BURGLARY

Burglary is by far the most common crime in the United States. Every twenty-five or thirty seconds, around the clock, seven days a week, a burglary is committed somewhere in our country. Criminals, especially burglars, have read and studied every security manual ever written Oust as they will study this one) so you cannot deter them 100%. You can make their task more difficult and increase their risk of getting caught and punished, however, and discourage them a little by taking the precautions stated in this book and following the suggestions for increasing and maintaining your own security. Burglars will ordinarily not spend too much time and effort entering a well-protected house (unless there is something of extraordinary value inside) simply because there are so many places where security is lax that are easier to burglarize. Luxurious city apartments and isolated country homes that are unoccupied much of the year are favorite targets, but any home, big or small, simple or luxurious, stands a chance of being burglarized at some time. What can the average single person who lives alone do to protect himself/herself from being one of the victims, like Karen Avery? Even though single people must often leave their residences for varied lengths of time, from a few hours to several weeks, there are many ways they can prevent the burglarization of the residents. Of course, there is no such thing as a sure method of making one's residence totally burglar proof. Modern burglars are highly sophisticated as to locks, alarms and other devices, so there is always a chance that they will enter despite the most elaborate and expensive precautions. The goal of the resident is to make the premises so secure that the burglar will become discouraged and take off to find an easier mark - not too far away in our society, despite the prevalence of burglary and the availability of security devices. Even today, most people are astonishingly careless when it comes to protecting their homes and valuables. "It can't happen to me ... " "I've been living here ten years and nothing has ever happened" are common excuses people give for carelessness and procrastination when it comes to protecting their homes and possessions. "I never got around to if' is another classic excuse that is used for negligence.