When was the last time you spoke with the victim of a home burglary? If you have, you will soon find that the psychological scars in the wake of the burglary are far more painful than the pain caused by the loss of property. Anytime I have spoken to folks who have suffered a home burglary, it is not long before women are driven to tears and/or men are driven to extreme anger.

I once spoke to a lady who had recently had her home burglarized. The thieves stole electronic equipment, jewelry and other valuables. Of course this was an upsetting experience. However, in the course of the burglary, the thieves used satin pillow cases to carry their loot. When this victim related her story she was obviously more distressed because these criminals used the pillow cases that her and her husband slept on every night and the further violated her by going through her lingerie drawer.

Throughout my conversation with this crime victim there was little mention of the stolen property. Clearly this victim was scared by this process. It took her less than 24 hours to order the installation of a home security system. Ironically this woman’s home was situated between two homes that had home security systems. Clearly the primary psychological benefit of a home security system is peace of mind.