When you think of a burglar, what comes to mind? Is cartoon-like masked figure wearing a black and white striped sweater and carrying a brown swag bag with a money symbol on it hiding in the shadows waiting to strike?

This may be the first thought that comes to mind for those of us who have never faced a burglar in real life. But what is the truth? What kind of burglar is most likely to target your home?

What does a typical burglar look like?

Almost as many victims know their burglar as those who do not. After all, what better way to plan a burglary than to get to know the victim and what they have to steal. Burglars are opportunists, meaning they attack when they see a good target. Burglars may learn a lot about a victim by getting to know them beforehand, such as what they have that is worth taking, when their house is unattended, and what security measures they have.

A competent thief will be able to get a wealth of information from someone just by striking up a conversation. That’s why you shouldn’t give out personal information to someone you don’t know well or completely trust.

Children (under sixteen) are responsible for only a tiny percentage of all home burglaries.

Over one out of every ten burglaries is committed by a woman – housebreaking is not exclusively a male pursuit.

No race is more likely than others to be a burglar. Caucasian (white) people are far more likely to be thieves simply due to the racial make up of Scottish society. The percentage of burglars of other races is likewise roughly in line with the population’s share of that race.

All burglars are looking for easy targets so it is important to protect your home as effectively as you can with a high quality home security system. If you’re looking for a burglar alarm in Glasgow, Lanarkshire or Renfrewshire get in touch with Ultimate Alarms today and let us protect your home to deter not just the average burglar…