DIY Builds
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How do burglars choose houses?

Burglars look for a property that promises to be worth the effort. They're hoping for the maximum profit from their theft with the least amount of work. When looking at properties, burglars usually look for homes that appear to have valuables on site and where nobody is home.

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Residential burglary statistics are eye-opening. Nationwide, an average of 20 in 1,000 homes were burglarized in 2017.1 Considering the millions of homes all across America, that's a lot of burglaries.

But burglars don't target every single home.

Instead, they look for a very specific set of conditions before settling on a target. And you don't have to get stuck wondering if a burglar will target you. With home security and a little know-how, you don't have to be a home burglary statistic. You can turn your home into a safe haven that burglars won't even want to bother with. Let's peek inside a window into the mind of a burglar. We'll explore who’s the most likely target, what burglars look for, how they happen, and more.

Common characteristics of a home burglar

What does a typical burglar look like? A burglar is most likely male and under the age of 254. The two main motivating factors are money and drug use. A burglar may be a professional criminal, an amateur, or somewhere in between.2 Professional burglars—those who support themselves entirely by selling what they steal—tend to look at a target home and the people who live there closely before committing the crime. Often, they’ll investigate the property several days in advance to see if the home is a good candidate. On the other hand, amateur, opportunist burglars are more likely to make their move immediately after deciding on a property.2 Being aware of the common characteristics of burglars can help you protect your home.

How burglars choose a mark

The things burglars look for when choosing a house are fairly uniform, regardless of experience. Burglars look for a property that promises to be worth the effort. They’re hoping for the maximum profit from their theft with the least amount of work. When looking at properties, burglars usually look for homes that appear to have valuables on site and where nobody is home. They also look for homes with concealed access points and plenty of places to hide.

Below are a few of the indications they may look for:2,3

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Why is my uPVC door not locking?

Check for any blockages on the outside of the door, as well as the frame of the doorway. The door may engage a lock at multiple points, so be sure to check all locking points are clear. Also, make sure that nothing is caught on the bottom edge of the door.

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If your uPVC door won't close, it might be because the hinges need adjusting to align the door so it sits in the frame. This is a simple job that takes five minutes. Watch the video below to see how you can adjust the door so it will close.

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If your door won't lock when it's closed, the latch might not be catching or engaging. Test the spring mechanism in the door by opening the door and pressing the latch with your finger: If the latch springs out , it may be out of alignment or shifted slightly. , it may be out of alignment or shifted slightly. If the latch doesn't spring out, the springing mechanism may have failed and would need to be replaced.

A few other reasons this could happen are:

Fluctuations in temperature . Wipe a cloth soaked in warm water (in cold conditions) or cold water (in warm conditions) around the door to combat it expanding or contracting. . Wipe a cloth soaked in warm water (in cold conditions) or cold water (in warm conditions) around the door to combat it expanding or contracting. Dropped door. If the door is angled slightly, it would need to be levelled to ensure that it sits flush with the frame. If the door appears to be out of alignment, you can try to adjust the hinges to re-enagage the latch. Read how to adjust uPVC door hinges here.

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