15 Habits That Can Make Your House a Magnet for Burglars

You may be doing certain things around your home that make it more appealing to burglars without realizing it. With the holiday season nearing and many people traveling, shopping, and bringing purchases home, it is a smart time to look at a few habits that could make a property easier to target.

I have been thinking about this a lot lately. I live in Texas, and even though I have a strong security system, I still think it is worthwhile to understand what might draw someone looking for an easy payoff at your expense.

Burglary Concerns Often Rise Around the Holidays

Even when homeowners are careful, they may still be making their homes more appealing to would-be burglars without meaning to. Security guidance from Prudential Alarms notes that the holiday season is a time when extra caution is especially important, particularly when homes are left empty.

That does not mean every neighborhood suddenly becomes a burglary hotspot. Still, with people away from home more often, it is a useful reminder to think carefully about how property is protected.

What Older Data Showed About December Break-Ins

In earlier reporting, KHOU cited a 10-year analysis of Allstate insurance claims and said December 1 was the day Texas homeowners were most likely to experience a home burglary.

There is an important caveat: that figure came from Allstate customers' claims, not from every burglary reported across Texas. And because the information is old, it should not be viewed as a current ranking of the most likely day for a break-in.

Even so, it serves as a reminder of how much activity can surround the holiday season. Texas Department of Public Safety figures from that same period also showed that residential burglaries were reported more often during the day than at night, which is another reason not to assume a home is only vulnerable after dark.

The Stress of Even Thinking About a Break-In

Honestly, just the idea is unsettling. Even when I know my security system is there to help protect my home, picturing a burglar inside still makes me uneasy. Chances are, you can relate.

Getting ready to leave town is already stressful. There is planning, packing, and making sure your pets are cared for. On top of that, the possibility of a home break-in can make you hesitate before leaving at all.

Why Security Devices Alone Are Not the Whole Answer

I recently came across an article shared by Urban Survival Site that discussed ways people may accidentally make their homes easier targets.

If you have a security system or a camera you can check from your phone, that is great. But it still makes sense to do everything possible to discourage a burglar from choosing your home in the first place.

Even when an alarm or camera can alert you to trouble, most people would rather keep strangers off their property entirely.

15 Habits That May Be Making Your Home a Target

So, let us look at 15 things homeowners may be doing, or failing to do, that could make their homes more attractive to burglars. Some of them may surprise you.

15 Things Homeowners Do That Make Them a Target for Burglars

Gallery Credit: Tara Holley

15 Ways to Avoid Falling Victim to Crimes of Opportunity

Protecting your valuables often comes down to recognizing risks before they become problems. These tips could help keep you from becoming a victim of what police call crimes of opportunity.

Gallery Credit: Cindy Campbell