This woman shared a tip that could help you protect your home and your loved ones. Listen up.
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No one wants to think about their home getting broken into. Ideally, you want to feel so safe in your house and neighborhood that the thought wouldn’t even cross your mind.
But when you bring it back to reality, you remember that it’s important to stay vigilant and have good safety protocols and technology to protect yourself.
Here’s one overlooked area in the home that may leave you vulnerable to a break-in.
Do this to avoid a home robbery
In a viral video with more than 2.9 million views, mom and nurse Monica (@sheis_monicaaa), who refers to herself as the Cambodian Martha Stewart, shared something she keeps in mind every time she comes home.
“PSA: If you have an attached garage. PLEASE make sure you’re watching it close completely before stepping into your house,” the text overlay on the video read.
Monica said that after watching enough true crime, it’s been ingrained in her that you should make sure to watch as your garage door closes instead of walking away mid-close.
Why? A person could sneak in at the last minute while your back is turned, she says.
“I’ve watched too many crime shows, it makes me paranoid. Seeing people watch, follow, and sneak/force themselves into homes right when you get home because you’re so caught off guard. Stay safe, everyone!” she urged.
How common are home burglaries?
Home burglaries are seeing a downward trend. In 2023, there were 26% fewer break-ins than in 2019 (pre-pandemic), the Zebra reported.
This downward turn is partially affected by the pandemic. A burglar is much less likely to try and enter your home if there’s a possibility that you’re working from home.
In the United States, a burglary happens, on average, once every 30 seconds. A person is most likely to try and break in in the middle of the day, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., when you’re presumably at work, according to Lemonade.
For context, in 2019, there were 290,909 daytime break-ins compared to 195,884 nighttime ones.
They’re also most likely to happen in July and August and least likely in February. (We presume the weather plays a big part in this).
A member of the household is usually present for the robbery in just under a third of situations.
How do burglaries happen?
Many burglars enter their target home through an unlocked front door, back door, or first-floor window. This is why so many people don’t want to live in first-floor apartments.
A whopping 100% of convicted burglars say they knocked on the front door before breaking in.
And a fact that might surprise you? Half of burglaries in 2020 were conducted by someone who knows the victim, like a friend, family member, or acquaintance. It really be your own people.
What wards off burglars?
It turns out that security systems actually work.
Just having a visible system wards burglars off. Lemonade reported that homes without a home security system were 300% more likely to be burglarized.
Another deterrent—a large dog. Sorry, your Yorkie or Chihuahua just won’t cut it.
“And lock the door to your house! People can lift up garages,” a top comment read.
“Another garage door safety tip. They’re nothing more than a fancy curtain and provide no more safety than an unlocked entry door,” a person said.
“I don’t even get out the car until the door closes completely. In case I need to back it on up,” another added.
“So sad and scary that people HAVE to do this, I live in a tiny town that we don’t think twice about it. I lock my door when I leave and when I sleep, but that’s it. I always feel safe, thankfully,” a commenter shared.
@sheis_monicaaa Send this to your loved one as a reminder 🙏🏽❤️ I’ve watched too many crime shows, it makes me paranoid. Seeing people watch, follow, and sneak/force themselves into homes right when you get home because you’re so caught off guard. Stay safe, everyone! #safetytips #fyp ♬ original sound – Sheis_monicaaa
The Daily Dot reached out to Monica for comment via Instagram and TikTok direct message.
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