Spooky Stats: 2026 Security Incidents and How to Prevent Them
Date: October 2026
Read time: 7 minutes
Halloween is supposed to be the time of year when things go bump in the night.
But some security threats are a lot less fun than ghosts, goblins, and fake cobwebs.
The good news? The latest national crime data actually tells a more encouraging story than you might expect. The FBI’s Crime Data Explorer shows reported U.S. property crime declining across several major categories in the latest available 12-month comparison. From June 2025 through May 2026, reported burglary declined 12.4%, larceny declined 16.7%, and motor vehicle theft declined 21.7%.
That doesn’t mean homeowners or businesses can stop paying attention to security.
Instead, the numbers highlight an important point: good security isn’t about assuming something bad will happen. It’s about making your property harder to target, detecting problems quickly, and giving yourself more options when something does happen.
For homeowners in Myrtle Beach, Horry County, Georgetown County, and throughout the Grand Strand, that means taking a layered approach to home security and property protection.
Key Takeaways
- U.S. property crime has declined, but burglary and theft still happen.
- Residential properties accounted for more than half of reported burglaries in 2024.
- Security works best as a layered system rather than a single device.
- Security cameras can help you see what’s happening, but cameras work best alongside alarms, lighting, access control, and monitoring.
- Homeowners should review doors, windows, outdoor areas, lighting, cameras, and alarm systems regularly.
- Businesses need to consider entrances, employees, parking areas, inventory, access points, and after-hours activity.
- A professional security assessment can help identify gaps you might not notice yourself.
What Do the 2026 Security Statistics Really Tell Us?
Let’s start with some good news: crime isn’t simply getting worse everywhere.
The FBI’s latest Crime Data Explorer shows decreases across several reported property crime categories. Between June 2025 and May 2026, reported burglary decreased 12.4%, while reported larceny decreased 16.7%. Motor vehicle theft dropped 21.7%.
That’s encouraging.
However, a decline in crime doesn’t mean individual properties don’t need protection. Crime statistics describe broad trends across the country. They don’t tell a homeowner whether someone will try a particular unlocked door or whether a business will experience an attempted break-in.
In fact, the FBI’s 2024 data shows that residential properties accounted for 52.1% of reported burglary offenses.
For homeowners, the lesson is simple: don’t use improving crime statistics as a reason to ignore basic home security. Use them as a reminder that prevention works.
Spooky Stat #1: Burglary Is Declining, But It Hasn’t Disappeared
According to the FBI, the United States recorded an estimated 779,542 burglaries in 2024. While that represented a 50.5% decrease compared with 2015, burglary still accounted for an estimated 13% of property crime.
And burglary doesn’t always look like the dramatic break-in you see in a movie.
A criminal may look for an easy opportunity: an unlocked door, an open garage, a poorly lit entrance, an unattended vacation home, or a property with limited visibility.
That’s where basic home security measures can make a difference.
Homeowners can create multiple layers of protection with:
- Quality door and window locks
- Smart locks
- Security cameras
- Motion-activated lighting
- Door and window sensors
- Alarm systems
- Professional alarm monitoring
- Visible security signage
- Smart-home notifications
The goal isn’t to turn your home into a fortress. It’s to remove easy opportunities and make your property more difficult to target.
Spooky Stat #2: More Than Half of Burglaries Involve Residential Properties
Here’s a statistic homeowners shouldn’t ignore: in 2024, residential properties accounted for 52.1% of burglary offenses reported to the FBI.
That makes home security particularly important for families, second-home owners, and vacation property owners.
This matters even more around the Grand Strand.
A vacation home in Myrtle Beach may sit empty for days or weeks. A second home in Georgetown County may have long periods without anyone checking on it. Even a primary residence can look vacant when a family leaves for vacation.
Smart home security can help homeowners keep an eye on a property when they’re away.
Security cameras can provide visual awareness. Smart locks can help manage access. Sensors can alert you when someone opens a protected door or window. And professional monitoring can provide another layer of response when an alarm activates.
How Can Homeowners Prevent Security Incidents?
The best home security strategy starts with the basics.
Walk around your property during the day and again after dark. Look at it the way a stranger might.
Can someone easily approach a side door without being seen? Is the garage visible? Are there dark areas around the house? Can you see who approaches the front door? Do your cameras cover the areas that matter most?
Then look at your technology.
Are your cameras working? Are your notifications reaching your phone? Do your door and window sensors work correctly? Have you changed old access codes? Does your alarm system communicate properly with your monitoring service?
Small gaps can create big problems.
Spooky Stat #3: A Security Camera Alone Isn’t a Security Strategy
Security cameras are one of the most visible parts of a modern home security system, but they aren’t the entire solution.
A camera can show you what happened. It may deter someone from approaching the property. It can also provide valuable information after an incident.
However, cameras work even better when they form part of a layered security system.
Think about security in four steps:
Deter → Detect → Verify → Respond
A well-designed system can combine visible cameras and lighting to deter unwanted activity, sensors and alarms to detect it, cameras to help verify what happened, and professional monitoring to support a response.
That approach works for both homeowners and businesses.
What Security Threats Should Myrtle Beach Homeowners Watch?
Homeowners throughout Myrtle Beach, Horry County, Georgetown County, and the broader Grand Strand face some unique considerations.
Vacation properties deserve special attention because they may sit empty for extended periods. Properties near busy roads or high-traffic areas may also benefit from good camera placement and lighting.
Don’t forget the less obvious entry points.
Check:
- Garages
- Side doors
- Back doors
- Sliding glass doors
- Ground-level windows
- Gates
- Sheds and detached structures
- Pool areas
- Driveways
Your security plan should protect the property you actually have—not just the front door.
What Security Threats Should Businesses Watch in 2026?
Businesses have a different set of security challenges.
A retail store might worry about theft and unauthorized access. A restaurant may need to monitor entrances, employee areas, parking lots, and cash-handling areas. An office may need access control and protection for sensitive spaces.
Commercial properties also have more people moving through them every day.
That makes a combination of video surveillance, access control, alarm systems, security lighting, and monitoring especially valuable.
For businesses in Myrtle Beach and across Horry County and Georgetown County, seasonal changes can also affect security needs. Tourism, events, changing business hours, and fluctuations in foot traffic can all change how a property operates.
Your security system should change with your business.
Why Does Layered Security Work Better?
Think about your property as a series of layers.
The first layer might include good lighting, visible cameras, landscaping, and secure doors.
The second layer could include smart locks, access control, window and door sensors, and motion detection.
The third layer adds alarms, video verification, and professional monitoring.
Each layer addresses a different part of the problem.
That’s why simply installing one camera over the front door may not provide the protection you actually need.
A professional security assessment can help identify blind spots and determine which combination of technologies makes sense for your property.
What Should Homeowners and Businesses Check Before Halloween?
Halloween brings its own security considerations. Decorations, costumes, visitors, parties, and increased activity around neighborhoods and businesses can all change the normal routine.
Before October 31, take a few minutes to check your system.
Your Halloween Security Checklist
☐ Test your alarm system
☐ Check that security cameras provide clear views
☐ Make sure outdoor lighting works
☐ Clear decorations away from cameras and sensors
☐ Check that gates and exterior doors close securely
☐ Review smart-lock access codes
☐ Make sure security notifications reach your phone
☐ Check your driveway and parking-area coverage
☐ Keep walkways well lit
☐ Make sure decorations don’t block doors, windows, or cameras
☐ Review your system if you’re hosting a large gathering
And remember: Halloween decorations can create security problems of their own.
A giant inflatable ghost blocking a camera? Fun.
A giant inflatable ghost blocking your front-door view? Maybe rethink the placement.
How Can Businesses Improve Security Before the Holiday Season?
Halloween also marks the beginning of a busy stretch for many businesses.
As the holiday season approaches, businesses should review security before activity increases.
Check your cameras and make sure they cover entrances, exits, parking areas, inventory, and other important locations. Review employee access. Test alarms and notifications. Make sure exterior lighting provides adequate coverage.
If your business has changed since you installed your security system, your security coverage may need to change, too.
New doors, remodeled spaces, additional inventory, expanded parking areas, or changes in employee access can all create new vulnerabilities.
What Is the Best Way to Prevent Security Incidents?
There isn’t one magic security product that prevents every incident.
The strongest approach combines good habits, physical security, technology, and monitoring.
For homeowners, that might mean smart locks, cameras, alarms, lighting, and professional monitoring.
For businesses, it could mean commercial video surveillance, access control, intrusion detection, smart lighting, and integrated security systems.
The right combination depends on your property, your routine, and what you need to protect.
Don’t Let Security Become an Afterthought
The most important security statistic isn’t necessarily the one that sounds the scariest.
It’s the one that reminds you to take action.
Crime trends can move up or down. Technology changes. Businesses change. Families move. Landscaping grows. Properties sit vacant. New doors and windows get installed. And security systems that worked perfectly five years ago may no longer provide the coverage you need today.
For homeowners and businesses across Myrtle Beach, the Grand Strand, Horry County, and Georgetown County, fall is a great time to take a fresh look at your security.
Test the system. Check the cameras. Look at your property after dark. Fix the little things.
Because when it comes to home security, prevention is always less spooky than discovering a problem after the fact.
Frequently Asked Questions About 2026 Security Incidents
Is burglary increasing or decreasing in 2026?
The latest FBI Crime Data Explorer data shows reported burglary declining 12.4% in the period from June 2025 through May 2026. Other reported property crime categories also declined during that period. CDE UCR CJIS
How can I prevent a burglary at my home?
Start with secure doors and windows, good exterior lighting, visible security cameras, an alarm system, and professional monitoring. Smart locks and mobile alerts can add another layer of protection.
Are security cameras effective for home security?
Security cameras can help deter unwanted activity, provide visibility around your property, verify alarms, and provide useful evidence after an incident. They work best as part of a layered home security system rather than as a standalone solution.
What should homeowners in Myrtle Beach consider when choosing home security?
Homeowners should consider the property’s location, whether it is occupied year-round or seasonally, exterior access points, lighting, camera coverage, and whether professional monitoring makes sense for the household.
What security measures should businesses in Horry County use?
Commercial properties may benefit from a combination of video surveillance, access control, alarm systems, security lighting, and professional monitoring. The right combination depends on the size and layout of the business and what it needs to protect.
Is professional alarm monitoring worth it?
Professional monitoring adds another layer of protection by providing a response when an alarm signal reaches the monitoring center. It can be particularly useful when you’re asleep, away from home, or unable to respond to an alert yourself.
How often should I review my home security system?
At minimum, review your system whenever something changes around your property. It’s also smart to periodically test cameras, alarms, sensors, lighting, and notifications so you know everything works before you need it.
