There are five types of burglars proven by criminologist Marilyn Walsh to be the most common. To protect your home and ensure the safety of your family and belongings, use this guide to familiarize yourself with the unique dangers presented by each type and precautions to be taken against them.

The delinquent

As a youth who has nothing to lose, this is the most common brand of burglar you could face. This person is usually a 15 to 25 year-old probable high school dropout with a history of violence and substance abuse.

They are motivated largely by boredom, peer pressure or the calamities wrought by poverty. They will usually avoid affluent areas because they don't have a lot of experience with home intrusion. They will seek out an easy target so they can more easily demonstrate their value or gain higher status among their peer group. The delinquent burglar most often takes a trophy item to show off later, which is how most get caught. The item is kept for long periods of time and is shown off with confidence, so it's possible to track them down and catch them red-handed.

Delinquent burglars won't kick in your door, nor do they usually have lock-picking abilities, but they can easily climb into a house through any open point of entry. They normally won't think to conceal their identity with a mask or try to hide evidence, so they're caught rather quickly.

Your solution

In the interest of protecting your home, always double check your doors and windows before you leave or go to bed. Ensure valuables aren't visible from the street. You've probably already seen the delinquent around your neighborhood and your main goal is to make your house seem to require too much effort.

Aside from taking these precautionary measures, make sure you're protected with Fundy Mutual, the most reliable home insurance in Saint John and its surrounding regions.