Burglars are so good at robbing houses, they can be considered experts in their field on a par with pilots, new research concludes.
Psychologists Claire Nee and Amy Meenaghan of the University of Portsmouth, U.K. found that burglars speed and efficiency puts them on a level with others who perform complicated tasks automatically, such as musicians, chess players and pilots.
A man tries to pry open a garage door. (Courtesy City of Pacific Grove, Penn.) The conclusions were based on in-depth interviews with 50 serial burglars on how they carry out break-ins, Nee and Meenaghan said.
These talks, they added, revealed that getting into a home and stealing valuables, while simultaneously monitoring noise, is a classic example of expertise.
Burglars are expert decisionmakers. Based on a combination of cueswealth, layout, occupancy or securitythey decide which property to enter, Nee remarked.
Burglars become experienced at getting around a property very quickly with minimum risk and maximum gain. They navigate around the property using a fixed search pattern or mental map to make sure they get all the desirable goods in the least amount of time. The research, published in the September issue of the British Journal of Criminology, found that:
Security alarms dont deter a burglar intent on stealing from a property.
Burglars prefer residents to be at home asleep, as this ensures valuables such as wallets, handbags and jewellery are in the house.
The average time for a burglar to be in a property was 20 minutes, during which they netted goods worth £800 ($1,500).
Most burglars said they didnt plan the break-in in advance. Rather, they headed for an affluent area when they needed cash, then choose their property.
Two-thirds knocked on the front door to check whether anyone was home before entering, and locked the door once inside.
Two-thirds preferred to work alone so they wouldnt have to split profits or risk partners identifying them to police.
Nee also found the majority of burglars had a set route once inside the house. They started in the master bedroom and scoured other bedrooms before heading for the living room, dining room and study. Intruders didnt enter childrens rooms, as these rarely contained valuables, and only went into kitchens if they had time.
The convicted burglars said they were mainly looking for credit cards, money or jewellery, according to the researchers. The lawbreakers took televisions, CD and DVD players and other electrical goods as a bonus on their way out. Overall, the information should help police and householders prevent domestic burglaries, the psychologists said.
