Summer Break-Ins: Why Do Burglaries Spike During This Season?

According to FBI statistics, burglaries increase by about 10% during the months of June, July, and August. Why are summer break-ins so common? For apartment owners and Homeowner’s Association managers, what can they do to protect their community?

Why Summer is Burglary Season

So why ARE break-ins more common in summer? The cause can’t be pinpointed to a single factor; multiple variables are at work. For one, school is out, which means teens have more free time. For some teens, this means mischief.

Another reason is that more families are on vacation, spending extended time away from home. The majority of burglars actively scout for unoccupied homes. Piling mail and other signs are indicators of a vacant residence.

How to Keep Your Community Safe

For property management operators, we suggest sending out notices to tenants and residents with information on how to protect their homes. Homeowners and tenants should not advertise, for example, their travel plans on social media. They should also keep doors locked, even if they’re just out in the backyard.

All gated communities should also have security implementations in place. This includes security cameras. While this may not always deter theft, it may capture evidence that may prove useful for law enforcement.

Establishing a neighborhood watch program is another useful measure. While this group can be made up of volunteers, it should ideally consist of trained residential security personnel.

We Stop Summer Break-Ins

We’re aware of seasonal trends in crime rates, and summer, unfortunately, is the peak break-in season. Call Squadron Protective Services for on-site security. Just the presence of a uniformed guard is often enough to detract criminal behavior. Don’t let summer break-ins plague your community.