‘People have no clue’: Mass. residents erasing homes from radar of would-be thieves with simple step

[@lat1502]

I saw a former burglar on a talk show giving advice on how to protect your home. According to him, one simple trick is to mount a bolt near your back door. Attach a long heavy chain to it. At the other end of the chain, attach a large dog collar. Put a large water bowl near the chain. He said when he would 'case' a house, if he saw any sign of a 'large' dog, he didn't waste his time and moved on.

[@august21xp]

Easier to get the large dog than 😂😂😂😂

[@smrk2452]

@@lat1502 interesting thanks

[@foxykins]

​@august21xp Wait, how is buying a few items that a large dog would need easier than taking care of a large dog? You would have to buy that stuff anyway, but also take care of a dog.

[@AhJodie]

Great idea! I wouldn't put a collar on the end of the chain, because I would keep it on my dog, but the water bowl is great, some dog toys too maybe!

[@danielmart7940]

​@@smrk2452that's been known for 5 decades😂😂😂

[@mygma243]

Every dog I ever had from 10 lbs to 60, knew when something or someone was outside in the middle if the night & alerted me. My dogs are family & sleep in my room. When they alerted me, I couldn't hear a thing, but believed them. They were always right. Even if it was just a guy walking up the street in tennis shoes. People CAN tell the difference between a small dog's bark & a large dog's, but it's the alerting ME that counts. The love & care you give a dog is nothing compared to the love, loyalty, protection, and joy you get in return.

[@splash4891]

great post! cats can alert too but they don't bark of course, but they always let me know when someone is coming

[@uncaboat2399]

You must have had some smart dogs. Every dog in my neighborhood keeps me alert to all the nefarious squirrel activity.

[@dericksmith2137]

I’m upset! In the 12 years that I had Lily (my non-friendly 150lb old English bulldog) never did anyone try to break in 😂. I’d have paid money for that. Heck I could have sold tickets. Years before, I had the same with my timber wolf/husky cross. (That said, as a kid even Harry, my cocker spaniel mutt would have went into full on stupid mode if someone broke in.) Dogs, the very best deterrent! (Plus they provide ample time to grab your gun. Even in Canada with our idiotic gun laws, I can still grab a hunting rifle.)

[@dailydoseofchrist2688]

​@@uncaboat2399 😂😂😂

[@DarthVader1977]

Those tennis players can be quite sketchy. 😉

[@evonne315]

Thieves do not care if you have a blurred house or not. They can just walk or drive by to see what they need to in real time.

[@clearedhot7030]

Yeah, and they don't care about cameras either. They will look directly into the camera while stealing your stuff, because they know, the police will do nothing more than file a report. They're too overloaded with murders and other violent crime cases to pursue a break in.

[@shastadimension8169]

Yes, this idea seems to me highly Stupid and shortsighted as Libtards are known for. They support life threatening problems like Illegal immigration and then are surprised at the result. I have watched some excellent YTs on how bad the illegal housing problems, motel sheltering and neighborhood/business areas has become in this State. It is like the Water Mud Walls that destroyed the recent states.

[@Dc0sby]

If someone's doing this, then they don't wanna drive by or walk by and will just pick a different house they can see vs going for a drive.

[@AMERICANPATRIOT1945]

@evonne315, When thieves do a drive by, they expose themselves to identification and intervention. There is no better deterrent to a would be thief than a resident or two stopping them in their car as they drive by and letting the thief know that they will be caught, prosecuted, and imprisoned if they come by again with bad intent. Just having people staring at a thief is an unsettling deterrent.

[@terryparker1694]

@@Dc0sby No, if somebody is doing that it means they have something to hide and draws attention to that fact. I would be checking it out if I was a thief.

[@CarpeUniversum]

As a delivery person, if you do this, please include EXTREMELY detailed delivery directions and EXTREMELY clear house numbers somewhere on your property for us. So few people display visible house numbers these days, Google Street viewing an address is often the only way I can reliably identify which house I'm supposed to deliver something to... Even then it's a guess sometimes. Thanks.

[@TheTechnoPilot]

Not only for delivery drivers but for first responders as well…who don’t get instructions from you…so perhaps just don’t blur your home! 🙄

[@EdKrisiak]

How did delivers and first responders do it before google street view? 😂🤣 It's not like they are remove the address from their house.

[@CarpeUniversum]

@EdKrisiak We used Google maps and GPS before then, often we had customers who we simply could not find until communicating directly with them in off hours. We still do mostly use these, but Street view is extremely useful, and the same people who are gonna blue their house are the same type people who don't wanna put their name or even house number anywhere. And then bitch and moan, and threaten to sue when they don't get their delivery promptly. All I'm saying is... You can't be both invisible, and expect perfect service.

[@CarpeUniversum]

@EdKrisiak I deliver at night, as well. It's very hard to see numbers or anything at night sometimes, and it's a bad idea to go creeping up to houses, shining a flash light around d looking for numbers. Street view gives me a day time view of the area, 24/7.

[@EdKrisiak]

@@CarpeUniversum I have my house number on my garage.In front of my house and the side porch. I am on google street view. UNBLURRED How the hell do I still get misdeliveries during the day time ? 🤣😂

[@JakeSDN]

Did everyone in that video forget that burglars case homes to find out when people are there and when they are not?

[@DengShabu]

this must only be for the really lazy burglars. Until 'the experts' can show me video of a career burglar telling me its an effective tool, then I believe its just the latest chicken squawk.

[@dailypearls]

Yes, another trick is to always park your car in the garage.

[@DengShabu]

@@dailypearls most people's garage is so full of stuff, they can't fit the cars in there.

[@Shelly-m5t]

Same for apartments

[@MakerInMotion]

Someone called my mom's house like "Hi I'm from ADT, do you have a home security system?" She knew something wasn't right and hung up. She called ADT and they said they never do calls like that.

[@mplate1792]

One downside of blurring your home is if you later want to sell it. Whenever I look for a new property, I pull up the image. This prevents wasting time driving by properties that don't meet my initial criteria.

[@john_nip_nop]

Another downside is the permanence. Does that mean subsequent owners have no choice? How careful is Google to identify the party requesting a blur? It's like being swatted - if someone accidently or intentionally blurs me, what is the recourse? Can a renter blur a property I own? Doubtful that Google does a thorough deed search first. If the bank owns the house (like most houses, if mortgaged), do they have a say in this blur?

[@joeb3300]

One small drawback to blurring - we (VAC) get emergency medical calls. MANY homes have unreadable/unfindable street numbers. As I am waiting for the EMS team to assemble, I'll use Google Maps to see what the home looks like (small porch to the right, one-car garage to the left) to aid in identifying the home when approaching. Especially helpful at night.

[@amzarnacht6710]

Emergency services, every service provider you can think of, delivery drivers... ALL of those may need to see the street view image because there are no visible numbers.

[@TH3mrBROWN]

Use satellite map view and go into “3D” mode, you’ll still be able to make out details of the house even if a bit blocky…

[@PWingert1966]

There was a video of an EMSA agent noting a solar panel on a nearby house during a power outage and contacting that person to arrange for a power cable to be run to the nearby house with a child on a ventilator. I don't know if it was real or a dramatization but it's another reason for houses not ot be blurred. Wide scale outages.

[@BarryWoodward-kg7rw]

I guess Patrick mahomes and Travis Kelce should have done that they both got broken into Taylor Swift want to see if they had a girlfriend😢😢

[@Thekulprit92]

Not at all, you're just trash at navigation

[@Pleebixx]

How about we just be tougher on criminals???

[@miked5331]

That's coming back soon !!

[@chiquita683]

Dats racist

[@katehenry2718]

@@chiquita683 ARe you saying only one race has professional burglars?

[@miked5331]

@chiquita683 Says the Banana 🍌 lol

[@CDHpetcare]

That is a reactive behavior, not necessarily a preventative one

[@eyelovecolorado2195]

Doesn’t this act actually draw more attention to your home? 😂

[@CDHpetcare]

That's exactly what I was thinking

[@rayjack]

most houses are similar to your neighbours

[@HomeInBeing]

What home? 😅 Can't see something that isn't there

[@bluemyst42]

The Streisand Effect

[@ThatOpalGuy]

Now it does

[@gregm6652]

"Could blurring your home possibly bring more attention to it?" As a real security expert (not some former cop) my answer is, Absolutely yes!" Seriously the act of trying to hide is enough of a signal that you have something that you want to keep private. Better to be out in the open, like in the real world, and take real security measures than to perform this stunt and advertise to the world that you have something you want kept private.

[@MrPAULONEAL]

You would be setting your house apart from other houses.

[@jonathansabinvarietyfilms]

Completely pointless. Most property images are already available on multiple real estate sites, & regardless a blurry photo will not in any practical way prevent a robbery.

[@KC9UDX]

I had mine blurred so long ago the real estate sites all have the same picture. It's funny, extortion scammers send me the blurred picture as proof they were at my house.

[@cory8837]

Sounds like something a criminal would say

[@chancerobinson5112]

Yes. And Real Estate sites often have pictures of the inside of your house, if it’s for sale. Easy pickings!

[@terryparker1694]

@@cory8837 I'm looking at you.

[@bite-sizedshorts9635]

My house is not on any real estate sites at all. It has never been sold since it was built almost 100 years ago. What will help prevent a robbery is the fact that almost all homeowners in my area are armed, and most would be robbers are aware of that. We have accidentally left home with the garage door wide open. Nothing happened. Also, most of my neighbors' houses have not been sold since the advent of the internet and real estate sites.

[@AP-gb3eh]

I’ve always believed in large dogs .

[@AnneCaulder]

Yep, never had an issue in decades with a dog or two. 🐶♥️

[@Sorchia56]

Same! I’ll never NOT have a medium to large dog. I’ve always had large dogs but I’m not opposed to a 60 pounder! I get retired military and LE dogs, they are so much fun.

[@jackwhite6030]

Yep.....Rottweilers German Shepherds Great Pyrenees' right here.....nobody comin close

[@janicebreault1963]

Yep, I have a Big German Shepard and he loves being outside !🤣

[@invaderzim1964]

Post office even puts stickers on the mailbox to indicate a dog. If you remove it, they put another back on.

[@raymonddavis483]

I love how they just inadvertently give crooks ideas.

[@tommytomtom5531]

Me too !

[@Bellz972]

😅 Maybe it isn't a good idea 💡 to let it be known that a realtor website has inside info about house interior designs and weather or not they have home security and where cameras are located. If I was a thief I would be taking notes 📝 👀

[@mygma243]

TV shows do this ALL the time! How to break into home, how to murder someone & not get cought, etc. It's unreal, yet VERY REAL!

[@WatchingYou505]

Commenters are making sure no stone is left unturned for criminals. “Oh, here, let’s make sure they know about this, too!” Dumbasses!

[@PLuMUK54]

"No one needs to see my home other than me and my family!" So how does she stop anyone walking past her home from seeing it? Does she have a cloak of invisibility? If I was a criminal, seeing a blurred out house in an area of expensive properties would make me curious enough to do a drive past to check it out. People are better off ensuring that windows and doors are strong and secure, and ensuring that basic security is encorporated.

[@john_nip_nop]

Good point - anything or anyone visible from a public right-of-way is fair game. It/they can be observed, recorded, and published.

[@scrapsandink]

Was thinking the same thing. The blur adds intrigue and mystery.

[@celebrityrog]

BLurring your property says to thieves and robbers that your house is even more worth robbing and breaking into. Criminals know why you blur your house, and it gives them even more of a reason to break in since you're trying to hide something. How ignorant people can be to forget the Streisand Effect. Trying to hide something while making a big obvious deal out of it only increases curiosity.

[@SuperChaoticus]

@@hockeyaddict7007 Huh? What thief would make burglary plans based on a picture off Google maps? That's not how you case a potential target.

[@Dc0sby]

​@@SuperChaoticusDumb people, who like the steal versus getting jobs.

[@lb6110]

@@SuperChaoticus Oh?😲🥸

[@mostlyvoid.partiallystars]

Haha they going to be hella disappointed then

[@Mindraker1]

@@SuperChaoticus The only people who have expensive electronic door locks are people who have the money to protect something expensive inside.

[@dshepherd107]

Blurring your home is like shining a spotlight on it. Thieves know you must have something of value, so they just look at your neighbor’s address, and head on out to have a look at your blurred home. It’s a stupid option.

[@hughbrackett343]

Thank goodness thieves can't drive down the street with their 20 megapixel phones and take their own high resolution photos.

[@DengShabu]

Or case the neighborhood to see when you leave for work or that you're driving the Mercedes means you've left the BMW at home with the keys.

[@f4ll3nzr0]

They have been doing something else. At night I see cars drive around with ir cameras with their side windows open or in the windshield pointed up and to the right side to track all the home with security cameras. I can see their IR lights with my security cameras so I checked to see if they could see mine. Nope mine don't emit any light.

[@hughbrackett343]

@f4ll3nzr0 they wouldn't like my neighborhood. They're all smart homes with IR doorbell cameras. Then there's the outside cameras people put up. We'll be sure to get their good side!

[@chazw3x]

​@@f4ll3nzr0If your IR lights aren't emitting any light then the IR lights aren't working.

[@chazw3x]

​@@f4ll3nzr0That's kind of pointless since almost every home has cameras outside, inside, or both. Criminals just assume that wherever they're burglarizing has cameras.

[@adventurefuel5172]

The level of detail available is actually impressive. As a commercial general contractor, I have been able to give budget numbers for exterior painting, roofing, seal coating, and window replacement jobs from my desktop. I still have to do a site visit for a firm quote, but to give an owner that information while we talk through the project conceptually saves me and owners a lot of time.

[@alicetheegreet]

My cynical self thinks that's just another way for Google to get information from you because I bet you have to share with them that you live/own that property in order for you to be able to blur it. This is the type of information Google can both sell and/or use to tailor and subject you with even more targeted ads. I'll pass!

[@Bill-im6nt]

Just like the phone call and text blockers, get one and see a 1000% increase in calls!

[@alicetheegreet]

Exactly! @@Bill-im6nt

[@rabbitroyale1315]

That info is already available on county sites and is free for the public to see

[@benwagner5089]

Surprisingly no ownership verification, not unless the email they request is for confirming you live there. I tried it for my neighbor's house, and there was nothing in the initial question list like "are you the owner of the property" anywhere.

[@captainsouth4460]

they already know, everything on your cell phone is recorded and stored. Corporate America is watching you to sell you crap from China!

[@OG_Beckie_Leigh]

I blurred mine years ago when I got a homeowner’s insurance solicitation with a Google street view picture of my house in the mail. It was creepy! It only blurs the street view. It does not blur the image of the top of the house. On the day that the street view car came by my house, my dog was lying near the road basking in the sun, and Google got a perfect picture of him. He has since passed away, and the street view image is one of the best pictures I have of my sweet boy.

[@maryefromky]

i've been caught on Google maps before, sitting on my back porch in a house i lived at a decade ago. its only archived but still. me and an ex bf, yikes. wish there was a way to remove those too

[@Av-vd3wk]

What’s yo address? I wanna see the dog

[@robison87]

​@Av-vd3wk sorry I can't tell you.

[@MOE13576]

​​@@Av-vd3wkI càn(tell you.)

[@TwistedQuestionMark]

They had pix of my kids outside!

[@JS-vl5gd]

The problem is that a lot of information about us is public on the internet. In this case, by blurring a property's view on google maps, it may help a little, assuming the scammers are from out of state, but if they live in the same state, they can drive by and take pictures of it, then try to scam you again.

[@bikeguyhd1035]

And the city/town governments put your home photo on their tax assessor’s websites anyway. And in Massachusetts all of our deeds and mortgage paperwork is online for everyone to see. It all should be private.

[@valerieneal2747]

​@@bikeguyhd1035 I absolutely agree with you 💯.

[@bryancondrey6457]

Expel your D masters.

[@abfutrell]

The downside is loosing the ability to confirm existing utility assets. Which means more visits in person by field crews and more eyes for opportunity on your home.

[@cymeriandesigns]

Instead of blurring, can I have them replace it with a vacant lot?

[@daved2023]

I just bought a newly built house and shows a vacant lot on Google Maps!

[@Youtubecensoredmyusername]

Play with fireworks inside and you’ll have an empty lot before you know it

[@MOE13576]

​​@@daved2023 not so bright, huh?

[@chazw3x]

​@@daved2023Give it time, it'll update. My entire neighborhood was an open field for about a year and our addresses weren't eben in Google Maps for about 2 years. We couldn't order delivery from restaurants because we weren't on any maps. Even the new fire department would occasionally ask someone in the neighborhood or knock on a door to find a street.

[@miller5170]

😂

[@oneevilchef]

Those of us delivery drivers will be upset with this, i expect this idea to backfire.

[@oneevilchef]

"You delivered to the wrong house!" "Which house is your's, what's it look like?" "Uhhhh....."

[@stephenjones8928]

@2:14. A downside I can think of is that the blurred property now looks like it has something valuable inside and that maybe a crook might think I should take a closer look as he drives by.

[@fragslap5229]

Seriously? I have a hard time visualizing criminals sitting around their laptops looking at google maps trying to figure out which would be most "profitable."

[@desertrose0601]

Right?? This makes zero sense to me. 😂

[@johnnyblade6088]

Especially when most google images are older and will not show the current status of many homes.

[@ginnykilpatrick]

Exactly. Majority of petty theft is opportunistic. They are looking for something they can easily and quickly grab and run with. A coworker of mine had a weed eater stolen out of his yard in broad daylight while he went inside the house for a bathroom break.

[@bluemyst42]

The only houses criminals might do this for would be millionaire mansions. It would help plan entry and escape routes from an aerial view. Robbing a 3 bedroom ranch style home doesnt require all that much thought; pick the lock, take the loot.

[@ritaamor283]

But they do! I am not going to detail how they do it, because I don’t want to give ideas, but it happened to some neighbors of ours. And it’s not like they are browsing streets and streets randomly, but to have a picture of house and the chance to examine it online makes a difference.

[@janeentumbao8690]

This has been done for many years already. When Lightfoot was mayor of Chicago, she blurred her house. Other ways to secure your home... A gun or two. NOT putting a sign on your lawn or anywhere saying you have security. Telling them is like showing your cards in poker. Just don't. Having stuff blocking windows or have knickknacks on top of window panes. If someone breaks in, they will fall and make a noise. And you'll know exactly how they entered. Remember to lock all doors and windows. Especially doors linking the house to the garage. And lock those basement windows too. Lastly... Don't be telling everyone your business. Don't brag about your new promotion, or your new car, or tell too many people you'll be on vacation next week.

[@dailypearls]

Great ideas but not telling your business won't work because most people love bragging and running their 👄s.

[@stickerlady1774]

some states *require* that homeowners post signs outside of their property that alerts a recording is taking place in order for your recording to be admissible in a court of law, especially audio. without the sign the recording could be considered a felony. police in two boroughs told us to post no trespassing signs around the perimeter of our property. with the posted signs we would be allowed to prosecute the trespassers.

[@michelledryden4378]

All good ideas, also please don't put out boxes of expensive items like T.V s etc by your trash. Break up and put inside trash can. No point in advertising what you have inside

[@nikkijack911]

Are we sure she blurred it and the camera didnt break?

[@janeentumbao8690]

@nikkijack911 😄😄😄

[@yt650]

Where I live semi rural area, many people are armed. There’s a sign on my door that says beware of dog. If you ignore the sign it gets worse. The old saying is that I’d rather be judged by 12 then carried by six.

[@GrandTime-17]

Same!

[@btd3375]

More likely to foil insurance companies looking for reasons to disqualify you and county assessors looking for property changes.

[@who2u333]

This may be the best reason to blur your house. I don't think that criminals care. They are local and can just drive by.

[@Edsrandomthingschannel9295]

Yes, there have been plenty of instances where insurance companies have cancelled a homeowner's policy because of misinterpreted aerial reconnaissance (satellite or now- drones).

[@dailypearls]

Wow 😮❤

[@91thewatcher23]

So it helps with the "legally-cool" thieves that are more likely to rob you then. 😂

[@f4ll3nzr0]

Their investigators use a drone, many of the images are dated unless you live within a bustling area.

[@Dxn6alc03Belod7m1o]

While I While I agree that displaying that you HAVE a security system is a good idea, most police and security experts suggest dislpaying only GENERIC signs. If you let would-be thieves know what system you're using, they can and do research it and then know what to do to defeat it. Also using more than one system--esp. for a large house or property--is a great idea as is having at least one that doesn't run on wifi because they will just jam the wifi signal and go in.

[@Robin-xt7yo]

My house is set so far back that Google Street just shows the bushes and trees that abut the street lol

[@sferg9582]

FALSE sense of security with this tactic. All you have to do is go to an aerial view and in 3D view, you swoop in and can see 360 degrees of the home, even over the fences. It's almost like flying a drone around the property. Nice try, but virtually worthless unless Google can come up with an aerial view blocking.

[@dlewis9760]

@@sferg9582 You are correct, but a lot places aren't 3D'd (is that a word?).

[@rayjack]

even better ... no one will notice burglars are in the house

[@ArtByKarenEHaley]

Blurring your home makes no sense to me. Can’t blur it in real life. Just going to look like you are trying to keep something good a secret.

[@roxxma]

Could they please back up their claims with crime statistics regarding blurred homes versus non-blurred homes? Without citing actual data, this is pure puff and I'm going to assume it is baseless conjecture. A related consequence: a friend in LA lives very close to one of the homes used for outside shots in Modern Family, and that house is blurred. There has been a recent uptick in visitors taking selfies outside and much more traffic to their street. The neighbors now suspect that this is the result of the house being blurred. People who could otherwise see a pic of the house on Google Maps are now traveling to the house to see it in person.

[@Natty183]

Everyone is noticing lack of privacy in every aspect of our society now. It used to be only the perceptive were noticing, but now it's so widespread even the dense can tell. People feel vulnerable against invisible attackers so they are going to do things to try to feel safer, even if they aren't particularly efficacious. So it goes...

[@PWingert1966]

There are none. A driver will confirm an SUV in the driveway and that confirms the value of the target. Also blurring is time bracketed on the start date and after then. If you select earlier dates, it's still visible. Also, what if the house changes owners and the new owner Doesn't want it blurred out? There should be a process to reverse the blurring as well. If have used real estate site to see changes in houses I have lived in. It's nice to see how a property with nostalgic memories has evolved over time to meet new needs.

[@dailypearls]

This is social media and facts/statistics have no place here.😂😢

[@valeriaswanne]

Streisand effect

[@howard5992]

@@PWingert1966 I agree with you. A home is part of a public view. It is rather silly to blur it out.

[@zenpo6322]

Anyone with the actual intent will simply look at your home in real life. Sigh so stupid.

[@karolynann4106]

and most likely using a drone

[@karolynann4106]

and most likely using a drone

[@jdrissel]

Ok, so now theives will look for the blurred houses on Google maps to know who has enough to worry about it...

[@kapasitorcpt9249]

Lol reminds me of the Simpsons episode. Ok then I will look for the house with no numbers.

[@LoolJohn]

the downside applies if you want to rent or sell. as a potential homebuyer, I give more consideration to houses that have more pics, more info

[@chrisbailey5055]

It is also available by simply walking by.

[@SilentKnightVII]

I feel like if you go through the trouble to blurr your home it would make criminals more interested in why you wanted your home blurred

[@nikkingman]

Cool, you're the 290th person to leave the same comment

[@SilentKnightVII]

@@nikkingman Then what i said is correct and you went out of your way to be a wiseASS for nothing

[@TH3mrBROWN]

I always laugh when I see blurred out homes on Google street view… like I can just drive by your house and see what it looks like. In fact more people especially thieves are likely to come looking for yours. 😂

[@Michaelfatman-xo7gv]

And they still will be disappointed....and afraid. Who wants to die of tetanus in this day and age?

[@karolynann4106]

Thieves most likely just use drones these days

[@gregf4170]

If criminals are that tech savvy they will be also using drones. We have one”casing” our neighbourhood at night checking backyards for valuables or if you have dogs etc. so blurring your house will only make them more likely to check you out.

[@stevebot]

This sounds like promulgating FUD for one reason or another. I’m more concerned with criminals in the vicinity of my home and old fashioned casing.

[@wayneessar7489]

Getting home insurance or estimates for lawn care will be much more difficult if you blur.

[@darrellmay4502]

locks are to use, not just look at.

[@hughbrackett343]

Locks are to prevent people from accidentally meeting my dog.

[@karolynann4106]

Lock and load works great also, blurred house or not

[@daverd2003]

Down side . 1 big downside as a delivery driver i use this app to find out where to go and if there could be dogs in the yard

[@hrhthequeen2654]

It's public record. You can get the info from the County Assessor. This is a waste.

[@karenkoe7096]

I think it depends upon where you live.

[@askedofgod9067]

What a nice way to tell thieves you have valuables. 😂

[@steveib724]

Clever lol

[@steveib724]

They can have my 65 inch if they want but I'll put outside for them lol

[@Xocolatben]

When you are afraid of everything you see and hear on the television news ...

[@0tuc]

A blurred home is PERMANENT! I run a home-based business and the previous owner blurred my home. There are NO mechanisms in place to unblur. I know this negatively affects my business.

[@loualiberti4781]

Blurring it will definitely make it a target.

[@bryancondrey6457]

Ready and waiting. My home is like Hotel California.

[@ssjlkrillin]

Burglars do not use Google maps to target homes; they physically case the area. If by chance they do use Google, their curiosity is piqued even more from a blurred image ("now that house DEFINITELY has something they don't want us to see"). Burglaries happen mostly in the daytime, when most are expected to be away; home invasions mostly happen in the late evening or at night, when the victim is not as alert or unaware.

[@A3Kr0n]

I'm just going to be nice to my neighbor. He's a cop.

[@Teeveepicksures]

I'd move.

[@lb6110]

@@Teeveepicksures 🤣🤣

[@dailypearls]

I have them too.

[@steelman86]

But is he home 24/7?.?.

[@sferg9582]

I have a cop neighbor too and guess what... his house is blurred out. His wife is home most of the time and she's an avid and accomplished BOW HUNTER.... she could take you out and nobody would even know......... go ahead..... make her day!😵

[@MrHaydnSir]

as a criminal, i’d now consider the blurred homes to be the most valuable

[@jessica33313]

You better live in that house for life is you will blur the images out! Since it can’t be undone forever!

[@jublywubly]

Until the next time they update the photos of that street.

[@karolynann4106]

actually my house has been blurred out for years even when they update the photos for Google. I'm not worried about any thieves targeting my house at all. We use lock and load

[@222jojo]

How does Google validate if the person blurring the home IS the real owner? AND what if the previous owner blurred the home, can I un blur it?

[@teddysdadcory]

If I were a thief I would look for the blurred homes to know which ones have something to hide. You can always just, oh I don’t know, DRIVE BY to see if they have security 🙄

[@karolynann4106]

we don't advertise that we have security and we also have a blurred house on Google. But we also believe in lock and load

[@karolynann4106]

sometimes people don't advertise that they have security or that their house is loaded

[@Black-ig6vh]

😢I just went through the process, while replaying this video. The fact that someone in prison said they found my address and photos of my house online, has me feeling bad. They later suggested a video call to show them the interior. Nope. Family or not, I do not trust ANYONE.😒

[@silencingmachine2671]

Ok? then I search your house on zillow and get the whole layout, Brilliant ... And sleep tight

[@LuckyCharms777]

I like to look at street view as a sort of biography of the changing exterior of my home. It’s documented the changing landscaping, colors, etc. It’s kind of a time capsule.

[@Drek-Moon9999]

Anyone can already drive/walk by and see your home if it's within view of the public. The real problem is if there's some information connecting one's personal identity to the address.

[@nephetula]

Numerous websites are available that tell you who lives at a certain address. There are no more secrets, thanks to the internet.

[@karolynann4106]

Thieves can just use drones now

[@kirkwilson5905]

Thieves searching google maps see a blurred house.... Hey let's go there they are hiding something!

[@treetreeplant]

You can also blur anyone else's home that isn't yours btw.

[@drumset09]

If I see a blurred property, it makes me wonder what's there, how much is it worth?

[@karolynann4106]

if lock and load is worth it

[@nate_d376]

So if everyone blurs their home, Google maps will just be one big blur.... won't work anyways.

[@sferg9582]

FALSE sense of security with this tactic. All you have to do is go to an aerial view and in 3D view, you swoop in and can see 360 degrees of the home, even over the fences. It's almost like flying a drone around the property. Nice try, but virtually worthless unless Google can come up with an aerial view blocking.

[@karolynann4106]

where I live drones are legal to fly day and night. Very convenient for thieves

[@juaninthechat-j8j]

If you're bluring your house. YOU have something to hide. Thats a no brainer !!!

[@commonsenselucy5697]

Yeah, I think that might actually "draw attention" to your home.....

[@mostlyvoid.partiallystars]

Not as if LEO in Mass would be able to actually solve these crimes either.

[@dailypearls]

Lastly blurred images don't signify value and could be to the contrary.

[@mikect500]

Maybe if Massachusetts and Boston in particular would actually arrest and imprison criminals?

[@uncaboat2399]

It occurs to me, were I a professional burglar and if I saw a house was blurred on Google Maps, I'd be inclined to go over and case the joint and see what it is they're trying to hide. I mean, think about it ... if you got money, and you buy a nice house, and you don't want people to see your nice house, you're likely to blur the house. If you're flat broke, why would you bother? So my question is, does blurring the house offer protection, or is it like shining a huge beacon on your asset?

[@coreyswaz5702]

Anyone notice they didn’t mention using your 2A tights???

[@johngartman4050]

If you blue it your INSURANCE co can not use it against you to cancel your insurance.

[@michaelWells-ef9bx]

Blurred out houses….make me curious about what they’re hiding

[@larryerwin5135]

I don't think thieves are using Google. The best protection for your property is insurance. If you are worried about getting robbed or someone hurting you you get a gun.

[@camerakid76]

I WOULD NOT post signs of what security system I have, as that is another vulnerability. Once they know the system, they can find workarounds.

[@tutoring1013]

How will people buy homes if they can't see them anymore? Or the interiors? I think this is stupid advice. People use these maps for a wide variety of reasons.

[@harveypaxton1232]

It has just the opposite effect. It makes them more interested.

[@DwayneBennett]

As a delivery driver it's very helpful to see what your house looks like especially when the numbers aren't clearly shown but hey more fear and paranoia over something miniscule. Any decent burglar is going to case the home in person possibly for days or it may just be a crime of opportunity as they pass by and notice a vulnerability.

[@timlewis5096]

Charge Google with being an accomplice if you are burgled!!! They can afford it, as they make billions from people!!!!

[@MM-xc2bt]

We go after the blurred home 1st😅

[@Endurorodzndubz]

Google street view is so out of date, my house is not even on there, and its 10 years old. And my old house has change color 3 times since.

[@LordSamuelJ]

If you blurr out your house it will just attrack more theives. If you have something to hide, you have something of value.

[@somethingsomeonesaid6455]

I should also add (a STRONG hunch I have) wifi/wireless camera systems are hackable and are used to locate where the good goods are, so the least amount of time is spent inside (been watching these reports for a while now). Go back to wired/closed loop systems that are not interfaceable with the internet.

[@Chroogomphus]

I could never dream of taking anything that does not belong to me. Im more inclined to give things away. I work hard. seven days a week to provide for my family, but i would never dream of taking something from someone else. I legitimately do not understand the mind of a criminal.

[@user-ln3bd9gz5v]

Blurring a home on public media should be controlled like freezing access to your credit report. It’s yours; not the public’s.

[@backachershomestead]

Always remember that most new homes can be accessed right through the wall,if they are really serious about getting in. Also a lot of entry doors are not properly installed. Don't for get all the cordless tools are a force multipler.

[@supportmytroups7]

And what about the past 30 years of Zillow / Redfin / rental listing still on the web? Lol😂 Probably more likely to be struck by lightning then have a robber scope out the front of your house on google earth and then rob it

[@karenkoe7096]

I just checked Redfin and Zillow. They are apparently simply using google maps because the house is blurred in their pictures.

[@Inkling777]

Massachusetts citizens would be better advised to get tougher on crime. Someone who is locked up isn't going to burglar.

[@Liliarthan]

Research shows that increased funding for public education, community outreach and mental health initiatives are far more effective than to just be “tougher on crime”. The cost of incarceration far exceeds the cost of prevention.

[@JustherefortheLOLZ]

@@LiliarthanWhat you say is true in the long run. As long as there is no repercussion, in the short run it makes no difference. Fully fund a judicial system and stop with the “Tough on crime” political rhetoric. Create other punishment options besides incarceration… we are a one-trick pony and it shows in incarceration rates.

[@lisamcginnis6950]

That's pretty funny considering you can go on any real estate website punch in your address and you can get all the information from that

[@aidenmartin6674]

My parent’s old home was blurred by its new buyers. However the exterior and interior pictures are still on the internet from when the realtor listed it. The internet never forgets.

[@NatesHomeTours]

Um I beg to differ about putting up a sign that says what security you are using. With just that sign a thief can then use high tech devices to jam the frequency of the wireless devices used to protect you. Thing like your camera's and window alarms and any other thing that transmits a signal. If you have no sign, then first off they don't know you have a system, second if they do figure out you have one, if you block out any company markings, they won't know what frequency to jam and will not take the risk.

[@jakescourage]

these mofos forget people don't live in Google maps but in real life. this ain't stopping somebody from burglary when they can just show up irl lol

[@timallison8560]

this is stupid.

[@yellowcrescent]

Having homes blurred on Google Street View is very annoying for legitimate uses-- not to mention that your home can still be seen from high res satellite photos (and in 3D if you're in an urban or metro area with oblique imagery available). Whenever I see a home that has been blurred, it makes it stand out like a sore thumb. I can def understand people wanting to maintain their privacy -- but I don't think blurring your home on Google Street View is going to accomplish that. In addition, the front view of your home, and sometimes other structures, can usually be retrieved from your County Tax Assesor's office (although it is usually much older than Street View imagery)-- along with the general layout of your home, number of floors, etc.

[@4dogsgaming]

Burglar : thanks for making it easier for us to know what house to hit.

[@Serai3]

Just checked my house. Turns out the trees down on the sidewalk in front are so big, you can't see my house at all. So that's one less thing I have to worry about.

[@UnitedWeStand0-0]

Nobody's safe with the invasion we've suffered over the last 4 years.

[@codylovelace2237]

This makes absolutely no difference. This is coming from someone who knows how to find your information.

[@smrk2452]

There needs to be stronger messages to kids about not robbing and stealing your way through life. Its quite possible that nobody ever told these thieves that stealing is bad.

[@missladyanonymity]

Colonialism has entered the chat. I guess It depends on who's stealing the land and the lives, amirite? 😏😉 Natives on 5 continents know all about who made stealing great again! Grifters gotta grift!

[@Bill-im6nt]

One problem is, it appears they are frequently being taught the opposite! If not verbally, by example.

[@Bill-im6nt]

@@missladyanonymity Their neighbors that were raiding and stealing from them for thousands of years?

[@eatshiy]

Blurred homes for a reason....THEY GOT MONEY! Thanks...now I know what to look for!!🤣🤣

[@daviddruggish271]

Why does all this stuff have to be connected to the internet anyways? Such a stupid idea, to put peoples private information online or any personal information. The internet was a bad idea. It's not like the internet has helped out society. We are worse off as a society than ever before.

[@captainsouth4460]

are you a phone? Corporate America knows every click you make!

[@cindys2617]

The front of your house isn't "personal information".

[@nealstarling5422]

If I saw a blurred home it would make me very curious, cover your face with your hands and believe no one can see you 🤣😂🤪