- 60% of burglars said they would choose another target if a home paired cameras with a security system; 50% would abandon an attempt if they discovered cameras after entering.
- Most burglars entered through an open window or door rather than picking locks; deadbolts, window locks and security bars provide critical protection.
- Burglars prioritize cash, jewelry, electronics and prescription medications; keep these items out of sight and avoid visible signs of wealth (e.g., private school or vacation home stickers).
5 Steps to Help Secure Your Home
A home burglary can have a significant financial and emotional impact. Taking simple steps to secure your property can help reduce your risk. The following home safety measures can help protect your home against burglars.
Key Takeaways
Burglary rates have declined in recent years. In 2023, according to the last available data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), there were 796,483 burglaries – a 25% decrease from 2019.
You can further reduce the risk of becoming a victim by taking steps to protect your home. We identified five home safety steps to help secure your property against burglars and improve everyday peace of mind.
Quick tip: To secure your home, start with the basics — lock entry points, improve visibility, reduce hiding spots and make the property look occupied when you’re away.
What to do to deter home burglars
Burglary can occur through an intruder forcibly breaking open a door, but it also covers unlawful entries where no force is used. For example, it still applies if a visitor or service provider steals your belongings while in your home.
According to the FBI, most burglary offenses involve residential break-ins, where private homes are targeted. On average, victims lost nearly $3,000 worth of property per burglary.
When looking for a home to target, burglars focus on a number of factors. Here’s what you can do to protect your home and build stronger home safety measures around the property.
| Home security step | How it may help | What to focus on |
|---|---|---|
| Visible security measures | May make a burglar think the home is harder to approach unnoticed | Use cameras, alarm signs or window stickers where appropriate |
| Strong locks and hardware | Can help reduce easy entry through doors and windows | Check deadbolts, window locks and other vulnerable access points |
| Keeping valuables out of sight | May reduce attention from anyone looking through windows | Store cash, jewelry, electronics and medications discreetly |
| Lighting and landscaping | Can reduce hiding spots and improve visibility around entry points | Trim shrubs and trees, and add porch or motion-activated lights |
| Occupancy cues | Can make the property feel active instead of vacant | Use timers, collect mail and avoid obvious signs that no one is home |
1. Show signs of surveillance
In most cases, burglars look for easy targets. They want a home they can enter quickly, ideally without the homeowners present, so they can grab what they want and leave within minutes.
The University of North Carolina’s Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology completed a study in which researchers surveyed over 400 incarcerated burglars to learn about how they targeted properties.
The majority of respondents said that signs of security or alerts indicate that their burglary could be interrupted by either a homeowner or law enforcement, making burglars nervous about entering the property.
The presence of security cameras can be a significant deterrent. In the University of North Carolina’s study, burglars said outdoor cameras would make them rethink the intended target.
In fact, if a home paired cameras with a security system, 60% of burglars said they would choose another target. And, if they initiated a burglary and discovered cameras or security after entering the property, about 50% said they’d abandon the attempt.
What to do: Make sure there are signs that your home is secure. Those can include placing stickers in windows or signs on the lawn from the alarm system company. If you’re comparing systems, see Shopping for a Home Security System.
2. Make sure windows and doors are locked, with strong hardware
Only one in eight burglars said they picked locks or used a key to gain entry to a home. Instead, most entered through an open window or door, or were able to force entry.
What to do: Having good door locks, such as a door with a deadbolt, window locks or security bars, can provide critical protection. If you want to secure your home more effectively, checking entry points regularly is one of the simplest places to start.
3. Don’t leave valuables in plain sight
When stealing from a property, burglars said they looked for the following (in order of priority):
- Cash
- Jewelry
- Illegal drugs
- Electronics
- Prescription medications
What to do: Avoid having those items in plain sight — for example, in a jewelry box on a dresser or bottles of especially valuable prescription medications on your kitchen counter visible from a window. Appropriate storage can accomplish that, as can drawing blinds or hanging thick curtains over the windows.
4. Have your home be well-lit and free of foliage
Homes with hiding places near the entry points – such as thick trees or bushes – are more desirable than homes with more sparse landscaping, since they make it easier for a burglar to hide.
Darkness around the home also aids criminals. Properties that are dimly lit are easy targets, since they allow burglars to hide and sneak into the home.
What to do: To prevent becoming a target, ensure your property is well-lit outside, with garage and porch lights. Consider installing motion-detection lights as an added security measure.
Eliminate hiding spots close to the house by trimming shrubbery and trees. “Your shrubbery shouldn’t be taller than three or four feet, and the branches of your trees should be trimmed to at least seven or eight feet above the ground,” said K. Campbell, principal at Blue Glacier Security & Intelligence. “Doing so decreases the chances someone can be obscured by branches or that they can hide behind shrubbery.”
Outdoor upkeep can support burglar prevention and broader home maintenance goals. For related guidance, see how to prevent a broken tree from causing major home damage.
5. Have your home appear to be occupied
Burglars said whether a home appeared to be occupied was one of the biggest determining factors when selecting a target. When it looked like someone was home thanks to so-called “occupancy cues,” they were more likely to move on to another property.
What to do: “Occupancy cues include a car in the driveway, interior lights turned on, and a TV or music playing,” said Campbell. Conversely, signs that you are not home include mail or packages piling up, so Campbell advises having family members or a neighbor take care of gathering those periodically while you’re away on a long trip.
When seeking a target, burglars often look for blatant signs of wealth, since such homes are more likely to contain valuables like jewelry and electronics. If you have a luxury car, keeping it inside a garage can be helpful.
If that’s not possible, limiting other signs of your wealth can reduce the risk of becoming a victim. For example, if you have bumper stickers for your child’s private school or the island where you have a vacation home, removing those stickers can help make you a less appealing target.
Protecting your home
Although the likelihood of being a victim of burglary has slightly declined in recent years — just 1.01% of households were victims of burglary or trespassing in 2023, down from 1.12% in 2022 — burglaries can have a devastating impact.
Taking small steps to reduce your home’s level of vulnerability by installing strong lights, adding security cameras and a security system, and trimming back trees and bushes around the home can help reduce the risk of becoming a target.
Check out Smarter Home Savings if you want to learn more about connected home devices and related insurance discounts. You can also explore home safety and security and home insurance coverages for broader protection information.
Get a home insurance quote today
FAQs about securing your home
A good starting point is locking doors and windows, improving outdoor lighting, trimming back hiding spots, using visible security features and making your home look occupied when you’re away.
Common home safety measures include deadbolts, window locks, cameras, alarm signs, motion-activated lights and routines that make the property appear active. These steps may help with burglar prevention by making the home look less vulnerable.
They may help by making the property look less vulnerable and by giving you visibility into activity around entry points. Camera placement, lighting and video access can all affect how useful they are.
Overgrown shrubs and low-hanging branches can create hiding places near windows and doors. Keeping landscaping trimmed may improve visibility and reduce easy cover around entry points.
Federal Bureau of Investigation, Crime Data Explorer, 2023.
University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology.
Interview with K. Campbell, principal at Blue Glacier Security & Intelligence, as cited in source article.
Your Policy, Policy Declarations or Amended Declarations in effect on the date of loss is the primary source of reference for your coverage, coverage limits and deductible amounts.
This inclusion of non-Amica companies, products, services or statement herein (“Third-Party Content”) is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement by Amica Insurance. Policies, views, opinions or positions of Third-Party Content expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policies, views, opinions or positions of Amica Insurance. Amica Insurance makes no warranties, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy and reliability of Third-Party Content.
This content may contain helpful tips, explanation and advice. Your use of this information is voluntary and may not be effective in every circumstance. Amica encourages you to use good judgment and put safety first.
For more information on our editorial process and content standards, take a look at our editorial guidelines.
AMIC-01-060928