Street View used to plan home break-ins (how much, windows, phones)

[missik999]

A burglary suspect in eight burglaries in Chicago suburbs says he used Google Street View to survey homes and plan break-ins. The Street View perspective allowed him to zoom into homes and view them from multiple angles.

Similar issues have been reported in other areas, and residents are asking if it is possible to have their homes removed from Street View due to security issues.

Many buildings and areas are already blurred on Street View and satellite views, including government and military sites, some nuclear plants and selected schools and amusement parks.

[Coldjensens]

Our street is not on street view at all. Not sure why. I guess we are safe.

[Pitt Chick]

Nothing for me to worry about either!

[Chango]

I've spent hours and hours surfing street view. Sure, it's been used occasionally for bad stuff, but how many millions has it helped? The same could be said about just about any technology from cars to phones to the internet.

I was in Phoenix a couple weeks ago and never got lost because I looked up where I was going on Street View before the trip, not to mention how much it's helped me oogle architecture worldwide that I want to see but can't just drive to.

[elnina]

You can't stop progress and use of new technologies because it could be used for illicit activities. Thieves will be thieves, and they will find a way to rob you or your house with or without google maps.
Are google maps making theft easier? Maybe, but so are credit cards, ATM machines, cellular phones, Internet usage, guns, cars etc...

[desertsun41]

Originally Posted by elnina

You can't stop progress and use of new technologies because it could be used for illicit activities. Thieves will be thieves, and they will find a way to rob you or your house with or without google maps.
Are google maps making theft easier? Maybe, but so are credit cards, ATM machines, cellular phones, Internet usage, guns, cars etc...

Yea.....all good points. Only one other thing. If some one wants to get into your home, they will get in....with or without bars, with or without alarms, with or without locks, with or without mean dogs. Maybe even with or without you home. They will get in, us making it harder for them to do so can only be good though.f

The way they build homes in some areas you can just kick right through the outside wall. Who cares if there are bars on the windows and doors. In some areas they do foam board sheeting, then stucco over it. So all you have to do is kick through the quarter inch thick stucco and then the inside drywall. Walk right on in but laugh at all the locks on the doors and bars on the windows. No tools needed but your size 11 shoe.

[timfountain]

No difference to someone driving down the road and scoping a place out. Not an issue IMHO.

[elnina]

Originally Posted by desertsun41

Yea.....all good points. Only one other thing. If some one wants to get into your home, they will get in....with or without bars, with or without alarms, with or without locks, with or without mean dogs. Maybe even with or without you home. They will get in, us making it harder for them to do so can only be good though.f

The way they build homes in some areas you can just kick right through the outside wall. Who cares if there are bars on the windows and doors. In some areas they do foam board sheeting, then stucco over it. So all you have to do is kick through the quarter inch thick stucco and then the inside drywall. Walk right on in but laugh at all the locks on the doors and bars on the windows. No tools needed but your size 11 shoe.

Exactly!! I agree. I was amazed when I first saw how some houses are build here: 2x4 and plywood; thin foam sheeting, some stucco, simple windows, hollow doors and ... the house cost a half million...
They are not solid build and can give only false sense of security.

[desertsun41]

Originally Posted by elnina

Exactly!! I agree. I was amazed when I first saw how some houses are build here: 2x4 and plywood; thin foam sheeting, some stucco, simple windows, hollow doors and ... the house cost a half million...
They are not solid build and can give only false sense of security.

Those bold letters are another point. Lets take those gated, fenced/walled in communities where people feel so safe. Even today's athletically incompetent generation of kids can climb over those walls. All one has to do is wait behind any car who punches in their 4 digit code to open the gate and just follow right on through.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by missik999

Similar issues have been reported in other areas, and residents are asking if it is possible to have their homes removed from Street View due to security issues.

That's silly.