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Police Arrest Six People in Ritzy Robbery Ring

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Burglars broke into more than 50 homes in the high end areas of Miami and Palm Beach. Most of the victims were out to dinner and some were victims of home invasions.

The perps may have had a network in place of valets, waiters/waitresses or others who had an idea of who the victims were, their addresses and what their schedules were. Most importantly, someone on the inside of this network would inform the thieves when the victims would be gone from the home.

The thieves would enter the homes through locked or unlocked sliding doors generally in the back of the home. Their targets included high end jewelry, watches, gold and diamonds. Losses could be as high as 2 million dollars.

Getting the stolen jewelry back is often next to impossible. Jewelry is the quickest and easiest to fence.

“Police have dubbed the six people arrested for their participation in a burglary ring spanning three counties as the “Dinner Crew Set.”  Home surveillance video captured one of the thieves in action — a masked man with a two way radio.”

It’s obvious that most of these homes did not have home alarms or home security cameras. Many of these burglaries could have been prevented with simple investments that equate to a dollar a day for your family home security.

It’s amazing to me how people go out and spend all this money on expensive items but don’t lock them in a safe or protect them with a home security system.

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to ADT Home Security Source discussing Home Invasions on Montel. Disclosures.

2 Million Homes Are Burgled Every Year

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The FBI says a home is burgled every 15 seconds. Police only catch one out of 10 burglars. The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, show U.S. households experience about 16 million property crimes annually. Burglaries result in over $4.5 billion in losses annually resulting in over $2000 in losses to the victims. The National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association, determined property crime averages above 75 percent of all crime. And despite 2 million homes being burgled every year the Justice Department says that burglaries have declined over the past 30 years.

One reason is due to as many as 1 million private officers and security guards who work in residential areas patrolling and providing access control at community entrances. But that’s not all.

What have also reduced burglaries are home security alarms. Studies show as many as 25% of all American homes are equipped with a home security system. Additional security measures such as home security cameras are far less expensive and easier to install, wireless alarm systems and window film that makes it difficult to break glass.

Today’s door locks are better than ever too. Certainly a person can buy and install budget locks, but they can be easily picked or compromised with a ‘bump key.” Spending a few bucks more means much better locks. The most important aspect of a good lock is LOCKING it!

However most burglars don’t care if you have an alarm or expensive locks, because they break into the homes that don’t have alarms or they just jiggle the door knob and hope it’s unlocked.

Many homeowners admit that they don’t use their home security systems to the full extent because they are inconvenient or “scary” to use.  When choosing a home security system, be sure to choose something that can be armed and disarmed easily by all family members.

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing Home Security on NBC Boston. Disclosures.

Police Battle Break-in Trend

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Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Expert

Belmont Massachusetts is right near Boston. This is not too far from my house and it’s where people “Pahk the Cahh in Hahvad Yahd.”  Police are fighting a battle that has its residents all shook up over more than a dozen home burglaries in recent weeks. Many of the victims came home to broken windows and kicked in doors.

Among the missing items were jewelry, coins and electronics which are common resalable items fenced on the streets and in pawnshops. In at least 2 cases plasma TVs were taken.

“Police say the number of break-ins is about on par with what they’d expect, although possibly on the higher side because of the trickle down effects of the economic downturn. Some of it’s based on the economy right now, said a spokesman for the department. “It’s people trying to supplement what little or no income they have. We encourage residents to use common sense, people have to take a little bit of responsibility for their own safety and security. Lock your cars, lock your doors.”

In 2 cases they determined teenagers broke into homes to party. One family came home to find liquor and cigars stolen. Another reported their house was messy and smelled of alcohol and one of the beds was slept in.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice only about 17 percent of property crimes are ever solved.

I have a question. Have any of these people ever heard of a “home security system?”  It’s a simple question. You know, those electrical noisy thingies that set off an alarm when an unauthorized person or party forcibly enters the residence? These same doo-hickies CALL THE POLICE. With all due respect, and please, excuse my insensitivity to the matter, while the homeowner is not responsible for the break-in, and while it is an awful thing to happen, you are in the best position to prevent it.

The worst thing you can do is nothing. The best thing you can do is be proactive. As eloquently stated, “people have to take a little bit of responsibility for their own safety and security.”

Robert Siciliano personal security expert, to Home Security Source discussing personal security on TBS Movie and a Makeover. Disclosures