SECURITY ADVICE FROM A BURGLAR
The following tips were excerpted from the Montgomery County News, Wednesday, March 14, 2012. The article "Faison Everywhere" is written by Sharon Fulson. The original sources for these tips are Chris McGoey, a security consultant who runs www.crimedoctor.com and Richard T. Wright, a criminology professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
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 upon 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 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 make's it so easy.
6. A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the windows on the second floor, which ofter access the master bedroom - and your jewelry. It's not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there too.
7. It's raining, you are fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door. I don't take a day off because of bad weather.
8. 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.
9. Do you really think I won't look in your sock drawer? I always check dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet.
10. Here's a helpful hint: I almost never go into kids' bedrooms.
11. You are 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 will take it with me.
12. A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system. If you are reluctant to leave your TV on while you're out of town, you can buy a $25 device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering glow of a real TV. Find it at www.faketv.com.
13. Sometimes, I carry a clipboard. Sometines, I dress like a lawn guy and carry a rake. I do my best to never, ever look like a crook.
14. The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbors.
15. I love lookng in your windows. I'm looking for signs that you're home, and for flat screen TV's or gaming systems. I'll drive or walk through your neighborhood at night, before you close the blinds, just to pick my targets.
16. Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page. It's easier than you think to look up your address.
17. If you don't answer when I knock, I try the door. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and walk right in.
HOW TO DEFEND YOURSELF
1. If you don't have a gun, here's a more humane way to wreck someone's evil plans for you. WASP SPRAY! Waspspray or hornet spray can shoot up to 20-30 feet away and is a lot more accurate than pepper spray. You don't have to get as close to the burgular as you would have to with mace or pepper spray. It temporarily blinds an attacker until they get to the hospital for an antidote. It is inexpensive and easy to find.
2. Put your CAR KEYS beside your bed a night. If you hear a noise outside your home or someone trying to get into your home, 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. If your car alarm goes off, odds are the burgular won't stick around. After a few seconds, the neighbors will be looking out their windows to see who is out there.
3. And remembers to carry your keys while walking to your car in a parking lot. The alarm can work in the same way there.