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s homeowners invest in high-end security systems, some law enforcement officials are highlighting a lesser-known way to deter burglars: obscuring their homes on Google Street View. By blurring their properties online, residents can reduce digital exposure and make themselves less appealing targets.

    Police officer Ryan Railsback has seen this trend take hold in Riverside, California. "The crooks are looking for new ways to victimize people," he said. "It's good that the public is aware of this and can counter what the criminals are doing."

    Google Street View provides panoramic images captured by camera-equipped vehicles, which can be used by burglars to scope out potential targets. Experts say would-be thieves use publicly available imagery to assess entry points, spot visible cameras or alarms, and identify valuable property.

    To conceal their home on Street View, homeowners or tenants can request a permanent blur through Google's reporting tool. Users can locate their home on Google Maps, open the Street View image, click "Report a problem," and submit a form specifying the area to be blurred. Once applied, the blur cannot be reversed.

    Experts warn that criminals increasingly rely on digital tools to plan break-ins, and blurring your home could make it less appealing to them. However, some caution that having the only blurred house on a block might attract unwanted attention, potentially signaling that residents have something worth hiding.