This study is a bit odd for this blog, but I was actually fascinated by the topic. UNC Charlotte researcher Joseph Kuhns from the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology wanted to understand burglars better and ‘just’ asked burglars what motivates and deters them. 422 respondents filled in the survey giving us an insight look.

What are the main findings:

• When selecting a target, most burglars said they considered the close proximity of other people — including traffic, people in the house or business, and police officers; the lack of escape routes; and signs of increased security — including alarm signs, alarms, dogs inside, and outdoor cameras or other surveillance equipment.
• Approximately 83 percent said they would try to determine if an alarm was present before attempting a burglary, and 60 percent said they would seek an alternative target if there was an alarm on-site. This was particularly true among the subset of burglars who were more likely to spend time deliberately and carefully planning a burglary.
  (Do read the end of this blogpost!)
• Among those who discovered the presence of an alarm while attempting a burglary, half reported they would discontinue the attempt, while another 31 percent said they would sometimes retreat. Only 13 percent said they would always continue with the burglary attempt. (again, do read the end of this blogpost!)
• Respondents indicated their top reasons for committing burglaries was related to the need to acquire drugs (51 percent) or money (37 percent), which was often used to support drug habits. Only one burglar indicated interest in stealing firearms, which is a common misperception.
• About half reported burglarizing homes primarily, while 31 percent typically committed commercial burglaries.
• Most burglars reported entering open windows or doors or forcing windows or doors open. About one in eight burglars reported picking locks or using a key that they had previously acquired to gain entry.
• About 12 percent indicated that they typically planned the burglary in advance, 41 percent suggested it was most often a “spur of the moment” event, and the other 37 percent reported that it varied.

One bit of fair warning: the research was funded by  the Alarm Industry Research and Educational Foundation (AIREF), under the auspices of the Electronic Security Association (ESA), the largest trade association for the electronic life safety and security industry. (source)