Former Burglar Shares 3 Tips To Prevent People Like Her From Breaking Into Your Home
Burglaries soar during the holidays. Here's how to protect yourself.
New Africa | Shutterstock Well, it's very nearly the holiday season, and that means it's also burglary season. While break-ins tend to actually peak in the summer months, they also have a major spike during the holidays.
According to the National Crime Victimization Survey compiled each year by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, theft crimes go up by 20% each December. So what can you do to protect yourself? A former burglar recently took to TikTok to share what actually deters criminals like she used to be, and some of her recommendations might surprise you for the way they differ from the conventional wisdom.
A former burglar shared 3 tips to prevent break-ins:
Content creator @sweetmarie333 is a former addict who once made her living by burglarizing homes, and after a stint in the carceral system, she now makes content about how she went about her crimes back in the day so that others can keep themselves safe.
In a video, she shared several pieces of insight into not just how to protect yourself, but the signs and signals thieves actually look for when picking out which houses they're going to break into next. Spoiler alert: That security system you got might not be doing you any favors.
1. Do not put up signs saying you have an alarm or security system
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The conventional wisdom has always been that if you have a sign in your yard and stickers on your window saying that you've got a home security system, burglars will avoid your house and choose another where they're unlikely to get caught.
Marie says you should think again. "It's a welcome sign," she said, "because I know you got [stuff] worth stealing. Take the signs out of your yard. I WANT a house with a security system, okay?"
2. Remove stickers from your windows alerting firefighters to rescue your pets
"Those stupid little stickers that say 'in case of a fire, rescue my dog?'" Marie pointedly said. "Take them off immediately." Why? Because they let burglars know that your home doesn't have any motion sensors, and will be easier to burglarize.
Most people with pets turn these functions off because, of course, their dog or cat would set them off with their regular movements about the house. Marie said this is a key signal burglars look for. "If your dog is roaming your house freely, so can I," she said.
3. Turn on your home security system's glass-break monitors
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Marie said that the dog stickers are also an indication that your glass-break monitors are turned off as well, so a burglar can simply break a window to get into your house without tripping the alarm. She said, "99% of the time," people who don't use motion sensors also don't use glass-break alarms because they're just as easy to accidentally trip.
The solution, Marie said, is not to turn them off but to turn the sensitivity down so they're less likely to trip accidentally by a pet or kid bumping the window, for example. But you've got to use them regardless.
"I know they're annoying when your dog's barking or your kids are bumping the window, whatever," she said. "But turn them on. It's gonna keep you safer. It's gonna keep your valuables safer."
Marie said she hopes sharing what she learned will help others avoid becoming a mark for someone like she used to be. "I feel horrible for the things that I did," she said, "but if the little tips can help y'all, then here they are."
John Sundholm is a writer, editor, and video personality with 20 years of experience in media and entertainment. He covers culture, mental health, and human interest topics.
