what your burglar won't tell you

Subject: THINGS YOUR BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU

THIRTEEN THINGS YOUR BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU:

1. Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.

2. Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier.

3. Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste ... and taste means there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they have.

4. Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway. And I might leave a pizza flyer on your front door knob to see how long it takes you to remove it.

5. If it snows while you're out of town, get a neighbor to create car and foot tracks into the house. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway you're not home.

6. If decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don't let your alarm company install the control pad where I can see if it's set. That makes it too easy.

7. A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the windows on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom - and your jewelry. It's not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there too.

8. It's raining, you're fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door-understandable. But understand this: I don't take a day off because of bad weather.

9. I always knock first. If you answer, I'll ask for directions somewhere or offer to clean your gutters. (Don't take me up on it.)

10. Do you really think I won't look in your sock drawer? I always check dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet.

11. Here's a helpful hint: I almost never go into kids' rooms.

12. You're right: I won't have enough time to break into that safe where you keep your valuables. But if it's not bolted down, I'll take it with me.

13. A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system. If you're reluctant to leave your TV on while you're out of town, you can buy a $35 device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering glow of a real television. (Find it atfaketv.com.)


8 MORE THINGS A BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU:

1. Sometimes, I carry a clipboard. Sometimes, I dress like a lawn guy and carry a rake. I do my best to never, ever, look like a crook.

2. The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbors.

3. I'll break a window to get in, even if it makes a little noise. If your neighbor hears one loud sound, he'll stop what he's doing and wait to hear it again.
If he doesn't hear it again, he'll just go back to what he was doing. It's human nature.

4. I'm not complaining, but why would you pay all that money for a fancy alarm system and leave your house without setting it?

5. I love looking in your windows. I'm looking for signs that you're not home, and for flat screen TVs, or gaming systems I'd like. I'll drive or walk through your neighborhood at night, before you close the blinds, just to pick my targets.

6. Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page. It's easier than you think to look up your address.

7. To you, leaving that window open just a crack during the day is a way to let in a little fresh air. To me, it's an invitation.

8. If you don't answer when I knock, I'll try the door. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and walk right in.

Sources: Convicted burglars in North Carolina , Oregon , California , andKentucky ; security consultant Chris McGoey, who runs crimedoctor.com; and Richard T. Wright, a criminology professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, who interviewed 105 burglars for his book Burglars on the Job.

[from Donda Spiker forwarded by Donna, 11/15/09]

white lithium grease

Dr. Yee recommends white lithium grease for battery corrosion.

I thought he was talking about those Sylvania Motion-Activated Safety Lights that he recommended I buy from Amazon (?)

But maybe they might work on the flourescent tubes that don't go on in rainy weather. Gary tried to get them to work by sandpapering the connection, but they don't seem to work any better.

Funny though that the lights nearer to the back of the house work almost all the time.

Or maybe just buy new lights.

mylocalcrime

is a website which displays recent crimes in your area. Not sure where the data comes from.

everyday items to the rescue

If you don't have any silver poish handy and need to shine silverware or jewelry, toothpaste will work well. Use a very soft brush or cloth, and rinse thoroughly. This will work on other metals like copper and gold as well.

Use rubbing alcohol to clean your phone. For the small areas, use a cotton swap. For the larger areas, use a paper towel or cloth. The alcohol will tidy up the phone and kill germs at the same time.

Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of broken glass you can't easily see.

Two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional pain relievers.

To remove a splinter, just pour a drop of Elmer's Glue-All on it, let dry, and peel the dry glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue.

-- Island News, Volume 2, Issue 3 (from Island Realtors)