What do robbers steal when they break into homes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you mean “thieves,” “housebreakers,” or perhaps “burglars.” “Robbery” requires force or the threat of force. It is impossible to “rob” a house.

In any event, people who break in and steal from unoccupied houses typically are looking for cash, drugs, firearms (as noted by a PP), and other easily unloaded items, but they will steal anything they can carry that they think they can sell quickly or use themselves.

there is always one, in every thread. OMG.

[Anonymous]

In my unfortunate experience, they were after jewelry and prescription drugs. If we'd had firearms in the house I'm sure they would have taken those too.

We actually didn't have any prescription drugs, but they tore every bathroom apart looking for some. Cops told us later that's extremely common and one of the most-stolen items.

Jewelry, they obviously didn't know what they were looking at - just grabbed whatever they saw. They took some cheap bead necklaces in addition to the more valuable stuff.

They didn't bother with electronics (tablets and laptops were sitting right out in plain site, one tablet was even sitting on the night stand next to the jewelry and they ignored it) - apparently electronics are too trackable and hard to unload now, and aren't worth enough in resale to be worth the effort of wiping them clean. Also didn't bother with anything bigger than could fit in one hand - artwork, TV, appliances etc were left entirely alone. We know from exterior cameras that they were in the house for less than 10 minutes - tore through the bathrooms, grabbed the jewelry from the master bedroom, and got out. I don't think they even went into the office or other bedrooms.

[Anonymous]

In our house they stole our ancient igloo cooler so they could carry all the more valuable things they stole.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People don’t really have much cash around anymore and tvs are mounted to the walls. Laptops and tablets may be all sorts of random place and aren’t like a desk top that’s obvious and quick to grab. Phones are with the person. Jewelry obviously but at least among my friends - “real” valuable jewelry is so much less popular than for our mothers and we have little valuable jewelry beyond our rings.

I hear about bikes and strollers being stolen from open garages bc they can be a quick resell online.

Just curious what robbers actually take now that cash and tvs are out. There have been a couple attempted breakins on our street lately. We have a nice home but practically speaking our cookware is probably the most expensive thing just sitting around and I doubt they’re stealing cookware! But maybe they are?

With cameras, voice recognition technology, thumb printing, and smarter security systems, robbers are more likely to get caught than ever.

[Anonymous]

This is reminding me of the most wild random crime story - a family was swimming at the indoor pool at our gym and put their gym bag on bench right next to pool instead of in a locker. Someone stole the bag - my first thought is that sucks to have to replace their phone

Nope - before the family was even out of the pool to realize the bag was gone, the person used the keys in the bag to steal their car, drive it to the family’s house (using car registration in glove box for address) and enter house using their house key to steal things (don’t know what). Never would have thought through that whole potential chain of events!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People don’t really have much cash around anymore and tvs are mounted to the walls. Laptops and tablets may be all sorts of random place and aren’t like a desk top that’s obvious and quick to grab. Phones are with the person. Jewelry obviously but at least among my friends - “real” valuable jewelry is so much less popular than for our mothers and we have little valuable jewelry beyond our rings.

I hear about bikes and strollers being stolen from open garages bc they can be a quick resell online.

Just curious what robbers actually take now that cash and tvs are out. There have been a couple attempted breakins on our street lately. We have a nice home but practically speaking our cookware is probably the most expensive thing just sitting around and I doubt they’re stealing cookware! But maybe they are?

With cameras, voice recognition technology, thumb printing, and smarter security systems, robbers are more likely to get caught than ever.

15 years ago police took down a huge laptop theft ring using LoJackbt type thing that was on my enterprise laptop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:VCRs and the hi-fi stereo.

What is that??

[Anonymous]

My husband is a LEO and he says 9.5/10 break ins are by people the homeowner knows. (I say 9.5 because there’s always that one where they can’t prove it but the homeowner has every reason to suspect the person.) The person is familiar with the home and knows what they want to take and where it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband is a LEO and he says 9.5/10 break ins are by people the homeowner knows. (I say 9.5 because there’s always that one where they can’t prove it but the homeowner has every reason to suspect the person.) The person is familiar with the home and knows what they want to take and where it is.

Does your husband say it's the cleaning service or the lawn people (or someone they are in cahoots with?)? I suspect one of those for the burglary we had at our home (they took jewelry, only jewelry).

[Anonymous]

Rusted undies

[Anonymous]

Now they just take the packages laying by the door. No need to go in

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Now they just take the packages laying by the door. No need to go in

They go in…the court thanks to security cameras and the PD investigation.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone remember the thieves that hit Indian neighborhoods because they were looking for gold jewelry?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/01/11/burglaries-crime-tourists-target-asians/

I've always assumed they would be after drugs or jewelry. Although I disagree with OP that nobody has cash. Most people I know have an emergency stash in their house. It would just be a matter of finding it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My husband is a LEO and he says 9.5/10 break ins are by people the homeowner knows. (I say 9.5 because there’s always that one where they can’t prove it but the homeowner has every reason to suspect the person.) The person is familiar with the home and knows what they want to take and where it is.

Does your husband say it's the cleaning service or the lawn people (or someone they are in cahoots with?)? I suspect one of those for the burglary we had at our home (they took jewelry, only jewelry).

DP with many police officer friends: cleaning services and construction workers / renovation labor are major sources of tips for thieves. It usually is not the workers themselves who break in; they just pass on the information.

If you give them keys - even temporarily - they will copy them. Plus, they will take photos on their phones of your valuables.

[Anonymous]

Does this mean that as someone who looks super healthy in a middle class house with no luxury goods around nobody will rob me?