This content was developed and published by Hillsborough County, 2009.

• Of course I look familiar… I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your refrigerator.
• 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.
• Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste, which means you’ll have nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they have inside.
• 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.
• 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.
• A good security company alarms the window over the sink. Windows on the second floor should also have alarms on them, which often access the master bedroom and your jewelry. It’s not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there too.
• If it’s raining, you’re fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door – understandable. But understand that I don’t take a day off because of bad weather.
• I always knock first. If you answer, I’ll ask for directions somewhere or offer to clean your gutters, but don’t take me up on it.
• Do you really think I won’t look in your sock drawer? I always check dresser drawers, bedside table, freezer, and the medicine cabinet.
• 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.
• The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbors!
• 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.
• I’m not complaining, but why would you pay all that money for a fancy alarm system and leave your house without setting it?
• I love looking in windows. I’m looking for signs that you’re home, and for flat screen televisions or gaming systems I’d like. I’ll drive or walk through your neighborhood at night. You’re a target if you don’t close your blinds.
• Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page. It’s easier than you’d think to search your address.
• 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.
• If you don’t answer when I knock, I try the door. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and walk right in.
• 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.
• A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system.