8 Signs Your House Is Just Waiting to Be Robbed

By Jennifer O'Neill

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The FBI reports that a home in the U.S. is burglarized every 15 seconds. And it's the little things that might be tipping them off. "The majority of thieves are impulsive and don't look much beyond the opportunities that they see," says Joseph B. Kuhns, Ph.D., professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and author of the 2013 study, Understanding Decisions to Burglarize, from the Offender's Perspective.

Sure, you may have a neighbor pick up your mail or set your lights on a timer — but there are other indicators that give away that your home is vacant or that you've got vulnerable spots.

1. Trash barrels are out — days before pickup.

If your cans are out on Thursday and trash day is Monday, that tells burglars that you're gone for the weekend, according to home security and loss prevention consultant Chris E. McGoey. Also be wary of leaving boxes from that new flat-screen TV or gaming system at the curb — they make the home seem like a more enticing prospect. Plus, they reveal that you have money to spend and perhaps other expensive items in the home.

2. You've got a lot of big bushes.

Entrances shielded by trees and shrubs or that tall privacy fence could provide burglars with the cover they need to fiddle with a lock or force open a door. And according to the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors (NACHI), thieves don't shy away from the main approach: 81% enter through the first floor — 34% right through the front door. Burglars can also hide in tall bushes. "If you have to have them," says Kuhns, "pick a thorny version."

Overgrown grass also suggests that you might be away, or that you're a negligent homeowner more likely to to have faulty windows or doors.

Read more at:  8 Signs Your House Is Just Waiting to Be Robbed

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