Why Burglars Return to the Crime Scene?

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Once a house has been robbed, most people beef up their home’s security. However, on the whole, they end up assuming their home won’t get hit again anytime soon. This assumption is flawed and can land them into a lot of trouble.

Your home is still at risk. The same burglars (or even new ones) might come to the crime scene for two main reasons – either they forgot something they cannot go without or they intend to ransack the house (yes again).

Forgetful Burglars

Often, a burglar would return to the crime scene because they forgot something important such as their car or phone, etc. Leaving evidence behind can help police arrest such burglars and therefore it is important for burglars (at least professional burglars) to not leave any trace. As ridiculous as it sounds, it is a fact that there are “forgetful burglars” out there. Take a look at this case for instance:

In Idaho, 22-year old Caleb Funke returned to the scene of the crime, claiming that he was there to collect his car. After growing suspicious of him, the police arrested him and found some of the stolen items in his pockets along with the homeowner’s mobile phone in the car. Numerous such cases occur where the burglars forget their important items at the crime scene. Few cases are reported, many go unnoticed.

Same House, Same Burglars, New Plan

Burglars robbing the same house twice – you would assume that anyone who has been robbed once would immediately take some security measures, even install an automated security system. But not everyone operates that way. Have a look at these incidents:

A Rockdale County house was robbed three times in one week, with goods worth $20,000 having been stolen, including electronics, yard tools, machines and cars.

Another incident took place in Sarasota where Gerald Maxwell, fresh out of jail, broke into the same home that he had robbed a few years ago. In a span of three years, Maxwell carried out around 6 burglaries.

Even though robbing the same house more than once might initially seem like a pretty dumb idea on the part of the burglar, it is, in actuality, quite smart. How come? Have a look:

• Layout familiarity: The burglar would be familiar with the layout and design of the house. He would know where the rooms are and where the valuables are placed.
• The burglar knows the expensive ‘essential’ items you will replace: If the burglar ran off with TV, phones or laptop, he would know that the homeowner would have replaced them with new. These are the ones he will look for again when he attempts another attack.
• Familiarity with entrance and exit routes: Since he has done it once, he would know the weak spots in your house and would figure out a way to use the same routes again.
• Less effort: The amount of effort they will have to put in decreases substantially if they know the drill already. The planning phase is short and simple and the execution is relatively smooth as well, mainly due to the familiarity aspect.
• Knows that you would be least expecting it: Why would a house get burglarized again since the burglar took away all of its valuables? The burglars are well aware of this thinking pattern, which is why they will strike again when you are least expecting it.
• They know where all the valuables are: Since burglars are always in a rush, they might have left a few of the valuable items behind. But they do know exactly where these items are placed in the house. All they need to do is go back and pick them up – no searching process required.

With burglars on the loose, you really shouldn’t be taking any chances with the safety of your house. Whether you have been robbed before or not, do not take any risks and invest in a simple home security system right away. And with these systems becoming such a common household item, you are sure to find a lot of different kinds of varieties in the market, without a lot of hassle. Get a suitable home security system and give yourself a chance to ward off returning or new burglars.