Every once in a while, a post downplaying the value of electronic home security finds its way across the net. Such posts suggest that investing in a home security system is a waste of resources because electronic devices won’t stop a truly determined burglar. That much is true: determined burglars will not be stopped by security systems. But the argument points directly to why security systems work as deterrents.
No security strategies will stop a truly determined criminal. So does that mean homeowners and businesses should not take steps to make their properties safer? Of course not. The easier it is to burglarize a property, the more likely the property will be hit.
It is natural for property owners to want to do something to protect themselves. One could do worse than installing an electronic home security system. So let us talk about deterrence. Why do home security systems deter burglary? What I consider the biggest reason might surprise you.
A Crime of Amateurs
Keeping burglars at bay is a lot easier when you understand how they think. With that in mind, the University of North Carolina Charlotte conducted a research study a number of years ago. The study looked at burglar habits and motivations. Without getting into all the details, here’s the most important finding for the purposes of this post: 85% of all burglaries are perpetrated by amateurs doing what they do out of desperation.
In simple English, the vast majority of burglaries are not committed by professional criminals who take the time to plan out every little detail. They are substance abusers and petty thieves looking for a quick score. Once they decide to commit the crime, they look around for the easiest target. As soon as they think they have found it, they strike.
Unfortunately, Hollywood has glamorized burglary. Television shows and films have led us to believe that most burglars are sophisticated criminals smart enough to be Mensa members. But that’s just not the case.
Why Home Security Systems Matter
Given the amateur nature of most burglars, a home security system can be an effective deterrent on multiple levels. Its deterrence is rooted in the fact that burglars don’t want to get caught. Not only that, but they also want to take as few risks as possible.
A burglar who gets caught is not only going to jail, he is also not getting the score he was after. He loses on both ends. So if there is anything about a targeted home a burglar thinks increases his risks, he’s going to think twice. Enter home security.
A house equipped with a Vivint Home Security system will have, among other things, exterior video cameras providing around-the-clock surveillance footage. A burglar seeing a camera pointing at the front door will think twice about breaking in.
He knows the camera will record (and possibly even stream) his approach to the house. The camera will also show him breaking in. In all likelihood, he will encounter additional cameras in the house – all of which will record his every move. All that video footage is evidence working against him.
It Deters Most Burglars
Because most burglars are not sophisticated professionals who take the time to neutralize the threat of a home security system, such systems are effective deterrents. Your average amateur wants no part of a home he quit with devices capable of alerting homeowners of a crime and progress. Don’t let the fact that a home security system will not deter a truly determined criminal stop you from investing in one. Those truly determined criminals are the exception rather than the rule.
