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Homeowners are taking action to protect themselves from violent crimes.
Recently, more people have been blurring their homes on Google Maps to help deter burglars.
Google Maps is a great tool to help people navigate and find restaurants, homes, or buildings, but it also gives criminals a bird’s eye view of your home. Criminals might use the images to look for security cameras, side windows, fences, etc.
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Jarid Zuetel, a burglary detective in Riverside, California, told KTTV you’d be surprised by what they find when they investigate break-ins.
“With technology becoming more and more accessible, more and more people, including thieves, are using it to their advantage,” Zuetel said. “In talking with people after arresting them for burglary, they tell us that they’re able to scope out the house to look into it using online platforms like Google Maps.”
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How to blur your home on Google Maps
Cybersecurity teacher Jay Gehringer says the process to blur your home is easy and may help a homeowner feel less vulnerable.
Users first find their property on Google Maps. Click ‘report a problem’ in the upper left corner.
A Google Maps Street View vehicle with camera mounted on its roof records images as it proceeds down Bush Street in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Robert Alexander/Getty Images)
You will then be prompted to answer a few questions and submit your request to Google.
Google says after a home is blurred and published, it can not be removed.
For more information, visit Support.Google.com.
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But, would it help keep the thieves away?
“I think most are going to drive down the street… this is just 1% safer,” Gehringer said.
“I think that blurring out your home on Google can make your house less of a target,” Zeutel said.