A Cat Burglar's Guide to Protecting Your Home
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By Walter Shaw
I have spent most of my career stealing from people just like you. I was a member of the "Dinner Set" burglary
ring for a dozen years. We stole about $70 million in jewelry -- for which I spent 11 years in prison. No one is
better qualified to tell you that most people don't do enough to protect their homes.
Mistakes people make most often... .
Mistake #1: Installing -- but not using -- alarms. Nearly all of the houses we robbed had expensive alarm
systems -- and more than half the time, the alarms weren't turned on.
Set the alarm even if you are only running out for 15 minutes. Sophisticated burglars watch neighborhoods
and learn when residents go to work or run errands and how long they are likely to be away. They're ready to
move the minute you leave.
Get a zone alarm system that has room-by-room control. You can leave the bedroom alarm on when you're
spending the evening in the living room, for example. We often burglarized homes while people were having
dinner.
The best alarms offer multiple layers of protection -- motion sensors, heat sensors, light sensors, etc.
Mistake #2: Posting detailed alarm signs. Don't display signs that identify the alarm company. Burglars can
buy information on how the systems are wired -- and how to bypass specific versions.
Better: Buy signs at home-supply stores that read, This house is protected by an alarm system. As long as it
doesn't give specific information, it can be a good deterrent.
Mistake #3: Leaving lights on. A light that stays on all the time is no more of a deterrent than a dark house.
Use timers that turn lights on and off in different parts of the house at different intervals. Electronics and
home-improvement stores sell motion detectors that turn on lights or appliances if someone enters the
house. Cost: About $20 each.
Mistake #4: Hiding valuables in the bedroom. It's the first place burglars look. We used to spend 15 minutes
or less in each house we robbed. More than half of that time was spent in the bedroom, checking the usual
hiding places -- the underwear drawer... under the mattress... high closet shelves, etc.
Keep money or jewelry you rarely wear in a safe-deposit box. Hide other valuables in places where burglars
don't think to look -- in the garage, for example, or above removable ceiling tiles. Or hide valuables in the
freezer or in fake soup cans made for this purpose.
Don't hide all of your valuables in one place. A burglar is less likely to get everything if you put things in
different
locations.
Mistake #5: Getting a big dog. A 100-pound rottweiler or German shepherd might look scary, but burglars
know better. Most big breeds, unless they're trained as guard dogs, aren't barkers. What you want are
"yappers," small dogs that make a lot of noise. Breeds such as chihuahuas are better deterrents than large
dogs.
Mistake #6: Hiding windows with landscaping. Tall bushes and shrubs allow burglars to jimmy windows
without being seen. Keep bushes trimmed to below window level.
Also, don't count on cactuses or other thorny plants to prevent entry. Professional thieves routinely wear
gloves
and two layers of clothes -- and carry cutting tools to remove thorny obstacles.
Mistake #7: Having newspaper and mail delivery stopped. When you ask to have your paper or mail stopped,
you don't know who gets the information. Have a neighbor pick up newspapers and mail. Ask friends to drop
by at different times of the day. The more activity burglars see, the less likely they are to target your house.
Mistake #8: Counting on chain locks. They're useless. The screws that hold them only go about one-half inch
into the door or frame. They pull out with very little pressure.
Secure every exterior door with deadbolts. Use three -- one each at the top, middle and bottom -- of exterior
doors. Install them directly across from hinges for more strength.
Burglars think that the bigger the house, the richer the owners. “You can’t do much about the size of your
house,” says Professor Pease of Huddersfield University, “but if it’s large, you need to be even more careful
than if it’s small.”
You should take a good look at your house – not as you normally do, but as a burglar would. If you were a
burglar, which home would you choose to rob, - a house with a shiny new car parked outside or one with a
rusty vehicle? Anything which signals nice possessions and money will certainly catch the burglar’s eye.
People may complain about their noisy neighbours, but there’s no better way of stopping burglars than
having watchful neighbours around. If a house is far away from others, or hidden from the road, it is more
attractive to burglars, who think they can get in and out without being noticed. So a burglar alarm is a good
idea. And remember, you may get privacy from tall hedge or a high wall- but so does a burglar.
Sean Stephen, who works with the Scottish prison service, believes that you’re more at risk if your house
looks nice. ”Window-boxes, nice curtains and beautiful painted walls all tell the burglar that you’re proud of
your home and care about your possessions and are more likely to have nice things in your house,” he says.
He advises people to try to make their homes look as plain as possible and not to draw attention to any new
things they have bought by leaving the empty boxes next to the dustbin.
People often leave a light on when they go out. But you must be sensitive and not leave light on in the hall as
it never makes the burglars believe that you’re in. Have you ever heard of family enjoying an evening at home
in the hall? Live it in the living room. An open window is also an open invitation to burglars. If you sometimes
forget to shut and lock doors and windows, stick a note on the inside of the front door to remind you. And
make sure any ladders are put away and not left outside where burglars can use them.
By leaving newspapers and letters sticking out of the letter-box, or full milk bottles on the doorstep, you’re
giving burglars the green light to break into your home. Similarly, if you’re away from the house at regular
times- out at work or doing the shopping- then your home is also in danger of being burgled. Ask a neighbour
to keep an eye on your house at these times. It’s a good idea to take photos of your valuable possessions. By
doing that, if you’re burgled, you’ll be able to identify stolen property, which could lead to the thief being put
behind bars. It is also possible to label valuable items such as TVs and videos with your postcode. If they’re
stolen, this will make them easier to find. One more good idea is to ask for a crime prevention officer to visit
your home and identify weak points in its security.
