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 in your  front door 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.
 
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. 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 at faketv.com)
 

14. 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.

15.  The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy  neighbors.
 
16. 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.

17. I'm not complaining, but why would you pay all that money for a fancy 
alarm system and leave your house without setting it?
 
18. I love looking in your windows. I'm looking for signs that you're 
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.
 
19. Avoid announcing  your vacation on your Facebook page. It's easier than
you think to  look up your address.

20. 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.
 
21. If you don't  answer when I knock, I try the door. Occasionally, I hit
the  jackpot and walk right in. 
 
Sources: Convicted burglars in North Carolina, Oregon,  California, 
Kentucky,  security consultant  Chris McGoey, who runs crimedoctor.com

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