Lessons From Criminals

From time-to-time I get a list in my e-mail that is part humor and part truth. The following list its that description. The information is attributed to a professor at the Univesity of Missouri-St. Louis.

21 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. (This one’s not very applicable for us in South Texas.) 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 faketv.com.)  14. 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.  15. The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbors.  16. 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.  17. I’m not complaining, but why would you pay all that money for a fancy  alarm system and leave your house without setting it?  18.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.  19. Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page. It’s easier than  you think to look up your address.  20. 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.  21. 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 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.

I did not verify that the professor and the consultant mentioned actually wrote this, but enough of it sounds true that I thought I’d share.