How Do Burglars Pick And Choose Home Before Robbery?
Do Burglars Pick and Choose Homes Before Robbing Them?
Burglars don’t rob randomly. Although it sounds weird, burglars do meticulously choose homes from a number of targets before robbing them. These homes are like shopping malls to them, and they choose the one which will be the easiest to break into while having enough valuables for them to steal so that they call the break-in a successful theft.
Here are some things which make burglars stop in their tracks and mark a particular home to break into:
1. Unattended mail
Oh, this is just an invitation for them! If you are going to be out for some days, then ensure that someone collects your mail as frequently as possible. An overloaded mailbox is never a good idea because it screams to the world that you are not home.
Same goes for newspapers and anything that gets delivered to you on a regular basis. Ask service providers to halt service for the time duration of your absence.
Additionally, it’s pretty common for burglars to leave flyers at doorsteps of houses in affluent neighborhoods. They come again the next day to check if the flyers have been collected. If they lie unattended, they mark such homes as potential targets because it indicates that the residents are not home.
2. They know your schedule
Burglars can know your routine by simply keeping a watch on when your car’s in the driveway and when the lights are switched on. At the same time, many people unwittingly divulge information such as when they are home, their office timings and more to burglars posing as salesmen or delivery people claiming to be at the wrong address.
Also, be cautious about what you share on social media. Many burglars keep a list of people in affluent neighborhoods who post about themselves getting tickets to a particular event or festival. This just makes their work easier.
3. Trash
Burglars might frequently check your trash to know if you have purchased something valuable, such as a flat-screen TV, laptop, camera, and so on. How do they know that you got something for yourself? They notice the big boxes you left in the trash!
Professional burglars are usually concerned with selling the stolen item as soon as possible. That is why they usually have a ‘moving man’ or a fence through whom they get the stolen item off their hands. But for this to happen, they need to steal items which are guaranteed to sell quickly. These items can be electronics, firearms, and precious jewelry, among others.
Tear boxes of such items into pieces when you throw them in the dustbin and ensure that the trash is cleared out every day. Additionally, stop yourself from posting about your extravagant purchases on social media.
Other things which might attract burglars:
● Expensive toys lying at the door.
● A landscaped garden shouts out that you are rich.
● A lawn which hasn’t been mowed for quite some time exposes the fact that you are not at home.
● Big windows through which they can peek in, especially if there aren’t security and alarm systems nearby.
The most foolproof way to keep a burglar at bay is to have alarms and good locking systems in place. To ensure the safety of your home and family, get in touch with a professional locksmith. They will guide you on the best ways to secure your home against intruders.