to worry about these weird symbols drawn on houses in our area?

[WeirdSymbols]

This morning I was coming out of my back gate to walk my dogs and noticed a symbol drawn on a the wall (photos included). It is drawn in chalk and is an M inside a circle.
I started to walk down the alleyway and noticed symbols drawn next to the back gate of every house. Mostly the same M in a circle but also stars inside circles (more like a bike wheel) and some strange dashes.
I googled these types of criminal signifiers and nothing that exactly matches shows up.

I've phoned 101 who said it had already been reported and they were sending information to the local station but that they think is probably just kids messing around.

Something about it is really worrying me and I've just ordered more security lights and alarms and lights for our outbuildings.

Should I be knocking on doors? There are at least 12 houses near me with these symbols, will people think I am woo?

Does anyone know anything about this?

Name change because I discussed this with a friend earlier and I know she uses MN.

Just looks like a little kids version of 'tagging', what do you think it could be?

It's far more likely to be kids messing around than a criminal gang using Depression-era hobo scratches.

Like ask yourself, why would a gang use chalk marks when, y'know, they have smartphones, encrypted What'sApp, and Google Maps?

It made me think of:

www.angelfire.com/folk/famoustramp/signs.html

Warchalking?

These are normally signs that burglars mark on houses, for their accomplices - so if say, you have a dog, flash car, anything worth robbing etc, how many people live in your house, there will be a sign stating this. It might be worth letting ur neighbours know. Not saying that this I definitely the reason, but this is something prolific burglars do

If it is warchalking, just make sure your WiFi settings are secure.

Criminals do use them. It's a low tech way of saying whether it's burglarable or not.

If they used their phones it's then evidence if they get caught.

Yes I did wonder why they wouldn't use a more up to date method if it was something dodgy but I suspect chalk would be far less traceable than anything stored on a device.

Ok so how to we make wifi settings more secure than just a password? Are there ways of limiting devices?

Do all your neighbours have dogs? It was in the press a while ago that the markings were left by people who want bait dogs.

We've just noticed that most of the people with the M marker have a dog, apart from next door who have a VERY loud dog.

What is warchalking? I've never heard of it!

happymum Sounds cool, doesn't it! It's just where people find unsecured WiFi networks, and then mark their details on walls for other users. I can't remember the symbols, but it doesn't actually sound likely in this case, seeing as there are so many of them. It's always the first thing that comes to my mind there are unusual chalk symbols on a wall.

*when

I'd heard that about the dogs too but I did think it was urban legend. Sounds odd though if all houses with it have dogs

I think I would warn people with the chalked sign their dogs might be targeted. Couldn't bear my dogs being taken as dog baiters

The "burglars code" thing is an urban myth.

www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/housebreakerscode.asp

Why would a crook alert other crooks to a good house when they could just rob it themselves?

Following

The dog thing is a myth too.

www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/dogstickers.asp

I was thinking of the marks left to let others know there is a dog in the house, or somewhere worth burgling
Do you live in an affluent are op?
Otherwise just be careful, speak to your neighbours and let them know to make sure their dogs are secure and their houses
Never leave your dog alone in the garden,so many stolen

How strange, haven't heard about this for years, when there were supposed to be 'tramp marks', i.e. a good house to get a cuppa.
Have you replaced them with the signs for 'large unfriendly dogs and man-traps, avoid if you value your life'?

See, I did think the burglar thing was urban legend but when I googled it came up with news stories within the last two years which made me worry.
All of the houses with the M symbol (apart from one at the opposite end of our street who we know have cats but no idea about dogs) have dogs in the house. Mostly small or "valuable" dogs.

These are normally signs that burglars mark on houses, for their accomplices - so if say, you have a dog, flash car, anything worth robbing etc, how many people live in your house, there will be a sign stating this. It might be worth letting ur neighbours know. Not saying that this I definitely the reason, but this is something prolific burglars do

Nope, that's an urban myth. Constantly shared on Facebook, but not remotely true.

The last thing that burglars want to do is tell other burglars what houses are worth burgling. There's not some sort of secret Burglars' Guild, you know.

The most likely explanation is that some kids have seen that nonsense Facebook share about burglars' codes and have gone round scribbling said codes on to their neighbours' houses for a laugh to freak them out and make them worry they'll be burgled. And it's worked.

These are normally signs that burglars mark on houses, for their accomplices - so if say, you have a dog, flash car, anything worth robbing etc, how many people live in your house, there will be a sign stating this.

Total nonsense.

As a previous poster, burglars will either break into your house on the spot if they think there's anything worth stealing, or will text their mates to let htem know they've found somewhere. All this leaving coded messages places is a total urban myth.

Traffic planning, Virgin tv and the water/ pipe maintenance crews all leave similar markings outside our houses/pavements.