Mass. residents erasing homes from radar of would-be thieves with simple step

Friday at 02:45 PM

Homeowners in Massachusetts are getting on board with a new nationwide trend of erasing their homes from the radar of would-be thieves.

People are blurring their properties on Google Maps to deter potential burglaries.

The safety tactic of blurring one’s home on Google Maps has been around for years.

It’s recently gained momentum among homeowners who believe it provides another layer of security by eliminating public access to information about their property.

“Our very homes we live in, the vehicles we drive, the locations we stay are available to anyone around the globe,” said Boston 25 News security analyst Dan Linskey. “We live in a digital world where almost everything we do is under surveillance.”

Linskey, who’s the former superintendent-in-chief of the Boston Police Department, said organized criminals are analyzing properties using Google Street view to scout potential targets.

He told Boston 25 News they’re analyzing the value and layout of homes, how to get in and out and if there’s a visible front-door camera or exterior surveillance system.

“Technology is getting better and better, and criminals are using technology to get better and better,” he explained. “They can find all kinds of things about you just by hitting a hitting a Google search.”

Linskey, who’s the managing director in the Enterprise Security Risk Management practices, said he’s personally dealt with recent cases of local homeowners who have blurred their homes.

Several local police departments in the Greater Boston area said they are also familiar with residents in their communities recently taking this step that can be taken in a matter of moments.

“Most people have no clue whatsoever,” said Linskey. “The less information that’s on the web about you that gives someone an advantage, the better off you are.”

To blur your home on Google Maps, you can navigate to Street View mode at your address using the website.

A drop-down menu will appear in the top-left corner of the screen where you can click on “Report a Problem”.

A questionnaire will then allow you to identify where and why you would like the Street View image to be blurred.

You’ll need to do on your computer since the blurring feature isn’t available in the Google Maps application.

It’s also important to know that once a property is blurred, the change is permanent.

“I think I would want to blur my house. Who needs to really see my house besides me and my family?,” questioned Newton homeowner Renee Krikorian. “I do feel like technology is sort of taking over in a way that I’m very concerned about.”

Linskey also suggests considering removing interior home images from websites like Redfin and Zillow for those who want to limit public access to their house and possessions.

“In some of the real estate websites, you can go on and see whether the home has an alarm system,” he added. “You can actually look at the photographs of the home and see where the cameras are set up to keep people safe and secure.”

Other steps you can take to keep your house safe include displaying signage indicating what security you have, reinforcing windows with window stops as well as keep doors, cars, and windows locked at all times.

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