What does casing someone mean?

The phrase casing someone—or more accurately casing someone's home, business, or routine—refers to the covert and deliberate act of observing, scouting, or surveying an individual's property, schedule, and daily habits to gather intelligence prior to committing an unlawful act such as a burglary or robbery. During this reconnaissance phase, the person performing the observation will meticulously note security camera blind spots, entry points, locking mechanisms, and the times when the occupants are away from the premises to plan an unauthorized entry with minimal risk of detection. While the terminology is heavily rooted in criminal investigations, detective fiction, and law enforcement jargon, the underlying concept of methodical observation is equally applicable in legitimate security assessments where auditors analyze physical vulnerability patterns.