Signs your being probed for break in or assault

I thought we might like a thread on how to tell if your being targeted...
I think we have enough Military Police and maybe even a few Felons to help build this list...

So I'll start it off... before my sister's house was broken into she received many hang up phone calls. they were checking to see if she was at home...
sure enough the first time she wasnt home to pick up---they broke in.

Many many times I've heard people say they saw a van or pick-up driving slow past their house, sometimes with lights on sometimes without. Prior to their break-in's. I would guess the unwritten rule there is, if your going to rob a place take a vehicle big enough to make off with the loot....

Growing up on a Ranch I was taught to look for tire tracks along the fence line. that was a tip off that cattle rustlers had been scoping out our herds. we'd move the cattle to a new pasture

Let me touch a bit on the pro's. Where I live the DEA has there own Helicopters. black they fly at night, no marker lights no sound and they use FLIR infrared and IR Thermal Imaging in short, they can see you but you wont see or hear them coming

My Marine Corps experiences taught me Guard/Barking dog/s are not much help. they would be targeted first and taken out quietly and from a distance.

SO now your turn what little signs do you know that might suggest your being probed?

Should know better than to always pick up the phone when home. Yeah, it is typical for a female to pick up the phone when it rings.

Might want to write down a description to the suspicious vehicle you see. For tire tracks, you might want to make a mold of the track or at least take a picture of it.

And when ppl knock on your door you dont know nor were expecting, dont answer it. Dont even tell the person to go away nor say "not interested" when you see them with something which suggests a selling attempt. I mean, that is how they slide under radar when you just think it's only about selling a service or a good. As if that means they mean no more.

And if a vehicle park in front with what look like somebody inside, go write down the plates. Trust me, if they stolen, then the person will more likely leave not knowing if you'll have them read by a detective. Plus, if it aint stolen, the person in it knows how it'll get back to them getting investigated if they were to break in.

And if you do go to write down a plate make sure you keep a weapon ready and a phone with you just in case the person comes out the vehicle to do you in.

Just my 1 cent.

[edit on 21-12-2008 by Mabus]

I never pick up the phone.

But better than dogs or any security like that is to leave something like captain crunch by doors or in front of windows if you suspect someone may break in.

If your home and it's quiet captain crunch, well, it crunches loudly when stepped on. If your not home and it's been stepped on you'll see it.

Just make sure to take the box with you when you leave. Or they can always vacuum it up and replace it.

Furthermore, if your phone is being bugged, you can find out with a general RF sweep, using a voltmeter and an antenna. The phone will likely "click", "stall", or "echo" when someone has a listening loop added to it.

I recommend buying the nicest IR scope and high-powered rifle that you can afford, to do your own counter reconnaissance. There are many tips online for converting standard camcorders to "see" in IR, as well as making IR flashlights.

Keep your local sheriff on speed dial. He doesn't like the feds in his jurisdiction, any more than you do. Keep your neighbors in the loop, they can be your eyes when you're not home.

Feel confident approaching ANY vehicle scoping our your scene, but as previously posted, have a camcorder, a gun, and several of your larger friends on hand, just in case things get ugly. Get a good picture of the perp from a distance for facial profiling. Get a set of prints, if you can (your local sheriff will run them for you). Get a good picture of the vehicle and its plates.

The most important thing to know is that you have the RIGHT to confront these people. You have the RIGHT to demand to know who they are, where they're from, who sent them, and what they want (and, if they don't answer these questions, you can citizen arrest them for harassment, trespassing, or illegal surveillance without a warrant).

We still have rights, even though most people are too stupid to elect a president willing to defend them. And, we are still a higher authority (and have a higher security clearance) than any government official, by law, as long as we are not law-breaking. But, as soon as they law-break, they lose ALL of their authority. Remember that! YOU have the right to be under arms, but THEY do NOT!

Rights, like muscles, must be stretched and then exercised to strengthen their power and resolve.

In rural areas the thieves will many times do a walk around the property looking for ways to break in and what tools they will need, bolt cutters. drill ETC
They will also look for alarm systems alarm sensors on windows doors where to cut phone lines.
Many of this type were professional thieves.
thieves on drugs you could never plan for they would just hit places without warning and in most cases were in and out within minutes.

For both types i installed a trap.
a can of bear repelant pepper spray with a rat trap to trigger the can and empty it into the building.

This stopped the thieves from taking much and was safe to use.
in rural areas the cops will stake out a property for a few days before slipping in and some are so trained that you will never know they were there.

Yes in some parts of the US cops do searches without warrants this way.
if they don't find anything you will never know they have been there.

If they find something they will find a way to get a warrant and come back and kick the door down.

One trick i have found that someone is doing is to shoot a window on building with a BB gun and stick a wire in to move curtains or blinds out of the way to see what is inside.
This also will set off some alarms systems and warn the intruder with out them getting caught.

if no alarm goes off and they see something they want they will be back.

another trick is to set off alarms a few times each night till the owner turns the system off because of the false alarms.
then they hit the building.
you find this in areas where the cops charge a fee/fine for responding to false alarms.
have a backup setting for the system the instead if calling the cops calls your cell phone.

Rose bushes next to windows ,any plant with thorns are a deturrent.Have a guy with a deep voice make your messege on your answer machine.A sigh that says beware pets snakes on the premise makes them think twice about breaking in, A chiar under the doorknob works to , and a bottle on the door knob ballenced to fall if anybody turns it. If they want in they will get in.Once there in ,shoot them in the reproductive organs ,cause most guns when shot kicks and you hit high,. Gut shot and they bend over with pain. They dont reproduce when they dont have the orgens to do it. Nieghber hood watch .Make friends with the cop that pratols your street .You want the cops on your side. take care

I disagree with you OP, I think dogs are a good idea.

I have 3. They are little and woudln't be much good in a fight, but I know when anyone gets near my house.

I have heard that lights, of course, are a good way to deter would-be theives.

I have also heard that big bushes next to the house is a bad idea, as they can use this for cover.

Then they say use only your last name or initials on the mailbox and in the phone book if you are female.

When I was living in an appartment I had the kind of window that slid from side to side. My roomate and I put peices of wood along the bottom of the window so they could not be opened. It would not have stopped the window from being broken but would have stopped anyone from opening the window.

I think it goes without saying, don't leave anything attractive in view of the house or in your car.


But ultimately, there is no defence like a shotgun.

[edit on 21-12-2008 by asmeone2]

around the whole house, landscape with river rock (at night you can hear foot steps in it better than soft grass) rose bushes are good right under low windows, there not thick enough for cover and the thorns are natural barbwire. key locked window latches are at lowes. there's this new stuff out- it's a window film you spread on glass like tint, but holds the glass together in case it's broken. you can also get these little alarms that clamp over a door knob, if someone just "trys" the knob to see if it's locked they go off. motion senser flood lights are a must.

or set up your own seveilance, if anyone deer hunts you know about motion senser game cameras, those work great around the house too. they come with saftey cable to lock'em to a tree so nobody steals them, well those cables work great on the posts of my back deck too.

They will also just door knock and ask if "insert name" lives hear, if you answer they just apologise and say they must have been given the wrong address.

They'll sit in their car, either van or station wagon and watch a street, not just a house.

Pet's get taken out a week or so before they hit.

I have heard of thieves using expanding foam that you cn get easliy from hardware stores to silence outdoor alarms. They still have the issue of security companies coming but these can take a while to respond and they would probably have set off the alarms previously to see response times.

I'd say get to know your neighbours, in some cases this works. Currently I watch over my neighbours house when they are on holidays but for some people their neighbours are the problem. They see you go out and then hit your place.

A few little tips that I do.

Make friends with your neighbours.

Make the house look like someones at home. Don't close off everything and have all the lights off.

Leave the television on loud so that they're not sure if your in there or not.

Have a Home Invasion Plan. Have a code word that I shout and my wife will go for the kids , baricade themselves and contact police while I deal with the intruder/s. Our house is defensively set up to allow for this.

This tip is out there but it's has its merits.

When I leave the house with my family we all make a show of waving good bye to the house (or the person inside). Anyone watching us leave thinks someones at home.

That' all I have at th moment.

Are you a 'cat person'?

Criminals and assault teams like easy targets so they can get in and out quickly. Messing with a dog isn't exactly easy. Driving home the point: Randy Weaver was alerted to the Fed raid thanks to his dogs -especially when the Feds tried to test the dogs by throwing rocks at the cabin to see where they were.

The SWAT team in PG County were scared enough of two black labs to open fire when they botched a drug raid against the Berwyn Heights mayor.

In fact, if it were easy for dogs to be taken down the military and police wouldn't use them. They've been used since before Alexander the Great through today. 2500 years of the same versatile weapon in inventory speaks volumes. The horse dropped out 50 years ago, the dog remains.

Spend the $$$ for a Schutzhund if you're serious about home security. Our four legged friends can't be beat.

I dont worry about break ins ...sometimes its good to give to the needy....but why do they always take the good stuff...i worry more about nazi moderators than people trying to break into my house...i just leave the doors unlocked you should try it and see how it throws them off....

Originally posted by DaddyBare
So I'll start it off... before my sister's house was broken into she received many hang up phone calls. they were checking to see if she was at home...
sure enough the first time she wasnt home to pick up---they broke in.

Best to invite a handful of good friends over, park all cars elsewhere, and wait for them to ring again. When they do, don't answer it. Lock all windows and doors, except for the back door.

Then they will come and knock at the front door. Again, don't answer it. They will then check all windows and doors for the easiest entry, which will be the unlocked back door.

A well set up ambush using the element of suprise does wonders.

Of course, you have to consider that they may well be armed. So make sure everyone involved is armed too. But you can put a quick end to this behaviour if you plan it well.

Get caller id. and if you get hang up phone calls record the number.
one thief in my area got caught because he used his home phone to check if people were home.

One of the people that was broke into had recorded the phone number of the phone calls to there home and the cops checked one of the numbers and found a well known drug user and burglar that lived at the home where the phone call had come from.

They payed him a visit.

He now has a new address.

Also if you use a answering machine don't use your name or address on it.
this just tells them they got the right address.

[edit on 21-12-2008 by ANNED]

[edit on 21-12-2008 by ANNED]

Originally posted by DaddyBare
My Marine Corps experiences taught me Guard/Barking dog/s are not much help. they would be targeted first and taken out quietly and from a distance.

My army experience taught me you are only partially right. A barking dog is and will be taken out quickly. A dog who is trained to silently alert will not. You should have said a barking dog is not much help but that in itself is not completely accurate.

If were talking the average thief here there not the brightest or most resourceful lot. it requires too much energy to go after a dog and most thief's are lazy as well. There are plenty of houses on the very same block who do not have dogs.

If were talking about the career criminal who happens to have a brain there really isn't much you can do to keep them out.

Of course no disrespect is meant here this is just my opinion based on my experience which as it would seem differs from yours.

Good points everyone. I'm taking notes.

In my area, the thieves tend to not be professionals. It's either "kids" or drugged people. Either will come up against the working end of a shotgun if they come in while I'm there.

Originally posted by asmeone2
I disagree with you OP, I think dogs are a good idea.

I have 3. They are little and woudln't be much good in a fight, but I know when anyone gets near my house.

My view on this is if I was going to break into someplace and staked it out to find there are dogs, the dogs wouldn't be around much longer. Everyone knows that a dog can be a threat, so prior to entering, take out the threat. They are probably out of your sight at some point and that's when they would be fed some treats laced with poison. Either it kills the dog, or you are busy rushing them to the vet, leaving the house empty.

If you have something someone wants... they're gonna try and get it. If they have to kill your dog to do it, they will, if they have to overcome a high tech alarm system, they will. It's kinaa like a buddy of mine once said; "I always leave my car unlocked and no their is going to break in, even though my wallet's under the seat.

He was right. But then again, having a 1987 Honda doesn't hurt either.

reply to post by angryamerican


yeah, i think the type of dog you select could make the difference. if you just had any dog in the back yard that yapped at any noise then it would mysteriously be poisoned a few days before the break in. put an indoor dog the only went off on large movement right outside the windows or doors would work better. or...how about a dog that does not bark at all but just runs up and takes your leg off. i worked with a guy who bread bull mastiffs for police work, they were well trained and huge. very playfull and fun if you were a friend, but if they took you as a threat and you were on their turf they would silently run up behind you and ripe you in half.

Great topic for a thread!!

Definitely a good idea to be proactive and know what tell tale signs to look for.

The scenario's here are vastly different depending upon what you are safe guarding against. Whether it be a run of the mill B&E or if you are thinking that someone may be trying to harm/kill/rape you.

My major disagreement with a few posts here - dogs.

A large, loud barking dog is the best home defense that you can have against a burglar or intruder. Let's just say I have traveled in a few bad circles in my day and I know one common theme.....a burglar is looking to make a quick and easy score.

They are going to skip right over the homes with dogs, one because they know they stand a great chance of being detected when a dog alerts everyone within ear shot. The second reason obviously is that nobody wants to deal with a 100 lb Rottweiler and risk being bitten or mauled. Burglars are looking for the easy score, they dont care so much about alarms or ADT or any of that business, but a large angry dog isnt worth messing with 9 of 10 times.

Same goes with a rapist...not worth it to them to take on a vicious or loud canine when they dont need to. If they are seeking out victims at random they will simply move on to the next prospect. Sort of like a mugger will go for the old or slow or physically weak as opposed to trying to rob a big hulking capable man. They want the easiest mark available.

On the second scenario...if someone is specifically targeting YOU for a murder or assault then odds are they may take the time to neutralize an animal. A run of the mill burglar/attacker isnt going to bother. In this instance your best bet is video surveilance followed up by a large dog AND easy access to a fire arm.

Also file a police report for two reasons...one so they can help with surveilance and investigation, but also in the event you have to kill or seriously injure someone in or near your home the police already have a file and are abreast of the situation.

This is the time of year for home invasions/burlaries. Especially if they can see a christmas tree w lights thru your window (ie, new gifts of potential value all in one concentrated place). We have a long driveway and a year ago almost to the day I came home late (10pm) and noticed a Hummer H2 backed into the easement between the road and our driveway facing at an angle directly towards our house. The first thing I noticed was that the vehicle (backed in) had no front license plates (suv's can often get away w no rear plate if they tow things). I got out to investigate and could not see inside the vehicle due to the extra dark windows. I did notice a flashing red light on the dash tho which I presumed to be an armed security system light. Then I walked around noticed no rear plate either. I went inside the house and asked my wife if she knew anything about the big Hummer parked in our driveway and she called the police. Well by the time they arrived he was gone but given the red dash light he (or they) were out of the vehicle. Either they were planning a home invasion right then and there and gave it up when I came home (which makes me wonder if they knew that I, man of the house, was gone) or they were doing recon for a later breakin. But this was 3 or 4 days before Christmas. The next morning I went down to get the paper and checked out the large tire tracks (he backed into an area that was muddy but froze overnight)...looking around I noticed a large pair of boot prints leaving from where the H2 was parked (est size 15~). Several weeks later I noticed a similar (grey w roof rack) parked on a parallel st about .50 mi fr our house. I drove in that area and by the house and noticed (backed in his driveway) that it still had no fr plates. I noted the street address and gave it to my wife who looked it up to see who the property (via prop tax) was registered to. She gave me the name and I googled it - in the meantime she provided the local police w his name and we both found the individual. A 6'9", 245# former power fwd for a minor league BB team that was 26 yrs old. I found his name on a 2006 BB roster and the police found it via the DMV database I suppose. I guess he was out of work and trying to maintain his lifestyle. He was never arrested tho but we do know who he is....I have seen him several times since (driving by or in his back yard)....big white guy w a buzz cut.

Re dogs: My dad was a Battalion Commander (LTC) in Vietnam and swears by dogs. He was on a firebase and one night the dog (german shepherd) smelled someone out of the ordinary and started barking and they discovered a VC trying to sneak in thru the barbwire headed for the Command HQ bunker w a satchel bomb. Good dog (GS):dead cong (VC).

The best way to combat a potential burglar is to think like one...what would YOU do to determine whether a property is a safe-breakin?

One way that i'd case target properties where I live would be by pretending to be a junkmail-flyer poster.

My local area is a mix of student shared housing and families, and has a fair number of takeaway establishments that regularly send flyering teams door-to-door to post menus and special offer coupons.

I'd simply buy a takeaway from a random eatery, and swipe a stack of menus whilst the counter staff were busy, and then use them as a cover to post door-to-door, allowing me a plausible reason to walk right up to houses of interest on a given street and make observation notes for later use