As Arizona continues to follow the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, many viewers have reached out to ABC15 with questions about personal safety and how to better protect their homes.
There is no evidence released by investigators suggesting online data played a role in this case. Still, safety experts say the moment is a reminder of how easily personal information can be found online — and why taking a few simple precautions can bring peace of mind.
Free people-search websites can make home addresses publicly available within seconds.
Once an address is known, real estate platforms such as Zillow and Redfin may still display listing photos that reveal entry points, layouts, windows, and other details about a property.
Local real estate professionals and consumer safety experts say limiting those images can reduce the amount of information available about your home.
Homeowners can search their address on real estate sites, claim the property as their own, and remove or hide photos.
On Google Maps, residents can also request permanent blurring of their home using the Street View “Report a problem” tool. In addition, contacting the original listing agent to remove photos from the MLS database can help prevent those images from continuing to appear across real estate websites.
Law enforcement agencies and crime prevention experts warn that criminals increasingly rely on publicly available information when researching potential targets.
Reducing what is visible online can help protect your privacy and provide an added layer of security.
While the Guthrie case remains under investigation, this moment serves as a reminder that a few minutes online can help better protect your home and your family.
