A burglary occurs about every 20 seconds, and some homeowners may be making it too easy for intruders. A burglar may knock on the door first to check if a resident is home. Some will then test the doorknob—if it’s unlocked, they’ve got easy access.
In a survey of 1,000 consumers across the country, home security review website SafeHome found that many residents lock their doors, but many also forget to do so. For example, residents in the Northwest and Alaska were found to be the most relaxed when it came to locking doors. On the other hand, the Southeastern part of the country was much more vigilant: 81 percent say they always keep their doors locked. The South also had the highest number of burglaries in the U.S., according to 2015 data.
The following chart displays the percentage of Americans who always lock their doors:
Here are some more findings from the survey:
- 78% of respondents living in an apartment building locked their doors, which is the most of any housing type. More than 70 percent of respondents living in single-family homes, townhomes, and houses in gated communities said they lock their doors. Mobile homeowners tended to lock their doors the least, nearly 20 percentage points less than those who live in an apartment.
- Gun owners were 11 percentage points less likely to lock their doors.
- 83% of respondents who didn’t know their neighbors always made sure to lock their doors. On the other hand, those who knew their neighbors very well were 18 percentage points less likely to lock their door than those who had strangers living next door.
- People with large dogs are less likely to lock their doors than people with any other security feature. People with dogs may be relying on their dogs for extra security.
“Locked doors can deter a burglar looking for an easy-to-access home,” according to the report from SafeHome. “Whether you live in a gated community, share your home with a large family, or even live in a relatively safe neighborhood, be sure to lock up.”
Source: “Lock Your Doors,” Safehome.org (November 2017)
