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.
2. 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.
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.
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..
5. 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 that you are away from home.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.)
10. Do you really think I won't look in your sock drawer? I always
check dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet.
11. Here's a helpful hint: I almost never go into kids' rooms.
12. 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.
13. 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 http://www.faketv/.com/)
8
MORE THINGS A BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU:
1. 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.
2. The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbors.
3. 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.
4. I'm not complaining, but why would you pay all that money for a
fancy alarm system and leave your house without setting it?
5. I love looking in your windows. I'm
looking for signs that you're home and even if you are home - shut those
curtains, shades and blinds so I cannot see those flat screen TVs or gaming systems I'd
like. I'll drive or walk through your neighborhood at night, before you close
the curtains, shades or blinds, just to pick my targets.
6. Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page. It's easier than you think to look up
your address.
7. 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.
8. If you don't answer when I knock, I try the door. Occasionally, I
hit the jackpot and just walk right in.
Sources: Convicted burglars in North Carolina ,
Oregon , California , and Kentucky ; security consultant Chris McGoey, who
runshttp://www.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.
Protection
for you and your home:
If you
don't have a gun, here's a more humane way to wreck someone’s evil plans for
you.
WASP
SPRAY
A friend
who is a receptionist in a church in a high risk area was concerned about
someone coming into the office on Monday to rob them when they were counting
the collection. She asked the local police department about using pepper
spray and they recommended to her that she get a can of wasp spray
instead.
The wasp spray, they told her, can
shoot up to twenty feet away and is a lot more accurate, while with the pepper spray, they have
to get too close to you and could overpower you. The wasp spray temporarily blinds an
attacker until they get to the hospital for an antidote. She keeps a can on her desk in the
office and it doesn't attract attention from people like a can of pepper
spray would. She also keeps one nearby at home for home protection.. Thought
this was interesting and might be of use.
FROM
ANOTHER SOURCE:
On the
heels of a break-in and beating that left an elderly woman in Toledo dead,
self-defense experts have a tip that could save your life.
Val
Glinka teaches self-defense to students at Sylvania Southview High School . For
decades, he's suggested putting a can of wasp and hornet spray near your door
or bed.
Glinka
says, "This is better than anything I can teach them."
Glinka
considers it inexpensive, easy to find, and more effective than mace or
pepper spray. The
cans typically shoot 20 to 30 feet; so if someone tries to break into
your home, Glinka says, "spray the culprit in the eyes". It's a tip he's given to students for
decades. It's also one he wants everyone to hear. If you're looking for
protection, Glinka says look to the spray.
"That's
going to give you a chance to call the police; maybe get out." Maybe
even save a life.
Put
your car keys beside your bed at night.
Tell your
spouse, your children, your neighbors, your parents, your Dr.'s office, the
check-out girl at the market, everyone you run across. Put your car keys beside your bed at
night.
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 continue to sound until either you turn it off or the car battery
dies.
This tip
came from a neighborhood watch coordinator. 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 will go off from most everywhere inside your house and will
keep honking until your battery runs down or until you reset it with the
button on the key fob chain. It works if you park in your driveway or
garage. If your car alarm goes off when someone is trying to break
into your house, odds are the burglar/rapist won't stick around.
After a
few seconds all the neighbors will be looking out their windows to see who is
out there and sure enough 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 sexual abuse crime.
P.S.
I am sending
this to everyone I know because I think it is fantastic. Would also be useful for any emergency,
such as a heart attack, where you can't reach a phone. My Mom has suggested
to my Dad that he carry his car keys with him in case he falls outside and she
doesn't hear him. He can activate the car alarm and then she'll know there's
a problem.
Please
pass this on even IF you've read it before. It's a reminder.
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