Ex-Burglar Shares Tips On How To Protect Your House From Theft

Jen Jen Gomez, a former burglar who spent 10 years in prison for her crimes, recently revealed how she selected the houses she stole from to help others protect their homes. Gomez regularly shares videos on TikTok, discussing her past life of crime in hopes of preventing others from falling victim to theft, the New York Post reported. 

In a resurfaced video, Gomez shared the "mental checklist" she would use before breaking into a property to help homeowners avoid becoming targets. "The first thing I would do is check the weather," she began.

"If it's bright, beautiful, and sunny, I would look for isolated, desolate places where houses are further apart because people are outside and paying more attention."

Gomez said rain, drizzle, and fog were ideal for burglars. "In that type of weather, people are not only staying inside, but they also aren't likely to chase you. They won't come outside just to be nosy and get wet."

She then explained her timing strategy. "I would wake up at 5:00 or 5:30 a.m. to start getting things in order because most people go to work between 7:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Most will be out of the house by 8 o'clock." She described the hours of 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. as "prime time" for breaking into homes and would take a break from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. before striking again from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m.

Surprisingly, Gomez noted, "One of the things I would require is that the home has a security system. Some kind of alarm system. I felt like people with alarms likely have something valuable to protect."

She also looked for specific entry points. "I would make sure there was a window low enough for me to step through without getting hurt and be able to get back out."

Gomez revealed that pets could make homes easier targets. "If there was an animal inside, it was likely walking around freely. That meant the motion sensors for alarm systems were probably off."

"I looked for houses with a high back gate, not a chain-link fence but something that could hide me. I preferred gates or fences that backed up to a main road or were in a cul-de-sac to ensure easy entry and exit without being trapped in the neighbourhood."

Decorative landscaping was also a factor. "I sought homes with a lot of bushes and shrubbery that could conceal me as well."