Do Burglars Come Back? Can You Stop Them?

They say the same boat doesn’t sink twice. The thought would’ve been nice if it’d been true for burglaries.

One out of every ten homes in Ireland has witnessed burglary. Even though the burglary rate has been declining for a few years, you should know burglary is not only an inconvenience, it’s also a traumatising event.

Being burgled doesn’t only harm you financially. It also hurts you emotionally and mentally – the fear that someone has watchful eyes on your possessions. It becomes even worse when burglars target the same home again; reinforcing the feeling that you don’t have control over the safety of your home.

Let’s dive deeper: do burglars really come back? And if they do, what can you do to stop them?

Do Burglars Really Come Back?

The short answer is yes. Burglars can come back to the same home again. For whatever reason, if they have failed the first time, they’d want to try to execute the burglary again. Or, they found it easy the first time and want to replicate their success.

Burglars are optimistic and overly confident in themselves. They think if they have been successful in breaking in once, they can do the same again. After all, they’ve seen your home’s ins and outs and know your floor plan now – it’s easier than getting familiar with another target.

Burglars tend to avoid homes with security systems, but they know you don’t have a robust one. So, the chances of coming back increase if they can tell your security efforts aren’t the best. Once they have identified vulnerabilities in your home, they won’t miss another opportunity to take advantage — they “know” they will successfully steal your possessions and sell them for easy cash.

But you’re not totally at the whims of burglars, with nothing to do about it. You can stop them (more on this below).

Why Do Burglars Target The Same Home Again?

Why would they target the same home again? There’s no standardised answer for this. But here’s the thing: burglars are ruthless people. They know what they’re getting into, otherwise, if they’re easily scared, they’re likely not going to steal in the first place.

Here’s why a seasoned burglar would strike again:

• Familiarity: Even though the burglar has failed once, they have secured a solid layout of your home. Consequently, they become more confident and can more easily devise a new plan to exploit your home’s vulnerabilities.
• Expectation: You would be least expecting a burglary after just facing one. Burglars know this is the best time to strike again because of this.
• Valuable Possessions: Burglars might have stalked a valuable possession they couldn’t handle due to unforeseen circumstances. Since they know there’s easy cash lying, they’d strike again to close the deal.
• Insensitive: Burglars are downright insensitive people. They generally don’t care about the traumatic effect it can have on your family. They’d strike again because that’s what they do to earn easy money, and they’re insensitive to how you would have experienced the first attack.

Signs Burglars Leave

Often, burglars leave a sign on your home stating that you’re a target. They could do so so that they can easily find you at the right time and avoid chances of mistakes. You might ignore such signs, but you must be cautious if you notice them.

Some signs that say you’re a burglar target are:

• Strange markings on your home
• Unrecognised footprints
• Broken glass
• Unusual amount of advertising stickers surrounding the home
• Scratched or damaged door frames
• Unfamiliar watch from the neighbourhood
• Unfamiliar parked vehicles around your home.

How To Avoid Repeat Burglary in Your Home (How To Stop Them)

If you want to be free from the severe threat of burglary, you must act to secure your home. Leave the idea that you’re safe and you won’t be targeted. Security is a necessity, not an option.

Here are some steps you can take to make your home burglar-free:

1. Get Security System
   If you don’t have a home security system, it’s time to get one. Burglar alarms deter these mischiefs and save your home from being burgled. Whenever an intruder tries to break in, the alarm goes off, making loud noises and notifying you.
2. Move Your Valuables
   If you have been burgled once, you should move your valuables immediately. Burglars often come to the same home to steal that expensive item they’d their eyes on. Moving your valuables would confuse them and save your item.
3. Patch The Vulnerability
   Fix that door with a weak lock. Get the repairs of the window done immediately. Burglars return because they know there’s a vulnerability in your home that they either noticed or created themselves the first time. So, to avoid them, you should directly deal with your vulnerabilities — ASAP.
4. Proper Lighting
   It is one of the main home security mistakes to avoid. Ensure your home has proper lighting and there’s no dark area. Good lighting also gives the impression that someone’s at home, which deters the burglars.

Wrapping Up: You Can Stop Burglars from Coming Back

While we’ve demonstrated that it is a genuine risk to have your home broken into again, there are measures you can take to ensure the security of your home and deter second-attempt burglars.

One of the best ways to do so is to invest in a robust home security system fitted with cameras, lighting, and other detection devices that intimidate thieves and notify you as soon as possible.