Why are people so fearful of burglaries at night?

You're more likely to be burgled while you're asleep than when you're sitting in the living room watching Corrie

omgitsthelazor wrote: »

The most likely time you are to be burgled is during the middle of the day, you can survey the premises without suspicion, there's going to be less or no people in the targetted house and even if there is with TV and everything else its a lot easier to drown out noise you might be causing.

Sounds like you have experience.

Serious though, during the day most people are at work, so the house security is 'out of sight, out of mind'. The annoyance of the day probably overrides any concern for your TV or other shiny things.

Night time you are in the location, its quieter and you focus more on what you hear outside. It's also the time when you are at your most vulnerable, tucked up in your bed, maybe in some PJ's or arse naked, bare feet and the closest thing you have for a weapon is your iPhone. You hear a noise in the middle of the night, the first thing you do it try figure out what it is and what your supposed to do :-

So you run down the stairs, bellowing at the top of your lungs, barge through the doors (barely noticing that your TV is just fine) to arrive in the kitchen where your 6 year old is staring at you wide eyed, terrified and covered in chocolate.... and your standing in the broken glass of a Nutella jar. :eek:

So, why are we fearful, because we usually don't have a clue as to what the hell is going on and we think the big box on the door will scare away the bad thieving people.

Because you touch yourself

From my own experience the two times my house has been targeted was during the night.

The other four burglaries and four car thefts in my estate in the last year have all happened at night.

There's only been one instance during the day when a guy opened my back gate, walked up my garden towards my house while everyone else was out. He stopped in his tracks and started spewing something about wanting to ask directions when he noticed me staring at him from another corner of the garden. He made a quick retreat when I started questioning his actions.

Surely it's very unwise to confront a burglar unless they're actually trying to harm you. The last thing most burglars want is a confrontation. In my experience and most cases I've heard of, as soon as they realise they've been copped they will most likely make a run for it. Confronting them with a bat or knife means they're going to have to defend themselves and there's no option other than violence. It's along the same lines as cornering a scared wild animal, you're best off leaving a clear, direct path to the exit. The type of person who burgles is most likely able to handle any weapon you present better than you. If they get it off you they now have a weapon and you are still a threat, not a good situation.

Imagine being submissive on the weapons front, retreat but make your presence known, by calling out that the Gardaí are on the way or something. Worst case scenario they make off with something of value, you are safe.
Imagine attacking the burgler; best case scenario somebody is injured. Worst case scenario they overpower you and use your own weapon against you, you or a member of your family end up being killed.

I've heard it from multiple sources, people who practice self defence and know what they're talking about, do not attack a burgler or confront with an obvious weapon. Unless you value your property more than your health.


-- Of course as in the above post you may find yourself in a situation where the confrontation is brought to you, but this is an exceptionally rare occurrence.

As a petrolhead: night time is the worst time for burglaries.
Car outside, keys inside.
Good if they find them, of they won't be bothered to look for them, then you might wake up and see a kettle of hot water over your face or your partners.

mikemac1 wrote: »

Should have told them you have a knife and were about to slaughter the burglar.

They would have shown up them

Yeah - I doubt they'd believe a girl has a knife and is going to take on (what I had already described to them) two tall well built males one with what looks like a crow bar. They didn't really care either way - it took me two attempts to actually get them to listen to me in the first place.

whatdoicare wrote: »

I don't live in the country - I live literally 5 minutes drive from a Garda station in Limerick city.

Ah.

Sky King wrote: »

Ah.

Thanks for that - where I live obviously makes me less deserving than you of garda protection.