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This puts the “con” in “recon.”
Not all break-in artists are as obvious as the Big Bad Wolf. Veteran crime reporter Lori Fullbright divulged the surprisingly common phrases burglars use while scoping your house — and what actions to take if someone knocks and says them.
She spilled the beans in a video with over 400,000 views on TikTok.
According to Fullbright, who has spent over 30 years covering crime for Oklahoma’s News on 6, bad actors will initially knock on the target’s door to see if they’re home before breaking in.
When this happens, don’t go quiet and pretend you’re not there, as they’ll take it as sign the house is empty and kick in the door, per the journo. In addition, never open the door to “anyone you don’t know personally” because this could endanger the homeowner.
Instead, Fullbright advises talking through the door to let prospective home invaders know the “house is not empty” while staying out of harm’s way.
Unfortunately, this will likely prompt the robber to revert to Plan B — say something that’ll trick the homeowner to open the door so they can evaluate the property or force their way inside.
One commonly used phrase? Asking if someone random who you don’t know is there. Fullbright says that the right response is to inform the burglar that there is no one with that name present and tell them to “move along.”
The crime correspondent said that she would even go one step further and “call 911 right then” to inform them that there’s a “guy prowling around the neighborhood asking for someone who doesn’t live there.”
Another frequent scouting tactic these wolves-in-civilian’s clothing often deploy is to pretend that they’re looking for their lost dog. In response, the homeowner should call them out, per Fullbright.
“No you haven’t, you are knocking on doors trying to see if someone’s home so that if they are not, you can kick the door and break in and steal their stuff,” the news anchor said. “Haven’t seen your dog, move along.”
Lastly, Fullbright revealed that these re-con artists will masquerade as a mover and claim they’re trying to locate the client’s address. She says this cover story is easy to see through as there’s usually no “moving truck outside, adding that in general homeowners should be “very leery of someone who wants to draw you outside.”
“They have to have a story ready if you end up talking through the door,” explained the burglary buff. “The vast majority of these burglars want an empty house.”
In fact, contrary to movie depictions of robbers breaking and entering at midnight, the vast majority of crooks that she has talked to over the years like to hit Monday through Friday, around 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., because they think that no one will be home.
Fulbright said that Ring cameras are useful because they allow the homeowner to answer the door even when they’re not home.
Viewers seemed to agree with Fulbright’s advice. “Ring cameras have been one of the best investments I’ve made,” said one fan.
Another wrote, “I guess it’s a good thing I always leave my TV on.”
“My dogs do all the talking,” said a third.
