmith dispatch center
- All our employees are background checked, wear uniforms, and arrive in our own identifiable service vehicles
Choose experience and peace of mind. Carl Jarl Locksmith’s prompt and dependable Locksmith Service is just a phone call away.
