Burglars use chalk markings outside homes

[Still Waters]

Burglars are using coded chalk symbols to let other criminals know whether a property is worth targeting.

The marks, dubbed the Da Pinci Code, are made by would-be thieves to indicate if the house is vulnerable, revealing who is living in the house and whether there is anything worth stealing.

http://www.dailymail...vulnerable.html

[Ealdwita]

The 'travelling community' have been using this type of communication for many years. Here's a few of the more common ones from Victorian times....

(Tick) "Yes" or "all right"

(Cross in circle) "A Christian household"

(Coins) "Money may be given here"

(Table) "A sit-down meal may be on offer""

(Loaf of bread) "Food only"

(Interlocking squares) "Threats may produce something"

(Box) "Spin them a tale" or "Eloquence may get a response"

(part of X?) "No" or "Nothing doing".

(Bars) "Police may be informed or called"

(Dot in circle) "Police may be called"

(Dot in square) "Possibility of violence"

(Teeth) "Fierce dog!"

(Sickle) "Work may be offered"

(Triangle) "Too many have called recently"

[Michelle]

Do they have one for, "Will be met with a shotgun?"

[Bavarian Raven]

Do they have one for, "Will be met with a shotgun?"

Those ones havent lived long enough to leave a chalk mark

[TSS]

One you need to look out for in the UK is if you wake up and someone has sprayed a grey/silver line on your garden fence or drive (not big, just a small line).....it'll only apply if you have dogs, and the chances are they will go missing as soon as your backs turned. So don't leave your dog/s roaming round your garden where you can't see them.

[.Betta]

Thieves, lol.

[CatFromHell]

I think I can safely say I won't be seeing any chalk markings outside my humble abode then. Actually I've not long returned from holiday and I thought i'd been burgled. Then I remembered i'm just a messy cow.

[Taun]

If a thief broke into my house (apartment actually) he would feel so bad for me that he would probably leave money for me...

[Big Bad Voodoo]

Just draw circle and cross and you are safe.

Big Bad Voodoo

[Moon Gazer]

"Da pinchi code"...... who came up with that... I love it

But in the UK I did hear about the one where people leave a mark to indicate a dog lives there. I think it's people pinching dogs for use in dog fighting