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POLICE LOOKING TO educate the public about ways to prevent break-ins turned to the experts — a trio of convicted burglars.
The Columbus Police Department recruited the inmates with the help of the state prisons agency and produced a YouTube video in which the offenders share their how-to tips. Most of the suggestions are common-sense warnings about locking up, keeping blinds drawn and not storing valuables in cars.
A few recommendations stand out for originality: “Sometimes set it off so people know it’s there. Don’t just buy it and never set it off.” That’s William Coffman, of Franklin County, serving time for burglary and aggravated robbery, on advertising that your home alarm system works.
Or Hardin County burglar Joel Hamlin on the importance of putting valuables in a wall safe, not a small portable safe:
“Little safes? You can easily just grab that and take it on out,” he said.
Or Adam Taylor, of Hamilton County, on why the elderly are often targeted: It’s easier “to burglarise them and get away with it”.
Columbus police and the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction filmed the inmates last year, put the pieces together over the past few months and recently posted the two-part, 24-minute video, called “From the Big House to Your House”.
Police Cmdr. Bob Meader likens the impact to a child tuning out advice from a parent but heeding the same tips from a teacher or coach.
“For the police to say, ‘Lock your doors, keep your garage door shut, leave the lights on on your porch,’ is one thing,” Meader said.
When you’re hearing it from somebody that actually did it for a living? I think it adds some validity to it.
Criminals-turned-anti-crime consultants aren’t new. In 1985, reformed burglar Ray Johnson published Ray Johnson’s Total Security: How You can Protect Yourself Against Crime.
In 2002, the Leonardo DiCaprio movie Catch Me If You Can told the real-life story of check forger Frank Abagnale Jr., who impersonated an airline pilot, a doctor and a lawyer before going to prison and then becoming an FBI consultant.
In the case of the three Ohio burglars, they agreed to cooperate in exchange for a letter to the parole board from Columbus police about their participation.
The exercise seemed to help the men process the impact they had on their communities, said Officer Norm Russell, who came up with the idea.
Hardin County prosecutor Bradford Bailey recalled Hamlin as a brazen addict who broke into wealthy people’s homes in broad daylight. Charging documents from the day Hamlin was arrested describe him going house to house in February 2006 before fleeing from officers, tossing a bag into a river and throwing away other items as he ran.
Bailey isn’t bothered by Hamlin’s role in the video.
“We’ll take any tips from the good guys, or we’ll take them from the bad guys,” Bailey said.
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How about instead of convicts telling me how not to get robbed we make robbery a more severely punished crime
And educate these fools not to rob in the first place.
An open fly window on a house is a sure sign that the owner is security lax and will be an invitation to a burglar, remember burglars are intelligent people their similar to military intelligence officers, as they move through a neighbourhood they note everything about every potential target house, it’s very rare for a burglar to get caught in the act so cute are they at the job and it’s even rarer for the police to nail them, a good tip when going to bed or leaving the house is to lock the door leading from the kitchen area as burglars usually enter from the back that way they will only get as far as the kitchen.
A person I know used to lock all her internal doors as she worked in dublin during the week. They broke open every single door in the house causing lots of damage.
The gardi said the locked doors inside had to be opened as the robbers never know what behind it.
They advised her to only lock outside doors only.
They took very little as she didn’t have much but caused her a lot of pain and suffering cause of the damage to her mothers old home.
We are to soft with sentences on all criminals. And most of the time the only schooling they get in jail is how to be better at what they were sent down for.
I had a lad call to the house today to see if I wanted my gutters cleaned… I dont know how he was going to clean my gutters with just a small van and no ladder…
it’s a common enough ploy… knock on the door in the middle of the day. if someone answers knock that house off your hit list while mumbling about cleaning gutters.
Stay safe.
Tallagh Two, you should have got their number and reported them to the police. Alerts the cops to the fact that they’re on the prowl. Also put a sign on your gate, “No Cold Callers” or maybe “No Cream Crackers” :)
…that is if you want extra damage within your home…they smash their way through locked doors. The only time you should lock internal doors is while you are asleep…of course provided that you know what exactly to do in case of fire at night!
How about turning all of your social media settings to friends only or family only. That way when you are on holidays for a week you are not telling every toe rag that there is no one home.
U can’t beat a big dog in ur house to keep them away. Getting into a house and disarming the alarm is nothing to a burglar but a big dog will stop them.
Big dogs can also spell better than a lot of humans.
unless it is a magic spell that protects ur house it is not useful or relvant
Úr is the Gaelic for fresh or new, it does not mean your.
Bite me
actually pat lyons when u are online it also means your and you are. maybe u are ignorent but i am not.
Indeed Pontius. One is reminded of the dire warning of Tim the enchanter: “Follow only if ye be men of valor! For the entrance to this cave is guarded by a creature so foul, so cruel, that no man yet has fought with it… and lived! Bones of full fifty men lie strewn about its lair! So brave knights, if you do doubt your courage or your strength, come nay further, for death awaits you all with nasty, big, pointy teeth… ..”
‘Ignorant’!
To keep any unwanted vermin away from your house simply paint ‘Job Centre’ above your hall door – works a treat.
Catch Me If You Can was a really good movie. still worth the watch 13 years later!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHHc1g7dfWE full HD movie is on YouTube for those who didn’t see it!
That’s a brilliant film !
Thanks for sharing; I was just thinking I’d like to see it! :)
I love you Phillip Morris is another amazing one based on a true story about a con artist. Really worth the watch!!
Niamhi , I must watch out for that one !
I like my true storie movies so i do….
Niamhi, I’m not usually a fan of Jim Carey but he was excellent in ‘I love you Philip Morris’, well worth a watch.
A guy in a van called to my house one day selling tools.it just so happened that at the same time i was outside putting my gun into the boot to go shooting.He must have got a serious fright because nobody ever came in the lane looking to sell tools again.
Anyone can achieve their fullest potential, who we are might be predetermined, but the path we follow is always of our own choosing. Every man is born as many men and dies as a single one…
as these three men..lived as criminals but hopefully will live their life as good men,,,
Predetermined? Places palm on face.
It’s a word.
my favourite is the one in the middle i like his beautiful blue eyes
I look forward to the day when sum sc*# bag trys to break into my house..
that is naive and immature but ok
They may well call on you joey but you be sure that you won’t be at home when they do, they watch you leave for the pub and then they make the call…usually.
Paddy robs houses;)
Take that back joey otherwise your asking for a surprise
Relax your self paddy i already said i was joken with ye..
I will happilly call dem an ambulance
Check the ambulance has a spellchecker as well as a defibrillator.
Check out your spellings lar;)
Joey, you wouldn’t beat eggs.
What is the problem with my spelling ??
Thank you, you made me laugh out loud.
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