That small smear of red can mean your home has been quietly evaluated: how often you’re gone, how dark it gets at night, how easy it might be to slip in unnoticed. Criminals use subtle markers like wax because most people shrug them off, wipe them away, and never report them. That silence gives would‑be intruders the confidence to come back. The safest move is to treat any strange marking as a warning, not a coincidence.
If you ever see red wax on your lock, document it with photos, remove it, and immediately upgrade your defenses—better locks, visible cameras, motion lights. Talk to your neighbors and call the police so it’s on record. You’re not being paranoid; you’re refusing to be an easy target. Your door is the thin line between your private world and everything outside it. Take every mark on it seriously.