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| 21 Things a Burglar Won't Tell You (Reader's Digest) |
Submitted by:
Tip Hero 10/06/2009 10:25 PM
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Keeping your home secure and preventing burglaries can save you money in the long run -- not to mention giving you peace of mind when you're sleeping or away from home.
And who better to provide insights into the minds of burglars than burglars themselves? Reader's Digest compiled two separate lists of things a burglar won't tell you (not that you probably ever have had -- or ever will have -- the opportunity to ask a burglar a list of questions, but we digress...).
So who did they talk to? Here's a list of their sources:
Convicted burglars in North Carolina, Oregon, California, and Kentucky; security consultant Chris McGoey, who runs crimedoctor.com; and Richard T. Wright, a criminology professor at the University of Missouri–St. Louis, who interviewed 105 burglars for his book Burglars on the Job. Pretty impressive list. And what do they have to say?
One of the common themes is that the people who rob your home are often not complete strangers. In fact, in some cases, they worked for you or came in contact with you and your home, as these two comments illustrate:
Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.
Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier. And if they are complete strangers, they're going to try to fit in around the neighborhood:
Sometimes, I carry a clipboard. Sometimes, I dress like a lawn guy and carry a rake. I do my best to never, ever look like a crook. Another theme from the list is that burglars do keep an eye on activity around the home:
Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway. And I might leave a pizza flyer in your front door to see how long it takes you to remove it.
If it snows while you’re out of town, get a neighbor to create car and foot tracks into the house. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway. And if you're willing to spend a little money on home security, consider these comments:
You’re right: I won’t have enough time to break into that safe where you keep your valuables. But if it’s not bolted down, I’ll take it with me.
A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system. If you’re reluctant to leave your TV on while you’re out of town, you can buy a $35 device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering glow of a real television. (Find it at faketv.com.) And here's one for all you Facebook/social network users:
Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page. It’s easier than you think to look up your address. We highly recommend clicking through the links below to read all 21 things burglars won't tell you. It'll make you think twice about home security -- and you'll find a number of simple and easy ways to make your home safer without spending a penny.
And if you have any home security tips of your own, please share them with the Tip Hero community below. And thanks for being a Tip Hero!
13 Things a Burglar Won't Tell You (Reader's Digest)
8 More Things a Burglar Won’t Tell You (Reader's Digest)
Homepage photo credit: kylemac |
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