THE HOLIDAY HOUSE-BREAKER.

Otago Witness, Issue 3899, 4 December 1928, Page 71

THE HOLIDAY HOUSE-BREAKER.

By an Ex-official of New Scotland Yard. It is always a mystery to me that the householder, who omits no precaution against the burglar during 11 months of the year when he is on the spot to defend his property, will often go away for a few weeks to the seaside with a light heart"'leaving his house at the mercy of anyone who takes a little trouble to explore it. If he is inclined to be cautious, he probably leaves a servant or two behind, or puts a caretaker in, and seldom gives the house a thought until, perhaps, he receives an urgent summons home, to find that some of his most treasured possessions have taken wings. More often than not, servants and caretakers are a source of danger rather than a protection. They have not the same interest in taking care of the property entrusted to them as the owner has, and are thus easily imposed on. It is excellent advice to warn such guardians against the pedlar, the hawker, the flower-seller, oldclothes man, and similar gentry, including the man who calls to inquire after “Mr Smith” or “Mr Jones”; for often they are spies for burglars, and are likely to be followed by a night visit from their employers. Other men to beware of arc the bogus detective and the plumber or gas man. The former gentleman will call with a plausible story that, as there have been several burglaries in the district, he has been sent to see that the house (among others) is secure against entry. He is allowed to examine every window and door fastening (and incidentally a great many other useful things besides) ; and when he leaves with an assurance that all is quite right, he is primed with all the information necessary for a successful burglary a night or so later. The method of the gas man or plumber is, of course, similar. On his round of examination he naturally has a keen eye for points of entry, the arrangement of rooms, and so on; and is thus able to make the path of his employer, the gentle burglar, quite simple.

There is no limit to the impudence of the holiday housebreaker. I have known many cases in which houses have been stripped to the very floor-boards; everything, down to the linoleum, carried away in pantechnicons under the very nose of the neighbours and police. In some of these cases the unlicensed “ removers ” have produced to an inquisitive neighbour or policeman a letter signed by the tenant (a forged signature) ordering the removal and giving a plausible ground for it. In one case a party of “ removers ” did the thing so thoroughly that, after stripping the place, they put up a notice in the window, “ This house to let.” . Now, of course, this kind of thing ought to be impossible, and it can easily be made so by taking a few commonsense precautions. Here are a few golden rules which householders will be wise to follow: Advise the nearest police station that the house will be unoccupied for such and such a period, giving the dates. Arrange with a neighbour to look in two or three times a week to see that all is right; and ask him to keep an eye on pedlars and people of that sort, and especially on pantechnicons. Remove all plate and jewellery to some safe place of custody—a friend’s house, a bank, or a safe-deposit. Leave all cupboards, sideboards, wardrobes, drawers, etc., unlocked; because their fastenings offer no obstacle to the burglar, once he is in the house; and very often ’ "his jemmy can do many pounds’ worth of damage in a few seconds in forcing them. See that all.doors and windows are made as secure as possible, more especially those at the back of the house; and remember that there is no window-fastener to compare with a thumb-screw. The best protection of all, however, is the policeman, who will spare no pains, and is a master of ingenious devices, to safeguard a house left in his custody. But, of course,' there is no such thing as absolute security against the holiday house-breaker or burglar; and the wise man is he who adds to these precautions that of insuring himself against loss. He can then depart for his holidays without a disturbing 1 thought of the house he has left behind him. —Glasgow Weekly Herald.