If you’re ever the victim of a home burglary or break-in, it can be a painful and confusing recovery. The emotions of the incident do not come across when magazines run lists of statistics or graphs detailing the prevalence of such crimes in America. However, these statistics do provide information about what areas of home security are most often forgotten or exploited by burglars, and that can be an important benefit. So, don’t forget that there is a face behind every number, but don’t ignore these startling facts either.

• The FBI reports a burglary every 14 seconds. That’s more than 4 robberies a minute, about 257 an hour, more than 6,171 a day.
• Homes that don’t have a security system are 2 to 3 times as likely to be burglarized as one with a reliable system. ADT Security is one of the leading providers of such systems.
• 89 of all burglaries go unsolved. That’s about 5,492 every day where valuables are unlikely to be recovered.
• Most home burglaries are committed by a teenage male living in the area. It’s much less likely that your home would fall victim to a professional thief. While this may seem like a positive thing, don’t let it lull you into a false sense of security. You should still follow our tips whenever you leave the house for any extended period of time.
• The average amount of property lost in a home burglary is 2,079. That means 12,829,509 of home property lost in an average day.
• 34 of burglars gain entry by the front door. 23 enter through first-floor windows and 22 through the back-door. The garage, unlocked entrances, the basement, and the second floor account for the rest of burglaries.
• Of all robberies committed, 65-70 are committed in residential homes.