Stick to well lighted streets and well-populated areas – Avoid shortcuts, wooded areas, alleys, and isolated parking lots and garages. Safety in numbers – Walk with friends or in a group. Never flash large amounts of money or other valuables – Robbers are often tempted by money, jewelry, clothing, and electronics.
Remain alert and observe the people around you. Know who is walking behind and in front of you. Things to watch for include suspicious persons or vehicles, people who are wearing inappropriate clothing for the weather (e.g. a long or heavy coat in warm weather) and people just loitering around. Walk in well-lit areas.
Like most phobias, kleptophobia can be successfully treated using a range of techniques. Exposure therapies, particularly systematic desensitization, are first-line choice and most effective. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) may help people learn to stop your negative self-talk and think more logically about theft.
What are the odds? According to the FBI website, FBI: UCR, robbery in America happens on average 150 times per year, per 100,000 of the population (in 2007). So the chance of being robbed in one year is 1 out of 667 so 0.0014%.
While the darkness tends to cause apprehensive feelings, most burglars actually prefer to break in during the day. FBI.org tells us that home break-ins are more common in daylight hours.
Much like the way predators scope their target from a herd of prey animals, muggers look for anyone who walks in an “unusual” way, one that denotes weakness. This includes slouching, dragging feet, or eyes that are cast downward instead of eye-level.
We figured out that burglars are not fearless. They are afraid of many things you can use to make your home as safe as possible. You may install CCTY cameras and alarm systems or use your outdoor lights and security stickers. We hope you find our easy tips on deterring burglars helpful.
Corner houses with neighbours on only one side and houses that are concealed or covered by trees or architectural designs are more likely to be robbed. Houses that are hidden from the neighbours are easy targets—nobody's there to catch them. Having poor lighting on and around your home can also make you less safe.
Factors influencing the fear of crime include the psychology of risk perception, circulating representations of the risk of victimization (chiefly via interpersonal communication and the mass media), public perceptions of neighborhood stability and breakdown, the influence of neighbourhood context, and broader factors ...
Although most people don't suffer long-term from a crime of this sort, occasionally the emotional distress can leave you feeling symptoms of anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder or depression that may persist. It is important that you don't ignore these symptoms.
Community policing is one of the most effective tools for reducing the fear of crime. When law enforcement works directly with residents and businesses within a community, they are going a long way toward reducing crime, improving quality of life, and enhancing public safety.
After the robbery, go immediately to a safe location, then report the crime. Your personal safety is your top priority. Make sure you feel secure before you call 911 or DPS. If you're in an isolated area, move to an area with people and ask someone to stay with you while you wait for help.
When you leave your room or office, even for a moment, always keep your doors and windows locked. Do not prop open or disengage the locking system on the door or windows. Never leave your purse, wallet, book bag, laptop, cell phone, earbuds, or other property unattended even for a moment in a public setting.
Burglars often look for homes without a security system, so their chances of getting away with the crime are much greater. Burglars have different motivations for their crimes, but the primary one is the need for money.
Your attic is not likely to be visited by a burglar because they are usually hard to find and access. So, it is always a good idea to store valuables in attic storage containers. As an extra safety precaution make sure to mark them with labels like “winter clothes” or “old shoes” to throw a burglar off of your scent.
Here are some of the top things burglars look for when targeting homes. Single-family detached homes in the middle of the neighborhood (as opposed to corner units, which are less likely to be burglarized). Homes next to empty lots or without nearby neighbors. High privacy hedges, bushes, and walls around the property.
These are the most common points of entry for home break-ins: Front door: 34% of burglars twist the doorknob and walk right in. First-floor windows: 23% use a first-floor open window to break into your home. Back door: 22% come in through the back door.
Alarm Systems or Sirens — A Useful Burglar Deterrent
Burglar deterrent audio or sound would scare away those thieves. Burglars hate attention. That's the main reason why burglar alarms and sirens are effective on deterring thieves.
A study by the Office for National Statistics also found that 60% of burglaries take place during the day. More often than not, your constant night-time lights won't make a difference to whether or not you're burgled.
Should you leave outdoor lights on at night? No, leaving lights on can make intruders think that you're not home. Use a motion sensor light that turns on when you, or anyone else, comes near so you have light only when you need it.
Victims. Street robbers search for victims who appear to have money or other valuables—for example, students and tourists. They also target people who appear to be the most vulnerable—like young adults using ATMs alone at night or under the influence of alcohol.
Criminals will select their victims based on their habits, predictability and ability to control the situation. Targets that are constantly distracted by cell phones, music or are unaware of their surrounds are prime victims.