Tips from a burglar!

G'day Everyone.
1 more posts to go to the 500th post. But today, my sister sent me an e-mail which I need to share with you. It's tips from a convicted burglar. You know, with the holiday season coming upon us, burglars are going to be more active than ever. So here's the warnings: ( my notes are in italics)
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GREAT INFO FOR THE CARELESS PEOPLE WHO KEEPS THINKING,
"THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN TO ME"!!!
(anything can happen to you at ANY TIME! Be ready)

THINGS YOUR BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU:
(Aka: confessions of a convicted burglar)

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.
(Any time you let someone in the house, do a walk through and check all doors and windows when they leave!)

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.
(buy the cheap plants. Don't get expensive ones!)

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.
(if you are away, have a neighbor remove the newspapers and any other "notices" asap! Also have your mail HELD at the POST OFFICE!!)

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.
(plow the drive way and check on the security of the house! consider investing in an alarm system.)

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.
(Tip: install the alarm system away from any viewable window area!.)

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.
(a good security company will arm every window possible!)

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.
(invest in automatic locking door systems! Alarm systems too!)

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.)
(I've had several strange people come over to my home at many times. I've always asked for their IDs. That's there's first and last challenges. They make an excuse to go else where. I do get their license plates and descriptions. Reporting it to the police is being proactive in neighborhood security.)

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.
(ergo, that's why my top dresser drawer is my laundry drawer. ever stuff it full of funky clothes including soiled shorts? Almost anyone passes out from the smell of it! The bedside table, mouse traps when I go away.)

11. Here's a helpful hint: I almost never go into kids' rooms.
(lies, burglars always go through every room in the house and looking for things to steal!)

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.
(keep that safe hidden as possible!)

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 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.
(again, ask for ID, copy it down, call the company, and call the police.)

2. The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbors.
(gotta love my 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.
(see number 2, a neighbor that is alerted to a loud noise from next door will go over and check on you and your property to make sure you are all right! Neighbor safety is priority one!)

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?
(make use of that alarm system! It could save your life and your property one day!! It's the best investment!)

5. I love looking in your windows. I'm looking for signs that you're home, and for flat screen TVs or gaming systems I'd like. I'll drive or walk through your neighborhood at night, before you close the blinds, just to pick my targets.
(If you find someone peeking into someone's home, call the police. Better safe
than sorry!! Your neighbors will be glad you did that.)

6. Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page. It's easier than you think to look up your address.
(alert: this applies to ANY social network site! Do not tell people where you are at times! Some people do take over and pretend to be your friend when they are a crook using your friend's name! Be cautious!! Yes, it's very easy to look up someone's home address on the 'net!)

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.
(don't ever leave any window open in the house at all! Invest in an A/C system if you can do so).

8. If you don't answer when I knock, I try the door. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and walk right in.
(Remember, buy an automatic locking door lock. Better safe than sorry.)

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.
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To sum it all up, Let me say it clearly:

1. Don't announce on any social network sites that you are out of your homes. Even in the blogspheres and vlogspheres too. Burglars are tech savvy enough to break passwords and pretend to be your "friend" in order to target your homes on the social networks. Same applies to blogs and vlogs as well! Be extra careful.

2. If you have a death in the family or a wedding announcement, that's when burglars will strike the most! They know when a house is empty and they'll rob it as much as they can get away with it. Either invest in an alarm system or find someone to HOUSE SIT for you.

3. Invest in an alarm system. It's one of the best security systems you can buy. But do research on it before you allow a company to install it. Make sure the company is bondable!!

4. If your neighborhood doesn't have a neighborhood watch program, talk to your township to establish one. Get your neighbors to work together. A neighborhood that helps each other is a place where a burglar is going to get highly caught.

So, please.. exercise some diligent home security every day. Especially during the holiday season!

Thanks for the tips, Linda! *salute!*

Semper FI!

Update: I just did the math.. this is the post #499! 500th post just around the corner!
Samper FI!