Home Security Statistics in 2021

By: SafeHome.org Research | Published: Sept 29, 2021

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Marie Van Brittan Brown, a nurse in Queens, New York, patented the first modern home security system. Its features included closed circuit television, multiple peepholes, a sliding camera, two-way microphones, and emergency buttons. Mass manufacture of the system was too complicated in 1969 when Brown received her patent, but home security technology has more than caught up since then.¹

All in all, home security is a fascinating subject. It’s not just about fear and crime (although there’s a lot of that, too!). Take a look at this stats compilation illustrating the many facets of home security.

Table of Contents

• Home Security: More Than the Sum of Its Parts
• Alarms Are More Effective Deterrents Than We May Think
• Renters Generally at Higher Risk of Burglary
• FBI Stats on Burglary, Robbery, and Arson
• Package Thefts Stay High, Bucking an Overall Property Crimes Downtrend
• A Closer Look at Home Security Cameras
• Home Security through the Lens of One “Old Guard” Company, ADT
• Home Security through the Lens of a “Newer Guard” Company, SimpliSafe
• Smart Home Devices and the Home Security Market
• How Burglary Affects Your Home Insurance
• More Stats on Marie Van Brittan Brown’s Security System
• References and Endnotes

Home Security: More Than the Sum of Its Parts

Home security is about much more than cameras and monitoring. In fact, less than half of Americans own a home security product.

How many Americans use home security systems? 

These figures come from a survey commissioned by YouGov.²

• 38% of Americans own a home security product
• Of those, 18.2% report owning a video camera, doorbell, or both
• 16.2% have a professionally monitored home security system
• 8.1% own a self-monitored system
• 6.8% use a smart lock
• 3.8% answered “Other”

Of that 3.8% replying, “Other”:

• 35.9% turn to dogs
• 25.6% use firearms
• 14.5% did not specify their alternative due to privacy concerns

At Safehome.org, we did a survey in February 2020 to gauge consumer attitudes on home security.³

Most folks feel their homes are just a bit safer than their neighborhoods

• On average, Americans ranked their neighborhood safety as 78 on a scale of 1 to 100, (with 100 being the safest)
• The safety of one’s own home scored slightly higher with an average of 81. That’s with 33% of Americans currently using a home security system; 67% do not

Technology is #1 factor when choosing a system

• Technology, 30%
• Price, 26%
• Professional monitoring, 24%
• Detectors, 8%
• Brand, 7%
• Ease of installation, 5%

Most Americans want to keep their home security system

• Keep current home security system, 65%
• Add to/enhance current system, 19.29%
• Change system, 15%
• Cancel system, 0.71%

We conducted a property crime survey in November 2020. Here’s what we found:⁴

Just 20% of Americans said property crime isn’t a problem at all where they live

• 7.64% of Americans said it’s a big problem where they live
• 21.34% said it is a problem
• 44.75% said it is a slight problem
• 20.06% said it’s not a problem at all
• 6.21% were unsure

Property crimes occur when someone’s property is stolen or destroyed with no use of force (or threat of force) against the victim. In our survey, these types of property crimes posed a threat where Americans lived:

• Burglary, 50.48%
• Larceny-theft, 22.93%
• Motor vehicle theft, 36.62%
• Arson, 5.57%
• Vandalism, 40.13%
• None of the above, 18.31%
• Other, 3.66%

To ensure we are all on the same page, let’s look briefly at FBI definitions.⁵

Burglary as defined by the FBI: “The unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or theft. To classify an offense as a burglary, the use of force to gain entry need not have occurred. The UCR Program has three subclassifications for burglary: forcible entry, unlawful entry where no force is used, and attempted forcible entry.”

Structures that are burgled can include houses, apartments, barns, and ships. They do not include automobiles. Burglary can be a felony or a misdemeanor.

Larceny-theft as defined by the FBI: “The unlawful taking, carrying, leading, or riding away of property from the possession or constructive possession of another. Examples are thefts of bicycles, thefts of motor vehicle parts and accessories, shoplifting, pocket-picking, or the stealing of any property or article that is not taken by force, violence, or fraud. Attempted larcenies are included.”

Motor vehicle theft as defined by the FBI: “The theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle.”

Examples of this type of theft include cars, motorcycles, motor scooters, sport utility vehicles, and snowmobiles. They do not include motorboats, jet skis, farm equipment, and airplanes.

Arson as defined by the FBI: “Any willful or malicious burning or attempting to burn, with or without intent to defraud, a dwelling house, public building, motor vehicle or aircraft, personal property of another, etc.”

Vandalism as defined by the FBI: “To willfully or maliciously destroy, injure, disfigure, or deface any public or private property, real or personal, without the consent of the owner or person having custody or control by cutting, tearing, breaking, marking, painting, drawing, covering with filth, or any other such means as may be specified by local law. Attempts are included.”

Almost half of our Americans have been a property crime victim

• 47.13% have been a victim of a property crime⁴
• 52.87% have not

Burglary was top crime

• 41.55% were a victim of burglary
• 19.26% of larceny-theft
• 21.62% of motor vehicle theft
• 2.36% of arson
• 11.15% of vandalism
• 4.05%, other

Most victims notified the police

• 75.68% filed a police report
• 24.32% did not

Personal electronics and cars were top targets

• Personal electronics, 28.04%
• Car, 27.36%
• Cash or other liquid assets, 25%
• Jewelry, 24.66%
• Packages/deliveries, 17.57%
• Other, 16.55%
• Identification documents, 9.12%
• Clothing, 8.45%
• Antiques, art, collectibles, 8.11%
• Business/office equipment, 5.74%
• Prefer not to answer, 5.74%
• Prescription drugs, 5.41%
• Keys, 5.07%
• None, 3.04%
• Alcohol, 1.69%

Criminals accessed property through various ways

• 5.07% bypassed alarm system
• 23.31% got in through windows
• 9.46% got in through garages
• 25.68% accessed external property such as boats, patios, vehicles
• 3.38% got in through disguise (salesperson, repair person, request to use bathroom, etc.)
• 17.57%, unsure
• 15.54%, other

Common “other” responses included the front door, whether it was kicked open, left unlocked, left open, or otherwise accessed.

When the crimes occured

• Morning, 13.85%
• Afternoon, 24.32%
• Evening, 19.59%
• Overnight, 29.05%
• Unsure, 13.18%

Many Americans were present when property crimes occured

• Present, 47.64%
• Not present but not on vacation or traveling, 38.51%
• Not present, was on vacation or traveling, 8.78%
• Unsure, 5.07%

Americans were of varied ages

• 18-29, 20.06%
• 30-44, 27.23%
• 45-60, 28.66%
• 61 or older, 24.04%

Some concern about becoming a property crime victim

• 14.97% of Americans were very concerned about becoming a victim of property crime in the future
• 28.22% were concerned
• 29.14% were neither concerned nor unconcerned
• 13.85% were unconcerned
• 3.82% were very unconcerned

Increased lighting, privacy are two top security measures

• Increased lighting around property, 36.78%
• Increased privacy of property interior (curtains, blinds, etc)., 34.71%
• Limited social media mentions of property and location, 30.41%
• Doorbell camera, 30.1%
• Security cameras around property, 29.62%
• Home security system, 25.48%
• Fencing, 23.41%
• Gun(s), 22.77%
• Guard dog(s), 21.66%
• Security system signage, 20.86%
• Neighborhood watch, 20.38%
• Gated community, 8.92%
• None, 8.44%
• Security guard/doorman on property, 5.89%
• Other, 3.34%

Some of the “other” responses mentioned pet dogs (that are not guard dogs). Burglars generally avoid bringing attention to a break-in. A barking dog certainly counts as attention!

Americans are most concerned about packages and cars being stolen

• Packages/deliveries, 45.7%
• Car, 42.36%
• Personal electronics, 39.17%
• Identification documents, 29.3%
• Cash/liquid assets, 28.82%
• Jewelry, 22.45%
• Keys, 14.17%
• Antiques, art, collectibles, 10.67%
• Prescription drugs, 10.03%
• None, 9.87%
• Business or office equipment, 7.64%
• Clothing, 7.32%
• Alcohol, 4.94%
• Other, 3.34%

Some answers for “other” included guns, pets, tools, and musical instruments.

Home security systems have some perceived effectiveness deterring property crime

• 30.25% rated home security systems as very effective
• 53.5% said they are slightly effective
• 7.48% said they're not effective
• 8.76% were unsure

Alarms Are More Effective Deterrents Than We May Think

The University of North Carolina-Charlotte Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology conducted a survey of 422 inmates in prison for burglary.^{6, 7}

• 83% try to figure out if an alarm is at their target
• 60% seek an alternative target if an alarm is present

What if burglars detect an alarm while the burglary is in progress?

• 50% would halt burglary efforts
• 31% might retreat
• 13% would keep going with the burglary attempt

Homes (whether rented or owned) are the most common burglary target

• 72.5% of the inmates preferred to target homes
• 30.3%, businesses
• 3.4%, schools
• 2.8%, government buildings

Little planning involved in most cases

• 59.1% planned for less than 24 hours
• 19.4% for one to three days
• 6.6% for four to seven days
• 3.1% for about two weeks
• 3.4% for a month or more
• 8.4% of the inmates said their planning time frame depended

Not uncommon for multiple burglars to work a break-in

• 28% usually work alone
• 27% work with at least one other person
• 45% say it depends

Partners can serve as lookouts, help carry heavier items out of the house, or act as the getaway driver.

More findings from the survey:

• 10% burglarize multiple targets in one day
• 40% stick to just one target in a day
• 50% say it depends
• 51% were motivated by drugs
• 37.1% by money
• 5.4% by foolishness
• 4.4% by thrills
• 2.2% by revenge
• 90% hoped to find cash
• 77.8% jewelry
• 65.9% illegal drugs
• 63.5% electronics
• 50.5% prescription drugs
• 18.4% clothing and shoes

In 2016, the Santa Clara County Crime Strategies Unit profiled 100 residential burglars who had offended in 2010.⁸

35% of the burglary defendants knew their victim

• 65%, no relationship with victim
• 6%, romantic relationship
• 7%, family relationship
• 22%, other type of relationship

Most traveled 20 miles or less to commit their burglaries

• 47% of burglars went to a wealthier neighborhood for their crimes
• 22% headed to a less-wealthy area
• 29% stayed in the same ZIP code where they lived
• 2% no data

 

• 59% stayed within 10 miles of their ZIP code
• 80% stayed within 20 miles
• 7% traveled more than 90 miles from their home
• $82,946: Median income in neighborhood where burglar lived
• $97,003: Median income of average victim's neighborhood

Financial desperation, homelessness, drugs sparked the burglaries

• 30% were motivated by drugs
• 24% by financial desperation/homelessness
• 12% by gang
• 9% due to interpersonal issues
• 4% due to mental health

Police caught the burglars due to clues from surveillance devices, their vehicles, victims, and stolen property

• 36%, property ID
• 33%, vehicle ID
• 30%, witness ID
• 27%, hot prowl (burglar entered while someone was home)
• 16%, surveillance
• 10%, fingerprints
• 5%, internet/phone records

Most accepted plea deals, and the majority reoffended

• 100 cases from the year 2010 were examined
  • 87 men, 13 women
• 27.49: Average age of defendant
  • 13 were 18 years old
  • 4 were older than 50
• Almost all defendants had some type of criminal record
  • 62% had prior felonies (many related to burglary and theft)
  • 15% had misdemeanor convictions
  • 13% had no prior criminal record
• Many defendants ended up reoffending from 2010-2017 after their burglary cases/sentences were resolved
  • 45%, new felonies (many related to burglary and theft)
  • 24%, new misdemeanor offenses
  • 31%, no new convictions
• 42% were Hispanic or Latino
• 32% were white or Caucasian
• 13% were Asian
• 10% were black or African-American
• 3% were “other”

Renters Generally at Higher Risk of Burglary

Particularly if building has 9 units or less

Burglaries per 1,000 units

• 28.7, apartment buildings with 2-4 units⁷
• 25.1, apartment buildings with 5-9 units
• 22.1, single-family homes
• 19.7, apartment buildings with 10 or more units
• 3.27%: Burglary rate for rental homes
• 1.83%: Burglary rate for owned homes
• 10 minutes: Typical length of time a burglary lasts
• 90 seconds: Burglaries can sometimes be this short. Burglars focus on getting in and out as quickly as possible. They target small electronics, cash, jewelry, guns, and other items they can carry away and easily get rid of

FBI Stats on Burglary, Robbery, and Arson

In September 2020, the FBI released 2019 crime statistics. 2019 marked the 17th year in a row that property crimes dropped (this time, by 4.1% from 2018).⁹

• 9.5% drop in burglaries
• 2.8% decrease in larceny-thefts
• 4% drop in motor vehicle thefts

However, cases remained unlikely to get cleared.¹⁰

Cases still likely to not get cleared

• 14.1% clearance rate for burglary
• 18.4% larceny-theft
• 13.8% motor vehicle theft
• 23.8% arson
• 17.2% property crimes in total
• 30.5% robbery
• 52.3% aggravated assault

FBI Burglary Stats^11,12

• 62.8% of all burglary offenses in 2019 were at residential properties
• 16.1% of property crimes in 2019 were burglaries
  • 55.7%: Forcible entry
  • 37.8%: Unlawful entry
  • 6.5%: Attempted forcible entry

What’s the cost of being burglarized?

• $2,661: Average dollar loss per burglary
• $3 billion: Estimated total property loss in 2019 for victims of burglary offenses
• 1,117,696: Number of estimated burglaries in 2019
  • Down 9.5% from 2018
  • Down 29.6% from 2015
  • Down 48.5% from 2010

Potential explanations for the decrease in burglaries include these:

• More home security systems¹³
• Cybercrime as an alternative to physically breaking in
• People less likely to have cash around these days

Burglaries more likely to happen at residences in the daytime

702,449 burglaries at residences (dwellings)^11,12

415,247 burglaries at nonresidences (sheds, buildings detached from the home, stores, offices, business premises, etc.)

• Residence day, 354,398
• Residence night, 238,635
• Nonresidence night, 191,663
• Nonresidence day, 152,956
• Residence unknown, 109,415
• Nonresidence unknown, 70,629

Average value of property stolen

• Nonresidence unknown, $3,475
• Residence unknown, $3,272
• Nonresidence night, $2,594
• Residence night, $2,561
• Residence day, $2,544
• Nonresidence day, $2,486
• In 65% of violent burglaries, the victims know the offenders¹⁴
• In 28%, the victims don't know the offenders

New Mexico has highest burglary rate per 100,000 inhabitants; New Hampshire has lowest

1. New Mexico 696.80¹⁵
2. Oklahoma 671.70
3. Mississippi 627
4. Arkansas 599.60
5. Louisiana 579
6. South Carolina 533.40
7. Alabama 531.90
8. North Carolina 519.10
9. Nevada 503.50
10. Alaska 487.10
11. Washington 453.60
12. Tennessee 437.40
13. Missouri 430.40
14. Arizona 394.30
15. Texas 392.80
16. California 386.10
17. Hawaii 377.20
18. Ohio 375.50
19. Georgia 372.10
20. Iowa 371.10
21. Oregon 349.10
22. Colorado 348.40
23. Kentucky 345.70
24. Kansas 342.70
25. North Dakota 342.20
26. West Virginia 328.70
27. Indiana 323.70
28. Delaware 304.80
29. South Dakota 299.10
30. Florida 295.20
31. Michigan 286.10
32. Minnesota 282.40
33. Maryland 278.90
34. Utah 276.70
35. Illinois 271.70
36. Montana 270.10
37. District of Columbia 261.10
38. Nebraska 245.30
39. Wyoming 241.20
40. Idaho 219.70
41. Rhode Island 219.10
42. Wisconsin 217.60
43. Vermont 204.30
44. New Jersey 184.60
45. Pennsylvania 182.40
46. Connecticut 180.70
47. Massachusetts 179
48. Maine 174.80
49. Virginia 162.80
50. New York 141.90
51. New Hampshire 126.30

United States 340.50

Experts theorize that warmer weather is a major factor in higher burglary rates. For instance, homes remain unoccupied more, and sunlight lasts longer. Residents are also more likely to leave doors and windows open.

• Historically, 47% of burglaries occur in the South⁷
• 21% in the Midwest
• 21% in the West
• 11% in the Northeast
• More home burglaries occur in July and August than in other months
• February has the lowest amount of burglaries

Lake Charles, LA, has highest metro-area burglary rate of the top 50 U.S. metropolitan areas

Here are the top 10 cities or areas for burglary rate per 100,000 inhabitants¹⁶

1. Lake Charles, LA 1,117.7
2. Alexandria, LA 1,106.4
3. Jonesboro, AR 1,058.2
4. Florence, SC 948.8
5. Monroe, LA 948
6. Bakersfield, CA 847.3
7. Vallejo, CA 833.7
8. Lubbock, TX 813.9
9. Lawton, OK 806.7
10. Danville, IL 793.4

Here are the bottom 10 cities or areas for burglary rate per 100,000 inhabitants

1. Fairbanks, AK 529.7
2. Victoria, TX 530.6
3. Columbia, SC 532.4
4. St. Joseph, MO-KS 542.6
5. Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA 543.9
6. Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ 545.5
7. Lima, OH 546.9
8. Baton Rouge, LA 547
9. Gulfport-Biloxi, MS 550.8
10. Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ 555.4

Robbery

Robberies by location

• Residence, 42,806¹⁷
• Street/highway, 94,090
• Commercial house, 44,128
• Gas or service station, 8,555
• Convenience store, 18,312
• Bank, 3,834
• Misc., 56,264
• $1,797: Average dollar value of property stolen per robbery reported
• $482 million: Estimated total losses in 2019

The highest robbery losses went to banks, which had an average dollar loss of $4,213 per offense.

• 44.8% of robberies included strong-arm tactics
• 36.4% had firearms
• 8.5% involved knives or other cutting instruments
• 10.3% involved other types of dangerous weapons

Larceny-Thefts

• 73.4% of property crimes in 2019 were larceny-thefts¹⁸
• 27.1% of all larceny-thefts in 2019 were thefts from motor vehicles
• $1,162: Average value of property taken per offense

Arson

• 42.2% of arson offenses in 2019 included structures such as residential dwellings and storage property¹⁹
• 22.6% of arson offenses included mobile property
• 35.2% included other kinds of property such as fences, timber, and crops
• $16,371: Average dollar loss per arson

2019 arson offenses and average damages
6,251: Single-occupancy residential	$30,308 average damage
2,400: Other residential	$31,776 average damage
713: Storage	$18,281 average damage
7,068: Motor vehicles	$8,057 average damage
454: Other mobile	$15,827 average damage

Package Thefts Stay High, Bucking an Overall Property Crimes Downtrend

As FBI stats indicate, property crimes continue to ramp downward. However, package thefts remain a top home security concern, especially with COVID-19 increasing online orders and deliveries. Here are some stats from C + R Research’s 2020 survey on package theft. As the methodology section notes, Americans may be more likely to use Amazon Prime (relates to shipping packages).²⁰

• 59% of Americans received some type of package weekly (up 10% from 2019)
• 50% of Americans use a doorbell camera or security device to deter package theft
• 43% said they had a package stolen in 2020 (was 36% in 2019)
• Of that 43%, 64% say package theft has occurred to them more than once
• $136: Average value of stolen package
• 81% of victims got a refund
• 47% of victims filed police report
• 55% of those with stolen packages reported package theft during the 2019 holiday season
• 48% of Americans avoid buying expensive items online due to fear of them getting stolen

A Closer Look at Home Security Cameras

The following stats come from a Porch survey.²²

• 30.1% of Americans said they had a security system without video
• 43.9% had at least one security camera
• 26% had both a security system and at least one camera
• 62.1% checked their security camera(s) from their phones daily
• 23.4% checked weekly
• 5.5% monthly
• 7.8% when notified
• 1.2% never checked
• $390 average minimum cost for security system
• $276 average minimum cost for security camera(s)

3 top crimes that security cameras caught for these Americans

1. Someone committing package theft
2. A person defacing or vandalizing the property
3. A repairperson/handyman going through possessions not theirs

5 top responses to these 3 activities

1. Contact police
2. Warn neighbors
3. Confront person
4. Get packages delivered elsewhere
5. Post video on social media

55% of Americans who had security cameras had at least one inside the home

• 88.9% in the living room/family room
• 41% in kitchen
• 32% in garage
• 24.9% in master bedroom
• 23% in dining room
• 23% took steps to keep their security cameras from being hacked

4 top reasons people choose to not have cameras inside the home

1. Rather not be recorded inside
2. Home is sufficiently safe without cameras
3. Potential of hackers using cameras to spy inside the home
4. Potential of spouse spying on them

*

$250: Suggested price of Ring Always Home Cam (basically a flying drone for the home). As of September 2021, it has no official release date but a late-2021 release is likely²²

Home Security through the Lens of One “Old Guard” Company, ADT^23,24

• 1874: The year ADT (American District Telegraph) was founded after a break-in. Edward Callahan, the founder, connected 50 homes in a neighborhood to a telegraph-based call box system so residents could reach out for help if needed
• From 1890 to 1920, ADT sent “roundsmen” to check on customers’ homes at night to deter crime
• From 1920 to 1940, ADT developed central monitoring centers so customers could get monitoring and protection all the time
• From 1940 to 1989, ADT focused on automated burglar and fire alarm systems
• From 1989 to 2010, decidedly lower-tech moves gained a foothold as ADT got their customers to use the company’s blue yard signs showing that their homes were protected by a security system.
  • On the higher-tech side in 2010, ADT debuted Pulse, an app enabling customers to remotely control their home security system, including options for security cameras, lighting, and climate control.
  • In 2019, it would be possible for ADT customers to control even more security, automation, and smart home features through one interface. Thermostats, locks, and lights are among the products adding to home security and comfort
• 2021: ADT has more than eight million customers
• 5: Number of main security packages the company currently offers that combine equipment and monitoring

Home Security through the Lens of a “Newer Guard” Company, SimpliSafe

ADT security systems can work really well for folks who don’t move around, are OK signing long-term contracts, and who don’t necessarily need their home security to be light and nimble. Meanwhile, companies such as SimpliSafe offer products and contracts that are more versatile. Here’s a look at some history and stats:^25,26

• 2006: SimpliSafe founded by Harvard Business School students (Chad and Eleanor Laurans) whose friends experienced break-ins and frustration at home security products not designed for renters’ needs
• 2009: The basic product is primarily marketed online and includes wireless sensors (door, window, and motion) that come with removable adhesive backing for swift installation, keychain remote, and base station with 85-decibel siren and capabilities to call dispatch
• 2016 to 2018: SimpliSafe integrates with Nest Learning Thermostat, August Smart Lock, and Amazon Alexa
• 2021: Offers five packages starting at about $183 plus monitoring, which is $14.99 to $24.99 a month
  • $99: Cost of priciest SimpliSafe device, an indoor camera
  • $14.99: Cost of least-expensive device, an entry sensor
  • $3.99: Cost of yard sign

Smart Home Devices and the Home Security Market

Smart home devices have made home security more accessible and “fun.” They help with peace of mind, as homeowners can turn lights on and off from afar and check their phones to see if anyone is at the door. They can also use smart speakers and other devices to make it sound like someone is home.

• $5,007 million projected revenue in 2021 for smart home security²⁷
• 12.96% annual growth rate should equal a volume of $8,153 million by 2025
• By 2025, there should be 47.8 million active smart home security users
• $220:39: Average revenue per smart home
• 30.2% of smart home security users in 2020 were 25 to 34 years old

100,000: Number of smart home devices compatible with Amazon Alexa as of July 2020²⁸

50,000: Number of smart home devices worldwide supported by Google Assistant²⁹

• $14.1 billion: Estimated size of home security systems market in the U.S. in 2020³⁰
• 64%: Owner-occupied housing rate (2015-2019)³¹
• As of 2019, there were 139,684,244 housing units and 1,471,141 new building permits in 2020³¹

How Burglary Affects Your Home Insurance

Standard homeowners insurance typically covers damage to your home and the loss of stolen personal items. Theft is a common covered loss with limitations depending on the extent of coverage purchased:¹³

• Actual Cash Value (ACV) coverage compensates you for the depreciated value of stolen items. A laptop purchased five years ago for $2,000 may today only be valued at $400 according to depreciation tables maintained by insurers.
• If you have a more expensive Replacement Cost Value (RCV) policy, you may be compensated for the amount required to buy a replacement laptop at today’s cost.
• Some policies have a hybrid approach and reimburse the ACV immediately while later paying the full RCV amount from receipts showing the reasonable cost to replace an item.
• Some carriers require policy limits to be set on certain high-value items such as jewelry and rare antiques.
• The amount you set for your deductible has a big impact on the price you pay for coverage.
• Home insurance rates typically rise after a burglary depending on where you live, whether you’re in a high crime area, and the value of the claim loss.

More Stats on Marie Van Brittan Brown’s Security System

Let’s close with a few figures related to the first modern patented alarm system. As you may remember, nurse Marie Van Brittan Brown received her patent in 1969. She and her electronics technician husband, Albert, had been working on the invention since 1966.¹

• Almost 32%: Percentage jump in serious crime in Queens, New York, from 1960 to 1965 (the Browns’ neighborhood)
• 2005: Year that companies first started offering CCTV to residential customers
• 1999: Year Marie Van Brittan Brown died, aged 76
• 35: Number of U.S. patents the Browns' invention has been cited in

References and Endnotes

1. Hilgers, Laura. (2021, March). A Brief History of the Invention of the Home Security Alarm. Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved September 23, 2021, from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/history-home-security-alarm-180977002/
2. Ferron, Emily. (Updated 2021, Feb. 25). 2019 Safety.com Home Security Report. Safety.com. Retrieved September 23, 2021, from https://www.safety.com/home-security-survey/
3. Home Security Systems. (2020, February). Safehome.org. Retrieved September 23, 2021, from https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-VNY5JYVD9/
4. Property Crime Survey. (2020, November). Safehome.org. Retrieved September 23, 2021, from https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-TVXBRYVD9/
5. 2019 Crime in the United States. (2019). FBI.gov. Retrieved September 23, 2021, from https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2019/crime-in-the-u.s.-2019/topic-pages/offense-definitions
6. Through the Eyes of a Burglar: Study Provides Insights on Habits and Motivations, Importance of Security. (2013, May 16). ScienceDaily. Retrieved September 23, 2021, from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130516160916.htm
7. Burglary Odds Across America. (2018). ADT. Retrieved September 23, 2021, from https://www.adt.com/burglary-odds-across-america
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