One of the most frightening things that can happen in your home, any time of day or night, is the invasion by a burglar or even getting information about a neighbor whose house has been invaded.
It’s not easy to know when someone isn’t supposed to be in your home since you aren’t necessarily around every day. However, paying attention to small details might help you identify potential burglars before they can get too close to your valuables.
It may never be easy to make the correct judgment on if one is a thief or not, but there are common red-lights signs that can lead you to the proper assessment. Such include:
Table of Contents
Dressing Code
One way to tell if someone is a burglar is by checking their mode of clothing. If they wear dark clothes, they are most likely looking for something to steal. Clothing, however, might not be a final judgment since most thieves blend different clothing styles.
Another essential thing to watch is the same people always carrying large bags or backpacks. They could be hiding something in there!
Thieves also like to use someone else’s car as a getaway, so always ensure it’s locked when parked outside.
Suspicious Behavior
Some suspicious behaviors to look out for are:
- An individual is casing the neighborhood or house from outside, peering in windows, knocking on doors, or ringing doorbells.
- A person is trying to determine if the home is occupied by looking through mailboxes.
- An individual dressed in dark clothing while walking alone at night appears to be trying to conceal their identity with a hoodie, hat, and sunglasses.
- Someone is carrying unusual items such as pry bars, flashlights, and maps of your property and placing them near your backdoors.
- Anyone trying to create an opening to go through where there should not be one.
- Strangers are parking on your street.
- Check on people pretending to conduct business with others around the corner, like mail carriers and meter readers.
- Strangers are loitering around homes and neighborhoods, especially those asking questions about your address or family members.
- Others that take fake surveys in the area note any information they may collect.
- People who are taking pictures outside your home.
Thieves have codes and signs that they use to communicate with each other. For example, the sign for ‘All clear’ is when they make the shape of an okay symbol with their thumb and index finger; the signal for We are in position is when they extend both indexes fingers up to form two crosses.
They can also draw on the ground, like parallel lines or circles.
If, in any case, you find that people around you are communicating using such signs, you need to be suspicious. They could be burglars.
Wrap up!
By assessing the above behaviors and dressing codes, you can’t be so much away from identifying a thief. However, if you suspect a thief, don’t do anything that can raise eyebrows since the person can hurt you. I instead call the police for investigations.
