This is an e-mail that
was forwarded to me that I felt was worthy of being past on.
It contains some very
useful information.
Faithful HHC Reader
Some helpful
preventive tips...
There are some really great tips here:
The best
are near the end.
13 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.
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. 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.)
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
athttp://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.
Sources: Convicted burglars in North
Carolina
, Oregon , California , and
Kentucky ; security consultant
Chris McGoey, who runs http://www.crimedoctor.com/
and Richard T. Wright, a criminology professor at the University of
Missouri-St.
Louis, who interviewed 105 burglars for his book Burglars on
the Job.
Protection for you and your home:
If you don't have a
gun, here's a more humane way to wreck someone's evil plans
for
you.
WASP SPRAY
A friend who is a receptionist in a church in a
high risk area was concerned
about someone coming into the office on Monday
to rob them when they were
counting the collection. She asked the local
police department about using
pepper spray and they recommended to her that
she get a can of wasp spray
instead.
The wasp spray, they told her,
can shoot up to twenty feet away and is a lot
more accurate, while with the
pepper spray, they have to get too close to you
and could overpower you. The
wasp spray temporarily blinds an attacker until
they get to the hospital for
an antidote. She keeps a can on her desk in the
office and it doesn't
attract attention from people like a can of pepper spray
would. She also
keeps one nearby at home for home protection.. Thought this was
interesting
and might be of use.
FROM ANOTHER
SOURCE:
On the heels of a break-in and beating that left an elderly
woman in Toledo
dead, self-defense experts have a tip that could save your
life.
Val Glinka teaches self-defense to students at Sylvania Southview High
School .
For decades, he's suggested putting a can of wasp and hornet spray near your
door or bed.
Glinka says, "This is better than anything I can teach
them."
Glinka considers it inexpensive, easy to find, and more effective
than mace or
pepper spray. The cans typically shoot 20 to 30 feet; so if
someone tries to
break into your home, Glinka says, "spray the culprit in
the eyes". It's a tip
he's given to students for decades. It's also one he
wants everyone to hear. If
you're looking for protection, Glinka says look
to the spray.
"That's going to give you a chance to call the police; maybe
get out." Maybe
even save a life. Put your car keys beside your bed at
night.Tell your spouse, your
children, your neighbors, your parents, your Dr.'s
office, the check-out
girl at the market, everyone you run across. Put your car
keys beside your
bed at night.
If you hear a noise outside your home or someone trying to
get in your house,
just press the panic button for your car. The alarm will
be set off, and the
horn will continue to sound until either you turn it off
or the car battery
dies. This tip came from a neighborhood watch
coordinator. Next time you come
home for the night and you start to put your
keys away, think of this: It's a
security alarm system that you probably
already have and requires no
installation. Test it. It will go off from most
everywhere inside your house and
will keep honking until your battery runs
down or until you reset it with the
button on the key fob chain. It works if
you park in your driveway or garage. If
your car alarm goes off when someone
is trying to break into your house, odds
are the burglar/rapist won't stick
around. After a few seconds all the neighbors
will be looking out their
windows to see who is out there and sure enough the
criminal won't want
that. And remember to carry your keys while walking to your
car in a parking
lot. The alarm can work the same way there. This is something
that should
really be shared with everyone. Maybe it could save a life or a
sexual abuse
crime.
P.S.
I am sending this to everyone I know because I think it
is fantastic. Would also
be useful for any emergency, such as a heart
attack, where you can't reach a
phone. My Mom has suggested to my Dad that
he carry his car keys with him in
case he falls outside and she doesn't hear
him. He can activate the car alarm
and then she'll know there's a problem.
