Team DailyPedia
Akyat-bahay gangs are sneaky. They are opportunists. One careless move from your end, these scumbags will be inside your house in no time and looting all your valuables.
We found this article from a Microsoft website about dirty secrets of burglars (robbers) that they don’t want you to know. We think some of these may be relevant to Pinoys, too. So let’s enumerate a few of them. Who knows, one of these will save you from notorious akyat-bahay gangs who might be already stalking your house by now.
Image from Philstar.com
- Akyat bahay knows when there are no people inside a house like when residents are out-of-town, gone shopping, etc… So make sure that you leave your house lights on. Also, you can ask nicely your trusted neighbor to keep a close watch. Or have somebody to house-sit while you are away.
- A messy yard tells these culprits that you are a lazy and careless homeowner. They profile you as a person who doesn’t care much about home security with this clue. Also, it’s a bad idea to have tall bushes and trees next to the windows for robbers can use it to climb and crawl inside your house via these windows.
- CCTV cameras have proven their worth. They record evidence and also ward off potential robbers. Here’s what the experts suggest. Fix one obvious camera in front of your house, one that stares across the streets. This will warn robbers that owners are alert with these cameras.
- Make sure that you have enough lights inside and outside your house. Robbers love darkness. If you have the budget, install lights activated by motion sensors at the entrances. Robbers are scared of being suddenly lighted upon.
- Always lock your doors when running quick errands. They can make “salisi” inside your house even when you’re out for just a few minutes.
- Robbers hate big guard dogs and you don’t need to buy pricey ones to do this. Outsmart akyat-bahay by setting up a large dog bowl, a make-shift doghouse and a “Mag-ingat Sa Aso” sign.
- Don’t chat up with strangers. Much better, never let anyone inside your house if you feel suspicious. Sometimes they survey the place and its owners by pretending to be delivery guys, repairmen or vendors. If you happen to let them in and asks to use your bathroom, don’t let them. Give an excuse. According to experts, robbers often use this method to unlock or disable windows for easy access later.
- If you have huge windows, especially glass ones, it will be easier for robbers to pry inside and see your pricey items inside your house. Make sure that you don’t put these valuables behind these windows like they’re up for grabs.
- Secure all entry points to your house. Make sure you know all the entry points especially from the back yard. Lock them well if they’re not being used that often unlike the front door. Also, take note of that window above the kitchen sink and the second floor windows. Akyat-bahay usually sneaks from there.
- Did you buy a new flat screen TV? Just a tip, don’t just dump its carton box outside your house, for pick up by garbage men the next day. Obviously, it gives robbers a sweet hint that you have a new branded TV. Find a way to make it not look as an eye candy for them — cover it, tear it up, fold it really small and put it in a garbage bag, etc…
- Don’t store your pricey stuff in obvious places to hide valuables. Hide them in the least expected places. Figure it out yourself since you know your house best.
- Be careful with social media. Don’t post your valuables, your new purchases, you planned out-of-town trips and the like. You never know, robbers might be already stalking you online.
- Secure your ladders and tools. When these scumbags attack, they might use your tools that you left unattended in your yard.
Keep safe everyone!
Source: MSN
