via email:

There are bad people about. I make sure to make eye contact with every driver that comes into the court to turn around . . . think about that solider in PREDATOR . . . . 'I seeeeeee you'.

Interesting tips for sure. I am loving the Wasp spray thing (let them come around with their afternoon tea and their croquette mallets!).

THINGS YOUR BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU. Read all the
way to the end. You just might learn something
that will save your home from being burglarized.


I am particularly interested in the part about
the wasp spray...

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. 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 itathttp://www.faketv/.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 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. Parents: caution your kids
about this. You see this every day.

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 try the
door. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and walk
right in.

Sources: Convicted burglars in North Carolina ,
Oregon ,California , and Kentucky ; security
consultant Chris McGoey, who runs
Crime Doctor Website, Security Expert, Chris McGoey, security consultant, Premises Liability, Security Expert Witness, premises security expert, California, Arizona, Florida, Washington 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.


Protection for you and your home:
If you don't have a gun, here's a more humane
way to wreck someone's evil plans for you.

WASP SPRAY


A friend who is a receptionist in a church in a
high risk area was concerned about someone
coming into the office on Monday to rob them
when they were counting the collection. She
asked the local police department about using
pepper spray and they recommended to her that
she get a can of wasp spray instead.

The wasp spray, they told her, can shoot up to
twenty feet away and is a lot more accurate,
while with the pepper spray, they have to get
too close to you and could overpower you. The
wasp spray temporarily blinds an attacker until
they get to the hospital for an antidote. She
keeps a can on her desk in the office and it
doesn't attract attention from people like a can
of pepper spray would. She also keeps one nearby
at home for home protection... Thought this was
interesting and might be of use.


FROM ANOTHER SOURCE:

On the heels of a break-in and beating that left
an elderly woman in Toledo dead, self-defense
experts have a tip that could save your life.

Val Glinka teaches self-defense to students at
Sylvania SouthviewHigh School . For decades,
he's suggested putting a can of wasp and hornet
spray near your door or bed.
Glinka says, "This is better than anything I can
teach them."
Glinka considers it inexpensive, easy to find,
and more effective than mace or pepper spray.
The cans typically shoot 20 to 30 feet; so if
someone tries to break into your home, Glinka
says, "spray the culprit in the eyes". It's a
tip he's given to students for decades. It's
also one he wants everyone to hear. If you're
looking for protection, Glinka says look to the
spray.

"That's going to give you a chance to call the
police; maybe get out." Maybe even save a life.

Put your car keys beside your bed at night.
Tell your spouse, your children, your neighbors,
your parents, your Dr.'s office, the check-out
girl at the market, everyone you run across. Put
your car keys beside your bed at night.

If you hear a noise outside your home or someone
trying to get in your house, just press the
panic button for your car. The alarm will be set
off, and the horn will continue to sound until
either you turn it off or the car battery dies.
This tip came from a neighborhood watch
coordinator. Next time you come home for the
night and you start to put your keys away, think
of this: It's a security alarm system that you
probably already have and requires no
installation. Test it. It will go off from most
everywhere inside your house and will keep
honking until your battery runs down or until
you reset it with the button on the key fob
chain. It works if you park in your driveway or
garage. If your car alarm goes off when someone
is trying to break into your house, odds are the
burglar/rapist won't stick around. After a few
seconds all the neighbors will be looking out
their windows to see who is out there and sure
enough the criminal won't want that. And
remember to carry your keys while walking to
your car in a parking lot. The alarm can work
the same way there. This is something that
should really be shared with everyone. Maybe it
could save a life or a sexual abuse crime.

P.S.
I am sending this to everyone I know because I
think it is fantastic. Would also be useful for
any emergency, such as a heart attack, where you
can't reach a phone. My Mom has suggested to my
Dad that he carry his car keys with him in case
he falls outside and she doesn't hear him. He
can activate the car alarm and then she'll know
there's a problem.

Please pass this on even IF you've read it
before. It's a reminder.