Most thieves who plan to break into a house want to know more about the homeowners’ personal life. They want to know who lives there, when they come and go, whether they have any security measures in place, etc. Another thing they want to know is how well-off the owners are. For this purpose, thieves have created their own unique secret code that they use to pass the information on to each other. This helps them to plan ahead and decide on a course of action for breaking into the house.
Mostly they draw some symbols on doors, garages, or on the facade of a home. So, what do these marks look like? What should you do if you see them on your house? Sure Lock & Key will answer these questions and help you decide on the necessary security measures that need to be taken.
What are house robbery markings?
Let’s discuss what these burglar symbols are and how they work. Usually, there’s one group of people who are responsible for exploring the area of the potential break-in and leaving marks. Another group is the people who are burglars. They draw these symbols that show when it’s better to break in, what kind of security they’ll need to bypass, and if there’s anything interesting they can steal. Sometimes they can even pretend to be technicians. Once inside your property, they slyly check out the locks and your possessions. Let’s have a look at some of the most common signs they use:
- Circle: This one means that the house is an easy target. Most likely, it’s not equipped with any security devices.
- Triangle: This sign shows that a woman lives by herself in the house. Thieves target houses like that because they consider women weak and not able to stand up for themselves.
- Barred circle: It warns the thieves that the house has serious security measures, like cameras, an alarm, or a guard dog. So, it’s better not to even try breaking into that house.
- Lines that look like a ladder: That means that they saw some valuable items and that this house is worth breaking into.
- Cross: The owners of the house are religious people.
- Rectangle: This sign means that no one lives in the house.
- Three diagonal lines: This mark says that the house has already been burglarized.
- Also, criminals use letters to mark the best time of the day for a break-in. T – means empty during the day. M – better to break in the morning. N – the house is empty at night. They may combine these letters or add letters that point out the best day of the week for a break-in.
What do burglars use to mark the house?
Before marking your house, burglars might perform other actions to find out more information. They may walk around your house, check the entry points, and check your mailbox. Also, they may try calling the phone you have in the house to see when you’re at home. Burglar signs have a specific meaning behind them, and sometimes they will leave some random drawings just to see if someone notices them. This way, they can find out if someone is in the house or if perhaps the owner went on vacation. Also, sometimes they may leave some random cards or flyers on the doorstep to see if people will pick them up.
Where are these burglar signs usually located?
After they’re done with checking out the area, the criminals start the house marking. They often use chalk to draw on doors, facades, mailboxes, or pavement. Sometimes they might use regular paint or spray paint, but it’s not that common because the paint isn’t easily removed. In some cases, they even leave some scratches as marks. This method is also not really common.
Burglary warning signs can be found on your house, in your yard, and sometimes even around the neighborhood. Burglars draw these marks on the front or back doors. Often you can see the drawings on the stairs or on your porch. Sometimes they might leave them on your driveway.
What to do if there are markings outside your house?
We figured out what these burglary marks are and how criminals use them. You’re probably curious about what you should do if you see these marks on your house or somewhere around the neighborhood. We can all agree that these marks are quite dangerous and ignoring them is probably not the best idea. As soon as you see any marks outside the house, contact the police or a security company. The police officers might want to patrol your street for some time to catch the criminals if they appear. Also, if you have monitored CCTV cameras, you may ask the security company you’re working with to provide you with the footage. You’ll be able to see who left the marks and inform the police.
However, telling the police about those symbols is not enough to protect your house. Criminals might wait until things calm down and then try again.
If there are any burglar marks on your house, it, unfortunately, means that it’s a target for thieves. This is the time to enhance your home security. You can install security cameras if you don’t have them already. Also, consider using an alarm system and motion detectors, so you’ll receive notifications every time someone is around your property. Another option you might consider is rekeying or replacing your locks, just in case the criminals have figured out what type of lock you have so they can pick it. For that purpose, you’ll need to use residential locksmith services.
Summing up
Throughout the years, criminals have come up with different ways to make the process of breaking into a house much easier. They developed a system to communicate between themselves and share information. Today criminals use a variety of symbols to show who lives in the house and if there’s something valuable inside. They mark the best time for break-ins and warn about any security measures. If you don’t want to become a victim of burglary, it’s essential not to ignore these signs. So, always inform the police about any suspicious marks. Also, provide your house with some security devices to protect you from any unwanted visitors.
