TIPS FROM A CONVICTED
HOME BURGLAR
Caught red
handed, arrested and convicted a home burglar admitted to over
100 residential burglaries. The following are a
few of the ways he selected
a target home
and how to rip it off.
HOW DID HE PICK A HOME
?
He would walk around a neighborhood for about one hour
looking for an
EASY TARGET.
An easy target was any home with open windows and
open garage doors. A home with a NO ONE HOME appearance such as
lawn
needing mowing, newspapers out front and mail mounting up.
He would check the area activity, such as cars in driveway
and children playing.
WHAT WOULD DETER HIM
?
Dogs
Neighborhood Watch Signs
Noise (TV or radio playing inside
home)
Burglar alarm systems
Nosy neighbors who could identify
him to the police
HOW WOULD HE GET IN
?
Through unlocked windows and doors
Through unlocked garage doors
Would knock at front door to see if
anyone was home
Would go around back and try a door or window before
breaking in
WHERE WOULD HE LOOK
?
Would ransack bedroom dresser
looking for money and jewelry
Check bathroom for jewelry
Would not waste time searching a cluttered
room or closet
WHAT WOULD HE TAKE
?
If on foot, he would take pocket
items, money, jewelry, etc.
If a car was available he would take
TV’s, VCR’s, phones and weapons
May even hide big items outside and
return later to remove
May even change into victim’s
clothing, before leaving, to change his appearance
WHAT IF CONTRONTED
?
May surrender to an armed homeowner,
if he knows the owner would shoot him
May fight an unarmed homeowner
Would run from the police
He knows the police would not shoot him unless he is a
threat to the officer
“IMMEDIATELY REPORT DIRECTLY TO THE
SEMINOLE