| The F.B.I. report "2008 Crime in the United States" | | | | "Cellphone-Only Homes Hit a Milestone" by Alex Mindlin: |
| reveals that crime in America has steadily been | | | | "From September 2006 to April 2007, the percentage |
| decreasing across all categories except one: burglary. | | | | of Americans in cellphone-only households for the first |
| "Nationwide, burglaries were the only property crime to | | | | time overtook the percentage in landline-only |
| show an increase (up 1.3 percent)" | | | | households, according to Mediamark Research, a firm |
| The "2006 Crime in the United States" report defines | | | | that has been tracking such data since the mid-1980s. |
| burglary as the unlawful entry of a structure to commit | | | | Mediamark said 84.5 percent of households now have |
| a felony or theft. To classify an offense as a burglary, | | | | landlines, and 86.2 percent have at least one cellphone. |
| the use of force to gain entry need not have occurred. | | | | Andy Arthur, the study's author and an analyst with |
| The Program has three subclassifications for burglary: | | | | Mediamark, said the number of households with |
| forcible entry, unlawful entry where no force is used, | | | | landlines would probably continue to decrease." In |
| and attempted forcible entry. The UCR definition of | | | | another Times article ["Snip!Nearly One-Fifth of Homes |
| "structure" includes, for example, apartment, barn, | | | | Have no Landline" 9/17/08,Saul Hansell] it's reported |
| house trailer or houseboat when used as a permanent | | | | that by the end of 2008 20percent of households may |
| dwelling, office, railroad car (but not automobile), stable, | | | | not have a home phone line. This is estimated to rise |
| and vessel (i.e., ship). | | | | to 27percent by 2010. |
| Overview | | | | Burglar Alarm Systems are the best way of |
| - In 2006, there were an estimated 2,183,746 burglary | | | | preventing burglaries and protecting your family and |
| offenses-an increase of 1.3 percent when compared | | | | property and are a proven deterrent. Statistics show |
| with 2005 data. | | | | that 60% of attempted burglaries carried out on |
| - An examination of 5- and 10-year trends revealed an | | | | homes with burglar alarms fitted are unsuccessful. |
| increase of 1.5 percent in the number of burglaries | | | | Burglar alarms are valuable weapons in the fight |
| when compared with the 2002 estimate and a decline | | | | against crime. |
| of 11.2 percent when compared with the 1997 estimate. | | | | Burglar alarm systems that incorporate home |
| - Burglary accounted for 21.9 percent of the estimated | | | | monitoring are most effective since they not only |
| number of property crimes committed in 2006. | | | | scare burglars off but call out for help as well. This |
| - In 2006, burglary offenses cost victims an estimated | | | | type of comprehensive system generally relies on |
| $4 billion in lost property. | | | | landline phones for support. The steady decrease in |
| - The average dollar loss per burglary offense in 2006 | | | | the number of households with landlines implies that an |
| was $1,834. | | | | increasing number of homes are deprived of the |
| - Of the burglary offenses in 2006, 66.2 percent were | | | | potential benefits of comprehensive burglar alarm |
| of residential structures. | | | | protection. This trend has given rise to the |
| - Of the burglaries for which the time of occurrence | | | | development of Wireless GSM (Global System for |
| was known, 63.1 percent of residential burglaries took | | | | Mobile Communications) Alarm Systems. Modern |
| place during the day. | | | | Wireless GSM Alarm Systems offer comprehensive |
| - Among burglaries of nonresidential structures when | | | | and expandable burglar protection without the |
| time of occurrence was known, 56.7 percent occurred | | | | necessity of a landline; with the use of a SIM card |
| at night. | | | | from a cellular carrier they allow your burglar alarm to |
| Another interesting statistic was reported in the New | | | | call out for help through the cellular networks. |
| York Times on 8/27/07 in a story entitled | | | | |