Beat the burglar

What’s the most common time of the day to be burglarized?

• between 10am and 12pm

• between 2pm and 5pm

• between 10pm and 12am

Answer explanation

Most burglaries take place between 10am and lunchtime. The average burglar will wait for adults to go to work and children to go to school to be sure the house is empty.

How long does a burglar usually take to search someone’s house?

• 10 minutes

• 20 minutes

• 30 minutes

• 40 minutes

Answer explanation

An experienced burglar would spend a maximum of 20 minutes in a house.

What two things influence a burglar to choose a house to break into?

•  it’s in an expensive area

• there’s no one at home

• there are trees and bushes around the house

• if there is a car outside

Answer explanation

A burglar will usually go for a house that looks expensive in a good area. They will often choose a house where there are trees or bushes outside that are good places to hide before or after. That way, there’s less chance of neighbors seeing them. Most burglars wait for a house to be empty before they break in, but there are others who prefer it if the owners are at home in bed, so they know where they are and won’t be surprised by them suddenly coming home. 

Which is the most common thing that burglars steal, other than money?

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Answer explanation

These days, burglars are usually looking for things like laptops and tablets, which are really easy to sell, and not so easy for the owner to identify if the burglar gets caught.

What is the best place in the house to hide your valuables?

• the kitchen

• the study

• a child’s bedroom

• the garage

Answer explanation

There’s a typical order burglars use when they search a house for valuables. They start with the master bedroom, and then the living room. After that, the dining room, the study, and then the kitchen. The last place would be a child’s bedroom. You wouldn't usually expect to find anything worth taking there.

What is most likely to prevent a burglary?

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Answer explanation

Burglars don’t like dogs, especially noisy ones, because they are unpredictable.