The criminal chalk marks – including an X for ‘good target’ used to stake out homes for burglary 

A worried resident in South West London has sparked a discussion on social media about whether their property has been staked out for a potential burglary – after finding a mysterious cross etched on a plant pot this week. 

The property owner, from Richmond, posted on the Next Door app their concern after finding the chalk mark.

In the past, UK police departments have released a list of symbols – dubbed the ‘Da Pinchi Code’ – that they say could be being used by criminals to mark homes as a burglary target – including a flower sign that means ‘wealthy’, a D symbol that means ‘too risky’, and a book sign suggesting ‘vulnerable female’.

Others have suggested the marks are simply an ‘urban myth’.  

The Richmond resident wrote this week: ‘We found the “x” marking with black chalk marked on our pot in our patio this morning. 

‘This is definitely man made mark and wasn’t there before as I washed the pots few days ago and would have noticed it. We are afraid this may be robbery mark as a potential target.’

This week, a South West London resident said they’d found a chalk cross on a plant pot on their patio, fearing it might be a symbol used by criminals

Many responded saying that the mark could indicate the social media user’s home might have been identified by criminals as a target and advised caution. 

One responded: ‘It’s a known mark for burglary, car on the drive worth taking (or CAT converter) and also known as looking like vulnerable people people living there. Definitely move the pots.’

Another wrote: ‘My friend had a marking on her driveway and her car was stolen.’

MailOnline has contacted Surrey Police for comment. 

Other people dismissed the idea of a meaning behind the symbols as ‘scaremongering’, saying that there’s little proof that the chalk marks ever result in a property being burgled.

One wrote: ‘I have heard stories about “secret burglar marks” before and it invariably turns out to be paranoia about something completely innocent. I suspect that the whole thing is an urban myth, if someone was going to burgle a house why on Earth would they advertise it in advance by leaving marks outside?’

Another agreed, saying: ‘Burglar signs are a myth, despite local police forces and tabloid media falling for them. Can anyone find an example of a house being burgled that also had markings found outside? 

‘We’d need to see a photo of it but for all we know it was just some kid playing with chalk.’

The Safeguarding Hub, which offers online advice to raise awareness about safeguarding vulnerable people, says the jury’s out on whether the symbols actually translate into crimes. 

On it’s website, it says: ‘The use of the symbols is now disputed by some police forces who have released statements advising that there is no evidence to link these marks to any criminality. 

‘The argument against the link to burglars contends that these are in fact, harmless road markings used by utility firms or broadband companies to indicate planned works. 

‘However, a bit like ‘crop circles’, these reports of strange marks continue to emerge locally.’