An ex-professional thief who claims to have damaged into 20,000 houses has revealed his prime ideas for 'burglar-proofing' - together with hiding your valuables in a BEANBAG.
Darryl Kennedy, 58, began breaking and getting into aged simply 9 - and has been jailed 4 instances after being caught.
He says he's now on the straight and slim after almost 50 years of crime - and needs to assist householders defend in opposition to burglars.
And he has revealed that one in all his prime ideas for thwarting burglars is stashing objects the place crooks would by no means assume to look - together with beanbags.
Kennedy mentioned: "I am a modified individual now and I need to use what I do know to eradicate housebreaking.
"Individuals do not understand the very best methods to guard their houses - it is extra than simply placing up CCTV cameras and locking doorways."
Kennedy developed a popularity as a infamous cat burglar each within the U.Okay. and around the globe and even headed up an expert housebreaking gang.
He centered on the houses of the wealthy and well-known, swiping diamonds and different treasured jewelry earlier than leaving with out a hint.
After serving 5 years for a string of high-value robberies in Cheshire, he was launched from jail in 2019 and says he's now a modified man.
He mentioned: "I had a protracted profession breaking into houses all around the world - I would full as much as 15 in a day.
"I'd promote the jewels and use the cash to fund holidays and stays in fancy accommodations.
"I by no means stole from working-class folks, I'd go for the higher echelons who might afford to lose it.
"I did not understand till years later that I'd solely see the financial worth within the issues I stole.
"After I met my victims I spotted I stole issues which had been handed down for generations.
"It was traumatic for me and I see now that housebreaking is a horrible factor. Now I need to do my bit to eradicate housebreaking."
Kennedy's first prime tip isn't just to place CCTV by yourself house, however to associate up with neighbors and watch every others' properties too.
He mentioned for him, the simplest targets have been those which did not produce other houses overlooking them, as there have been much less more likely to be witnesses.
So for brand new consumers, a house which has neighboring properties shut by is a good suggestion.
Kennedy additionally defined should you solely have CCTV by yourself house, a burglar can break in and steal the laborious drive - leaving you with nothing.
But when your neighbor has the footage, it will keep secure - as a result of a burglar would see it as too large a danger to interrupt into two houses.
He mentioned: "You are really higher off defending the home subsequent door, and letting them defend you."
He additionally advisable spending cash on door bolts on your lounge and kitchen doorways.
Locking them from the hallway earlier than going to mattress at night time will imply that burglars who handle to interrupt into both of these rooms will likely be locked inside.
Kennedy defined that a burglar would doubtless run away in that state of affairs slightly than kick the door down and danger waking the inhabitants.
He mentioned: "There most likely will not be many valuables in these rooms - they're going to be searching for the bedrooms with the jewelry bins.
"However there isn't any probability they're going to danger kicking down the door and disturbing you in mattress.
"Keep in mind, you do not know who's down there, however they do not know who's upstairs both - it could possibly be a six-foot-six bodybuilder.
"The noise of the door being kicked would additionally provide you with sufficient time to name the police, which they do not need."
His closing tip is how you can defend your valuables as soon as the burglar will get inside your private home.
He advisable an uncommon trick utilizing a standard family merchandise - a beanbag.
Darryl mentioned shopping for a beanbag with a zipper is a sure-fire manner of protecting your jewelry, watches and different valuables secure - as a result of no one thinks to examine it.
That manner, even when somebody does enter your home, the property will not be discovered.
It is even safer you probably have kids and may put the bean bag of their room - doubling as bed room furnishings and a super-sneaky secure spot on your items.
He mentioned: "The very first thing I'd do after breaking right into a home is go to the master suite.
"It is the very first thing any burglar thinks of - it is the place all the property are.
"They do not need children garments, they usually particularly don't need kids waking up, so that they'll by no means go for the youngsters bed room."
Kennedy estimates he has damaged into greater than 20,000 houses in his housebreaking profession spanning round half a century.
He says he started when he was simply 9 years outdated the place his dad, who was additionally a profession burglar, would take him out within the automotive and train him the ropes.
He traveled all around the globe together with spending 5 years in Australia, concentrating on rich houses to raid their jewelry bins and promote the valuable stones.
Darryl, who has 4 grownup kids, has been to jail 4 instances, the newest of which noticed him punished for some 140 high-value robberies in Cheshire.
However since popping out of jail in 2018, the place he met a few of his victims in a rehabilitation program, he swears he's "a modified man" and lives a modest life in Salford, Manchester.
And, wanting again on his lengthy and once-lucrative profession as a burglar, Kennedy has regrets.
He says he regrets not being there for his kids whereas he was incarcerated, and regrets what he put his victims by way of.
However he mentioned: "Now I see housebreaking is a horrible factor. I am unable to take again what I did, however I can try to cease it from taking place once more."
Darryl obtained no cash or monetary profit for collaborating on this article.
This story was supplied to Newsweek by Zenger Information.
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