Whenever something goes badly wrong, it isn’t long before looters show up to exploit the situation. Natural disasters, civil unrest, political protests – you name it, someone’s going to use it as an excuse to start stealing.
And if looting breaks out during local disturbances, just imagine how bad it’s going to be after a major societal collapse. As well as the usual suspects out to get themselves a new pair of sneakers, you’ll also have people looking for what they need to survive.
As a prepper you’ll already have what you need to survive – but don’t make the mistake of thinking this means you don’t need to worry about looters. Unfortunately, the reality is people like you will be one of the main targets. There are looters that not only will steal from preppers; that’s their main goal.
Why Organized Looters Target Preppers During a Crisis
It’s easy to laugh at many of the looters we see on the news, running from burning stores with a stack of shoe boxes in their arms; they look like disorganized mobs, and – especially in the early stages of a crisis – that’s often exactly what they are.
When disorder lasts longer, though, they start to learn and adapt. They realize sneakers and electronics aren’t what they actually need, and they’ll start hunting for survival essentials. They’ll be joining other, more specialized looters, too. There are people out there who plan to survive a crisis, but instead of doing their own preps their goal is to steal yours.
The most dangerous looters are the most organized ones. They’re not like the opportunists you see robbing discount stores, who just grab anything that catches their eye. No, these looters work in groups, and they know what they’re looking for.
Instead of snatching the nearest shiny things they’ll search neighborhoods for signs of the things they’re looking for. After all, why break into random homes in search of valuable stockpiles when some reconnaissance and preparation will let them target preppers like you?
There are many reasons why looters will choose to go after preppers. Here are three of the top ones; how many apply to you?
Preps Are Obvious
Unless you work hard to hide your preparedness, it tends to stand out. Many preppers have some pretty conspicuous indicators on and around their homes:
- Solar panels or wind turbines
- Rainwater collection systems
- Satellite dishes and backup communications
- Large propane tanks or fuel drums
- Greenhouses or vegetable gardens
- Security cameras and motion sensors
When prowling looters see any of these things, they know there’s a good chance they’re looking at a house that has the resources they’re looking for. After all, if someone’s gone to the trouble of setting up a rainwater catchment the odds are high that they have a stockpile of food and medical supplies, too.
That’s exactly why thousands of Americans now rely on The Water Freedom System. Originally designed for the U.S. Army so that soldiers could stay hydrated in hostile territory without being detected, this off-grid water generator is simple to build, invisible to outsiders, and can give you unlimited clean water without drawing attention.
🔄 Alternatively, you can also have a look at this portable crazy-cheap and easy to DIY water generator.
Of course it’s possible to camouflage or conceal a lot of these items – but can you hide the fact you’re using them? If the grid goes down and yours is the only house in the area with lights on, it’s going to be obvious you have a generator.
Even smoke from a chimney will reveal that, at the very least, you have a stock of firewood. Cutting and seasoning wood is a lot of work; stealing it is much easier.
You’d be surprised what can give you away. If you leave your trash where thieves can get at it, they can rummage through it looking for clues. There are some kinds of trash that suggest a prepper’s home; MRE packaging, for example.
Bottom line is that you need to be very smart about everything. It’s not enough to stockpile or own vital resources. You also need to know when and how to use them.
Remote Homes Are Easy Targets
Many preppers live in the outer suburbs or rural areas. There tends to be fewer people around, and that can give you a feeling of safety. Don’t relax too soon, though. The smarter kind of looter actually like to commit their crimes in less populated areas, for a variety of reasons:
- Longer police response times
- More distance between homes, so less chance of being seen
- Rural people are more self-reliant – and more likely to have useful stockpiles
Rural homes often have outbuildings – barns sheds and so on. These are great for storage, and very valuable for preppers, but they’re usually less secure than the house itself. That makes them tempting targets – and with neighbors further away, and less aware of what’s going on, they can also be easy ones.
Pro Tip:
That’s why more and more preppers are building root cellars attached directly to their homes. You can do the same with The Easy Cellar, just like tens of thousands of Americans already have.
For less than the cost of a flat-screen TV, you can create a hidden underground shelter that doubles as a food storage cellar and a bunker against EMPs or even nuclear threats.
You’re Probably Not Anonymous
One way to find preppers is to drive around looking for wind turbines and chicken sheds. Another is to look for them online. A lot of us, understandably, like to talk about what we’ve done towards preparedness.
We discuss things on online forums. We trade or sell prepper gear. And, sometimes, we’re not as careful as we could be about concealing where we live. A smart criminal can build up a list of prepared homes, all ready to target in a crisis.
Pro Tip:
If you want to learn how to keep your preps hidden and defend your home against organized looters, take a look at A Navy SEAL’s Bug-In Guide by Joel Lambert.
Written by a survival expert with real combat experience, it teaches you everything from securing your house to stockpiling food and even communicating after an EMP strike.
Desperate People Do Desperate Things
The most insidious thing about looters is that they can be anyone. People you thought were trustworthy and law-abiding can be very different if society is collapsing around their ears.
You’re prepared for whatever life can throw at you – but most people aren’t. Now imagine how they’ll be feeling as things fall apart.
The stores are closed or have no food in stock. They’re down to a couple of cans of chopped tomatoes. They don’t know where their next meal is coming from, and they’re frightened. But, for whatever reason, they know you have six months’ worth of food in the basement.
They might ask you for help – or they might just decide to take what they need.
Looters are a real threat, and if you really want to be prepared they’re one of the problems you need to prepare for. Most preppers are armed and ready to defend their property, but the reality is you’re likely to be outnumbered – and you’re also likely to be taken by surprise.
Pro Tip:
If someone shows up at your door post-SHTF asking for food or medicine, you might feel tempted to give in and help. Now that’s a huge risk right there.
You have no guarantee they won’t come back for more – or worse, tell others what they found at your place. That could turn into an entirely different kind of problem.
My advice? Stay as discreet as possible. Learn what to include in a food stockpile that can last you for months and keep your family alive, with the proven recipes from The Lost SuperFoods.
Also, make sure you have the crucial medicines on hand when pharmacies are closed – and that you know how to give first aid (you can master these lifesaving skills quickly and easily with The Home Doctor). No matter how well you hide your supplies, there are plenty of scenarios where the situation could spiral out of control and turn violent.
Final Thoughts
It’s much better to work on your operational security (OPSEC) now, before the SHTF. Review your online presence, and make sure nobody can work out where you live. Be discreet about your preps; try not to build or install anything that’s too obvious.
Even locating fuel or propane tanks out of sight of the road can make a big difference. Think about how you can stay invisible when a crisis hits. Blackout curtains can hide the fact you still have power; being careful about what you throw in the trash will make it harder to tell that you have stockpiled supplies.
The key thing is to just put yourself in the position of a looter and think about what you would look for – then make sure you’re not showing the same signs yourself. If you can manage that, looters won’t even know you have the supplies they’re after.
Instead of a noisy, gas-guzzling machine like a regular generator, imagine having a silent 24/7 power source in your own backyard. With The Modular Backyard Power Plant, you’ll have a reliable way to keep the lights on during any long-term blackout (just make sure you’re clever about it) — and you can even upgrade it if your home or appliances require more energy.
You may also like:
You Caught a Looter on Your Property. Now What?
Intelligence Operatives Rely On This Tripwire To Detect Threats – Now Available To You! (Video)
These Types of People Will Turn Into Looters as Soon as SHTF
High-Risk Looter Places You Have to Stay Away From When SHTF
