This question will be answered in two ways—criminals attract people and people also attract criminals to themselves. Deborah Ward in a 2013 article titled this “The Familiarity Principle of Attraction.”Studies have shown that we are all attracted to what is familiar to us, and that repeated exposure to certain people will increase our attraction toward them. This is a subconscious process that we’re not even aware of or have any awareness of making such a choice. We are attracted to familiar people because we consider them to be safe and unlikely to cause harm. This doesn’t just apply to people we’ve actually seen before or to people who look familiar, but also to people who behave in ways that are familiar to us. For example, if you are a woman who grew up with an alcoholic father you will tend to be attracted to men who are alcoholics, not because you find them attractive but because you find their behavior familiar. Even when someone’s behavior or personality is hurtful, on a subconscious level, some part of us finds comfort in the familiarity of that behavior. Good or bad, the environment in which we grew up is the only home we’ve ever known (Ward, 2013). What most criminals do is that, they find out time to dig into your past; they carry out an undercover story about you without your own knowledge. So, they approach you through a familiar manner which will make their advances irresistible to you. So, instead of doubting their feigned show of love, you easily move freely with them and engage them subconsciously without thinking of the aftermath of such action.
Jared Higgins, CEO of Secure Drive in South Africa while speaking on the way in which people attract criminals ignorantly to themselves says that most kidnappings – particularly those by organized criminals – are carefully planned and abductions that are often only committed after extensive research on a target’s daily habits and routines. That is, before criminals attract you to themselves at all, they are able to establish the fact that you are the right target for them. They will ensure that your family has enough resources to pay ransoms. After this process, they can now spend time to observe and track you. Usually, they do not interfere with your busy daily schedules. They target the best opportune moment when you are ready to welcome strangers, familiarize yourself with people and have some time out with those who reflect your values. This means that kidnappers – particularly the syndicates – will only take calculated risks that they expect to be financially worth their while and where the family is less likely to involve the authorities (Business Tech, 2018).
Having said that, here are some of the things you might be doing to attract criminal attention:
Social media slip-ups: I so much understand the urge to get those hundreds of likes on Instagram and other social media pages, while this is good, you might be unintentionally sending signals to the wrong people. The tropical location-tagged post on the social media could actually be putting your home in danger. When predators notice that you’re out on vacation, they also notice another thing: an empty, unprotected house that can be easily invaded (Crime Feed, 2015).
An unpruned landscape: Ignoring those overgrown bushes can always land you in unimaginable trouble beyond what local authorities can do. Burglars are always on the lookout for shadowy trees, overgrown shrubbery, and dark corners outside your house to hide and plan on how to attack you without being detected. In fact, they may go as far as using the low hanging branches for second-story intrusion (Crime Feed, 2015).
One person’s trash…: When you leave boxes from TVs, computers and sound systems at the curb during pick-up day, thieves normally take notice of that action. The fact is that they might not be after those items but those items have advertised you as being rich and endowed with other nice things. The 21st century criminal is not after large electronics but items that can be easily stolen like laptops, cash, jewelry, watches and other portable items (Crime Feed, 2015).
The key to disaster: Burglars are aware of all the tricks. Never think they are not going to check under the doormat, flower vase, or porch light for a secret key to your home. Leaving your key in a hiding place leaves thousands of dollars worth of valuables at stake. All the cameras in the world probably can’t protect you from a criminal who just walks right in (Crime Feed, 2015).
Here are some tips to mitigate the risks of becoming targeted by opportunistic or planned kidnappers and criminals alike:
Be vigilant: Notice who is around you and never discard your instinctive thoughts. Situational awareness is key. If you notice the same person or vehicle in different places over a few days, be cautious and try to obtain a detailed description of the vehicle and / or persons(Business Tech, 2018).
Vary your routine: While it’s tempting to drive the same route to work every day, and it’s logical to leave home or the office at the same time – don’t. It makes you an easy target (Business Tech, 2018).
Don’t carry large amounts of cash with you: And don’t talk about large amounts of money in public places either. You might not be talking about your own money, but a kidnapper won’t know that, and you never know who’s listening in on your conversations(Business Tech, 2018).
Do a proper background check of your staff: And only use driving services and other suppliers who conduct proper background checks on their staff (Business Tech, 2018).
While it’s rewarding to enjoy the fruits of your labors by wearing expensive clothes and driving luxury cars, be aware that these highlight your wealth, which may make you a more attractive target (Business Tech, 2018).
Let people know where you’re going, what time you expect to reach your destination and share your itinerary with your family and colleagues at work. That way, if something does happen to you, those close to you can act more quickly to find you (Business Tech, 2018).
References
Business Tech (2018). Here’s How You Might Be Attracting Criminals Without Even Knowing It. Retrieved from https://businesstech.co.za/news/wealth/254729/heres-how-you-might-be-attracting-criminals-without-even-knowing-it/
Crime Feed (2015). 5 Things You Might Be Doing That Can Attract Criminal Attention. Retrieved from crimefeed.com/2015/02/5-things-might-can-attract-criminal-attention/
Ward, D (2013). The Familiarity Principle of Attraction. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sense-and-sensitivity/201302/the-familiarity-principle-attraction
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