Security, tons of ink has been spilled and countless keys have been pressed on this issue. What is safety after all and how can it be achieved? By installing security doors and alarm systems? By taking some actions on the part of the owner? Or is it ultimately a combination of both?
The answer comes to us from a master of security or rather ...insecurity as it is Walter T. Shaw, the most famous burglar who has ever passed through the United States of America having committed thousands of thefts in the 70' and 80' decades. Today, now a veteran of the profession, he has done a 180° turn and has written a book of protection tips to help people protect their property, or (if we think more alternatively) sabotage the work of his colleagues in order to retain as much of his 'notoriety' as possible.
The advice he gives:
The alarm is not a decoration, use it.
The majority of the targets he was "visiting" did not have their alarm system activated when they were leaving and even when they were inside. This is a big mistake as the presence of the occupants is not a deterrent to burglars. It may sound absurd but this figure was approaching 90% of cases.
Don't just focus on the main entrance.
The majority of owners only focus on the main entrance leaving alternative entrances (such as back door, garage entrance) unprotected. There were cases where the secondary entrances were even unlocked. It is essential to "trap" all entrances to the home with the alarm system. It is also important to place alarm signs at all vulnerable points.
Don't report your movements.
A big mistake is to give information about your movements to people in the neighbourhood where you just know on a social level. Burglars have a large network of information and the more professional the burglar the more extensive and targeted that network is. A typical example Shaw cites is that his best informants (probably unwittingly) were hairdressers, bank tellers and carpet cleaners where they worked with the target households. So the information he gleaned turned breaking into their homes into an easy task.
Burglaries day - burglaries night, mark X.
Many of us are under the impression that the dark veil that covers the sky at night is the perfect cover for a burglar. And we are not wrong. But the speed of burglars' movements combined with the fact that owners and neighbours are away at work (or other commitments) is a powerful incentive for daytime burglaries. So extra care is needed in the morning hours with regular locking of all entrances even when we are going to be away from the house for 5 minutes. (p.s.) A big mistake is the fact that many owners fly to nearby errands (shopping at the kiosk) by simply closing their door. This is a big mistake as a door (even armored) is quickly broken into with an ID if not locked.
In the kitchen, you will not get... smell.
Burglars try to be as quick as possible in "combing" the target house. This means that in order not to waste time they will head to places where valuables are traditionally kept. The burglars' first choice is the bedroom where jewelry, cash, electronic devices are usually found. According to Shaw the best hiding place for valuables is the kitchen as it is the place where the burglar will not look or will look last in case of course he has plenty of time at his disposal. As he himself admits, "He never went into a kitchen".
Our garbage is our identity.
One of the most reliable sources of information for would-be burglars is a household's discards. The discarded package of a new TV, cell phone or new household appliance forewarns the "interested party" of the potential loot they will encounter in your home.
I'm afraid of the cameras.
The impression we have of burglars in terms of dressing up and covering up their features is influenced by Hollywood and clearly wrong. Burglars are afraid of cameras and their knowledge of disconnecting them is minimal to nonexistent. State of the art cameras offer the ability to store the image anywhere in the world via the internet. So even if they manage to disconnect it the image of their face will be stored. Besides, don't forget that burglars before breaking into the house watch the outside as passers-by, so having a camera on the outside of the house may give the police useful information about the offender.
Small, but only in the eye.
Dogs are probably the best protection for your home after home security products. Their barking is able to deter burglars. In fact, studies have shown that small dogs are considered better guards because they bark more in both volume and duration. They are also a deterrent to the would-be offender as they bark even during the day in potential surveillance of the house perimeter.
Walter T. Shaw after 11 years in prison (not because he was caught red-handed, but at the suggestion of a former associate) has taken up writing the book "License to steal".
Sources:
http://whoiswaltershaw.com
http://www.safewise.com/blog/what-we-can-learn-from-a-jewel-thief/
http://buildipedia.com/at-home/design-remodeling/want-the-best-advice-on-home-security
