It is a common misconception that most burglaries happen in the late hours of the evening. A lot of people think about masked invaders coming into homes or cars and ransacking belongings while the homeowner sleeps. This is actually not the most common time for burglaries.

It is true that a lot of petty thieves do wander around neighborhoods while people are sleeping. These people are looking for easy targets and want to test the door handles on vehicles. These criminals do not want to raise suspicion for their presence.

If a car is locked they simply move on to the next. Breaking a window would cause a sound that would alarm neighbors to something happening outside. These crooks know that not everyone is sleeping at midnight. A lot of people work different shifts and with the growing popularity of telecommuting jobs, it is common for individuals to actually be up and alert in their homes working to accommodate business hours in another region of the world. Petty thieves are looking for easy targets.

Burglaries are actually more prevalent during the afternoon hours. While homeowners are away at work or taking children to school and activities is the ideal time for burglars. Home robberies do not just happen. In actuality, the burglar has most likely spent quite a bit of time scouting out the neighborhood to make sure the risk is worth the payout for them.

They will get a bit clever and begin with a simple drive through to look at the houses. They make lists of which houses they are interested in and then go back as a sales representative or utility worker. By knocking on the door of their potential target they have gained useful information. If a dog barks they know the home will not be as easy to burglarize.

If someone answers the door they know that there is someone home during the day. If they utilize a camera style doorbell they now know they are recorded and can be recognized. Burglars typically avoid these types of homes but keep working down their potential list.

By being present in a neighborhood for a few days they become normal to the locals. People become less vigilant because the person must be working if they keep coming back. This lack of concern is the window that many burglars use.

They then make their plans to enter the homes during the daylight hours. This is the ideal time to gain entrance and find small yet expensive items. If homeowners keep filing cabinets easily accessible with important documents this is also an opportunity for burglars to use their phones and take quick pictures of credit card numbers to do some serious online thieving.

Make sure your doors and windows are always locked when you leave your home no matter what time of the day. If you notice someone lingering around the neighborhood there is nothing wrong with contacting the non-emergency number for the local police department to have them questioned. People truly working will be able to provide proper identification. Stay extra vigilant during the day time hours to protect your home.