Tape on Door Means a House Is Marked, but What For?

Let’s crack a burglar’s code. A tape on the door handle or a slice of cheese on the car bonnet and many more can be signs that you’re being watched by a crook.

Burglars don’t just pick a house randomly and rob it. They’ll often monitor the home before they take action. They wanna know more about the house and its security. They leave markings on the home, garage door, post box, or storage unit. Get to know these markings and know what they symbolize, and you’ll be able to better protect your home from the “bad guys.”

If you see a circle drawn, that means in the eyes of the thieves; your house is a piece of cake to rob. Maybe it has no home security system set up. Yet a barred circle means to avoid entry; maybe the home has high-tech alarms, CCTV cameras, or a dog. Ladder-like lines mean there are valuables visible in the home, so there are items in the house worth stealing.

If someone sprays the letter M in the garbage, that means empty in the morning, and N refers to empty at night. Police forces have issued warnings about the code, but keep in mind that some of these signs are actually harmless messages used by road workers to communicate about pipelines and so on.

If you see some evidence of “key bumping,” don’t enter the house. Key bumping is a technique where burglars use a similar key, made with a heavier metal than the pins, to file down the pins on the inside of the lock. Plus, victims may encounter some problems while claiming insurance in such cases because this technique may leave no sign of forced entry on the outside of the lock. You’re being robbed, and you cannot prove it to the insurance company. Sounds like a nightmare.

Lockpicking is a less forceful technique. This one will leave marks on the doorknob, such as light scratches around the lock, but the real signs will be found on the inside of the lock, on the pins. They’ll have dents.

Heavy scrapes or marks on your doorknob can also indicate that someone has entered your home. Thieves sometimes use screwdrivers to break the pins in the lock. If you see deep scratches, marks, or a widening of the keyhole, be careful when you get inside.

Thieves may stick a tape, and it’s usually a see-through one, on the door handle. Suppose the tape is still there a day or so later. The squatters believe that the owner is away since the door hasn’t been used. This strategy has become alarmingly prominent in Dublin. The police warned people to be vigilant and remove any tape immediately after seeing it.

Some of these markings are left by dog thieves signaling that your home has a money-wise worthy breed to steal. Supposedly, red chalk marks are for large dogs, and yellow and pink marks refer to medium and small dogs. The police advise dog owners to keep their eyes open around their properties and report any such instances to the police. Lastly, pay extra attention when walking their pets.

One of the keys to being safe at a house is having good security and knowing your property. For instance, if your front door locks are still responsive but function slowly, it may be a sign of a burglar attempt.

This might be because of a tactic called the vulnerability method. Thieves make the door lock weaker with time. They use tools or objects to deteriorate the lock without leaving any traces. You may think your lock is old and simply postpone calling a locksmith, but that would be a huge mistake.

Similarly, the key might turn inside the lock with delay. If it’s harder to turn inside, this is usually the first sign of an attempted break-in. So, this is probably the most important warning sign you should take into consideration. Even security door locks are vulnerable to break-ins.

Did you know that in Churchill, Canada, locals keep their car doors unlocked? They don’t do this to invite the thieves but to survive a potential polar bear attack. The town has the largest number of polar bears in the world. Imagine a resident faced with a polar bear and another person’s car is nearby. They can quickly shelter inside that car.

How about learning some safety tips to avoid purse snatching? Firstly, don’t carry a shoulder bag over your shoulder. I know, I know, it’s what the bag is designed for, but this makes it easier for a thief to grab your bag. For example, carrying a small clutch-type handbag underneath your arm is safer.

Shopping with someone else is safer than shopping alone. On shopping days and in general, don’t carry more money than you would possibly need or all of your credit cards in the same purse. Carry only what you need for the day. You might think, “It’s just for a sec,” but don’t leave your purse in shopping carts or on counters.

...and there’s the matter of scams. When you believe you can’t be scammed, you might let yourself more vulnerable to scammers fool you. Scams target everyone from all backgrounds, ages, and incomes. They can catch you off guard when you’re not expecting it. They use new technologies, products, or even services to hook you to either give them your money or personal details.

How to be scam-proof? Firstly, keep in mind that if it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Secondly, don’t respond to calls about your computer asking for remote access, even if they mention a well-known company. Scammers will often ask you to turn on your computer to fix a problem or install a free upgrade. This is actually a virus to get your passwords and personal details.

Lastly, pay attention to unusual payment requests. Scammers will often ask you to use an unusual payment method like a preloaded debit card, gift card, or iTunes card.

A carjacker and a slice of cheese, what connection can there be? Imagine you walk to your car and see melted cheese on the engine cap. You initially thought that it was probably some kind of a prank. So you begin to clean the cheese. Naturally, it takes ages under the hot sun.

Pay attention to your surrounding! Someone might be watching you from a distance and waiting for the right time. They can just jump into your car and run away while you are not looking at the driver’s door, busy cleaning the cheese near the cheese melted near the passenger side!

Did you know that you might have an extra key in your car? Some cars have valet keys hidden inside the owner’s manual or in the tool kit in the trunk. If your car has that spare pair, take it out immediately! If you know where it is, thieves will know it too.

Plus, don’t think you have a perfect hiding spot for your spare keys. Car thieves know where to look. For example, some people hide the extra key under the bumper or beneath the floor mat. Thieves routinely check those places as well.

Speaking of car theft. Now it might be a good time to talk about the habits and strategies of car burglars. They don’t really go for wide-open and visible locations like in front of houses and driveways. Dark and secluded places such as apartment buildings, carports, and underground parking garages appeal to them because it’s quieter. He could hear if somebody was coming.

Have you heard of Vehicle Identification Number, aka VIN? This is a unique number for every car out there. You can engrave the VIN on your car windows. This makes your car less valuable on the black market for its parts.

Plus, changing the car windows costs quite a lot, so crooks try to avoid such cars. Overall, it’s better not to be an easy target and inviting. So do you have some real-life stories about all these?