A private investigator has explained that criminals often use seemingly random objects to mark houses that are empty, allowing burglaries to take place easily
If you ever find a seemingly random object in your garden, you might be tempted to ignore it – but a private investigator has explained why that’s not a good idea.
Most of us don’t think to check the items in our front gardens or even notice if there’s something that shouldn’t be by our front door, but according to one expert, criminals are using innocent objects to mark potential targets.
Paul Jones, a detective from ARF Investigations, says that burglars don’t act on impulse, instead, they movie and plan for the perfect opportunity.
With Christmas just around the corner, you need to make sure these markings aren’t around your home.
Chalk marks
Chalk is budget-friendly, it rubs off and can be used on bins, walls or gateposts. While every criminal will use different symbols, and they can often look like random children’s doodles, they often have a sinister meaning.
“Don’t think of a triangle meaning this or an x meaning that because it doesn’t work that way. Burglars will have their own symbols to show if a house has been previously burgled, if it’s a good target, if the occupant is vulnerable, if it has an alarm or if the home is too risky,” Paul says.
“Some will even use symbols to show if a property isn’t worth burglarising.”
Innocent garden item
Criminals can use stickers, string and even Sellotape over your keyhole, which they will inspect a few days later to see if someone has been going in and out of the home and putting a key in the door.
One innocent item that can often appear is a single welly boot.
“In a few cases, we have seen some random items appear outside a home a few days before being burgled. One item we have seen a few times is a wellie. It’s strange, and we haven’t quite worked out what it means.”
“We suspect that the criminals are leaving items like this to see if they have been removed, but if they are still there after a few days, then the occupant probably isn’t at home and is on holiday somewhere.”
How to protect your home
People should check their property for any unusual marks or random items. Wipe away and unusual marks and get rid of the random items and see if they reappear.
If the marks or objects reappear and look out of place, then you should think about installing security measures like CCTV, video doorbells or alarm systems, Paul says.
“You should always trust your instincts, as it’s better to be safe than sorry. Maybe you noticed someone hanging around your home, or your dog started barking at an unusual time. Don’t dismiss those feelings. Take them seriously and call the police,” he says.
“If there is a pattern of suspicious activity in your area, your report could help police build a picture and prevent crimes before they happen. If you don’t report this, then you will never know if you could have stopped someone else’s family home from being targeted.”
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