by ERIC WOLFF

Have you ever been invited to someone’s house for the first time and immediately knew they were a prepper? What jumped out at you to draw that conclusion?

The stockpiles of food and supplies in plain sight? The solar panels and generators? Oftentimes, quirky features make it completely obvious where a prepper resides.

The problem is if you can spot a prepper, who else can? When SHTF, where do you think desperate people are going to go first to beg, loot, and intrude?

That’s right, a property that looks like they have food and supplies is exactly where intruders will be drawn to. In all likelihood, soon-to-be intruders are already sizing you and your property up right now.

Instead of standing out like a sore thumb, here are 7 things on your property that are going to attract intruders if you don’t take the effort to hide them.

⇒ Why You Should Never Hide Your Stockpile In Your Basement

Visible Energy Sources

Solar panels have become a typical feature of the average household across America. However, when SHTF, your solar panels, combined with your lights, fans, air conditioning, and appliances will attract undue attention from onlookers.

Generators are also prime items of interest for intruders during critical times, as electricity infinitely expands their options.

If you have any other sources of energy in plain sight, like diesel drums, wind, or water mills, these will also attract the attention of looters.

The most desperate intruders will not only want to take these items, but they will also conclude there are more valuable items in the house that they can steal.

Outdoor Appliances

Outdoor deep freezers, extra refrigerators, grills, and smokers are necessary to stockpile food, and keep the inside of your home free of excess.

However, the visibility of outdoor appliances when SHTF will definitely catch the eyes of desperate intruders if they are in need of food and water.

Perform this mental exercise: Picture a desperate looter on the prowl for something to pilfer as they watch your garage door closing automatically when no one else has electricity.

At that moment, they catch a glimpse of your deep freezer and refrigerator. You have just made yourself an instant target to those determined to survive.

At that point, you better hope your self-defense system is primed and ready to go.

Livestock

Though large animals are somewhat difficult to steal without a great deal of coordinated effort and risk, their presence implies that one is clearly prepared for the food crisis, as they are producing their own food.

Smaller animals like chickens, goats, or newborn livestock are also easy targets.

Even if these animals are not visible from your driveway or nearby roads, animals have a tendency to be noisy and will give away their location from a distance.

Barns on the property spark intuitive thoughts about food, supplies, tools, and fuel.

⇒ Learn How To Can Hamburger Meat For Long Term Preservation

Vehicles

Off-road transportation and fuel will be extremely high-value commodities when SHTF.

Having a well-equipped vehicle with a bug out bag, weapons, water, food, fuel, and sleeping space is a dream find for a desperate and unprepared person, in an SHTF situation.

Though it may look cool to random people who see you at campgrounds and hunting areas, that exact same status vehicle will trigger aggressive action from intruders.

Even your daily commuter will be a target simply because it’s there.

Also, keep in mind that vehicles parked in open spaces can be damaged or sabotaged intentionally by potential intruders to lure you out of your safe space and attack you when you are unprepared.

Threatening Signage

To avoid conflict, many believe that posting warning signs against trespassing is the best way to keep intruders out.

However, threatening signs may actually work against you.

These signs, intended to intimidate, may make people conclude that you are well prepped and have a great deal of food, fuel, weapons, alcohol, and supplies on your property. Why else would you go to such lengths to keep people away?

Rather than scaring them away, you may be giving them an invitation to scavenge your residence, as you have exactly what they are looking for.

You can learn here practical strategies to defend your property against looters and intruders

Ham Or CB Radio Antennas

After the grid goes down, communication is going to be an issue and anyone prepared for the collapse will have some form of radio communication.

Equipped with an off-grid power generation system, both ham and CB radios allow for communication.

For both of these radios to function, large antennas are required. While most radio operators may not be preppers, a prepper will ensure they are able to communicate with others after society collapses. While it is difficult to hide large antennas, be aware that they may draw unwanted attention from intruders.

Large Gardens

Having a large garden on your property signifies that you must have food. Preppers grow all the food they can during the summer months and store it away so they have food during winter and beyond.

Starving intruders will take notice of residences that have large gardens in their yard and assume there is food inside.

Again, it is difficult to hide a large garden which is why it is better to live out in the country, far from the cities, when society collapses.

Fortunately, you don’t need a lot of land to become completely self-sufficient. In fact, 1/4 acre is enough, if you follow this comprehensive guide.

By no means is this a fully comprehensive list of items you have on your property that will attract looters when SHTF.

You may be reading this and thinking about other items visible in your space that will also attract intruders. Determine how to secure these items now while you still have time.

Between the war in Ukraine, the collapse of the food supply, and the looming financial fallout, your time to prepare is limited.

Do not fall into the comfort zone mindset, thinking that “everything will be fine”. Take every second and prepare now, but don’t make it obvious you are prepping and unwittingly make yourself a target to looters.