It is a nightmare for many people: coming home from work at the end of the day, only to find the front door ajar and possessions missing. That’s a great deal of money and hassle but also harmful is the factor of an intrusion, knowing someone violated the rule of law and that your possessions had been forcibly taken from you.

It’s a difficult situation and no amount of talking to the police can make you feel safe. The statistics are jaw-dropping in this respect:

• Three out of four US homes will be broken into within the next 20 years.
• An astonishing 34% of burglars enter a home through the front door.
• A burglary is committed every 15 seconds in the United States.

The truth is, even though the experience can be difficult and the loss of property difficult to recoup, many burglaries could have been prevented. The answer is fairly simple: the home alarm.

A home alarm is a system by which individuals who enter without permission are greeted with any number of forcible actions. The first is fairly basic: An alarm goes off, which sends a shrill signal throughout the home, loud enough to be heard from the street, alerting neighbors and the police that the home is being broken into.

If the burglar continues in spite of the alarm, the police may become involved, as many alarm systems have a built in option that unless disengaged, they signal the police. The police will then respond to the alarm and if the burglar isn’t gone at that point, they are arrested.

Some alarms take this further and add video surveillance. Video surveillance is critical because it deters burglars further. Anyone who suspects their face will be on camera will not want to commit a crime unless they are certain they can getaway and never be arrested. It is estimated that 67% of home burglaries can be prevented with the installation of a video camera.

And generally, homes with security systems are 300% more likely to be broken into. In fact, a University of North Carolina study showed that 60% of convicted burglars stated that the presence of a home alarm system deterred them from breaking into and robbing that home.

Cameras, and general home alarm systems, can vary according to model and price. When it comes to cameras, there are:

• The outdoor wireless camera
• The wireless digital security camera
• The HD wireless security camera
• The 1080p wireless security camera system
• And the home security camera system

Even these can be broken down into individual manufacturers and models. A search for the outdoor wireless camera pulls up models from Nest, Blink, Ge Aa, and Night Owl, among others. Finding the right outdoor wireless camera for your needs is a process of research and looking into functionality.

It’s important to note that while burglaries can be prevented using an alarm system or video surveillance, it’s necessary to remember which times of the year that burglaries are most likely to occur. Fortunately, research has shown that burglaries are most likely to happen in the last two weeks of the year, when Christmas and New Year’s fall.

And while this article has been focused on the benefits of a home alarm system or a home video surveillance system, alarm systems and video surveillance systems can also be a benefit to businesses as well. In fact:

• 38% of inventory shrink can be attributed to shoplifting and 35.4% to employee theft.
• Having a video surveillance system with remote access can eliminate theft and losses by up to 80% and improve productivity in the work place.

Having the right outdoor wireless camera can go a long way to preventing burglaries–and that nightmarish situation. Read more here.