TIPS TO KEEP FROM GETTING ROBBED

HERE ARE 13 TIPS TO PROTECT YOU FROM BEING ROBBED:

You may think the average criminal is just a lazy moron who's too stupid to get a real job, so they resort to a life of crime. But that's not always the case. In fact, some criminals are pretty shrewd about how they conduct their illegal "business".

With that in mind, here are 13 things that a burglar won't tell you (--you know, assuming a burglar would tell you ANYTHING).

#1.) Some burglars work day jobs as deliverymen or repairmen in order to case out locations without drawing suspicion.

#2.) And some of those burglars working as deliverymen or repairmen will ask to use your bathroom. But while they're in there, they'll unlock the window.

#3.) The stuff outside your house clues burglars in on what you've got inside. For example, the flowers in your garden show you have good taste, and all those toys your kids leave out indicate you probably have a Nintendo Wii or Playstation Three.

#4.) Burglars look for newspapers piled up on your driveway or front porch. And they may even leave a flyer on your front door to see how long it takes for you to remove it.

#5.) If it snows while you're gone, you might want to get a neighbor to create car and foot tracks. Untouched snow is a dead giveaway you're out of town.

#6.) If you have decorative glass in your entryway, don't let the alarm company install the control pad where a burglar can see if it's activated. Again, this is a dead giveaway.

#7.) You probably want to put alarms and motion sensors on all your windows, including the ones on the second floor.

#8.) A burglar doesn't care that the only reason you forgot to lock your door is because it was raining and you were fumbling with your umbrella. They'll still steal your stuff.

#9.) That guy who just knocked on your door and asked for directions? Yeah, he was just checking to see if anyone was home.

#10.) Burglars always check dresser drawers, the bedside table and the medicine cabinet. ALWAYS. So don't hide your most valuable stuff there.

#11.) But burglars almost NEVER go into the kids' rooms.

#12.) A burglar might not have time to break into your safe. But if it's not bolted down, they have no problem taking it with them.

#13.) A loud TV or radio may be even better at preventing a break-in than an alarm system. (Reader's Digest)