Many newscasters report that crime is on the decrease. But, are you and your property really more secure these days? Or, are you still at risk of having a burglary?

The following F.B.I and other law enforcement agency statistics can provide some surprising answers.

Statistics

• 85% of all residential burglaries usually occur when the home is unoccupied and 65% of these were forced entries.
• Latest crime statistics for the United States indicate that there is a burglary every twelve seconds resulting in over 3.1 billion dollars in property and person loss annually.
• In metropolitan areas there were 4,975 offenses per 100,000 inhabitants; suburban areas reported 4,987 offenses per 100,000 inhabitants; and in rural areas there were 1,998 per 100,000 inhabitants.
• Crime Statistics per region: the South had 5223 offenses per 100,000 inhabitants; the West had 4,879, the Midwest had 4,379; the Northeast had 3,474.
• Residential property was involved in 61% of structural arsons and 43% of these structural arsons occurred in single-family dwellings.
• 60% of all residential burglaries occur during daylight hours.
• High risk items: Money, jewelry, furs - appliances such as televisions, stereo systems and high-end radios - guns - electronic equipment such as computers, typewriters and calculators - automotive parts, expensive clothing and power tools.
• 38% of all robberies are committed with guns.
• Most commercial burglaries occur when the firm is not open for regular business - nights, weekends and holidays.
• The F.B.I reports that 90% of all intrusions occur through doors; 6% occur through windows; 3% occur through the roof and 1% occur through the walls.
• 50% of all burglaries occur through unlocked doors.
• Businesses most vulnerable to hold-up are banks, grocery stores, convenience stores, jewelry stores, liquor stores, gun shops and furriers.
• The F. B. I. indicates that burglars are 2.7 times more likely to target homes without alarm systems.
• Burglars will spend less than 2 minutes to break into a home.
• The monetary value of property damaged due to arson averaged $12,561.00 per incident.
• Losses experienced by victims of burglary each year are approximately 3.1 billion dollars.
• Over the next five years residential automation systems will increase by 64%.
• One in six homes will be burglarized.