This holiday season many people who work aboard Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, Calif., will be traveling to visit friends and relatives or to some vacation spot leaving their residences as prime targets for burglars.
Michael Reyes, physical security specialist, Marine Corps Police Department aboard MCLBB, said there are ways to make your residence a “hard target” causing burglars to leave your home alone.
“First, make sure your neighbors look out for one another and can keep an eye on your house when you travel,” he said.
Also, make the house look lived-in by using a programmable device to turn lights on and off at reasonable times.
“The same thing applies to turning a radio on and off so it simulates someone being in a room,” Reyes advised.
He suggests everyone take a look at a survey by a news station in Portland, Or., asking 86 convicted burglars in state prison how property owners can better protect their homes.
The following are the questions and answers:
1. How did you typically break into a home or apartment?
Most inmates broke in through an unlocked door or window. Several burglars kicked the door open.
“I would kick in the door rather than break glass. Loud bangs are better than loud glass breaking, plus you run the risk of getting cut,” said one inmate.
2. Once inside, what was the first thing you looked to steal?
Jewelry, electronics, cash and credit cards are all attractive to burglars. Inmates also added collectibles and guns.
“NRA sticker on car bumper = Lots of guns to steal,” wrote one burglar.
3. Where did you look for hidden valuables?
Most burglars started by searching the master bedroom for valuables, then moved through the rest of the house.
“Everywhere! From the stove and freezer, to the fish tank and toilet tank, book shelves and in boxes of cereal,” said an inmate.
4. What time of the day did you prefer to break in?
Burglars prefer breaking in early morning or afternoon.
“Between 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Anyone who was home for lunch should be gone by then and most kids should all still be in school,” wrote a convicted burglar.
5. Did home protection or security signs posted outside the home deter you?
Burglars had mixed opinions about home security signs. Some burglars said it didn’t faze them. Others said they knew how to disable alarms or avoid setting them off.
6. Did pets in the home, like a dog, make you think twice?
If a homeowner had a big, loud dog most burglars would stay away. Smaller dogs don’t seem to bother them.
“Dogs are a deal breaker for me,” said one inmate.
“Big breed home protectors are the best to keep people out.”
7. Did you typically knock on the front door before breaking into a home?
Yes. All of the inmates who responded said they would knock on the front door before breaking in.
8. If someone answered the door, what would you do or say?
“Act like I was lost or looking for a friend.”
“I would approach the resident as though they had posted an ad on Craigslist.”
“Say wrong house, sorry and thank you.”
“Ask if they’d seen my dog and leave.”
“Sometimes I would wear nice clothing and print a questionnaire off the Internet and carry a clipboard and see if they could spare a moment for an anonymous survey.”
9. If a home alarm system went off, what would you do?
Most intruders said they would leave immediately if a security alarm went off.
“I would try and turn it off or get the hell out of there,” said one burglar.
10. If there was a security camera visible, would it keep you from breaking in?
Generally, burglars agreed security cameras were a deterrent. But some said it also likely signaled there were valuables inside the home.
11. Did lights on in the home make you think twice?
Responses were mixed regarding lights on in a home. Some said it was a deterrent. But one burglar said the combination of lights on and blinds closed created an attractive location.
“I would drive through upper-class neighborhoods looking for many things, like porch lights on with all window blinds closed,” wrote one inmate.
12. If you heard a radio or TV on inside the home, would you still break in?
Most burglars feared someone might be home if they heard a radio or TV. They wouldn’t break in.
“Absolutely not,” wrote a burglar.
13. Would it make a difference if there was a vehicle in the driveway?
As a homeowner, this is one of the best precautions you can take. Almost all of the burglars said they’d think twice if there was a car in the driveway.
“Most of the time that is a sure-fire sign of someone being home,” wrote an inmate.
14. What was your ideal target for a burglary?
Burglars don’t want to be seen. They looked for homes with big fences and overgrown trees or bushes.
“Home away from other homes, blind spots, older window frames, cheap wooden doors,” wrote a burglar.
“Large trees, bushes or shrubs around the home, or very reserved and conservative neighbors,” wrote another inmate.
“Nice home with nice car = A person with money,” another said.
15. Did you ever do surveillance on your target?
The responses were mixed. Some burglars did surveillance before a burglary, while others did not.
16. If you did surveillance, what were you trying to figure out?
Of those burglars who did surveillance, most agreed they were looking for the best opportunity to break-in.
“Who lives in the home, what are their weekday schedules (weekends are too unpredictable), what they drive, is there a dog, a hidden key,” wrote one inmate.
“What time the house would be empty and for how long,” wrote another.
17. What is the one thing homeowners can do to avoid being burglarized?
Burglars suggest homeowners make their property visible with good lighting and trimmed bushes and trees.
“Get a camera and make it visible!” wrote another.
“Put bars on your windows and doors, get an alarm, keep an extra car in the driveway,” read one questionnaire.
Reyes added package delivery companies are now in the habit of leaving boxes on the front step, ringing the doorbell and leaving.
“If you are expecting something, arrange to have someone home to receive it,” he said. “A pile of boxes unattended is just a crime waiting to happen.”
Everyone can make their homes hard targets for burglars so that they can get more enjoyment from holiday celebrations.
To check out the Website with the posted questions go to http://www.kgw.com/news/investigations/ we-asked-86-burglars-how-they-broke-intohomes/.
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| Date Taken: | 11.22.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 11.27.2017 17:35 |
| Story ID: | 256562 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 197 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, How to discourage a burglar, by Keith Hayes, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
