[On the Way Home] "Empty the Mailbox, Leave the Living Room Light On" How to Prevent Burglary in Empty Homes

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] Concerns about burglary crimes increase as people leave their homes unattended for extended periods during the Seollal holiday. In particular, burglars often target open windows, so it is essential to thoroughly secure doors before leaving the house.

According to an analysis of statistics from the past five years (2015?2019) by the S-1 Crime Prevention Research Institute, the average number of intrusion crimes during the Seollal holiday period was 57% higher than the annual average.

Thieves select houses to target by checking flyers and mail accumulated in mailboxes. It is important to prevent packages or mail from piling up during holidays to avoid signaling that the house is empty.

The police advise paying close attention to small windows. While most people lock their front doors thoroughly when going out, small windows in bathrooms or boiler rooms are often neglected. The police warn that burglars can easily enter homes through these small windows.

Nowadays, many use digital door locks, so it is also necessary to check whether hidden cameras have been installed near the front door to capture passwords.

Additionally, there have been cases where burglars plan their crimes by checking outing plans posted on social networking services (SNS), so caution is needed regarding photos or posts indicating absence on SNS. In fact, in 2016, a case occurred where burglars learned from SNS that a couple of friends had gone on vacation, tore off the window screen, broke in, and stole jewelry.