Less Than 15% of Homes Have a Security System!

According to an article in the New York Times, the US has around 36 million security systems – half of which are in homes. That’s approximately 18 million home security systems for a total of 139 million homes. As a proportion, it works out at just under 13% – or around one in six.

While similar statistics are not available for Bermuda, the US findings can be used to get a rough estimate of how well homes are protected. 13% of approximately 28,000 Bermudian homes works out at 3,640 homes with a security system and – most notably – 24,360 without!

Most statistics about how many people do or don’t have something are pretty meaningless. But when it comes to home security, there’s a genuine concern about the protection that people have for their homes – or their lack of it.

In 2013, the Alarm Industry Research and Educational Foundation funded research into how burglars think and act. Of the 422 incarcerated burglars interviewed, a massive 83% said they would try to determine whether an intruder alarm was present before attempting a burglary. A total of 60% said they would look for another target if an alarm was installed.

But it’s not just the initial deterrent that makes alarms so valuable. Upon hearing or seeing an alarm while attempting a burglary, only 13% of burglars said they would continue. Half said they would always stop what they were doing, while 31% said they would sometimes retreat.

Simply put, the majority of burglars will avoid homes with a good security system in place – whether it’s because they spot it on a home’s façade or hear it when they break in. So, where do they go next?

The answer is to one of the homes without a security system. Based on the numbers discussed earlier, they won’t have to search long to find one of the 87% of homes which don’t have security equipment installed.

If the majority of people are leaving their homes unprotected, our advice is to follow your own path. Selectron supplies and installs modern security systems throughout Bermuda, including intruder alarms, surveillance cameras and security lighting.

With our help, you can stop your home looking like an easy target and send burglars on their way before they’ve even thought about breaking in. Sound good? Contact us today to talk more about your requirements.