Before actually performing the breaking and entering act, burglars will try to learn about their target property for a few days. This includes learning about the daily routines of the owner and family members and when they will probably to be away from home. This is to ensure that they have the best opportunity to loot their valuable items without getting detected.
On top of that, burglars will also try to learn whether the target property has a security system installed, and if so, they will try to find out how to disable it later. In other words, it takes a few days for these bad people to learn about their target property before actually deciding to break into it.
In these few days, if your property were being targeted, you can see suspicious activities of these intruders. Here are 5 warning indicators that burglars are targeting your house:
1. Suspicious People Circling around Your Neighborhood
If you know your neighborhood well, including the neighbors that live around you, you might think that it is suspicious to see strangers that keep on circling around your neighborhood in the last few days. They might do that in certain times, such as in the morning or evening, and your neighbors don’t really know who they are. Moreover, they might take a look at your house a few times as if they are trying to find some information about it.
When you see these strange people, be sure to ask your neighbors whether they belong in their family, and if not, you should be aware that they might try to burglar your house later. Your house is simply being scouted for a possible target for their operation.
2. Suspicious People Knocking Your Door
As with most intruders, they will try to break into a property by damaging the doors or windows. However, they need to do that when nobody is around. Otherwise, they might get caught very quickly.
In order for them to test whether your house is empty or not, they will knock at your door to see whether you answer it. With this strategy, they might disappear immediately once they know that somebody is staying inside the house. They need to do it in certain times in order to determine when the owner leaves the house.
3. A Suspicious Car Parked Near Your Property
Most burglars will need a car to operate—usually a van—in order to be able to carry their loot and escape as soon as possible. Remember that many burglaries only happen within a few minutes, so they need a car that is parked at the perimeter to carry their loot once they’ve done robbing the house.
If you see a suspicious car, usually a van or a car with black windows, being parked near your house for hours at a time, be aware that the car might be used to monitor your house situation. Some intruders might be planning on breaking into your property soon.
4. Suspicious People Taking Snap Pictures of Your Property
In order for the burglars to know more about the target property and determine which entry points that they can use, they need visuals about your house. This is also important for the burglars to determine whether your house has a security system or not. That’s why they will try to take some pictures of your property before doing their operation.
The way they take pictures of your property is usually quick in order to avoid being detected. They will walk casually around your property and taking some quick pictures casually before they walk away. If they do it a few times in a day, it is a great indicator that they are targeting your house.
5. Fake Sales People or Social Workers
Another strategy that the intruders will use to know the situation around the house that they plan to break later is to disguise themselves as fake sales people or social workers. They will dress nicely and introduce themselves as sales people or social workers. They will try to be friendly and ask many things related to your property.
However, when asked for their ID or company information, they will usually avoid giving the information to you and try to leave your house immediately. Always be aware of inviting these people into your house as they might try to locate your valuable items within the house when they have a chance.