First, what to do if your house is being cased? 

You need to install cameras, a home security system, consider a dog, strength the illusion of occupation, and talk to the neighbors.

It can be frightening if you’ve noticed evidence that someone is casing your house. If you don’t prioritize burglary prevention, you run the risk of someone trying to break into your house.

To help you stay safe, we’re going to talk about some typical indications that someone is scoping out your home today and offer some advice on how to prevent break-ins.

Please continue reading because I will provide you with more specific information there.

What To Do If Someone Is Casing Your House?

“Now what? My house was cased.”

If you have even the slightest suspicion that someone has bugged your house, you should ask that question. Your home will become safer if you overreact. Conversely, ignoring a legitimate warning could result in a break-in.

Install Cameras

Installing cameras to capture important property angles is our first piece of advice. External cameras may be more effective at preventing burglars than internal ones at catching them if they break into your house.

Ideally, your home should be equipped with cameras on the inside and outside. No matter how thoroughly they investigate a home or how they approach the situation, this aids in spotting suspicious people.

Remember that preventing crimes from happening in the first place is more important than catching criminals. Making your camera installation obvious can be a good idea. If you do this, though, make sure there aren’t any sizable blind spots.

Add A Home Security System

A home security system can help further deter criminals, as can warning stickers that state you have one. You can have it installed properly so that it activates your security system whenever any doors or windows are opened.

Security systems can be programmed to perform a variety of tasks, but when activated, they frequently become noisy and call the police. This gets a lot of attention on your house and summons the police.

After all of this, don’t commit the error that many homeowners do and believe a fake security sticker is sufficient. Because this is such an everyday occurrence, many burglars aren’t deterred by a sticker alone.

The sound of an alarm clearly going off is what really frightens would-be thieves. The majority of people are immediately put off by this. They no longer have hours, but rather a few minutes thanks to an alarm.

Consider A Dog

Burglars don’t like big dogs, which is an intriguing crime deterrence factor. If a potential burglar hears a loud dog, they are frequently deterred.

A dog can provide a lot of security, though it may not be practical for everyone. If you train it for such tasks, it might serve you even better, but most families don’t have the time for that.

Bear in mind that the dog must be large and intimidating. Most of the convicts interviewed by KVTB7 news, which is linked earlier, were unconcerned with smaller dogs, whether they were noisy or not.

The Illusion Of Occupation Helps

Most home burglars are discouraged by visible signs of occupants. Setting up an automated system to have a few lights in your house flicker on and off to give the impression that someone is home is a good way to assist with this.

Even better would be if you could occasionally get the TV or radio to play a little louder. The majority of criminals will seek out easier targets rather than taking the chance that it is an automated trick (especially since it most frequently isn’t).

Talk To The Neighbors

If you believe that burglars are scoping out your home, there is a good chance that they are also scoping out nearby properties. If that’s the case, you should alert other members of your neighborhood.

People can avoid a lot of stress by talking to their neighbors or writing letters (anonymously if you want) explaining what they believe is going on. If the burglars realize the neighborhood has become aware of them, it might also make them flee.

It also doesn’t really have any drawbacks. A neighborhood that is more vigilant is typically safer. Sending the letters without your name attached should be simple if you are concerned that the burglars may live nearby and become irate. See more about What Time Do Most Robberies Occur At Night?

Ways To Determine Whether A Burglar Is Surveilling Your Home

Being knowledgeable and alert is the best way to keep burglars out of your home. You need to be alert for certain indicators that a potential crime is being investigated at your home.

Inform the authorities right away if you notice any such unusual activity taking place near your property.

Unknown Vehicles On The Street

Burglars are most likely to scout out a property in a car that either belongs to them or a member of their family, or it could even be stolen.

It may be a sign that someone is keeping an eye on you and your property if you see an unidentified car parked close to your house and you are certain it doesn’t belong to anyone in the neighborhood.

If you notice any patterns, take note of them and proceed cautiously if you see someone inside. It is best to write down the vehicle’s license plate and call the police to handle the situation.

Strangers Walk Around The Neighbourhood

When you see an unfamiliar face walking around your neighborhood, it’s time to be extra cautious and careful because most of the people there are familiar with one another.

A potential intruder may approach the property while appearing to be jogging or strolling around the neighborhood. They will look for justifications to remain in the area so they can gather the data they need.

Check out the person carefully and pay close attention to their appearance if you notice this kind of repetitive suspicious behavior. Since this is also unsafe for them and the kids playing on the street, call the police and enlist the help of all your neighbors.

Knock On Doors Pretending To Offer Services

The most frequent method of determining whether a house is empty is to knock on doors. Intruders pose as salespeople or handymen to talk to homeowners who are inspecting their property.

If granted access, they might offer free services like roof maintenance or carpet cleaning in exchange for information about the number of entry points, the people living there, whether a dog or security system is present, and whether there are any valuables hidden around the house.

Before letting anyone inside your home, you should conduct a background check, even though some people might be honest salespeople and handymen. You are not obligated to let someone inside if you have any doubts about them.

Fake Emergencies To Gain Access

If someone came to your door and asked for assistance, what would you say or do? Of course, you’d assist them, and burglars are aware of that.

Burglars will occasionally make up crises and justifications, like their car breaking down or them being in an accident, to enter your home. They do this to get a sense of the layout. They might even merely ask for a glass of water by knocking.

Helping others is a wonderful thing, but never at the expense of your own security. Many burglars, after breaking in, will even unlock a window or door so they can enter later.

Take A Picture Of Your House And Nearby Areas

It’s never a good sign when a total stranger takes a photo of your home. What business do they have photographing your property, now that I think about it? Something bad, of course.

Nowadays, almost everyone carries a smartphone, which makes taking photos even simpler. Simply tap the screen to access it. Burglars take pictures of your home to show their friends and associates or to keep it as a target for future crimes.

That is definitely a warning sign and cause for concern if you see someone doing it, especially if they are taking pictures of the area from various perspectives.

Leaving Flyers At The Door

Although flyers left lying around might initially seem innocent, they may actually serve a deeper purpose. Flyers are one of the unusual ways that burglars communicate with one another.

They serve as indicators of which house is more likely to be targeted and are also used to identify which residents return home first. Picking up the flyers and throwing them in the trash if they are useless to you is a natural instinct. This method is used by burglars to determine who and when picks up their flyers.

The ones who don’t or who pick them up late indicate that they return home late, supporting the burglar’s claim that the house is unoccupied all day. Flyers can be a significant nuisance, so if you notice that there are more of them than usual lying around your door, pick them up right away and call the local authorities to report the situation.

Strange Symbols & Drawings Around The House

It looks strange and unusual when you see signs and symbols that you can’t understand. Consider seeing them in and around your home. According to Cambridgeshire Live, a hidden code that burglars use to identify potential targets before a break-in has been made public.

A similar list, later dubbed the “Da Pinchi List,” was previously made public by West Yorkshire police. There are signs that read “good target,” “previously broken into,” “too risky,” “wealthy,” and “alarmed house” on the property.

Some people think the signs are harmless and have nothing to do with crime or organized crime, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Inform the police right away if you notice any suspicious markings so they can patrol the area for thefts. See more about What Is A Home Invasion?

What Makes Certain People Easy Targets?

Burglars search for homes that are simpler to break into because nobody likes to make things difficult for themselves. What precisely makes some people simple targets for robbers? Do they engage in it? Or, for that matter, don’t do?

Here are a few rookie errors that home owners frequently make that make it simple for burglars to enter their property. It’s time to immediately implement safety precautions and home security upgrades if you are committing any of the following mistakes:

Leave The House Unoccupied During The Day

Contrary to popular belief, burglars prefer targeting homes that are empty during the day because it makes it easier for them to break in, as opposed to sneaking in the darkness of the night. They seek out homes that are unattended during the daytime because they know that robbing one while a person is inside increases their chances of being caught.

Leave Your Doors And Windows Unlocked

Unfortunately, the majority of homeowners don’t realize that the first step in home security is to lock your doors and windows. Doors are the most popular entry points for burglars, and 21% of them never even need to “break-in” because the doors are left unlocked. 29% break-in through a window, out of which one-third use an unlocked one.

Put Your Valuables Out On Display

Things that are valuable should be hidden from prying eyes and kept locked away. They will inevitably draw unwanted attention if you leave them out in the open, which puts you in a very dangerous situation. You should keep valuables away from windows, including money, jewelry, high-end electronics, and even important papers. It’s impossible to tell who is a genuine bystander and who is faking it. Additionally, after using any equipment in your garage or shed, make sure it is locked up.

Make It Obvious That You’re On Vacation

Most burglaries take place at the end of the summer or around Christmas when people are on vacation or celebrating the holidays with their loved ones. For burglars, vacant homes are untapped gold mines and the simplest targets. Your mail accumulating is the most obvious indication that the house is empty. Overgrown grass or dying plants are additional indicators. Tell your neighbors to pick up your mail, water your plants, and, if they are able to, mow the lawn once in a while while you are away.

Overshare On Social Media

Given the times we live in, this is most likely the biggest error you could make. On social media, people have a tendency to share too much information, sometimes even personal information like their address, photos of their homes and expensive possessions, and information about their schedules, daily activities, and vacation dates. You can’t even tell if someone is stalking you or “casing you” for a break-in, which is frightening and unsettling. Without leaving even the slightest hint or indication, they can simply silently infiltrate your profile, gather the data they need, and plan their intrusion. See more about What To Do In A Home Invasion

Ways To Prevent Your House From Being Targeted And Burglarized

We now have a better understanding of how and when burglars enter your home, what they are looking for, and what homeowners can do to prevent homes from being cased or burglarized thanks to a survey on how burglars break into houses that KGW’s investigative team conducted on 86 inmates currently serving time for burglary in the Oregon Department of Corrections.

Here’s the breakdown:

• Buy security cameras for entries and make them visible
• Make the house, front, and backyard visible with good lighting
• Trim your bushes and trees regularly
• Put bars on your windows and door
• Have TV or radio on when leaving home
• Know your neighbors and alert police if anything suspicious
• Install an alarm system
• Utilize your smartphone to set alarm notifications. You would receive a notification if motion was detected in specific areas of your property.

The Bottom Line

What should you do, then, if your home is being cased?

Nowadays, burglars and journalists both conduct research. Between 10 am and 3 pm, houses are broken into twice: once when you leave (so that you are long gone) and once when you return (so that they have time to flee).) They are slyly gaining entry to your house to formulate a plan that they will later carry out.

Have a try!

Many thanks for reading!