Are Corner Houses Robbed More Often? (Yep – 5 Reasons)

There are so many things to consider when buying a home.

From researching the best schools to finding a great area with a dog park, it can get a little overwhelming. Did you also know that picking your home’s location can impact your safety?

Regarding home robberies, one particular house style is more prone to break-ins. Corner houses have a higher percentage rate of reported break-ins.

What gives?

Here are some reasons why living in a house on the corner may increase your chances of a robbery:

The Home Has Several Clear Points of Entry

The great thing about living in a corner is that often, you will only have one direct neighbor next to you.

This gives you a little bit more privacy while also giving you a better view.

However, along with a better view comes the higher chances of someone attempting to break into your home.

This is because without having a neighbor on one side of your home, there are more chances for someone to break into other entries without being spotted by a neighbor.

It isn’t only the neighbor’s watchful eye that robbers are looking out for, either. Along with nosey neighbors, more and more these days, you will find people who have not only motion-activated floodlights but also doorbell cameras.

Even if the home that is broken into does not have a door cam, chances are, the intrusion will still be captured on a neighbor’s cam.

Since corner houses have less crowded next-door neighbors, it reduces the risk of a robber getting caught red-handed by a motion light or even a door cam.

Also, since one side of the house is clear of other yards, a robber won’t have to worry about trespassing through a neighbor’s yard to gain access to the home from the backyard.

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There Are More Escape Options

Most home invasions end without violence.

The main goal of these robbers is to get in and get out with as much as possible without getting caught.

Most of the time, when someone is caught red-handed, their first instinct is to run. A corner home gives the intruder many more options for places to run and hide.

Since the goal is to get as much distance between the guy running and the home, getting to choose between directions to run gives the robber many more opportunities to get away.

Also, the robber is less likely to get spotted running away from a neighbor or a neighbor’s camera when the home is on the corner.

Since there are multiple directions that the robber can choose to run, it is nearly impossible to track down just which way they went to apprehend them.

So, when a robber is looking for the best house to loot, they are not only looking for homes that potentially have valuable items, but they are looking for a home that gives them the best chance for a clean getaway.

Corner Homes Have More Street Visibility

While random and sudden break-ins happen quite often, they are usually pretty well planned out.

This means that chances are the robbers have already checked out the home they want to rob and maybe even studied the patterns of the people who live there.

This way, they know exactly when the house will be empty and the best time to break in.

To properly scope out a house, the robbers must have good visibility without increasing their risk of getting spotted.

Since homes on the corner not only have more access points from the street but also have more roads running across the home, it gives robbers a better chance to watch the home from a vehicle to scope it out.

The same thing can be said for robbers that are working in groups with one person in the home and another in a car waiting.

Since corner homes are in a cross-section of streets, it is easier to conceal a car outside waiting without tipping off any of the neighbors.

Drive-By Scoping is Easier

When it comes to robbers scoping out the perfect home to loot, it is important to remember that they don’t always have to park or sit outside the home to do so.

Many times, robbers scope out a home by simply driving by.

If you live in the middle of a street, it can be easy to spot the same car driving by your home several times a day. However, a corner home may not be as aware of the cars that are flying by.

This is because a corner house is located on the corner of two streets, which means that the traffic driving by a corner house will be almost double compared to the traffic driving by a home in the middle of a residential street.

Also, since the home is on the corner, it gives the people scoping your home many more vantage points to check out.

Traditionally, driving by home only gives your visual access to the front yard and the front of the home.

With a corner house, someone driving by can have visibility of the front and side of the home and can even see into the backyard, allowing them to take note of any entryways behind the house.

Windows on Corner Homes Face Both Streets

Most robbers prefer to enter a home through a window on the lowest level.

Depending on your backyard type, this is the easiest way for them to access the home, especially if the window faces a street.

This can allow the robber to slip out of the same window they came in through and automatically hit the streets running.

When multiple windows face out onto a street, it gives the robbers options regarding which point of entry will not only be the best for them to get into but also give them the most cover from watchful eyes.

Seeing someone walk down the street is far less alarming than seeing someone walking through your private backyard. Chances are, you won’t even think twice about that person on your street, which is exactly what they are hoping for.

So, when several ground-level windows can be accessed from the street, whoever is breaking into your home will have more entry and escape options.

Final Thoughts

Just because corner houses statistically are more prone to break-ins doesn’t mean that you avoid them. It just means that you should take a little bit of extra precaution when it comes to keeping your home and family safe.

Motion-activated lights on all sides of the home will allow you to reduce the number of blind spots. Also, using bushes and trees to hide your home’s access points will help deter people from breaking in.

So, stay vigilant, and don’t let statistics scare you away from buying your dream home.

Sources:

Why Do Corner Homes Get Robbed More?

10 Most Common Homes That Burglars Target