I read about breakins in the Milledgeville, Georgia area that told the opposite is true. The police explained that a group of “teenagers” would drive somewhere and park out of sight. Then, one “teen” would get out and go to the door to knock. The purpose was to see if someone was home (these “teens” had the idea that if anyone was home they would answer the knock). If no one answered the door he would signal to his buds, and the whole bunch would break in and steal, I mean borrow whatever they wanted.
OTOH, if someone answered the knock, the “teen” would ask some innocuous question...like, “would you like to have your grass cut?”, or “does Billy Bob live here?”, or “I’m lost, could you tell me how to find the school?” After someone opened the door, and talked to the “teen”, the “teen” would leave and walk away. The “teens” would simply keep this up until they scored.
He should’ve waited until the little a hole was inside.