What Time Of Day Do Burglars Break Into Homes? It Isn't What You Think

When you picture a burglary, you probably think of an image straight out of a movie: A lone figure sneaking through windows under the cover of night, while the neighborhood is asleep. You might even imagine yourself grabbing a baseball bat and cautiously heading downstairs, only to find masked robbers rummaging through your belongings and secret hiding places. Popular culture has painted a vivid picture of how we expect break-ins to happen. And it makes sense, on a surface level — the darkness of night seems like the perfect cover for criminals to act unseen. 

But what if we told you that this widespread assumption is wrong? Surprisingly, most burglaries happen when the sun is shining, not when it's dark. In fact, the most common window of time when break-ins happen is right in the middle of the day, between 10am and 3pm.

Break-ins at night occur less frequently simply because people are more likely to be home during those hours. In reality, the person breaking into your house would rather not come in when you and your family are sharing a meal, watching a movie, or even sleeping in bed — your presence risks their success. Similarly, burglars want to avoid being caught in the act by your neighbors. Even if you're on vacation, they might pick a time when the neighborhood is quiet — hence, work hours or school time. 

In general, the way that people think burglary happens — as this premeditated, organized, clandestine affair — is off-base. Most break-ins are unplanned and happen as crimes of opportunity. Unlike the elaborate schemes portrayed in movies like "Home Alone," burglars typically don't devise intricate plans. Instead, they focus on easy targets like an empty house in the middle of the workday. 

What's even more surprising is that burglars often enter right through the front door. In fact, over one-third of break-ins happen via the main entrance. Even more shocking, many intruders don't bother with forced entry — they simply look for unlocked doors. Putting aside the ease of this approach vs. breaking a window, it's easy to see that this tactic works in their favor because it appears far less suspicious. If a neighbor happens to see someone walking confidently through the front door, they're more likely to assume it's a friend, family member, or even a dogsitter rather than a burglar.

While burglaries are more common during the daytime, they also tend to spike during the summertime. Much like the reasoning behind entering through the front door during daylight hours, burglars prefer to strike when people are away from home or when entrances are wide open, and this happens more frequently in the summer. Part of the reason lies in the same "crime of opportunity" mindset — windows and doors that are often not burglar-proofed are left open during the warmer months, people spend more time outdoors enjoying the weather, and families leave on vacation. All of which inadvertently make a home an easier target for intruders.