24 Secrets Burglars Don’t Want You to Know

There are few scenarios as bad as a home burglary for making a person feel violated. Subsequently, the home security market has exploded, making a robber’s career more challenging.

However, for those unable to afford such deterrents, we have looked at ways they can secure their property. Conversely, there are multiple ways to invite burglars inside, some of which are easily fixed. What do burglars not want you to know?

1. High-Security Borders Are a Problem

It sounds ironic, but high fences around your house may feel like a great deterrent, but aren’t. All they do is hide burglar activity. Home security platform SimpliSafe spoke to a professional burglar for their opinion.

The burglar, named Bob, states why he looks for houses with high privacy fences. “This way your pesky neighbors can’t sneak up on me or call the police,” he admits.

2. High Shrubs or Trees Protect Window Breaks

“Increase visibility by trimming all bushes and hedges to 3 feet or shorter,” Julie Kim writes for Forbes. “Anything taller and you create a hiding place for criminals.”

Who doesn’t want to surround their property with a collection of trees? This one is hard to take; creating a relaxing environment around your home is desirable. Sadly, a dense oak or willow tree can provide the perfect cover for a cat burglar.

3. Gravel Is a Huge Burglar Red Flag

For obvious reasons, surrounding one’s property with a gravel driveway will make any home invader think twice. Even in deep sleep, the noise of crunchy footsteps approaching one’s house will wake many.

If anything, a large gravel driveway in itself should be a sufficient security measure — most intelligent thieves will choose an easier target. Deep Sentinel’s Winston Chen agrees, saying to “keep it crunchy.”

4. Lose the Key Bowls

A Buzzfeed post went viral some time ago after revealing a burglar’s list of green flags in a residence. One wish is that people leave all their keys together in a bowl, making a quick entry and exit simple.

In short, having a bowl of keys altogether is like leaving a welcome note. All one needs is your car key for a quick, yet lucrative, escape.

5. First-Floor Windows for the L

Who doesn’t love a window open all the time? It is one aspect of home ownership that costs a quarter of burglary victims each year. Bathroom windows remain open for hygiene and anti-mold reasons — there is nothing bad about fresh air.

However, a story out of Houston shows why closing your windows — namely at night — makes sense. Most burglars enter through a first-floor window, making it the second-most popular point of entry (POE).

6. Man’s Best Friend is Burglars’ Enemy — Period

It goes without saying that a house with a dog is a happier house – maybe the word “safer” should be inserted there. Even investing in rodent-sized canines may be enough to ensure burglars avoid your house.

Mary Van Keuren and Tyler Lacoma both agree in a CNet article about whether dogs are an effective measure against organized criminals. The research-based verdict: “Large dogs pose a physical threat, and small dogs tend to be noisy.”

7. Keep Vacations Off Social Media

It is surprising how many people don’t realize their social media accounts are public. There are endless stories about homes being targeted because the owners posted snaps of their vacation.

An ex-burglar tells The New York Post how a cursory scan of local Facebook pages will yield good results. “I used Facebook to see when people would be away,” they say. “You won’t believe how many post on social media about visiting family for a few days.”

8. Junk Mail Might Be a Warning

Leaflets, pamphlets, and fliers may seem an innocuous part of owning a home. We are all used to junk mail coming through our doors, but we need to stay frosty. Some burglars might deliver a leaflet only to get a closer look at the house.

Rowan Barry of U.K. firm Barry Bros Security writes that burglars use leaflets for several reasons. They can see if anyone is home; they can inspect the security they may face, and they might use this opportunity to mark their target.

9. Ring Doorbells Are Half the Solution

One added benefit of living in the smart age is the arrival of remote security apps, such as Ring doorbells. Mark Harris writes in MIT Technology Review about a former Amazon claim (Amazon absorbed Ring in 2016 for $1 billion) that Ring cameras slash crime by 55%.

It remains to be seen how true this is, though porch pirates might think twice about stealing that package if they can identify a doorbell camera. Meanwhile, Tech Radar spoke to former burglar Luke Harris (no relation to Mark). He concluded that doorbell cameras shouldn’t be the only form of deterrent — home security systems come first.

10. The Toys and Jewelry Connection #1

Jewelry is one of the most sought-after items in a theft. A SafeHome review showed that after miscellaneous belongings, jewelry and precious metals were most popular for burglars. One way burglars might detect jewelry in the home is to look for evidence of female residency.

Locating children’s toys in someone’s yard is a jackpot. To a wily thief, children’s toys mean a mother, which invariably leads to jewelry.

11. The Toys and Jewelry Connection #2

To counter pesky jewelry thieves, store the most valuable items in children’s toy boxes, products, or packaging. Too many jewelry owners (including men’s watches) have a purpose-built storage unit.

Security corporation ADT shares a guide to home safety, stating that the average burglary lasts less than 10 minutes. Any parent knows negotiating their children’s chaotic bedrooms would take longer than any burglar is willing to risk. Score: parents.

12. Nice to Know You

Home Security platform Reolink recently published the lowdown on burglary statistics. Its “Burglar Profile” lists several realities worth knowing about the average home invader, and one creepy fact stands out.

Startlingly, half of all burglaries come at the hands of someone who lives within two miles of the victim. One must beware of new introductions or even maintenance workers who knock on doors without appointments.

13. I Just Went With It

Amazingly, the majority of burglaries happen off the cuff — at least, they did a decade ago. A 2013 University of North Carolina study examined burglar behavior patterns, revealing that only 12% of burglaries were planned.

Of course, a fast-improving tech advantage makes burglaries easier in the modern ’20s. All one needs to do now is use Google Earth.

14. The Medication Hierarchy

Did you know that robbers will target literally everything in your house, including your medications? Not many people will think about such an issue when they store their meds, but some tablets are worth a fortune on the black market.

Vicodin, for instance, has a street value twice that of the prescription — $10 per tablet, according to Zinnia Health. Restocking vital prescription medication can be tricky and costly. Maybe these belong in a less obvious space.

15. Don’t Let Your Mail Pile Up

A sure beacon of hope for any burglar when they scope out your neighborhood (and this happens a lot!) is piled-up mail. One mistake travelers often make is not to reroute mail or subscriptions while they are away.

The New York Times “Wirecutter” section posted a feature discussing the merits of reducing your mail. Jackie Reeve recommends going digital for all utility bills and other measures. “You can stop junk mailings, too,” she writes. “I signed up for two services that the FTC recommends.”

16. Unmowed Lawns Spell Potential

Keeping a well-mown lawn may not appeal to those who welcome the resurgent “wild-garden” movement. Nonetheless, if you are going away for an extended period, mowing the front lawn shows that someone was home recently.

Funnily enough, a video from 2022 shows a burglar stealing someone’s lawnmower — but not before mowing the lawn for his victims. Was this a genuine act of kindness or an ironic joke?

17. Make a Good Curtain Call

Kevin McCallister in Home Alone (1990) has to find out about burglars the hard way, though he makes excellent use of the house drapes at night. While most of us don’t have time to set up a fake house party, we can at least close the drapes.

One ex-criminal in a Family Today feature says angled blinds are a good deterrent. “Vertical blinds are great because you can angle them for a very limited view,” he says. “The house looks less closed up and more inhabited.”

18. Avoid Higher Purchase

While it may seem like an obvious idea, your house should not be easy to climb. Some burglars think nothing of scaling your guttering before shimmying across an inviting windowsill.

If your house design is inhospitable to criminal climbers, they may think twice about reaching that open window. Security experts at A Matter of Security recommend going a step further. “Put lubricant spray on your window sills!” explains one shared safety tip. “WD-40 will make it difficult for burglars to grip and use the window sill to gain leverage into your property.”

19. Your Trash Tells a Story

There is more than one way to know what a homeowner keeps within their walls. One way burglars might discover your swag is via the trash. There is maybe a temptation to leave large appliance boxes outside near the trash — this is a mistake.

A recently purchased LCD television requires a huge cardboard container. One sight of this packaging is enough to advertise that you own a nice television — also that it is brand new.

20. Silence is Golden

There are two ways to look at a home’s level of isolation being a problem. A noisy, built-up area with plenty of neighborhood activity means more witnesses for burglars to avoid. Some might argue it also provides more distraction to hide their actions.

In any case, most burglars would obviously prefer fewer invasive eyes, and will choose houses in more quiet zones. Remember: that peace you crave for your home might come at a cost.

21. Locked Drawers Mark The Spot

Picture this: a burglar has scaled your wall, climbed your drainpipes, and contorted their body through an impossible window. However, they never bargained for locked drawers…said nobody, ever.

If you think locking your Ikea drawers is going to prevent a burglar from stealing valuables, you would be wrong. On the contrary, as

Alison Campbell attests in a Constantiv article. Locked drawers only indicate that there is something valuable inside — thieves welcome this chance.

22. I Was Just Window Shopping!

Much like shopaholics, the casual burglar might not plan to take something unless it cries out to them. Therefore, placing anything of high value in view of your windows is an open invitation for theft.

While curtains are the best deterrent for a would-be thief, keeping expensive items away from view is advisable. “Place larger appliances and electronics such as home appliances and televisions away from the doors and windows,” Protech Solutions recommends.

23. Hide Calendars From Prying Eyes

Safesite Security published an article that will make you reconsider using wall calendars. It is a bad idea to publicize key dates which highlight you being away. If you have strangers performing services in your home, hide all calendars.

Furthermore, circling your vacation week with love hearts and smiley faces would be an especially bad move if that calendar is visible through a window. As with social media updates, stay coy about your departures.

24. A Key Victory for the Team

As reward for staying the distance, this entry has a feel-good factor with an alternative solution to home invasions — humiliation. A Daily Mail post details conversations with ex-professional burglars who share a common grievance.

Many confess to homeowners leaving “fake keys” stuck under the doormat — just to mess with them. This clever diversion tactic is likely to spook the intruder into aborting the mission, retreating into the night. Win: Homeowners.