How Common Are Home Invasions?

Being proactive about your home security can reduce your risk of becoming a break-and-enter victim. While each state and territory is different, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) there were 151,200 victims of unlawful entry with intent recorded nationwide in 2022. This represents 12,112 additional victims compared to 2021.

Of this total, 70% of incidents targeted homes rather than commercial locations, and two-thirds involved property being stolen.

The Statistics – How Does Your State or Territory Stack Up?

Victims of Unlawful Entry With Intent – 2022 vs 2021

New South Wales 30,934 Increase – 10%	Victoria 30,840 Increase – 4%	Queensland 47,277 Increase – 22%
South Australia 9,543 Decrease – 11%	Western Australia 22,059 Decrease – 2%	Tasmania 2488 No Change
Northern Territory 6,194 Increase – 31%	A.C.T. 1,872 Decrease – 2%

Making Your Home a Less Attractive Target

As we all return to normal daily routines away from our homes post-COVID it is essential that we review our home security. There are many simple, cost-effective strategies you can adopt to improve your home security and reduce your risk of becoming a break-and-enter target.

Think of it this way – if you had to choose a home to break in to, you wouldn’t pick it at random. You’d look for homes that were an easy target and offered the least obvious resistance.

Pet dogs, even small, friendly ones, have been shown, to deter would-be thieves and reduce the likelihood of unlawful entry. In the absence of a dog, a visible “Beware of Dog” sign can have a similar effect. In addition to potential risk of biting, dogs are walking alarms, drawing unwanted attention to anybody entering the property.

Another thing on the mind of would-be home invaders is avoiding run-ins with the occupants themselves, which is why properties are often targeted while those living there are at work or away on holidays. Unlit properties with unchecked mailboxes, bins left out, and no car in sight, can signal that no one is home. Leaving a light on and having a trusted neighbour regularly collect mail and bring your bins in can give the illusion that the home occupants are present.

Joining your local Neighbourhood Watch group is another great way to keep up to date with local safety and security news and connect with other members of your community. Together, we can reduce crime!

Hardening Your Security

If your home is targeted, there are several strategies you can implement to improve security and make your home less attractive to criminals. These range from behavioural changes to your daily routines (i.e., ensure all entries/doors are locked when they are not visible to you even when you are home), as well as cost-free actions like removing items from your yard that can be used to climb into windows, and more robust solutions like installing security screens, sensor lights, and camera systems.

While no one strategy for home security will make your home impenetrable, each change you make can decrease your risk of becoming a target for break-and-enter offenders.

Remember – if you can break into your own home, somebody else can as well. While home invasions in many parts of the country have risen, your home doesn’t need to become a statistic.

National Secure Your Home Day, an initiative of Neighbourhood Watch Australasia, is a community-focused event encouraging all homeowners and residents to dedicate one day to raising awareness of crime prevention and conducting an assessment of their home. By participating you can improve your own home’s security and help to make your local community safer.

For your FREE National Secure Your Home Day Kit – including a home security checklist, evidence-based and proactive security tips to harden your home security