[RBS] 20 Things Your Burglar Won't Tell You

[Peretz Dissen]

We received this from the Chicago Center for Torah and Chesed.

Sent in light of several events in the community lately. Some of the ideas
are somewhat less relevant in Israel, but most are universal.


*TWENTY THINGS YOUR BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU*


   1. Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your
   carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator. *Don’t
   give workers a home tour.*
   2. Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your
   yard. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a
   little easier. *Check rooms to which workers had access..*
   3. Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste, and taste means
   there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always
   make me wonder what type of gaming system they have. *Put bikes and toys
   away.*
   4. 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. *Ask a neighbor to take in your mail, papers and flyers.*
   5. If it snows while you're out of town, get a neighbor to create car and
   foot tracks into the house. No treads on the driveway snow are a dead
   giveaway. *Ask a neighbor.*
   6. *The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbors.* *They have
   their uses*.
   7. If decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don't let your
   alarm company install the control pad where I can see if it's set. That
   makes it too easy. *Or install curtains.*
   8. A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the
   windows on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom - and
   your jewelry. It's not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there too.
   9. *I'm not complaining, but why would you pay all that money for a fancy
   alarm system and leave your house without setting it?* *Set your home
   alarm.*
   10. *I love looking inside your windows. I'm looking for signs that
   you're home, and what you have available inside. I’ll drive or walk through
   your neighborhood at night, before you close the blinds, just to pick my
   targets.* *Cover windows at dusk. When you leave the house, cover your
   windows.*
   11. *To you, leaving that window open just a crack during the day is a
   way to let in a little fresh air. To me, it's an invitation.* *Install
   security locks that prevent accessible windows from opening more than a few
   inches. Close and lock your windows when you leave home and before you go to
   sleep.*
   12. *If you don't answer when I knock, I try the door. Occasionally, I
   hit the jackpot and walk right in. Keep front and back doors locked.*
   13. *Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page. It's easier
   than you think to look up your address.* *Exercise caution in any
   information you release online.*
   14. *I'll break a window to get in, even if it makes a little noise. If
   your neighbor hears one loud sound, he'll stop what he's doing and wait to
   hear it again. If he doesn't hear it again, he'll just go back to what he
   was doing. It's human nature.* *Call the police if you hear a suspicious
   noise next door.*
   15. It's raining, you're fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to
   lock your door - understandable. But understand this: I don't take a day off
   because of bad weather. *Lock your doors.*
   16. I always knock first. If you answer, I'll ask for directions
   somewhere or offer to clean your gutters. (Don't take me up on it.)
*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.**  Never* *answer the door
   to someone you don’t know, even if the person is wearing a uniform, or looks
   official. Ask for ID or a badge to be passed through the mail slot.  Call
   the company number (use directory assistance) not the number that appears on
   the ID.*
   17. Do you really think I won't look in your sock drawer? I always check
   dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet. Here's a
   helpful hint: I almost never go into kids' rooms. *Hide valuables in
   unusual places*.
   18. 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 safe that can be carried away offers protection from fire, but not
   burglary.*
   19. A loud radio/TV can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system.
   If you're reluctant to leave your appliance 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
http://www.faketv/.com/<http://t.ymlp138.com/eshqazamhjavauwqqafaw/click.php>
   ) *Use timers on various lights and appliances throughout house.*
   20. *One easy way to protect your family and your home:* *Keep  car keys
   (that are car starters) beside your bed at night**.* *This tip came from
   a neighborhood watch coordinator. If you hear a noise outside your home or
   someone trying to get in your house, just press the panic button for your
   car. The alarm will be set off, and the horn will sound.*

*Next time you come home for the night and you start to put your keys away,
think of this: It's a security alarm system that you probably already have
and requires no installation.* *Test it**. It should work if you park in
your driveway or garage. It will go off from most everywhere inside your
house and will keep honking until your battery runs down or until you reset
it. If your car alarm goes off when someone is trying to break into your
house, odds are the criminal won't stick around. After a few seconds all the
neighbors will be looking out their windows to see who is out there and the
criminal won't want that. And remember to carry your keys while walking to
your car in a parking lot. The alarm can work the same way there. This is
something that should really be shared with everyone. Maybe it could save a
life or a crime.*
(This co*uld be useful for any emergency, such as a heart attack, when you
can't reach a phone. An elderly woman has her husband carry his car keys
when he is outside, in case he falls and she doesn't hear him. He can
activate the car alarm and then she'll know there's a problem.)*

*Sources:* *Convicted burglars in** **North Carolina**, **Oregon**, **
California**,* *and** **Kentucky**;* *security consultant Chris McGoey, who
runs** **http://www.crimedoctor.com//<http://t.ymlp138.com/eshyagamhjanauwqqacaw/click.php>
 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.*
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