As the clocks fall back and the days grow shorter, a dangerous trend occurs. Crime, including robberies, tends to spike when Daylight Saving Time ends. A Brookings study found that robbery rates increased by 7 percent when Daylight Saving Time ends.
There is an even larger 27% increase during the evening hour that lost sunlight. With it getting darker earlier, it is vital to stay aware of your surroundings during these transitional times. Remain vigilant when you are leaving for work, walking to your car, or heading inside for the evening.
Here are a few ways you can protect yourself and your property from crimes when Daylight Saving Time ends.
Walk to your car with others: There is safety in numbers. Try to avoid walking to your car alone. Leave work with coworkers that can make sure you get to your car safely.
Exterior lighting: When you return home for the evening, make sure the outside of your home is well lit. Criminals may try to strike in the darkness of night. But with a well-lit front porch, you’ll make it harder for them to carry out their plan.
You can use automated lighting to conserve energy and make it appear that someone is home, even when you aren’t.
Get a home security system: Burglars are 300% more likely to target homes that don’t have a home security system.* Consider making the investment to protect you, your family, and your property. With a monitored security system, someone will always be there for you in case of an emergency.
Lock your doors: Reduce crimes of opportunity by ensuring that you lock your doors and windows, including your car doors.
At CPI, we offer a variety of smart home devices that work in sync with the rest of your CPI home security system. With smart plugs, smart door locks, and even a smart thermostat, you can set up Scenes that control your lights, locks, temperature, and more with just the press of a button in the inTouch™ app.
Learn more about setting up Scenes to automate your safety and security devices!
Keep curtains and blinds shut: It is another smart way to reduce crimes of opportunity. Also, don’t leave valuables out in the open where they can be spotted through a window.
Invest in security cameras: Outdoor security cameras can be a very important deterrent to incorporate into your home security system. Not only can they deter criminals before a situation occurs, they can also record crimes in progress which can help police catch the perpetrator.
Change the batteries in your emergency alarms: While it is unrelated to darker hours, the changing of your clocks is also a good reminder of other important tasks. Use this opportunity to check or change the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms.
Whether it is Daylight Saving or Standard time, it is always important to put your protection at the top of mind. Read more of our blog for more security tips to help keep you, your family, and your property safe and secure.
*Bankrate, “Burglary Statistics 2022”
