Burglar for hire shares her top tips to keep you and your family safe
Jenny Radcliffe is a ‘professional burglar’. Yes, really!
In practice, Jenny hacks, cons, and breaks her way into properties for a living. She of course does it for good - to help companies put their security systems to the ultimate test - and she’s been doing so for more than 40 years.
Jenny’s here with her story of how she became a top ‘people hacker’ - and to share her top tips on how you can keep you and your family safe at home.
Jenny has made a career out of being hired to test security systems for companies and clients. She says: 'Social engineering is really at the heart of all security scams, hacks and breaches because it's about the humans and the errors they can make. I don't need to work on the lock, I just need to work on the human behind it. 70-95% of breaches are facilitated by the mistake or manipulation of a human being.'
Jenny's top tips to keep your home and details safe
CHECK YOUR LOCKS AND DOORSA locksmith can check how secure your locks are. Most burglars are opportunistic and know when the lock will be easy to break.
USE SMART LIGHTSHave a couple of automatic plugs to turn your lights on when you're out. Change up what light goes on rather than the same one every evening as it becomes obvious to criminals.
GET AN ALARM - EVEN IF IT'S A FAKE ONE!A good fake alarm is just as good a deterrent as a real one and even a sticker on your fence to say your property is protected by a security service works.
PUT GRAVEL ON YOUR DRIVEWAY AND MOTION SENSE LIGHTING Make it hard for criminals to sneak up on your property by putting loud gravel and bright lighting around your home.
KEEP TOOLS LOCKED AWAYThis isn't just so a criminal won't take your tools, but also as a thief will use any tool available to break in. E.g. If there is a ladder left out, it makes it easier for them to climb.
DON'T ADVERTISE WHEN YOU ARE AWAYNever put your holiday updates on social media until you are home. Criminals use the internet too!
PUT YOURSELF IN THE MIND OF A CRIMINALAfter you leave your home, stand outside and put yourself in a criminal's shoes. Is there an easy way to enter? Are your possessions on show? Thinking like a thief can help stop one.
Jenny's book 'People Hacker: Confessions of a Burglar for Hire' is available now.