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Target Identified
In times like these, high value, means high risk
In a post pandemic world, the way we live our lives has changed. Now that we’re facing a cost-of-living crisis and on the brink of recession, those who have more to lose are becoming a greater target for criminals.
Working with specialist security experts Blackstone Consultancy, we are working to address new threats and identify ways in which you can mitigate the risks of targeted crime.
What is driving this threat?
With continued shortages in supply on many products (due to a lack of materials, semiconductor chips and continued shipping issues), demand and second-hand market prices for certain items have soared.
Social media has provided instantaneous anonymous access to advice and tips for those with criminal intent.
According to 2021 media reports, Google searches for the phrases "how to rob a house" and "how to break a window“ have increased by up to 50% in the months between July and August.
Lack of police funding resulting in a drop in police attendance / investigation into burglaries.
Analysis of Home Office statistics, showed that out of 240,000 burglaries in 2021, 190,000 were closed without a suspect ever being identified - a staggering 79% of cases. The equivalent of 523 unsolved burglaries a day, or 3,661 per week.
How are some lifestyle choices increasing the risk?
Working from home has led to a lot of people investing and installing additional structures in their gardens or converting an existing out-building into a home office/gym/studio.
A boom in the purchase of second homes has resulted in a larger quantity of frequently unoccupied properties.
The ways in which many individuals and family members use social media to share information about day-to-day activities and routines has opened households up to being targeted.
Work/life balance
One of the benefits of working from home means you gain the work/life balance. This may mean having valuable technology for work or a home gym or home entertainment when you’re not working. This could be within the home or for some, this could be in a more vulnerable converted space like a garden office or outbuilding (sh’offices).
People and Place
- Name: John
- Profession: Barrister
- Target: Garden Office
Since the start of the pandemic John has moved to hybrid working. He needed a separate and quiet space to work and to enjoy his exercise. As a result, John installed a high quality garden office and gym.
Target identified
By impersonating a delivery driver with a fake parcel, the burglar was able to approach and scope the property without looking out of place.
Noticing the garden office was away from the main property, without security camera coverage, the burglar was able to return on an evening when no one was home and prise the bi-fold doors off their runners to gain access.
Stolen:
MacBook Pro – iPad – Home server – Confidential client documents – Portable Gym Tech
John’s iPhone was with him at the time, but was backed up to the stolen laptop so the burglar was able to extract information. John had also written down passwords on post-it notes.
The burglar understood the importance of the client information and sent a ransom demand of £25,000 for their return.
John was hugely embarrassed that this incident resulted in a loss of confidential documents and a data breach for his Chambers. Not to mention a risk to his personal, client and the Chambers’ reputations.
In fear of losing the confidential information addition, John’s employers agreed to pay the ransom.
61% of burglaries take place between 6pm and 6am with the most common hours being between 6pm to midnight.
Risk management tips
- Set up your home office on a separate zone of the main alarm system, so that it can be locked down and alarmed at all times, even while the remainder of the property is open.
- Improve lighting around the property to act as a deterrent and provide a sense of safety.
- Ensure that security cameras covering your home office can be monitored from the main house.
- Ensure high quality locks are installed on all doors and windows and use bi-fold bolts to stop intruders lifting them off the tracks.
- Consider using Biometric security such as fingerprint access control for even higher security.
- Use a secured cabinet for storing documents containing personal data and securely dispose of sensitive data ideally using a microcut shredder.
- Consider using a removable hard drive or secure cloud storage with password security so data isn’t held on the device itself.
A second home
Who wouldn’t want an idyllic bolthole to escape to? During the pandemic, and with an absence of overseas options, there was a mass exodus from cities to more scenic, rural residences. By their nature, many second homes are left vacant and vulnerable for long periods of time and contain many attractive items.
People and Place
- Name: Cathy
- Profession: Managing Director of an education consultancy
- Target: Second home in Cornwall
Cathy and her family love their holidays in the countryside by the sea. Their second home is in a peaceful, pretty village popular for second homes just up a lane a mile from a secluded beach. When the family aren’t there, a housekeeper checks in on the property once a fortnight.
Target Identified
The burglar observed the area under the guise of being a dog walker.
A build-up of post and empty bins signified Cathy’s property had been vacant for some time. They returned at night to test for security lighting and alarms by throwing tennis balls at the windows.
Over several days, the burglar activated the Police-response alarm, triggering a series of false-activations. As a result, it was disconnected by the alarm company without Cathy being immediately notified. During this time, the burglar also noted the pattern of visits from the housekeeper.
Opting for a planned daytime invasion due to the extensive security lighting, the burglar gained access using a piece of garden statuary to smash through the French doors in the back garden.
Stolen:
Home-cinema tech – Bicycles – VR headset & games console – Camera – Sports watch – Silver photo frames - Wine
The burglar managed to case the whole property uninterrupted and return with transportation to take the big items including an expensive wine collection from the cellar.
By the time the housekeeper discovered the break-in, exposure to the elements had added to the damage due to the French doors being open.
As a result, Cathy had to make an unpleasant and unscheduled visit to the property. She no longer felt settled and secure in her holiday home, particularly at the thought of bringing her children.
Risk management tips
- Design security using a layered approach, starting from the perimeter of the site, to the building envelope and finally target areas inside.
- Only use reputable and trusted tradespeople.
- Ensure windows are fully locked and high quality locks are installed on all windows and doors.
- Have a safe bolted to a solid/base floor, in a hidden location if possible, and store portable valuables inside.
- Don’t leave jewellery in sight. Use your safe to lock your valuables away.
- Securely store ladders, tools and furniture.
- Consider sharing the cost of a security team with the wider estate and make each other aware of who is expected on the estate. Each home taking responsibility for everyone.
- Consider a monitoring CCTV system.
Gated complex
Living in a gated community gives people a certain sense of safety, added security and privacy along with a feeling of being part of an integrated community. But with the constant requirement for trades and deliveries, and new legalities in terms of gathering data under GDPR, it’s impossible to ‘really’ know who’s coming and going.
People and Place
- Name: Anjana
- Profession: Retired Stockbroker
- Target: High profile gated complex
Since retiring to a stunning gated complex, popular with other wealthy and high profile people, Anjana and her partner enjoy taking trips away, visiting galleries, shopping and having lunch with friends and family.
Target identified
Despite living in a gated community, due to GDPR and the quantity of tradespeople, visitors and deliveries coming through, it is impossible to keep a record of comings and goings. Tailgating is also common place, to avoid waiting for the gate.
The burglar visited the area several times undetected posing as a workman. Whilst sat in his van, he looked up floor plans of residents’ homes on homebuyer websites and planning portals. He also identified rooms by watching through open curtains whilst the lights were on. From his research, he selected which locations to attack.
Before the attack, he tested the local Police response time by calling in a fake incident using a burner phone.
Stolen:
Jewellery – Designer clothes – Designer handbags – Irreplaceable family heirlooms – Antiques
The burglar went straight to the master bedroom where he’d seen Anjana leave her jewellery and he used suitcases found at the property to remove the items.
The alarm instantly activated but the burglar was in and out in less than 5 minutes. The Police attended but not immediately by which time the burglar has also attacked several other properties in the complex.
Anjana felt her new home had been violated by the intruder and was distraught that the items had been taken including ones with sentimental value. The impact of the incident resulted in her requiring counselling.
Whilst Anjana was out at lunch, the burglar used a ladder left in the garden, and a technique he’d learnt on TikTok using a ribbon and tube to open the semi-secured upstairs window.
Risk management tips
- Vary timetables and avoid routine patterns if possible.
- Review your social media privacy settings and restrict who can view your activity.
- Have a safe bolted to a solid/base floor, in a hidden location if possible, and store portable valuables inside. Consider a duress (second or third) safe to spread valuables.
- Don’t leave jewellery in sight. Use your safe to lock your valuables away.
- Install enhanced physical protection including:
- Install panic buttons at the front door, in the bedrooms and near to safe
- Enhance doors to impede progress of the property
- Install remotely monitored CCTV
Busy lives and visible routines
Even when you have appropriate security measures in place, if you have something valuable enough, no one is invulnerable. There is something worse than losing property while you’re away, and that’s losing your feeling of being safe in your own home.
People and Place
- Name: Mark & Annabel
- Profession: Company Director & Interior Designer
- Target: Stylish modern home in St Johns Wood
Like many modern families, Mark, Annabel and their two children have a busy schedule of work, socialising, the school run and various clubs and events. Mark in particular is also very active on social media and regularly posts pictures from events and trips out.
Target Identified
The family’s online activity provided a criminal gang with clear patterns and routines. This and images of the kid’s uniforms made it easy to identify the Prep school they attended and what time Annabel picked them up each day.
One afternoon when they returned home, before they could close the door behind them, the gang forcibly entered the property armed with hammers (less risk than carrying knives). When Mark emerged from his home office the gang tied the family up and threatened them with physical violence if they didn’t provide the code to the safe and location of the family valuables.
The code was given under duress and the safe was emptied. With one of the attackers watching the family, the rest of the house was ransacked.
Stolen:
Jewellery – Money – Fine Art – Range Rover – Designer clothes – Watches – Technology
The items taken were loaded into the family Range Rover and the gang made their escape. The items are easily replaced by the insurer, however the family suffered extreme trauma and PTSD due to their experience.
The children, due to their age, suffered the most and Annabel also required counselling.
As a result of their experience, Annabel wouldn’t stay at the property and moved out within 2 months.
In 58% of burglaries, the occupants are in the house. Burglars use force or violence against 26% of victims.
Risk management tips
- Vary timetables and avoid routine patterns if possible.
- Review your social media privacy settings and restrict who can view your activity.
- Have a safe bolted to a solid/base floor, in a hidden location if possible, and store portable valuables inside. Consider a duress (second or third) safe to spread valuables.
- Don’t leave jewellery in sight. Use your safe to lock your valuables away.
- Install enhanced physical protection including:
- Install panic buttons at the front door, in the bedrooms and near to safe
- Enhance doors to impede progress of the property
- Install remotely monitored CCTV.
