THIRTEEN THINGS YOUR BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU

THIRTEEN THINGS YOUR BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU

Information provided by the Kentlands Neighborhood Watch

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.

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/>
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 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.

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 walk right in.

Sources: Convicted burglars in North Carolina, Oregon, California, and
Kentucky ; security consultant Chris McGoey, who runs
<http://www.crimedoctor.com/> http://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. (I guess I can get rid of the baseball bat.):

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.

Kentlands Neighborhood Watch List Serv is a volunteer organization, with the purpose of informing members of the community about public safety issues.

 Happy Holidays! Keep Safe!