Amid a series of robberies by tokuryū, anonymous, loosely organized criminal groups, SECOM has introduced the common features of homes likely to be targeted during year-end visits home, along with specific crime-prevention measures.
Because the sun sets earlier in autumn and people go out more often, it is important to make a habit of securely locking the doors and windows, including when at home. In robberies committed by anonymous, loosely organized criminal groups believed to be tokuryū, there have been cases in which intruders entered homes regardless of whether anyone was present, highlighting the need to protect not only property but also lives.
When elderly people are targeted, a suspicious phone call or an unexpected visit can be the trigger. For this reason, it is considered important to address fraud prevention and intrusion prevention together and discuss the issue with family members. It has been pointed out that the two should not be considered separately, but as part of comprehensive crime prevention.
Homes likely to be targeted have common characteristics: they are easy to enter, difficult to spot and easy to escape from. Factors include poor visibility caused by high walls or shrubbery, cluttered gardens, blind spots at the rear of the property, ladders or sheds left unattended, a lack of security equipment, and unlocked windows or doors.
By contrast, homes with good visibility from the surrounding area, well-maintained grounds, and security cameras, motion-sensor lights or auxiliary locks are considered less likely to be targeted because they require more effort to enter. The approach presented is that the key to crime prevention is making intruders feel that breaking in would be troublesome.