Have you watched Home Alone this Christmas? It’s a charming story that channels love to remind us of every Christmas. The movie is about a small boy that manages to repel two burglars who try to rob his home. Unfortunately for them, Macaulay Culkinis not afraid to inflict severe physical and mental traumas on both.
While watching this fiction, one can easily be misled that all burglars are incompetent and easily beaten by an 8-year-old. In real life, things are a bit different. If your home gets marked by burglars, you have little chance of getting away scot-free. To discourage anyone who would like to have some of your stuff for free, you first need to know whether your house has been marked. So we gathered some information and prepared a list to help you determine if criminals have observed your home.
Unknown cars parked on the street
Seeing an unfamiliar car parked on your street is not definitively a reason to start barricading your doors. Still, being a bit suspicious might prove helpful in the long run. Naturally, the car could be owned by one of your neighbour’s guests. However, if the vehicle is there often and is parked not directly in front of the building but at a more distant location, that’s a red flag. Once again, that could be nothing, but taking a photo of the registration plate can give you precious evidence if something happens.
Unfamiliar people passing by way too often
Another red flag should be unfamiliar people that constantly take straws around your block. Of course, that doesn’t mean that every person you don’t know is a potential burglar. Still, if there are people, who aimlessly walk around your block for hours, constantly observing homes, you might be onto something. Keep in mind that walking on the sidewalk is not illegal, but it still might be a good idea to call the police. The person won’t get in any trouble, but if they are criminals, they will note that they are being watched and noticed, and people don’t hesitate to call the police. This being said, don’t abuse this power. You shouldn’t call on anyone who dares to cross the street. If you do, the police will finally stop responding, or you can even get fined. Call the cops only if you have solid suspicion something is up.
Strangers taking pictures
If you are looking for suspicious behaviour, look no further than having strangers taking photos of your home. Naturally, if you have some marvellous Christmas decorations or a gorgeous house, people would love to take a picture of it. Still, there is a difference between taking a photo and taking several dozen photos. Moreover, typically tourists are not wearing hoodies or dark clothes and do not sneak through the night to take pictures. In general, having someone take photos of your home should be a huge red flag, especially if they try to take some snaps of the inside of your home.
Leaving flyers or stickers on the door
This is a common tactic in highly-populated urban areas. The point is actually to check if someone is at the address. Burglars will leave brochures or stickers in all post boxes and check which ones will still be there the next day. If the flyer hasn’t been taken or disposed of in two to three days, that’s a good sign for them that the owner is away for some time. So finding a flyer at your door might be a terrible advertising idea, which often leads to anger rather than sales, or it could be criminals determining whether you are at home. Regardless, you should definitely dispose of all such flyers and make sure to take off any stickers you may find.
If you are leaving for some time, make sure to ask your neighbour to do the same for your flyers and stickers. This way, burglars wouldn’t notice you are gone.
Broken outdoor lights
A broken light near your entry door might mean you’ve missed all the other signs, and burglars are preparing for their attack. Make sure to replace the light promptly, or if it’s a public light, forward a signal to the appropriate office. A fast replacement of the light will discourage burglars. Moreover, it will give you clear visibility of who comes to your home and who is trying to get in.
Once you’ve seen the light broken, check your CCTV footage for any strange behaviour around your home. Moreover, if you can see who breaks the light, you can see if they have been seen around the neighbourhood often. Naturally, the light might have been damaged by kids or even by adults by negligence, but it’s best not to risk it. It’s always better to discourage attackers before they’ve taken action rather than force them out once they’ve broken in.
Mild vandalism to check your reaction
Any form of mild vandalism might be the local kids being kids or burglars testing your security system. For example, a rock through the window might try to determine whether you have an active alarm system. Moreover, this might test how quickly you’d call the police and at what stage of the entry they might have to run away if they are noticed. For example, if the police come minutes after the rock has been thrown, this will discourage them from continuing their plan. Moreover, even if teens have thrown the stone, a quick call to the cops might scare them straight.
Someone calls and hangs up
We’ve seen this many times in slasher movies. This move, however, has a far different implication than creeping out helpless teenagers. Calling the landline is a test to see if someone is in. Getting one of these is not a huge deal. But if you get several in one day, the burglars might be trying to determine a window of opportunity. So, a good idea is to get a caller ID system and not pick up when unknown numbers are calling.
How to prevent your home from being targeted
Naturally, you’d need to be prepared ahead of time, so if you already have such suspicions, you need to take quick action. Here are a few must-haves to prevent your home from being marked.
Secure all entry points
Make sure each and every entry point to your home is tightly secured. This includes windows, doors, rooftops and anything in between. Consulting with a highly qualified locksmith might prove very helpful, as they might help you install the right locks at the right entry points.
Keep valuables safe
Take some extra protection in saving your valuables. Ensure they are well hidden outside of the regular places burglars will check. Get creative. If you can afford to get a safe, do it. Make sure it’s securely attached to a solid wall, so burglars would find it hard to take it with them in the short frame they have.
Protect your personal information
Protecting your information should not be a priority only when you suspect your house has been targeted. It’s quite reasonable to change your passcodes often, especially regarding your security system, and ensure you always cover the dials when putting in your passcode.
Install motion sensors and alarm systems
Having some extra layers of protection is always a good idea. So installing motion sensors and alarm systems inside and near your home should also be on your list. Nothing discourages criminals like a sudden alarm when they cross your property line.
Invest in CCTV
Finally, CCTV might be a bit expensive, but it’s the most secure feature, which will definitely discourage about 90% of all burglars. Most of them are well aware that a camera-covered home is way too risky, especially if they are just opportunists who want to take advantage of your absence.
Protecting your home from burglars begins with knowing when you are being watched. So the best advice anyone can give you is to be vigilant and take action when needed.
