• 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.
• The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbors.
• 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 
• I’m not complaining, but why would you pay all that money for a fancy alarm system and leave your house without setting it? 
• 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.
• Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page. It’s easier than you think to look up your address.
• 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.
• 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 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.

 

Some Tips You Can Implement to Make Your Home More Secure

• The Sign of Security  --  Convicted burglars said they would be less likely to break into a house with a sign that warned of a guard dog or an alarm. A well-known alarm company name indicates a professionally installed system that may be monitored. But, the threat of physical injury from a dog is probably the best deterrent.
   
• The Lived-In Look  --  Arrange for someone to shovel walks and driveways in winter, or to mow and water the lawns for the summer.
   
• Trashy behavior  --  Empty garbage cans mean an empty house. Hide the cans in the basement, storage shed, or garage. Also, turn off the electric garage door opener, padlock the garage door, and lock the door that leads from the garage to the house.
   
• Need a lift?  --  Enlist a friend or call a car service to take you to the airport so you can leave your car in the driveway. Then have someone move the car once in a while to make it look as if it’s being used. If your driveway will be vacant, ask a neighbor to park in it occasionally.
   
• The Light Stuff  --  Make use of timing devices for turning lights and appliances like radios on and off. Or try this low-tech method: simply leave a bathroom light on, since this is what many people do while they are at home.
   
• Machine Schemes  --  Never announce that you’re away on your answering machine; instead say you have houseguests or are otherwise engaged and will return the call soon. Check the answering machine and erase messages frequently to ensure that the machine doesn’t fill up.
   
• Dead Ringer  --  Turn the ringer on your telephone down or off: a ringing telephone that isn’t answered alerts a burglar that nobody’s around.
   
• Key Exchange  --  Give a friend an extra house key, a trip itinerary, and numbers where you can be reached. Also leave the numbers of your plumber, electrician, and utility companies. That way someone can handle an emergency, if one comes up.
   
• Read All About It  --  Newspapers piled up on your stoop let the world know you’re not home. Cancel mail, newspaper, and other deliveries, or better yet, have someone stop by the house to pick them up each day.
   
• Stash It  --  Miniature safes disguised as shaving cream cans, flowerpots, and books are good for hiding small valuables. Even if thieves are wise to this trick, they won’t have time to inspect every ordinary-looking can. Just make sure your safes look like the real thing.
   
• Also, move valuable items, such as expensive televisions or stereos, away from windows—especially windows that can be seen from the street.