Aggravated burglary is the most serious type of theft. It is classified as a criminal offense because the offender not only breaks into the home but also causes physical harm to others. Aggravated burglary is prosecuted separately from any other type of theft because it causes harm to others.
Aggravated burglaries are often carried out with the intention of intimidating the occupants of the property, allowing the thief to take away the items they want to steal. When it comes to stealing your personal items and information, these criminals are less likely to be violent. In fact, the criminals who carry out these thefts are unlikely to want you to notice that you're missing something important. These thefts can involve car keys, personal documents, passports, bank cards, insurance details, and anything else a thief can use to commit other crimes, such as fraud.
Burglary is committed when an intruder decides to trespass on a property with the intent to steal. Burglary usually takes the form of someone breaking and entering a home without permission and stealing something inside. Even if the violator is caught before taking anything, it's still considered theft or attempted theft, depending on the state.
Most laws are created to protect law-abiding citizens. In the United States, everyone has the right to feel safe in their homes, which means that if someone illegally breaks into a home without the owner's permission, the intruder could face major legal consequences. The consequences for each type of theft depend on the severity of the crime. While laws can vary from state to state, theft is always against the law. So, what’s the difference between aggravated burglary and second-degree burglary? Keep reading to find out.
The United States Department of Justice defines a home invasion as an event in which "an offender forcibly enters an occupied residence with the specific intent of robbing or causing gross bodily harm to the people inside." Several surveys indicate that residents and landlords are concerned about thefts in common, aggravated burglaries in particular, because this crime threatens the safety of their families. Tenants experience theft more often than apartment owners, perhaps because residents often do not get the chance to modify the structure and are reluctant to spend in living spaces they don't own. So, if you're renting, you should ask your landlord for a security upgrade or offer to share some of the costs.
Tips to prevent aggravated burglary
- Installing doors and windows of the best quality with safety locks can make excellent deterrents.
- Modify your living space in a way that looks less attractive to prospective burglars by decreasing the number of easy-to-hide spaces and installing bright lighting.
- It is better to hide valuables in your home externally and enhance the safety of valuables in a mounted locker.
- Make things a little less obvious when you are away by sharing your vacation plans only with close, trusted friends and neighbors. Make your home look busy when you are away.
- Installing a home security system: You will be better protected by signage and the presence of cameras, which help deter burglars in your home. In the event of a breach, surveillance software can call for help if you can't.
Safety considerations
As with all home projects, use standard safety precautions and turn off the power when installing lighting or electrical safety components. Choose contractors carefully; make sure that any home security professional you consult is well known, insured, and recommended by others you know.
Protecting your family
By protecting your home, you're also protecting the people who live there - the people who matter most. A home security system gives you extra peace of mind about your family's safety because of the enhanced awareness and protection that the right tools provide.
Improve convenience with a smart and secure home
You can go further with a smart security system that integrates security and automation into your home. Smart home security systems can do more than prevent aggravated burglary. They can help you see what's happening across your entire property with security cameras, remotely control and disable your systems, provide custom access codes for keyless locks, and even put on a thermostat to reduce your energy bills.
Imagine getting a notification on your phone when your kids get home from school and using their passcode to unlock the front door - or maybe setting up the system remotely when they get home from practice and forget to lock up. What if your security system was smart enough to turn off your HVAC in the event of a fire? A smart security system can do all of this and more.
Keeping your pets safe
According to the American Kennel Club, approximately three million dogs are stolen each year. Your furry friend could be at risk if your home or yard is accessible. Even purely domestic pets like exotic birds can fetch high prices on the black market. But if your monitored alarm system includes an outdoor camera, you can keep an eye on your dear friend while it is out in the yard - and if your outdoor cameras are sophisticated enough, scare away any potential thieves by means of audible and visual warnings.
Protecting valuables and areas of your home
To start with, simply locking your doors and windows is not enough to keep professional burglars at bay. Breaking into your home without a security system is like giving a burglar more time to rob your belongings. It's a problem, but you can replace your clothes, furniture, and even personal technology. But what about photo albums that span generations? Or does an engagement ring have a history of being worth much more than its stones? Not all valuables are measured in dollars, and some are irreplaceable.
Just as outdoor cameras can protect the perimeter of your property, indoor cameras can help you monitor restricted areas such as home offices, medicine cabinets, gun safes, alcohol, and more.
Reducing insurance rates
Since they effectively deter potential thieves, your insurance company may be able to give you a discount on installing an alarm system, especially if it includes security surveillance. Usually, all you need to present is proof of security along with a certificate of insurance.
Improve peace of mind
From protecting your packages to keeping your family safe, there are unfortunately more worries today than ever before. It's easier to work or relax when you can control everything – one way to do this is by using a monitored home security system.
Not only can you control and verify your security system from your app, but a monitored system means having a monitoring team ready to respond to your alarms 24/7. According to the security service provider, in the event of an alarm, the monitoring team can verify the emergency and contact first responders on your behalf, saving you precious seconds when it's the most important. Knowing that your family, pets, and property are safe is a gift that continues to be given.
Conclusion
Aggravated burglary can be costly to the sufferer; the mental stress is perhaps even greater. Losing valuable and expensive things is hard, but losing a sense of security in the home is unpredictable and hard to get back. Many individuals feel the need to vacate after their homes get robbed. Therefore, taking as many steps as possible to prevent serious burglary is a worthwhile investment of time and money.
Hidden areas can be eliminated by carefully trimming the landscape and using an enhanced security system with timed or remotely controlled lighting and monitoring systems. These sophisticated systems allow homeowners to set timers and control various aspects of their home through a smartphone, tablet, or other internet-connected devices. This technology, also known as smart home technology, is in high demand among homeowners due to its convenient features. Using smart home technology, homeowners can control indoor or outdoor lights, lock and unlock doors, equip a security system, and monitor indoor activity through web-based surveillance cameras. Advanced home control systems combine security and accessibility features to provide homeowners with ultimate protection against burglary.
