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Protecting your home this holiday season

Posted at 11:37 PM, Dec 07, 2015
and last updated 2015-12-07 23:37:55-05

There's a common mistake homeowners make when securing their property. A local family is hoping a burglar gets caught after their surveillance video showed the crook trying to pry open windows and pick a lock.

In broad daylight the video shows the young man riding his bike up to Janet Wilson's home in Lake Worth. He walks right into her backyard.

"It's very very violating just to think someone is walking around your house," said Wilson who found bedroom drawers open.

For several minutes the burglar tries different windows with a screwdriver, till he finally finds a way in through a back window.

"There was a hole right here in this window and he stuck his hand in through there and turned the crank to open the window," said Wilson.

Wilson says the young man stole a laptop and a jar of change, but the most valuable thing he took was her sense of security.

Even with several cameras installed outside of the home, the burglar didn't look up once. Security experts say surveillance videos can help solve crimes, but they won't prevent them.

"You want to have an alarm. I would spend my money on a great alarm because that's the deterrent. If they break a window or if they open a door and that alarm sounds and it's loud they're going to run away," said former FBI agent Stuart Kaplan.

FBI statistics show that from November to December there are nearly 400,00 burglaries in the U.S. It's got Wilson thinking about making an investment in an alarm system.

"That would be something to look into next," she added.

If anyone recognizes the suspect in the surveillance video call the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.