THIRTEEN 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 atfaketv.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 , andKentucky ; 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