Looking to gain some knowledge on Home Invasion Statistics? Keep reading!
Home invasion is one of the most frequently occurred property crimes in the United States that involves a person making an unlawful entry into an occupied residence without the intent to commit a theft.
Also, Home invasion is often referred to as burglary or breaking-in, and it can happen in any structure, including a building or even in a train or an airplane.
Home invasions happen more often than you think, as the majority of people underestimate the safety requirements and lack the basic knowledge of how home invasion incidents happen.
The following statistics reveal how many home invasions occur per year in the United States.
1. 2.5 million burglaries happen per year
Justice statistics bureau discloses that, on average, there are about 2.5 million burglaries happening every year, of which 66% are home break-ins.
Though crime rates are decreasing, they are still worried. The New York Police Department reports a 32.7% increase in burglaries from 2021 to 2022, while the Chicago Police Department reported a quite similar increase of 35% in burglaries from 2021 to 2022.
2. The average cost of burglary is $2,800
A break-in occurs every 26 seconds in the United States at an average loss of $2,800. On average, all home invasion victims lose an average of $2,416
3. Two-thirds of the home invasions happen during daylight
Research conducted by DCSI Security found that 65% of burglars break in during daylight hours, between 6 am-6 pm, to be precise.
Furthermore, leaving lights on at night can help see them better and hence enhance the chances of them breaking into your house.
4. Summer is the favorite time of the burglars.
A recent study in Chicago showed that the summer is the most common month for burglaries as the warm weather plays a huge part in the number of crimes that take place, including burglaries, vehicle thefts, and assaults.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the rate of burglary was the highest during the summer and the lowest in winter. Cold weather and snow are the least favorite season for burglars.
5. Only 12% of the home invasions are pre-planned
It might seem shocking to most of you, but it is a fact that only 12% of home invasions are pre-planned, and a vast majority of burglars don’t plan an invasion.
A survey of burglars conducted by the University of Carolina found that almost 41% of the respondents replied that they were not prepared and acted on the spur of the moment, while only 12% said that all their actions were intentional.
6. One-third of home invasions occur with someone at home.
United States Department of Justice reports that 28% of home invasion attempts happened when a household member was present at home, and around 7% of them experienced some sort of physical violence.
7. Home invasions usually last less than 10 minutes.
On average, most home invasions last between 8-10 minutes, with some as quick as 90 seconds.
Burglars don’t like to linger and are quick in their actions, which means they snatch whatever they see first and leave.
Things they usually aim for include cash, jewelry, prescription drugs, and electronics.
8. 22% of burglars are not frightened by the Watch Signs
Break-in statistics reveal that burglars usually do not get frightened by the neighborhood watch sign while selecting their target, and only 22% consider a neighborhood watch sign as a warning before robbing a property.
9. 88% of burglars do home invasions to support their drug addiction
Statistics found in a survey conducted by the University of Carolina on home invasion found that around 51% of the home invaders engage in the robbery to get cash to buy drugs, and an additional 37% said that they robbed only for the sake of money, though many of them admitted that they would use that money to buy drugs.
10. Burglaries have dropped by 37% since 2008
According to Crime Statistics revealed by the FBI, there has been an enormous decrease of 37% in the number of burglaries in the United States since 2008, and the number has been steadily decreasing over the past decade.
11. Burglaries on residential properties account for 67.2%
Crime statistics from the FBI indicate that burglaries on household burglaries account for 67.2% of all burglary offenses.
Despite having more valuable items, only one-third of the burglaries happen on the business’s premises.
The main reason behind this is security because residential properties are easy to target than businesses.
12. 51% of homes fall victim to a repeat burglary
One of the most mind-blowing home invasion facts is that more than half of burglary victims face the same fate and suffer a repeat burglary within one month of the first invasion.
13. Only 7% of the burglars carry guns.
Yes, you read that right! Although it seems hard to believe, only a small percentage of 7% of the burglars carry a weapon with them.
Burglary involves gaining entrance into a house without the intention of stealing, which is why most of burglars don’t carry weapons or masks.
14. Amateurs conduct 85% of the home invasions
Most of us have an image of burglars that we got from TV and movies in which all of them are professionally trained and fully equipped.
However, the reality is far different; we often encounter somebody desperate to do the deed and leave.
While most people would say that getting robbed by amateurs is better than a professional, in reality, amateurs get more dangerous and violent due to inexperience and desperation.
15. 65% of the burglars know their victims
While looking at the burglary stats for 2022, we found a rather breathtaking statistic. Around 65% of the burglars are well-acquainted with their victims and target them intentionally.
One of the biggest mistakes people make is giving keys to their relatives or acquaintances, as the majority of thefts are committed by ex-partners and well-known relatives, according to burglary statistics.
16. 60% of Invaders avoid homes with effective security systems
A report from the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology of the University of North Carolina revealed that 60% of the invaders claimed to check the security system of the house before selecting the target, which shows that security systems play an effective role in preventing your house against these criminals.
17. 48% of burglars bypass a home if a noise coming from inside
In a survey conducted by 24/7 Security, almost 48% of the burglars revealed that noise is the biggest deterrent after a security alarm and a dig, and they would bypass a home if they heard a noise from inside a house.
18. Burglars are most likely to target Tenants.
The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics reported that burglars hit those people who live on rent more frequently than homeowners.
However, now the trend is changing slowly over the years, and the number of burglaries went down from 68 per 1,000 renters in 1994 to 33 burglaries in 2011.
19. By 2039, 75% of the homes in the U.S. will be Bulgarized.
After closely monitoring the burglary trends over the last few years and the latest burglary crimes statistics, it is safe to say that 75% of the homes in the United States will fall victim to a home invasion by 2039.
While these figures are chilling, but also make you realize that it’s the perfect time to take your security seriously.
20. 34% of the Burglars enter from the Front Door
Home invasion statistics disclose that 34% of burglars use front rather than back doors or windows.
Front doors are the most fragile entry points in homes because people usually forget to lock their front doors in a rush or hide the key within easy reach, making front doors an easy target for the burglars
21. 75% of Americans do not have a security system
The State of Safety Survey 2021 reported that 75% of Americans don’t have a home security system installed in their houses.
People between the ages of 18-29 have the lowest number of security systems in place, while individuals between 30-49 have the highest number of security systems.
22. Burglaries have fallen by 50% in the last two decades.
Though crimes are decreasing day by day, the number of burglaries has also fallen off by a large percentage of 47.3 between the years 1998-2019, the highest burglary rates were in 1991, almost 39 years before, and that has considered the historic year because the number of reported cases was 3.16 million.
23. New Mexico has the highest burglary rate.
According to burglary statistics 2022, New Mexico has the highest rate of burglaries with 887.3 burglaries per 100,000 people, followed by Arkansas with 835.7 burglaries per 100,000 citizens, and Louisiana comes in third with 824.5.
24. New Hampshire has the lowest burglary rate.
The state of New Hampshire is one of the safest states in the United States, as the citizens of this state are less likely to fall prey to a home invasion.
New York is the second best with 159 burglaries per 100,000 citizens, and Virginia ranks third with 182.8.
Shefali Jain is a Content Editor & Writer at National Planning Cycles.
After completing her graduation in hospitality, Shefali decided to follow her passion and started writing. Shefali has been writing for two years now and contributes to our website as a skilled editor and content writer with strong research skills. Writing product and service reviews, biographies, and book reviews are some of her key areas, among many others in which she specializes.