The report was written by criminologist Martin Gill on behalf of Halifax Home Security following a series of interviews with expert burglars and tours of burglary hotspots across the country.
It finds that criminals are becoming more resourceful while homeowners adopt a careless attitude to the protection of their property.
Despite the fact that 21% of burglaries occur when the criminal knows the house is occupied, an alarming 37% of homeowners surveyed said they leave doors unlocked. Six percent said that they even left doors and windows unlocked while away from the house.
‘The Modus Operandi of a Thief’ suggests that burglar alarms are often ignored or simply turned off while properties are left empty.
Commenting on the findings of the report, Professor Martin Gill, said:
“It’s little wonder that Britain is the poor man of Europe when it comes to burglary rates, given the startling ease with which thieves told us they can get into our homes. Britons could certainly be doing far more to protect both their homes and families.”
However, the study found that burglars are increasingly finding ways around even the most sophisticated security measures.
Some thieves have learnt how to dismantle alarms, remove patio doors and force open sash windows. Even the security lighting can be used to help thieves see inside an unlit home. Others will pose as a bogus caller to gain entry, wear disguises to avoid CCTV camera detection and even poison meat to silence noisy animals.
Burglars told Gill that if they were really determined to break into your home, then little will stop them from making an attempt. Criminals are described as ‘inventive and skilled’ and will find their way around most obstacles.
In some cases, the report found that security measures work to a burglar’s advantage. For instance, security lights can significantly improve an intruder’s vision when accessing a property, providing a handy light to work by.
The effectiveness of CCTV is also questioned as burglars can easily mitigate the risk of being caught by wearing hoods and caps.
The report also highlights come of the more unusual methods that burglars are employing to gain entry to homes and avoid detection. Some offenders said that they repositioned motion sensors to prevent them from illuminating when they pass, and one offender often gained entry to homes by putting their hands through the letterbox and pulling keys out of the lock.
Burglars also noted that the public were so accustomed to alarms going off that they tend not pay attention when they are activated.