Protect Yourself and Your Home
My sister sent me this forward the other day, and I thought it had a lot of valuable information on it so I couldn't help but want to pass along to you all!
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. Its 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/
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.
=
MANY THANKS (365 days of thanks)
6. Today I'm thankful to the wonderful anoynomous person who shoveled my walkway for me. I did not have a shove (I know, one of the many items I forgot I might need when buying a house...come on, decorated and buying furniture is WAY more fun!), so I thought I would throw my boots on and take leaps and bounds to get to my car to go to work. Then, on my way home, I stopped to get 1. a carbon monoxide detector! and 2. a shovel! But when I pulled up to my house, I saw some kind person had already shoveled me out! How sweet is that? Next mission...find the person and pay it forward! :)
