UNPROTECTED TARGETS

​Most thefts fall into one of two categories – crimes of opportunity or a planned enterprise. Most spontaneous crimes happen when the thief unexpectedly finds a low risk target – for example an unattended wallet owned by someone they know they are not likely to meet again.
 
Most planned thefts occur after the target has been scouted and determined to be at its most vulnerable. In residential locations, this is usually during weekdays when all occupants are at work or school. Commercial areas are most vulnerable at night when businesses are closed down. The common thread is that a property is in the most danger of attack when it is unoccupied.
 
The reasons for this are simple. The risk of being caught is higher and the consequences are more severe. A live human telling someone to leave a property removes any reasonable doubt of the intruder’s criminal intent, and what might have been trespassing, vandalism, and other simpler charges are guaranteed to become a multitude of felony charges that will be very difficult to fight in court. A thief or vandal will almost always pass by any defended area in favor of an unprotected target.