When it Comes to Security, it Takes a Community... and Being Completely Unpredictable


Kenneth Binnings, EdD-OL, PMP, Perimeter Protection and Surveillance Systems, Inc.


Southern California is home to some of the most scenic and desirable residential communities in the country. With hillside estates overlooking the Pacific, easy access to beaches and entertainment, and near-perfect weather,


it


the region attracts a significant volume of tourists each year. However, not all visitors come with leisure in mind. A growing trend known as burglary tourism has begun to reshape the security landscape for affluent neighborhoods.


Burglary tourism involves organized, often international,


criminal rings who enter the U.S., scope out high-value targets, and carry out precision thefts before quietly leaving the country. These actors are highly coordinated, often leveraging obscure entry points such as horse trails, golf courses, v-ditches and other remote open areas to gain access to otherwise secure neighborhoods.


This type of threat is not limited to foreign nationals.


Sophisticated local groups are also exploiting predictable gaps in traditional home and community security systems, particularly in the summer and holiday seasons when residents are more likely to travel.


Most residential communities rely on what they believe to be comprehensive security measures—manned gates, perimeter fencing, license plate capture cameras, and periodic patrols. Homeowners often supplement this


with motion lights,


doorbell cameras, and alarm systems. While these tools serve as potential deterrents to opportunistic threats, they are often insufficient against a well-planned operation.


Professional burglars exploit predictability. They monitor routines, identify blind spots, and understand how long they have before a security response is triggered. When systems are easily anticipated, they become easier to circumvent.


is no surprise


One striking example occurred in Laguna Niguel, Orange County. Criminals worked through multiple deterrents by climbing an unprotected open area and scaling a fence. They waited until the residents left, gained entry through a second-floor balcony door, stole cash, jewelry and a large safe. Although cameras recorded the crime, the lack of a secure perimeter with real-time monitoring meant it went unnoticed until after the fact.


This case highlights a critical flaw: detection without timely action is not enough.


To counter the modern threats facing residential communities, a new layered security approach is needed that combines efforts from both associations and homeowners. Here’s what works:


1. Criminal Insecurity Should Be the Goal


Too often, security systems are designed to make residents feel safe, not to make criminals feel unsafe. This mismatch leads to systems that do not raise the perceived risk for intruders. Security design must be based on understanding how criminals think: what raises their anxiety, disrupts their timeline, and makes a target seem too “hard” to pursue.


For organized burglars, moral hesitation is absent and risk/ reward calculations are often skewed. The best approach is to ensure they face multiple unexpected barriers that increase the likelihood of early detection and capture.


2. Control the Element of Surprise


Criminals rely on surprise. Whether executing a stealth burglary or a confrontational home invasion, they assume the element of surprise is on their side.


24 September | October 2025


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