Madison Park

Below is an interesting list of information that was recently forwarded to me by a co-worker. I am not sure of the exact source, but believe it may have originated in the September 2009 issue of Reader’s Digest. I have added some of my own notes to this list (in red) to make it more specific to our area. Please consider forwarding it to all of your neighbors.

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. I am

unaware of any cases in our area tied to legitimate repair or delivery persons,

but some homeowners do utilize people who approach their homes offering to

do yard work. I don’t recommend hiring people “off the street”.

 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. Again, don’t hire random people for yard work  

or gutter cleaning and don’t allow strangers into your home.

 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. Toys left outside

will also indicate that a woman likely lives in the home. A woman in the home

may indicate the presence of jewelry. Secure children’s toys at night, especially bikes.

 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. Snow isn’t much of an issue here, but un-mowed grass during

the summer is a 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. Thieves know, just as you do, that the little green light

means the alarm isn’t activated and the red light means it is.

 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. Some

thieves will target the master bedroom only, knowing that there will be no motion

sensor there and they will not enter the hallway outside the bedroom, because of

the likelihood of encountering a sensor.

 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.) You don’t have to open the

door to speak with someone.

 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. Timers can be utilized for appliances like televisions, just as they

can be used for lamps. Consult your TV manual. It may have a timer feature

 built into it.

 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. See #2 directly above-if you hear a noise,

look out your windows. Investigate. Call 911 if you see anything unusual.

 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. Many homes can be easily viewed at night from

the street due to interior lighting and a lack of window treatments. The

glow of computer and television screens are particularly easy to spot.

 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. At least one burglary in the past month in our

area was due to a criminal seizing the opportunity of finding a door unlocked to a

home after coming there with the intent of stealing from vehicles in the driveway.

Sgt. Rich Stahnke

Response Area One

Providence Division