A large proportion of offenders who commit burglaries are opportunistic, need quick money and so look for easy targets with the majority of offences involve forcing or breaking locked doors or closed/locked windows that do not meet basic security standards. Statistics published by the Association of British Insurers indicate that households fitted security devices are less likely to experience a burglary than those without. The figures below are shown to be typical of the level of risk reduction that can be expected:

• Doors fitted with deadlocks: 58%

• Window locks: 33%

• Burglar alarms: 56%

• Security lights: 44%

• Window grilles: 100%

Enhanced security makes committing a crime more difficult and increases the likelihood of the offender being caught.