Beware the Masked Criminal
While wearing masks may be an annoyance for many, for some with ill-intent, hiding their face works in their favor. Criminals would have drawn unwanted attention to themselves with a face covering in the past, but these days, an exposed face is the shocking sight instead. In addition to allowing criminals to hide in plain sight, it makes it more difficult to describe someone or to identify suspects caught on video or seen by a witness.
Upping Awareness
It may be difficult to recognize a neighbor at the grocery store with masks, so imagine trying to describe a stranger who committed a crime when their face is covered. As the holiday shopping season is starting, it is important to maintain awareness of your surroundings and look for suspicious behavior. Even if you don’t witness a crime, being alert and taking note of those around you will help you see where something might be suspicious or out of place and help to be proactive in staying safe. So what do you look for when everyone is hidden behind a mask?
- Pay attention to features you can see. Make note of someone’s hair color, eyes and complexion if you can.
- Check for body size and shape. Estimate the height and weight of a person as well as their build.
- Listen for accents or any speech irregularities.
- What clothes is the person wearing? Do they have a hat, a bag, equipment?
- If you see a suspicious vehicle, write down the license plate and make, model and color of the car. If you can’t tell much about the driver, at least you will have details about the car.
Video Surveillance
If you are used to relying on video cameras to keep your home or office safe, you may have to adjust your strategy some now that most of the population is covering half of their face. You can still easily identify vendors by their uniforms, but what can you do to stop someone in their tracks that you don’t recognize?
- Set up motion detection alerts on your cameras. This way if someone comes on your property you will know in real time.
- Add a camera with two way audio or a video doorbell to your front door. This allows you to speak to the person so you can find out why they are there and hear their voice as well.
- Watch the street. Move the view on a camera or install a new camera that watches the street in front of your location. You will be able to see a vehicle someone arrives in or see which way they approach or head out.
We Can Help!
Cultris Security Systems can help you with your home or business security needs! Call us today at 281-506-8466 or visit us online.
