Home Invasion: Dangerous Criminals Rely on Scare
Tactics
Imagine it is the end of a long day. You
and your family are spread about the house: your spouse in the study, your son
in his room playing video games, your daughter dutifully doing the dishes, and
you tinkering with your train set in the garage. You hear the doorbell ring;
you go to answer, glancing at your watch and wondering who could be dropping by
unannounced at this hour. You look through the peephole and see a nicely
dressed man who claims, by yelling through the door, that his car broke down
and he needs to use the phone. You open the door.
You just made a big mistake.
That nice young man has two buddies hiding
out of sight, and the instant you open that door, all three pounce on you. You
are pushed to the ground. Your screams bring your family running, though inside
you desperately wish they would hide or even escape. But it’s too late. You are
the victim of a home invasion, and now you and your family are in danger.
Regular burglars work doing the day,
breaking in during daylight hours when the home is usually unoccupied. They
want to get in and get out with the loot, avoiding confrontation.
Home invasion criminals are different.
Home invasion criminals do their dastardly
deeds at night, and their target is more than just the loot: it is often the
residents. Single women, the elderly, or the wealthy are common home invasion
targets. Home invasion robbers do it for more than just the spoils of war. Many
get an adrenaline rush from the violence, the domination, and the fear they
instill in you. Home invasion criminals are the most dangerous kind of
criminal, and you must protect yourself and your family from home invasion with
dedicated vigilance. There’s a reason people say the home is a castle –- it
needs to be a well-secured battlement to protect you from home invasion.
The first sixty seconds of a home invasion
are the most violent; this is when the attackers often beat, subdue, or bound
you and your family. Threats are made against your life, and the home invasion
criminals stalk about your house looking for valuables to steal. They could
take their sweet time, while you tremble with fear, bound and gagged on the
floor, wondering what will happen to you and your family. Will there be sexual
assault? Murder? You are helpless. All you can do is pray and wait for them to
leave, and then try to get help.
But you can prevent a home invasion.
The same steps you take to secure your
home when you are away are useful when you are at home.
1.
Lock
all doors and windows at all times.
2.
Arm
your burglar alarm even when you are there
3.
Stop
forced entries with solid doors and reinforced locks
4.
Create
a home invasion panic room at the center of your home, with a deadbolt lock,
sturdy door, first aid supplies, and a charged cell phone. Home invaders often
cut the phone lines to prevent you from calling for help. Keeping a cell phone
in your panic room allows you to call for help if the regular lines of
communication are cut. Use a strip of
tape...write your address on it and stick it next to your phone...in a panic
you may not be able to remember it. Keep
a flashlight nearby.
5.
Instruct
your family to never open the door for an unexpected stranger. If someone comes
to the door asking to use the phone, offer to make the call for them. Harmless
people who really do need help understand that you are just being safe. Home
invasion criminals, luckily, often just give up.
6.
Hold
a family meeting and create a plan in the case home invasion. Make sure each
family member knows what to do: escape out the back door if they can, or head
for the panic room, and don’t fight back. Violence only escalates if the home
invasion criminals become angry.
It may seem like home invasions are
impossible to prevent. Any criminal who really wants to get inside your home
can just kick the door in. But precautions and common sense can keep most home
invasion criminals from trying their luck with your home. You can enjoy your
pleasant evenings home, knowing you and your family are safe in your
well-fortified castle.
More tips to
preventing Home Invasions
Strangers:
You tell your children not to
talk to strangers, so why do you open the door to a total stranger?
Peephole:
Install peepholes, talk
through the door.
Posers:
Home-invaders pose as delivery people, public workers, or people in distress.
Make
a call: Under
no circumstances do you open the door unless you get phone numbers to call
their superiors.
Distress:
If someone is in distress
tell him or her you will call the police for them.
If you live in a
high crime area where law enforcement takes a while to respond, and if someone
is trying to break into your house while you are in it, calling the fire
department will sometimes get help to the scene quicker. Do this only if you
are desperate. Firefighters are not equipped to handle violence. However
squealing sirens can deter a criminal.
Home
Safe Home: Consider
a second line or a cell phone in your bedroom. Burglars often remove a
telephone from the receiver when they enter a home.
Get
alarmed: An
alarm system activated while you are sleeping will prevent a burglar from
getting to far. Newer alarms have cellular options, a safeguard even if the
phone lines are cut.
Money and jewels:
One simple reason your house is chosen is someone tipped off the Home-invader
that you have valuables. Your friends or children or baby sitter might have
unintentionally bragged.
Get
armed: Having
a non-lethal weapon in the form of a Taser or a Pepper spray in close proximity
to your bed or front door can debilitate your attacker before they gain
control. Get Firearms Training; The
probability of serious injury from an attack is 2.5 times greater
for women offering no resistance than for women resisting with a gun. When a
woman is armed with a gun or knife, only 3% of rape attacks are completed,
compared to 32% when unarmed.
Locks:
Call a qualified locksmith to
take a physical security survey to help you determine the most efficient way to
lock up. Many products on the market are a false sense of security. A qualified
locksmith should be a professional associated with well-known manufacturers.
No comments:
Post a Comment