There is a home break-in every 15 seconds but what you are about to find out could keep you from becoming one of those statistics.
In a profession not exactly known for telling the truth, a reformed felon Chris Paterson makes some true confessions about burglary.
Burglars have their own slang – a weekend job, a vacationer, an open window heist, easy money. But whatever they call it, skilled thieves rob someone somewhere every 15 seconds!
Homes that use this door reinforcement kit can’t be broken into!
Chris is giving you a valuable lesson – people make it so easy for burglars to victimize them!
Convicted four times and now on parole, Paterson is trying clean up his life. He agreed to strap on a camera, break into a house, and give up all his secrets.
The only reason he is talking about this is because he does not want it to happen to people.
If his victims only knew, there are things they could have done to keep the burglars away.
To him, some houses just scream “rob me” and others not so much!
His first tip is that a security system is worth it, especially if it has cameras. But Paterson said he still robbed plenty of homes protected by alarm systems. How? Because owners are often too lazy to turn them on.
On the flip side, there is something that is always on – dogs! Chris say that if he sees a sign “beware of dog”, he is not going near it.
Paterson confesses that all you need is a beware of dog sign – you can skip the actual dog.
So if that’s what turned him away, what attracts him to your home?
If a home is completely obstructed, there is no way for anybody to see what’s in the front. This is a great thing for a burglar.
Privacy makes his job so much easier!
You may already know that burglars look for full mailbox to make sure no one is home.
But you might not have considered his tip number 2: do not talk on your Facebook page that you are leaving for vacation.
He points out that checking social media is the hottest, newest trend out there.
As for getting into your home, you maybe helping a burglar without even know it. For example, do you have a small window air conditioning unit? People do not realize it that it doesn’t matter whether you screw them in or bolt them in, those things can be pushed in with no effort whatsoever.
Another no no thing is leaving home repair equipment, especially ladders, in your yard.
When robbing a home, he first makes sure no one is at home. Once he is sure the house is empty, he goes to the backyard where he finds open door or window.
Next, he makes sure all doors are unlocked in case he needs to get out quickly.
He wants to get in and get out as fast as possible.
Chris continues to explain that no matter the race, nationality, income status or age, almost every single person puts things in the exact same place.
Master bedroom is the first place to check. That’s where the jewelry is.
So his tip number 3 is to stash these items in a shoe box and hide it in an unlikely spot, like the kids room (it is not worth his effort).
Next he searches for prescription drugs in the bathroom. These days they are very worth.
He does not leave computer games, computers and small electronics, such as iPhones, iPads, digital cameras, camcorders.
His tip number 4 is not leaving cords and chargers attached to your electronics. Store them separately. This can frustrate a thief who may decide to leave them behind.
His preferred get away? Believe it or not – walking out the front door.
If he gets in the house and he thinks no one is at home and he discovers somebody is in the house, he would leave immediately because he does not want them to see his face or to be identified.
If he was the home owner, he would not try to stop the burglar. Do not risk your own health or your family’s safety for some stuff. It’s just stuff. It can be replaced but you can’t be.
And protect your front doors with the best door security devices.
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John Clark is a seasoned locksmith and security maestro with an impressive 11-year tenure in the realm of lock and key mastery.