A former burglar who claims to have broken into 20,000 homes has shared his top tips for deterring thieves on a budget – and it can be as simple as using a sticker.
Darryl Kennedy, 62, from Salford, Manchester, was taught how to burgle properties by his father when he was just nine years old. He went on to steal from the rich and famous before ending up in prison four times. Now reformed, the father-of-three shares his knowledge through volunteer work with the police and universities, reports the Mirror.
With Brits trying to cope with intermittent heatwaves and also jetting off on holiday, the ex-thief has warned that homeowners must be extra vigilant. He has revealed several inexpensive tricks which will help prevent break-ins this summer.
Leaving windows and doors open
Darryl said: “Summer has always been a time for break ins and an opportunity for burglars. People leave their patio doors open and windows open in the heat. Opportunists will go around, especially in the hot weather, knowing that people nip out of the house and forget to shut their back doors.”
However, he advises that you don’t keep all your windows closed – as this signals to burglars that you are not in. Instead, he suggests leaving some upstairs windows open with a loud radio playing to make potential thieves think you are home.
He added: “When burglars go out in the day to find a property to hit, they choose houses where all the windows are completely shut. That is a no-no. Leave your upstairs windows open and always leave a radio on in the hallway quite loud on a talk show with mostly voices. That will deter burglars because if they hear noise or voices they will just go to the next house and leave yours alone.”
Invest in a real or fake security system
Additional crucial advice for safeguarding your property includes purchasing a composite door, fitting laminated glass to your windows, and installing decoy security cameras to monitor every angle of your home.
Darryl explained: “A lot of people should at least buy dummy cameras to put on the side of the house. Burglars don’t know if they are real or not so they will be deterred. Not everyone has hundreds of pounds for a real security system, but you can get four fake ones on Temu for like £14. If you are paying lots of money for new windows and doors make sure they are secure. Get a composite door, laminated glass and four lever lock windows. If you don’t have laminated glass, then it is very easy for burglars to break the windows because they shatter like a car windscreen.”
He continued: “With laminated glass it just cracks, so they are not going to stand there for 15 minutes trying to pull each piece of glass without cutting themselves and leaving DNA behind. Make sure you have SmartWater stickers on your doors because that will guarantee security. I would say 99 percent of burglars won’t try and enter a house with that sticker.”
Don’t brag about your travels
For those jetting off on holiday this summer, the father emphasises the importance of staying vigilant at airports as numerous criminals frequent these locations to identify vacant properties. He recommends avoiding putting your home address on luggage labels, and if you must, ensure you’re mindful of who might be watching.
For identical reasons, he suggests people should refrain from bragging about their travels to neighbours and across social media platforms. Darryl explained: “Don’t advertise that you are going away, just keep it to yourself. You need to be very careful when you are in the airport. If you have a baggage label on your suitcase with your address be very careful about who stands near you. I used to do that many years ago at Manchester airport. If you walk around the check-in desk you can see addresses on suitcases in the area and know who is away.”
He added: “Be reluctant to tell all your neighbours about your holiday, because it might get around to someone who is criminally minded. You just don’t know who you are telling. Definitely avoid posting your valuables and your holidays on social media. You are just asking to be a victim of crime.”
Put timers on lamps
For lengthy holidays where people can’t afford to keep the radio playing, Darryl suggests keeping your windows shut and your curtains drawn back. He also advised purchasing timer switches for your lamps so they can illuminate during certain parts of the day.
He explained: “A lot of people for some reason when they are going away shut the curtains downstairs which is very silly. If a burglar goes over the same area and sees a house with drawn curtains the next morning then they know the occupants are away.”
Years ago, Darryl built a name for himself as an infamous cat burglar both in the UK and across the globe, even leading a professional burglary gang. He targeted upmarket properties, stealing diamonds and other valuable jewellery before vanishing without leaving any evidence.
Throughout his criminal career, which lasted roughly half a century, Darryl reckons he has burgled more than 20,000 properties. However, following a five-year stint behind bars, the former criminal decided it was time to turn his life around, and he admits he deeply regrets the route he chose.
He said: “I went down that slippery road for 50 years of my life and I regret not having a career in a different world. I know I caused so much misery, and I regret that. My father got me into burglary from a young age, and that is something I could never change.”
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