Ex-burglars explain New Year's Eve robbing strategies and what they look for
30.12.2022 - 18:53
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
Hogmanay is a hopeful time, full of promises and possibility of what the new year will bring, but for criminals, it's prime time for burgling.
As we ring the bells with friends and family, the night is rife with opportunity. Plenty of houses will sit empty on Hogmanay, but that doesn't mean households can't take extra steps to protect their home.
Fortunately, Anthony Neary, the managing director of security retailer, safe.co.uk, has spoken to former convicts to reveal what the key signs are that draw a burglar to a home, plus advice for protecting your abode when you're out this Hogmanay.
After visiting a house previously, a burglar states that it is likely they will strike there again: "Burglars come back to the same houses quite often."
He explained: "They do this because of a number of motives. It's guaranteed that the people they robbed replaced the items they stole the first time, and often these replacements are of better quality than the original."
To which Anthony added: "Thieves know the layout of a house they have previously burgled so will use this knowledge to their advantage, and at New Year this can lead them to escape with lots of valuables in a streamlined and clinical robbery. For anyone that has been a victim, make sure that there is added security in place such as CCTV and burglar alarms."
"I used Facebook to see when people would be away, you won't believe how many post on social media about visiting family for a few days," shared an ex-burglar.
Anthony states that social media can be a bane for anyone that is away, adding: "When celebrating New Year and visiting friends or family, don't advertise that your house is unoccupied
"Post pictures of the big event once you have returned or a burglar will have