Many people assume that break-ins usually happen during the night, under the cover of darkness. But crime data and research tell a different story. The majority of household burglaries happen in broad daylight. Sixty-five percent of burglaries happen during the day, when burglars know homes are likely to be empty (The Zebra).

There is even more to consider. Weather and environmental factors can cause an increase in break-ins, and so can holidays. Once you know the patterns you can take action and adjust your security, and close the gaps that burglars exploit.

When do break-ins actually happen?

Residential burglaries

The peak burglary windows for homes on a normal day are from 10 AM to 12 PM, and 1 PM to 3 PM Monday through Friday. These are the times when people are least likely to be home. It is easy to predict when homeowners and neighbors are usually at work.

General activity in the neighborhood is lower during this time compared in the morning or evenings. It is also incredibly easy for burglars to pose as delivery drivers or service workers, to lower suspicion even further.

Of course, burglaries do happen at night as well, but they are less frequent since homes are more commonly occupied during those hours.

Commercial break-ins

Commercial burglaries follow the opposite pattern. Most burglaries for businesses happen overnight, after business hours, and on weekends when locations are likely to be empty.

Seasonality is a factor

Summer and holiday seasons are another peak time for burglars to break-in to homes and businesses. For residential areas, the summer months like June, July, and August are usually vacation months for families. People are out of their homes for days or weeks at a time, leaving them empty, which is perfect for anyone trying to break-in. This is also why the holiday season sees a spike in burglar activity.

Much of this is the same for small businesses. Shops and small restaurants might close for a couple of weeks for vacation, leaving them both vulnerable during the day and night time. The summer months also have some exploits you might not initially think about. Summer weather means you might leave your windows open and unlocked more often, and burglars could have an easier time getting in.

Weather events impact burglaries too

Different weather events can also either encourage or deter break-ins depending on what mother nature has in store. Extreme heat and cold might discourage being outside in general, so there could be a slight decrease in break-ins then, but there is a change in pattern during storms.

Storms during the night, especially for businesses can be extremely dangerous. Stormy weather brings the possibility of power outages, which means unprotected security systems could be down. This is a perfect opportunity for burglars to make a move.

Prevention strategies for break-Ins

Once you know when break-ins are most likely to occur, you can take intentional steps to close any gaps you might have. The first step is to make sure you are always locking your doors both when you are home and away. Organizing a neighborhood watch group is a great way to help you and your neighbors keep an eye out for unusual activity.

Another thing to do is to make your home look occupied especially when you are on vacation. Leaving a TV on, using smart lights to randomize light patterns in the house, having a neighbor bring in your mail, or leaving a car in your driveway are all ways to add a layer of safety while you are gone.

While all of these are simple ways to keep burglars from targeting you, one of the most reliable strategies is to have a security system.

Professionally installed and monitored security systems give you around-the-clock protection without actually needing to be at home or at your business. Security cameras deter burglars who don’t want to risk being caught on video, alarms will notify monitoring center agents in event of an emergency so that first responders arrive as fast as possible. Most security alarm panels have back-up batteries for storms and other weather events, so if your power goes out, you are still fully protected.

Burglars don’t work on your schedule, they work around it. But, with the right combination of simple daily habits and a monitored security system, you can close every gap that burglars count on. The best time to protect your home or business is now.

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