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10 Signs Your House is Being Watched by Robbers · Murder Files Unsealed

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  Speaker 1: Welcome back everybody for another deep dive. This time we're
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  getting into something that I think everyone's interested into some
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  degree at least, and that's home security.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, definitely.
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  Speaker 1: You know, we got this excerpt titled pasted text that
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  a listener sent in and woh cool. It really got
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  me thinking about, you know, the ways that burglars actually
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  choose their targets. Right, it's not just random, you know.
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  Speaker 2: No, no, it's definitely not random.
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  Speaker 1: They actually put some thought into this.
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  Speaker 2: Absolutely, they do a lot of research.
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  Speaker 1: So the mission of this deep dive is to kind
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  of look at this excerpt and give you some practical
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  knowledge to identify and maybe even counter some of this
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  surveillance that's going on.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, so you can be aware of it and protect yourself.
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  Speaker 1: So that the excerpt starts with something I hadn't really
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  thought of before, which is unfamiliar vehicles in your neighborhood. Yeah,
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  you know, obviously people could just be waiting for someone,
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  you're waiting.
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  Speaker 2: For a friend or picking someone up.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, but it also could be a sign that they're
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  watching houses, you know.
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  Speaker 2: Oh yeah, definitely, like seeing who comes and goes.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, seeing the routines of the neighborhood and who's home
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  when and exactly.
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  Speaker 2: It's all about patterns, right. They're trying to establish what's
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  normal on your street so they can see what's not normal.
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  Speaker 1: So if you see the same car multiple days in
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  a row, that's a red flag.
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  Speaker 2: Oh yeah, big time, especially if they're just sitting there
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  for a long time.
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  Speaker 1: So what should we do? Should we just like take
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  note or.
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  Speaker 2: Well, yeah, you could jock down the license plate. Oh okay,
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  and if it keeps happening, you could even report it
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  to the police.
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  Speaker 1: Okay.
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  Speaker 2: They might already be aware of suspicious activity in your.
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  Speaker 1: Area, so they might already have a file on that.
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  Speaker 2: Car possibly, or they might be looking for that car
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  in connection to something else.
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  Speaker 1: Wow, that's good advice.
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  Speaker 2: Better safe than sorry, right.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah. So the excerpt also mentions the classic stranger at
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  the door scenario.
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  Speaker 2: Oh yeah, that's a common one.
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  Speaker 1: But it goes beyond just a random person knocking right.
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  It says burglars might actually pose as like salespeople or
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  delivery drivers or even utility workers.
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  Speaker 2: Oh wow, that's sneaky.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, to try to get a better look inside or
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  maybe gather some information from you.
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  Speaker 2: It's all about social engineering. You know, taking advantage of
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  people's trust.
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  Speaker 1: So what's the best way to handle that. I mean,
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  the excerpt suggests asking for ID.
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  Speaker 2: I always ask for ID.
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  Speaker 1: But you know, in the moment, I think I'd forget.
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  Speaker 2: It can be tough to remember in the moment when
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  you're caught off guard.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah.
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  Speaker 2: But yeah, and don't give out personal details like your
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  schedule or if you live alone, things like that.
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  Speaker 1: Right, you don't want to volunteer any information, Nope, keep
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  it to yourself. So it's like finding that balance between
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  being helpful and being cautious.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a tough one, but it's important.
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  Speaker 1: Now. One thing that I thought was a game changer
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  that they mentioned is video doorbills.
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  Speaker 2: Oh yeah, those are great.
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  Speaker 1: You could see who's there without even opening the door exactly.
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  Speaker 2: And a lot of times just the site of a
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  camera is enough to deter someone with bad intentions. Okay,
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  like they don't want to be recorded, they'll just move on.
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  Speaker 1: And this is where it gets really interesting. Burglar markings.
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  Uh oh, I had no idea about this.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a bit creepy.
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  Speaker 1: Apparently they might use like chalk symbols or weird objects,
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  or even just like subtle damage to signal things to
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  other criminals about a property.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, it's like their own secret language.
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  Speaker 1: So what kind of things would they be signaling?
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  Speaker 2: Oh, anything from like whether a house is occupied to
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  what kind of security system they have? Really, yeah, or
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  even if the occupants are vulnerable, like elderly or single
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  women living alone.
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  Speaker 1: Oh that's disturbing.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, it's not good. So if you see any strange markings,
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  especially if they come back after you remove them. Uh, oh,
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  that's a bad sign. You should definitely document it with pictures,
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  remove it and report it to the police.
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  Speaker 1: Wow. Okay. And speaking of things that seem harmless but
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  could be signs, the excerpt mentions undisturbed flyers or male
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  Oh yeah. I always figure people just ignored that stuff,
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  But now I'm realizing it's like a neon sign that
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  says nobody's home exactly.
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  Speaker 2: An overflowing mailbox is a sure sign that a house
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  is vacant.
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  Speaker 1: Oh wow, okay.
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  Speaker 2: So it's really important to remove those items every day.
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  And if you're going to be away for a while,
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  you should have a neighbor collect your mail, oh okay,
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  or use the post office's mail hold service.
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  Speaker 1: So they just hold it there until you get.
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  Speaker 2: Back exactly, so your mailbox stays empty.
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  Speaker 1: Okay. This next one sent chills down my spine. Oh boy,
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  strangers taking pictures of your property yikes, especially entry points.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, that's not good.
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  Speaker 1: What if it's just someone admiring my landscaping or that's.
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  Speaker 2: The tricky part. Right. You don't want to overreact, but
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  you also don't want to ignore a potential threat. The
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  excerpt suggests politely asking what they're doing, like, excuse me,
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  are you lost? Can I help you find something?
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  Speaker 1: Oh? Ok You can.
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  Speaker 2: Often get a sense of their intent by how they react.
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  Speaker 1: So if they get like defensive or yeah, or.
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  Speaker 2: If they seem evasive or can't give you a straight answer,
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  that's a red flag.
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  Speaker 1: So when what like call the cops.
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  Speaker 2: Well, at least document the encounter, okay, and if it
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  seems really suspicious, then yeah, notify the authorities.
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  Speaker 1: Okay. So now we're getting into some techi stuf.
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  Speaker 2: All right, let's get technical.
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  Speaker 1: Flickering lights, electronics acting up, or your security cameras suddenly
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  going offline. I'd probably blame faulty.
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  Speaker 2: Wiring, That's what I would think too.
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  Speaker 1: But the excerpt says it could be burglars messing with stuff.
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  Speaker 2: Oh wow, really.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, they're testing your defenses, seeing what they can disable.
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  Speaker 2: So it's like a reconnaissance mission for them.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, like probing for weaknesses.
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  Speaker 2: Exactly.
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  Speaker 1: What should we do? Just hope our stuff doesn't fail
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  at the wrong time?
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  Speaker 2: Well, hoping isn't really a strategy, right, You need to
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  be proactive, you know, check your systems regularly, make sure
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  everything is working properly, like.
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  Speaker 1: The lights and the cameras and everything.
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  Speaker 2: Yep. And if you notice anything weird that you can't explain,
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  call an electrician.
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  Speaker 1: Okay.
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  Speaker 2: It's better to be safe than sorry, right, Yeah.
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  Speaker 1: And speaking of things that can be tricky to discern, Oh,
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  what's that? The excerpt goes on to talk about burglars
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  posing as workers, you know, plumbers, electricians, things like that.
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  Speaker 2: Oh yeah, like repairman.
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  Speaker 1: It makes sense people would let their guard down someone
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  looks official.
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  Speaker 2: Especially if they're expecting someone you.
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  Speaker 1: Know, right, like if you've called a plumber exactly, you're
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  not going to think twice about it.
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  Speaker 2: Nope. So they exploit that trust.
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  Speaker 1: So how can we outsmart them?
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  Speaker 2: Well, the excerpt says, always ask for ID okay, yeah,
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  and don't be afraid to verify.
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  Speaker 1: It, verify it, how call the company.
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  Speaker 2: Oh and if you have any doubts, don't let.
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  Speaker 1: Them in, like even if they have ideas.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, if something feels off, trust your gut.
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  Speaker 1: Okay. So it's good to remember that we have the
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  right to say no.
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  Speaker 2: Absolutely, you're in control of.
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  Speaker 1: Your own home, even if they seem legit.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, and if they get pushy or aggressive, that's a
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  huge red flag.
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  Speaker 1: Okay, Yeah, get out.
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  Speaker 2: Of there, close debor and call the police.
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  Speaker 1: Okay, So this one seems pretty obvious a sign that
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  someone's been snooping around damage.
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  Speaker 2: Your tampering, right, like scratches on locks, prim marks on windows.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, or tool marks on door frames.
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  Speaker 2: They're testing your security, seeing how easy it would be
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  to break in.
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  Speaker 1: So if they find a weak spot, they'll probably come
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  back and exploit it.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, it's like they're doing a vulner assessment.
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  Speaker 1: So it's not just about fixing the damage, it's about
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  understanding what it means, right, Like if someone's been trying
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  to pry open a window.
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  Speaker 2: Then you need to reinforce those.
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  Speaker 1: Windows, right like with security films.
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  Speaker 2: Exactly make it harder for them.
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  Speaker 1: Okay. This next one, the excerpt talks about an increase
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  in unfamiliar foot traffic in the neighborhood.
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  Speaker 2: Hm.
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  Speaker 1: This one seems a little subjective to me.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, how do you know what's normal?
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  Speaker 1: Right, especially if you live in a busy area.
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  Speaker 2: But the excerpt does make a good point if you
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  suddenly see a lot of new faces, Oh, especially if
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  they're hanging around with no clear purpose. They're not walking
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  your dog or going for a jog, okay, just loitering.
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  Speaker 1: So it could be harmless. But it's better to be
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  safe than sorry.
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  Speaker 2: Exactly. Pay attention and trust your instincts.
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  Speaker 1: So should we report them.
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  Speaker 2: Or Well, you can start by talking your neighbors. Oh okay,
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  see if they've noticed anything unusual too, And.
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  Speaker 1: If everyone's seeing the same thing.
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  Speaker 2: Then it might be worth reporting to the police.
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  Speaker 1: Okay. The excerpt also suggests outdoor security cameras.
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  Speaker 2: Oh yeah, those are great for monitoring activity.
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  Speaker 1: And deterring criminals.
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  Speaker 2: Exactly, they know they're being watched.
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  Speaker 1: Okay, speaking of unusual activity, this next one I found fascinating.
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  Oh like that paying attention to your pets, especially dogs.
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  Speaker 2: Oh yeah, dogs are great at sensing when something's wrong,
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  like how they bark excessively at odd hours. Okay, or
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  they might seem agitated or restless.
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  Speaker 1: So they're like our early warning system.
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  Speaker 2: Exactly, they can pick up on the things we might miss.
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  Speaker 1: So the excerpt suggests installing motion detecting lights or cameras in.
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  Speaker 2: The areas where your dog reacts.
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  Speaker 1: Oh okay, so you can see what's triggering.
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  Speaker 2: Them, right, and determine if it's a real threat or
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  just a score.
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  Speaker 1: Right. Oh okay, So we've covered a lot on recognizing
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  signs of burglar surveillance.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, we've talked about a lot of potential red flags.
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  Speaker 1: But the excerpt goes beyond just reacting to suspicious activity, right.
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  It also talks about long term strategies for making your
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  home less appealing to burglars.
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  Speaker 2: Oh yeah, like prevention.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, so they don't even think about targeting your house
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  in the first place.
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  Speaker 2: Exactly, make it too risky or too difficult for them.
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  Speaker 1: I'm all ears, What kind of long term strategies are
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  we talking about. So we've talked about you know, smart
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  homes and landscaping, even getting a dog, right, all sorts
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  of things. But technology is always changing.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, it moves so fast, and what.
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  Speaker 1: Was considered secure a few years ago might not be
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  good enough anymore.
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  Speaker 2: Exactly. That's why the excerpt emphasizes regularly reviewing and updating
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  your security measures.
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  Speaker 1: So what does that look like like? Should we be
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  calling a security expert every few months.
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  Speaker 2: No, it doesn't have to be that intense.
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  Speaker 1: Okay.
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  Speaker 2: Just take a walk around your property, okay, and assess
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  your current security, like what.
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  Speaker 1: Are my locks still sturdy?
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  Speaker 2: Yeah? And is the lighting adequate?
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  Speaker 1: Okay?
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  Speaker 2: Are there any overgrown bushes that need trimming?
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  Speaker 1: It's like a mini home security audit exactly.
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  Speaker 2: And as you're doing that, think about any changes in
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  your life. Oh okay that might require additional security, like what, well,
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  maybe you started working longer hours so your home is
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  empty for longer periods. Or maybe you bought some expensive jewelry.
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  Oh okay, that needs extra protection.
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  Speaker 1: So it's about adapting your security as needed.
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  Speaker 2: Exactly. It's not a one time thing. It's an ongoing process.
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  Speaker 1: And we can't forget about technology. New gadgets are always
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  coming out all the time. You need to stay informed.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, there are tons of resources online, reviews, workshops, even
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  security consultants. Oh wow, and don't underestimate word of mouth.
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  Talk to your neighbors, see what they're.
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  Speaker 1: Using Yeah, that's a good idea.
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  Speaker 2: What works in one neighborhood might not work in another
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  right because of the layout or the type of houses
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  or exactly. So local knowledge is key.
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  Speaker 1: Wow, we've covered a lot in this deep dive we have.
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  Speaker 2: It's amazing how much info was in that excerpt.
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  Speaker 1: From spotting surveillance to long term strategies.
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  Speaker 2: It really highlights the importance of knowledge.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, if we understand how burglars think, we can outsmart
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  them and keep our homes safe.
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  Speaker 2: Exactly make it as difficult as possible for them.
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  Speaker 1: So before we wrap up, I have a question for
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  our listeners. Okay, shoot, what's one small security upgrade you
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  can make today?
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, even a tiny change can make a difference.
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  Speaker 1: Maybe install a motion sensing.
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  Speaker 2: Light, or trim those overgrown bushes.
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  Speaker 1: Or even just get to know your neighbors better.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, that's a great one. Community awareness is so important.
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  Speaker 1: Absolutely, share your tips and experiences on social media.
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  Speaker 2: Let's keep this conversation going.
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  Speaker 1: Creating a safe community is a team effort.
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  Speaker 2: Absolutely, we're all in this together.
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  Speaker 1: Well said, Thanks for diving deep with us, and until
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  next time, stay safe out there.