5 ms·

I just don't have very much that's worth stealing now compared to the 80s/90s. Back then (in the UK) TVs, stereos, computers and VCRs were all expensive and in

I just don't have very much that's worth stealing now compared to the 80s/90s. Back then (in the UK) TVs, stereos, computers and VCRs were all expensive and in demand. You'd hear about burglars targeting them. Now those things (or their modern equivalents) are cheap, often trackable. Anecdotally, the thing I've heard is the main target of burglaries now is car keys because everyone's driving a BMW/Mercedes/Audi on finance.

ghaff 3y ago
There's still expensive jewelry I suppose--though possibly less of that. But, as you say, electronics is generally of relatively lower value than it used to be and at least some of it can be remotely disabled/tracked. A lot of people don't even have a stereo system or DSLR camera setup.
- xnx 3y ago
  I wonder if lab grown diamonds going for $500/carat might factor into this.
- petepete 3y ago
  Who other than enthusiasts even wants a stereo or dedicated camera now? And I'd expect enthusiasts are less likely to knowingly buy stolen. I'm sure, however, there's still massive trade in some kinds of stolen items like power tools.
  - ghaff 3y ago
    I'm happy enough having a stereo as a casual consumer today (with speakers in multiple rooms). But I doubt I'd assemble one if I were starting from scratch.
    - petepete 3y ago
      With the shift from CD to streaming I'd strongly suspect most people just use a smart speaker setup. I fall into that category too with Sonos. The speakers were relatively expensive but now they're not the latest model I bet they wouldn't be worth much second hand.
maxerickson 3y ago
Apparently motor vehicles are a small fraction of the total compared to miscellaneous. https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/explorer/crime/property-crime https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/explorer/crim... With the average (mean) residential burglary taking $97,000, I sort of wonder if the most stolen thing is insurance claims.
- lupire 3y ago
  That data is obvious garbage. The average amount swung from $100K to $200K to to $100K in spans of one year.
  - maxerickson 3y ago
    Yeah probably. Looks like the average insurance claim is closer to $5000. https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-homeowners-and-renters-insurance https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-homeowne...
hn_throwaway_99 3y ago
I think that's a great point I haven't thought of much before. Goods have gotten way cheaper relative to the cost of services, and especially second hand goods are almost unsellable in some cases - my guess is "porch pirate" thefts are more common now than home robberies. If you couple all the following: 1. Most goods in a home have little resale value. 2. Tons of homes, even in modest or poor areas, have security cameras. 3. At least where I live, many homeowners have guns. 4. As the article points out, with so many people now staying at home or having flexible schedules, it's a lot harder to determine when a house would be empty. Overall the risk/reward tradeoff just got much, much worse for home burglaries.

ghaff 3y ago

There's still expensive jewelry I suppose--though possibly less of that. But, as you say, electronics is generally of relatively lower value than it used to be and at least some of it can be remotely disabled/tracked. A lot of people don't even have a stereo system or DSLR camera setup.

xnx 3y ago
I wonder if lab grown diamonds going for $500/carat might factor into this.
petepete 3y ago
Who other than enthusiasts even wants a stereo or dedicated camera now? And I'd expect enthusiasts are less likely to knowingly buy stolen. I'm sure, however, there's still massive trade in some kinds of stolen items like power tools.
- ghaff 3y ago
  I'm happy enough having a stereo as a casual consumer today (with speakers in multiple rooms). But I doubt I'd assemble one if I were starting from scratch.
  - petepete 3y ago
    With the shift from CD to streaming I'd strongly suspect most people just use a smart speaker setup. I fall into that category too with Sonos. The speakers were relatively expensive but now they're not the latest model I bet they wouldn't be worth much second hand.

maxerickson 3y ago

Apparently motor vehicles are a small fraction of the total compared to miscellaneous. https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/explorer/crime/property-crime https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/explorer/crim... With the average (mean) residential burglary taking $97,000, I sort of wonder if the most stolen thing is insurance claims.

lupire 3y ago
That data is obvious garbage. The average amount swung from $100K to $200K to to $100K in spans of one year.
- maxerickson 3y ago
  Yeah probably. Looks like the average insurance claim is closer to $5000. https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-homeowners-and-renters-insurance https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-homeowne...

hn_throwaway_99 3y ago

I think that's a great point I haven't thought of much before. Goods have gotten way cheaper relative to the cost of services, and especially second hand goods are almost unsellable in some cases - my guess is "porch pirate" thefts are more common now than home robberies. If you couple all the following: 1. Most goods in a home have little resale value. 2. Tons of homes, even in modest or poor areas, have security cameras. 3. At least where I live, many homeowners have guns. 4. As the article points out, with so many people now staying at home or having flexible schedules, it's a lot harder to determine when a house would be empty. Overall the risk/reward tradeoff just got much, much worse for home burglaries.