How much do you really know about the problem of home burglary here in Australia? If you live in the Capital Territory, you might have learned enough to look for home security products in Canberra. However, if you live further afield, you might know almost nothing about this problem, even thinking that you live far enough away from it not to be affected.

Below are some important facts and statistics about the issue of home burglary in Australia, all of which come from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Budget Direct, or state/police statistics agencies. These are things every citizen should be aware of:

1. Between 2019 and 2020, About 2.4% of Australian Homes Were Burgled

A figure of 2.4 percent equates to about 238,100 homes being broken into, with a quarter of those suffering multiple incidents. It may come as no surprise that poorer neighbourhoods were disproportionately affected. If you add on top of that the 185,000 or more homes during the same time period that suffered attempted break-ins, the problem becomes quite stark.

A further problem is that attempted burglaries very often don’t get reported to the police. While about three quarters of all successful break-ins are reported, only about 40 percent of the attempted burglaries are brought to the attention of police.

2. About Half of Burglaries in Australia Include Property Damage

When it comes to burglary, it’s not just the danger of possessions being stolen that you face, but also serious and expensive damage to property. This can include broken windows and doors, smashed furniture, damaged safes and other storage boxes such as jewellery boxes. In total, about 113,200 of the burgled households in Australia (48%) suffer some kind of property damage.

This damage adds insult to injury as people not only mourn the loss of items of both financial and sentimental value, but also the prospect of expensive repair bills, and the lasting feeling that their property is unsafe and insecure.

3. Open Doors and Windows Were the Main Mistakes Made by Residents

You might think that it’s amazing only half of burgled properties suffer property damage like broken windows and doors, but in fact it shouldn’t be surprising at all. The reason? A survey of convicted burglars from the Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) organisation reveals that most burglars are able to find properties with doors and windows left open, giving them easy and nearly unfettered access to people’s homes.

4. A Barking Dog is Among the Best Deterrents

While alarms, good outdoor lighting, strong security doors and keeping windows closed are all good deterrents, the same DUMA survey reveals that burglars mostly confess to hearing a barking dog as being the absolutely top deterrent. Interestingly, the size of the dog is irrelevant, just so long as the bark is loud, they are mostly deterred. Around 62 percent of respondents to that survey pointed to a dog as the biggest deterring factor.

5. More Than a Third of Australians Leave a Spare Key Outside

One of the other biggest mistakes made by Australian residents, according to burglars themselves, is leaving keys in easy-to-find locations. Burglars who scout target homes are familiar with the kinds of places people put keys: under door mats, under plant pots, concealed under rocks, and perhaps even in a specific product designed to house and hide a key.

6. More Than Half of Surveyed Burglary Victims Don’t Have Security Systems

The majority of people tend to get interested in investing in a security system only after their house has been hit by a robbery. About 55 percent of victims didn’t own any security system before being targeted, and then 24.3 percent of victims decide to get one after the event.