Every 13 seconds there is a home burglary. That's more than two million break ins every year.
And worse yet, only 13 percent - roughly one in ten - is cleared by police. That makes home burglary a relatively profitable crime.
So can you swing the odds in your favor? Could a barking dog or a gun in the house be a deterrent?
We suit up Moline Police Detective Eddie Alaniz, equipped with a camera and some dog treats, to put family pets in two homes to the test.
As you'd expect, in our first house the German Shepherd, Roxie, immediately barks.
There's coaxing with a calm voice, then a treat.
You can crack the door a bit, but Roxie won't let you in.
We try house number two, where there are two dogs.
As we approach, Mazie is at the window with the warning bark.
But that's all it is: All bark and no bite.
In fact, while we were breaking in, one dog broke out. Our burglar actually got Bailey back inside.
And once inside, he could go anywhere; only being stopped by the dogs wanting more treats.
But we wanted to know if a dog's bark is security enough, so we asked a guy who should know.
Doug is a convicted Davenport burglar who says he faced charges in nine felonies and countless misdemeanors.
"We had dogs basically come up and sniff me and not bark once," he said. "And we had dogs that, from the second you got up close to the house, they just bark."
But which dog did he think gave the best warning?
"A little dog," Doug said, "because they're usually prone to bark quicker."
A dog's bark is not the only noise that could stop a home burglar dead in their tracks.
G and G Retailers has seen a spike in gun sales since November. Home security is one factor.
"Personally, I think the best home protection is either a 12-gauge or a 20-gauge shotgun," says co-owner Kim Smithe.
Smithe recommends shotguns over pistols, because a pistol's bullet could fly through a wall injuring others. Plus, there's that tell-tale sound of a shotgun.
"When you rack that slide, they're gonna hear that noise," she says.
"It's kinda like a dog growling!" Smithe said.
She also stresses safety to every gun buyer, and offers a National Rifle Association-led classroom for firearm protection in the home.
So, is a gun in the house better than a dog? It depends on the burglar.
A burglar like Doug looked for homes with open garages and unlocked doors and windows, calling himself a kind of "opportunist criminal."
He says any security system may be inadequate to a person willing to risk everything.
"I mean, if somebody really wants to get in, they'll get in and there's really nothing you can do about that."