The Professional Search:
The professional search will be conducted by, well professionals, and will be the hardest to defend against. Not only will these professionals have the benefit of almost unlimited time, they will also have ample technology at their fingertips.
While looters also have time, they don’t really know how to search like the professionals do – the pros use their time to search in a most systematic manner. Your typical professional search will go something like this:
- One room will be assigned to a two man team to do a visual search.
- Each man will be responsible for half the room. They will start from the ceiling, and then look side to side in a zig zag pattern, scanning every inch of the room with their eyes, much like they are looking at a grid.
- They will examine each object or container thoroughly.
- They will empty the contents of each drawer or cabinet systematically, cataloging each item and then returning it to its place.
- They will take nothing for granted. Walls, light fixtures, outlets, carpets – everything will be closely examined to make sure that it is exactly what it looks like.
- These people will be expecting false walls, trap doors, and other such caching methods.
- Pros will often use technology to assist in their search.
- Assuming they don’t cut into walls or other such disturbances, the result of a professional search will be a home that was pretty much the way you left it and relatively undisturbed.
