How to Stop Worrying About Being Robbed or Burgled in 8 Steps

By AlfredCamera

October 27, 2023

Every neighborhood deals with burglary and robbery, so it’s no wonder that they are among the most widely feared crimes.

The best way to ease the fear of someone breaking into your house at night or during the day is to adequately protect it. Some home security and personal safety measures are better than others at providing peace of mind and deterring burglars.

Below, we’ll discuss the best ways to protect a property from break-ins and explain how to stop being scared about someone breaking into your house.

Table of Contents

1. Learn the facts

Familiarizing yourself with statistics about what actually happens during a break-in allows you to protect yourself properly and ease anxieties about burglary and robbery.

The most important burglary statistics to know are:

Up to 60% of burglars won’t target a property with home security cameras
A quarter of homes burgled are targeted again up to one week later
Over 50% of properties are targeted again within one month
50% of burglaries are committed by someone you know
65% of violent burglaries are committed by someone known to the victim
Most reported burglaries (over 60%) occur in residential homes
Someone is home for around 30% of burglaries
The average burglary lasts just 10 minutes
The most common form of violence experienced during a burglary is simple assault, which usually means there’s a threat of violence

What exactly is the difference between burglary vs home invasion, anyway? Find out what the property crimes you need to know are.

2. Use location tracking apps

Robbery, the theft of property by force or threat, is usually carried out on the street. Living in densely populated urban areas puts you at risk.

Since it’s not always possible to be surrounded by people you know when out on the street, location tracking apps help you feel less alone and less anxious. Carrying an inexpensive personal alarm on you also enhances the effect.

AlfredCircle is a GPS locator app let’s users stay connected with family and friends via a private live map. You’ll see each other’s location throughout the day. Places can be assigned, upon entering or leaving, trigger notifications to the members of your Circle.

Ease your anxieties in public and navigate life together by downloading AlfredCircle for free.

3. Install home security cameras

The best way to deter burglars is to install home security cameras. As mentioned, most burglars won’t break into a property if a security system is spotted.

Visible cameras are the best option to deter intruders. Most people install exterior cameras over entryways, porches, garages, and driveways.

*AlfredCam Plus mounted at the back door.*

Installing cameras inside the house is also useful should someone successfully break in. Using AlfredCamera devices users can sound the siren from their phone to scare off intruders as they enter.

AlfredCam Plus live feed livingroom. — *A living room being monitored by AlfredCam Plus.*

Download AlfredCamera as an instant home security camera

According to AlfredCamera, burglary and robbery were among the top 3 most common crimes experienced by Americans in 2022. They were also the most feared crimes.

Visible cameras installed on a property are the best deterrent against break-ins. With AlfredCam, monitor your home 24/7 and receive alerts when motion is detected in specific zones. Using the free AlfredCamera app, set up a wireless home security camera in a matter of minutes.

Learn more about how to set up AlfredCamera to prevent break-ins at night.

4. Close ground-floor windows in home

Many burglars break in by slipping into an open window on the ground floor. Keep it shut and locked whenever there is no one to watch over it. Never leave the house vacant with a window open. Keeping valuables by the windows makes a property a target to opportunists.

For example, a laptop, tablet, or phone left by an open window in a ground-floor home office is easy to steal as soon as the occupier leaves the room. Even if the window is shut, advertising your valuables at the window is unwise.

*Monitor your driveway or front yard with a security camera like AlfredCam or AlfredCam Plus.*

5. Upgrade vulnerable entry points in the home

Break-ins facilitated through forced entry is rarer than you think. Burglars prefer to slip in quietly without leaving any evidence.

However, in rural areas or when a property is a premeditated target, damage may be caused to vulnerable entry points.

Old doors, single-glazed windows, and old garages are vulnerable points on a property. These can easily be pried open, smashed, or unlocked via a coat hanger.

Learn more about common entry points for burglars and how to prevent break-ins.

6. Make friends with the neighbors

Being connected with the community is a great way to stop worrying about being robbed.

Should a neighbor spot someone loitering around your property when at work or on vacation, they can investigate or notify you.

Having each other’s back provides a sense of relief and ease.

Aside from the safety aspect, joining a neighborhood watch scheme is a great way to get to know the neighbors.

7. Use zipped bags

When you’re out and about in busy areas, always carry your things in bags with adequate closures, preferably zips.

While walking around with your handbag open might be more convenient for getting your things out, it also makes theft more convenient.

Likewise, keep phones and other valuables safely inside bags when not in use, and try to avoid carelessly flaunting them in public.

8. Reach out for help for mental health concerns

While worrying about being robbed is a natural concern, feeling crushed by the fear of someone breaking into your house at night or excessive anxiety over theft may be a sign of harpaxophobia, the irrational fear of being robbed.

Following the tips in this article should ease everyday worry about being robbed. But if you find your quality of life significantly affected by the fear of being robbed, discuss your concerns with your doctor or a registered mental health professional.

They will point you in the right direction as to mental health treatment, like cognitive behavioral therapy or other therapies. If they diagnose a mental health disorder, they may also recommend medication, like antidepressants or antianxiety medications.

Have you recently been the victim of a home invasion or burglary?

If you’ve experienced burglary, developing a deep fear of it isn’t unusual. It also isn’t the life sentence it sometimes feels like it is. Discover useful ways to get back on your feet after a burglary.

Conclusion

Worrying about a burglary is a normal fear most homeowners have. Having a stranger gain access to your property and root around your personal possessions is violating, after all

To stop worrying about being robbed, take logical steps to protect yourself and your property, like installing home security cameras and visible deterrents.

If your fear of being robbed dominates your life, help is readily available. Reaching out to a mental health professional can make all the difference in getting back on your feet again.