Jenny Radcliffe has a special set of skills. She can talk her way into almost any building. She doesn’t use brute force; just a soft touch. “I have got into places just by holding a coffee and some files,” she says.
She has organised heists on office blocks and banks. If she wanted to, she could burgle any building. “I have pulled off some very researched plans, working with a whole team. We have arranged appointments and given ourselves identities just to get into places,” she says.
Radcliffe has lived a life of trespass from a young age. Growing up in 80s Liverpool, she would break into abandoned warehouses with her friends.
It was fun to see how far they could push themselves. “There was a big old empty house on the corner, a beautiful old house. We’d test ourselves to see if we could get in, not to steal anything. Just to have a look around because we were bored,” she says. Soon breaking into houses became more serious. Soon, they were breaking into museums at night. (She has never been prosecuted or been to prison).
Radcliffe’s early experiences could have led to a life of crime. But she has instead used her knowhow as a force for good. Twenty years ago, she met a footballer in a bar. “He asked us to test out the new security system on his house,” she says. “I got in just by talking to his cleaner. People don’t suspect me, because I don’t appear threatening. But you never know if someone is who they say they are.”
Now, Radcliffe is a burglar for hire. She is employed by businesses to test out their security. She has climbed fences and run away from guards, all in the name of work. Here she shares the common security mistakes we all make and the weak spots burglars look out for.
1. Sharing too much on social media
Fifteen years ago, when Radcliffe wanted to break into a building, she would have to sit in pubs and eavesdrop on conversations. “I would do all reconnaissance in person to understand people’s routines. To know which employees broke the rules by using the office back door instead of the front. It took a long time, but now, social media has made it very quick and easy to research.”
All a burglar needs is an idea of your daily routine. “People don’t realise that your online life is connected to your physical property,” says Radcliffe. “Every time we go on holiday, we post about it on social media. You wouldn’t have a sign on your front door saying ‘this house is unoccupied’ but we do in the digital realm.”
On Facebook, Radcliffe recently saw someone post about needing a handyman for their broken window. “Burglars trawl through community Facebook pages looking for details about people,” she says.
“Someone can very easily start putting patterns together or weaknesses together. And it’s just a case of making yourself a harder target than that. Don’t make yourself the easiest target in your area.”
Another common mistake is posting about the school run. “Every September, parents will post a photo of their child in their school uniform on the first day of school. You are basically telling the world, ‘I will be out of my house every day between these hours’. Don’t show people your routine.”
Social media that requires tracking, such as Strava and the daily photo sharer BeReal, are also to be avoided. “These give so much information about routine at specific times,” says Radcliffe.
2. Not protecting your CCTV system
Radcliffe warns that some doorbell cameras, that alert you when someone is around the periphery of the house, can be hacked into. “Information is tracked and shared by providers, and any connected device can be hacked and this is a concern,” she says.
“Provided you take care of your own security and privacy around the actual device. They are a good tool overall in home security, provided people don’t see them as a substitute for alarms, other cautions and general common sense,” she says.
“Remember, burglars hate being slowed down, being noisy and being seen so anything that does one or all of these is very welcome.”
3. Leaving tools around to help
A lot of the time, burglars will be driving along the street, looking at random for houses that look vulnerable. “Mistakes include leaving a lot of tools and equipment around the house,” she says. “I’ve seen houses where they have left ladders outside or unlocked garages full of equipment that could be used to break in.”
Radcliffe advises her clients to lock themselves out of their own homes. “Try to break in just with what’s around you and see if there’s anything that you could use. See if there are any ‘operational openings’, such as weak locks or windows. That is what we call weak spots in security.”
4. Handing out keys too quickly
Every time Radcliffe moves home, she makes a list of who has access to her new keys. When it comes to giving strangers access, such as a bi-monthly cleaner, she doesn’t give them a key until she is sure they are trustworthy. “I do online research on people first and always ask them for a reference,” she says. “Then I will make sure to tell a neighbour that someone will be in the house, and won’t leave them alone in the house for a while.”
5. Forgetting simple deterrents
Tricking the burglar is key. “They don’t want to spend any time in the house, they want to be in and out,” she says. “It’s about making your house a harder target for them.”
Making it look like you’re inside the house when you’re not is an easy way to throw intruders off the scent. “Having a table light on a timer while you are out of the house is a good idea. Perhaps leave a fake key under the doormat so they waste time trying to open the door.”
6. Planting trees in the front of the house
A trespasser needs somewhere to hide out; whether that’s while they are waiting to break in, or when making their getaway. “Be careful of having cover around the perimeter of the house; that can look like trees or an unlocked shed. Don’t have a garden with lots of places that someone can hide,” says Radcliffe.
Investing in gravel around the front of the house, as well as a good automatic light system can also deter burglars. This means they are less likely to see it as a simple job. “They don’t want to be seen or heard,” she says. “You have to make it a pain in the neck for them.”