As homeowners seek new ways to protect their properties from potential burglars, many are turning to an often overlooked feature on Google Maps: the ability to blur out their homes on Street View. Law enforcement experts consider this a good idea — here are the steps to stop crooks from casing your property from the comfort of their own home.
At a time when homeowners are investing in sophisticated locks, alarm systems, and surveillance cameras to safeguard their properties, law enforcement officials are suggesting an additional measure that could help deter burglars: blurring out your home on Google Maps’ Street View. The blur feature, which has been available for years, is gaining popularity among homeowners who want to reduce their digital exposure and minimize the risk of becoming a target for criminals.
Ryan Railsback, a police officer in Riverside, California, has noticed an increasing number of residents taking this extra step. “The crooks are looking for new and innovative ways to victimize people,” he told ABC News. “It’s good for the public to be aware of that and counter what the criminals are already doing.”
Google’s Street View service, which is part of Google Maps, provides panoramic images captured by camera-equipped vehicles that traverse public roads. While this feature offers convenience for tasks such as navigating new neighborhoods or browsing real estate, it may also give criminals an easy way to scope out potential targets, according to experts.
Christopher Herrmann, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, explained to ABC News that “would-be thieves certainly want to scout their locations before they hit them.” They can use publicly available imagery to assess potential entry points, identify visible security cameras or alarms, and even spot valuable property that is visible from the street.
For homeowners who want to conceal their property on Street View, Google provides a tool that allows them to request a permanent blur. Here are the steps protect your home:
- Access Google Maps and search for your home.
- Enter Street View mode by clicking the icon of a orange stick figure in the bottom right of your window.
- Near the box displaying your address, click on the three dots to access a menu that includes “report a problem” as shown in the image below. This takes you to a short form where you can request image blurring.
“We’ll review your report as fast as we can,” Google states on its site. “If you entered your email address in the form, we may contact you to get additional information or to update you on the status of your report.”
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
