Home Safety and Security Stats and Facts

Home isn’t just where the heart is but where you want to feel most safe and secure. Home should be a sanctuary where you can comfortably sleep, eat, spend time with family and friends, relax and recharge. That’s why you can feel so violated and even traumatized when someone breaks in. Plus, it costs you time, emotions, and more. It can also cost insurance companies millions to pay out claims, which results in higher premium costs for policyholders.

How great are your risks for break-ins? What are the home security statistics in Canada that are most important to you, your safety, your security, and your expenses?

Fortunately, property crimes have statistically been trending downward in Canada over the last 30 years, from a high of 6,160 per 100,000 people in 1990 down to 2,265 per 100,000 people in 2020 or 30% less than in 2003. Breaking and entering (i.e., property crime) have dropped by 38% in just the last decade. But if it’s your family and home who’s been involved, it’s no longer a statistic. It’s personal.

According to SGI Canada, a home break-in occurs every 90 seconds, and 80+% of those break-ins occur during the day. Most burglars aren’t “professionals” but rather amateurs who get in through a basement or ground-floor door or window without the need for sophisticated tools. Instead, they rely on force, speed, and, perhaps most importantly, concealment to break in.

To help prevent break-ins, it may not be enough to simply make sure all doors and windows are locked when leaving home. Look at your home from the perspective of a potential burglar. Are there any windows or doors that are more vulnerable? Are certain areas more concealed?

If so, cut back trees and shrubbery to ensure they don’t block windows and doors. Bring light to the situation, so there are fewer dark corners to hide in. While privacy fencing is popular, it can also conceal a burglar.

Also, is it easy for a burglar to check out and inventory your home and belongings? Use blinds or curtains, especially at night, to make it more difficult for them to scope out your home. If you’re not around, make it look like someone is home by using timers on lights to turn on at normal times and leave a radio or TV on when you’re away from home.

In addition, check to ensure your doors are solid, rather than hollow. Metal doors are the most difficult to get through. Add deadbolt locks for extra protection.

Windows are also vulnerable. For glass that’s close to a locked door (e.g., less than 100 cm or 40 inches away), you can make it more difficult to get in by laminating or tempering the glass or coating it with acrylic or polycarbonate.

One of the easiest and most effective tools to help protect your home is to install a Home Security System. Call ADT (now Telus) home security to learn how to protect your home and family with 24/7 monitoring at an affordable price!

Statistics have found that just having a monitored alarm system makes it significantly less likely for your home to be broken into. In addition, if your home is invaded, the amount of property stolen has been shown to be significantly less as burglars have less time in the home.

What’s more, at Telus, you have the added availability to monitor for fires, floods, carbon monoxide, and medical emergencies for even greater peace of mind.

Statistically, crime rates are low in all of Canada and robberies are comparable to rates in Northern Ireland and much lower than in the United States (which has a 65% higher rate for robberies), though higher than rates in Scotland and New Zealand. Crime, overall, has been declining since the late ‘90s, with a slight uptick since 2014.

Yet while statistics are interesting and important, when a home is involved, it’s personal. That’s why it’s important to take steps to secure your home to help prevent theft and protect your family.

Regardless of where you live in Canada, an ADT (now Telus) monitored alarm system from Alarm Guard will keep you feeling secure and protect your assets with smart devices. Save now on your homeowner’s insurance with an ADT (now Telus) system!

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