4 November 2021 - Matthew Hearn

Featured in: Market Insights, Intrusion detection

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, we have all been spending more time at home, which has resulted in a steep decline in home burglaries (28% drop in major cities according to a study by the University of Cambridge and University of Utrecht). However, as we head into the Autumn and Winter months with darker nights, experts predict a 20% surge in burglaries.

Evidence suggests that most burglars would choose a house with no security protection over one that has measures in place. They will look for obvious things like burglar alarms and CCTV cameras and they’ll also pay attention to whether they look properly maintained.

A potential burglar will think of all the different ways to gain access to the property. Doors and windows are the obvious entry points. Even when shut they are often the areas that intruders target to gain access to your property. Recent statistics have shown that almost a third of domestic burglaries are made via a window.

67% of burglars use the front door, of that 34% simply twist the doorknob and walk right in. 23% use a first-floor open window to break into your home. And 9% gain entrance through the garage.

Detect intruders before they gain access

A good way to prevent intrusion inside the property is to detect intruders while they are still outside. This can be easily achieved by adding curtain detection sensors to existing alarm systems. Curtain detection adds an invisible narrow detection beam across the entry point and if broken, immediately triggers your security system.

Sensors to detect and deter people trying to force your front door or window open

Be alerted of approaching intruders

Gardens, being usually unlit and sheltered from passers-by, represent an ideal place for intruders to begin their break-in. While fences and walls provide physical barriers to entry, they can be climbed, cut, broken, or even dug under. Once in the garden, intruders have time to work out the best way to get in, inspecting patio and sliding doors, which still account for over 20% of entry point for home burglaries. With shorter days and darker skies, intruders can strike late in the afternoon before people are back from work.

Adding external approach detection to trigger a security system is the best way to be alerted early and deter the incident. It could be connected to an intruder alarm system, CCTV cameras, or with flood lights to shine some light on the situation.

OPTEX’s range of approach detection will trigger as an intruder approaches the property, from the garden or driveway, with its external sensors offering different levels of coverage, ranging from 90 degrees, 120 degrees to full panoramic 180 degrees, in low mount or high mount.

People can be put off by security lights or alarm systems which are triggered by every little creature/animal entering the garden, but OPTEX sensors feature built-in sensing analytics, SMDA (Super Multi-Dimensional Analytics), making them very stable in changing weather and lighting conditions and are small animal tolerant. They simply won’t cry wolf, cats or birds.

OPTEX sensors keep your garden and its belongings safe from burglars and unwanted intruders.