BEWARE
THE LISTENERS - by Carla Base
Beware of the neighbor, friend, acquaintance,
coworker. Don’t suspect everyone, but know that you do not want to give out
personal information. In every group of six people, it has been estimated that
there is a shoplifter among them. Worse, there are hoards of drug users gone
desperate. There are listeners and blabbermouths. Some people do both. There
are some people who sit in the background, grin and pretend to be a part of it
all at work, but say very little of their personal lives and their homes. They
do not divulge their activities or the places they frequent. Others tell all.
You know what sports their children play and when the games are. Warning! Some
neighbors know when your vacation is and just how far away you are going and
how long that trip takes. Beware! Some know who will be watching your house and
can watch THEM and once they are gone, strike! Some know you have an alarm
system and some know the layout of your very home, like a neighbor with a
similar layout. Most builders build two or three bedroom houses in predictable
sections for example. Some have upstairs bedrooms exclusively. Most everyone
stores the goodies in that bedroom and we all know it. Our personal treasures,
a gun, jewelry and mementos…and that is why thieves have their simple system of
posting a downstairs person to whom they drop down the goodies to and run with
them. Ranch houses generally have some low lying windows, basements to break
into and move upstairs into the home, or a predictable layout. Homes that are
modern or updated to be more modern have many windows and an open look and
feeling, and living rooms communicate a view from the kitchen. But when it
comes time to hide or avoid the gaze of a person trying to enter your home,
this is a disadvantage. Plaster walls and older wood construction often
outweighs the light woods and airy rooms and tall windows present in a modern
home. All however, can be protected, but all things must be assessed and planned for. Be careful what you say and to
whom. Know when you go on vacation just who knows and who doesn’t. Ask those
who do, not to mention the fact. Leave co-workers thinking you will be doing
home repairs or getting an alarm system while you are not at work, and that you
will be home! Have cars come and g and
garbage cans go in and out with real trash in them and have mail picked up. It
has been known that garbage collectors earn cash from thieves to inform on
people without any garbage or who don’t put out their cans.Now let’s think of
another type of breach. Do you think for a moment your best friend is going to
tell you everything about her daughter and her drug problem? Nope. She is
ashamed and should be. She doesn’t want you to be afraid or alarmed or think
less of her child or of her and her husband. It could be your friend or a
relative. They don’t want to drag you into their affairs or they don’t want to
get a bad name themselves. But what it does instead is to set you up
unknowingly. That child of your friend or cousin has grown up now. Maybe they
are still at home, maybe not. They are thinking hard of anyone they can, who
may have money or jewelry. They think of you because you used to come over
often. You babysat them, loved them, are their Godparents. But now you never
see them anymore, they are grown. If they should show up at your door, don’t
answer. Often young people who are addicted to drugs can be ruthless. They
recall an aunt and uncle who had means, they remember a friend that fell off
the radar. They always admired your cars, your house, your jewelry. Beware! Now
they are desperate and you don’t even know that they have become incarcerated
several times. They are addicted and they know a lot about you more than the
common thief, and have been inside your home, know the layout and your habits
and even may know your dog’s name. Think before you speak and give out too much
information. Be alert to who enters your house and don’t brag about your new
computer. Know what is going on with people’s families. Defend yourself from
people you know.
