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Preventing Home Invasion Tips

Home invasion is the crime of entering a private and occupieddwelling, with the intent of committing a crimeand often while threatening the resident. It is a legally definedoffense in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand, and applieseven if entry is not forced. It can even apply if someone is invitedinto a home and remains on the premises after being asked to leaveby the resident.

Home invasion differs from burglary. Burglary is illegal entry intoany occupied or unoccupied building, with intent to committ a felony,often theft. Home invasion sometimes involves several criminals, whereasburglary tends to be performed by a single perpetrator.

Home invasion may be accompanied by other crimes. The invaders mayfollow their victims home, commit breaking and entering, and are sometimesintent on assault, robbery, or rape.

Last Updated - 2nd December 2005

Criminal Profile

Residential burglars work mostly during the day and when a residenceis more likely to be unoccupied. Most burglars work alone and tendto probe a neighborhood looking for the right residence and the rightopportunity. Alarm signs and decals, bars on windows, strong locksand doors, big dogs, and alert neighbors can sometimes deter burglars.Also, burglars will avoid a confrontation and will usually flee whenapproached. Most burglaries do not result in violence unless the criminalis cornered and uses force to escape.

Home invasion robbers, in contrast, work more often at nights andon weekends when residences are more likely to be occupied. The homeinvaders will sometimes target the resident as well as the residence.The selection process may include a woman living alone, a senior citizenor a known drug dealer, for example. It is not unheard of for a robberto follow you home based on the value of the car you are driving orthe jewelry you are wearing. Many home robbers have been in your homebefore as a delivery person, installer or repair vendor. Home robbersrarely work alone and rely on an overwhelming physical confrontationto gain control and instill fear in their victims. The greatest violenceusually occurs during the initial confrontation and home invadersoften come prepared with handcuffs, rope, duct tape, and firearms.Some in-home robbers appear to enjoy the intimidation, domination,and violence and some even claim it’s a "rush."

Dangerous Trends

The act of committing a home invasion is escalating much like carjacking.The reason for the increase seems to follow a similar pattern. Muchlike automobiles, the traditional commercial targets for robbers havehardened themselves against criminal attack and have reduced availablecash. Technology has allowed commercial establishments to installaffordable video surveillance systems, silent alarms, and other anti-crimedeterrent devices. A residence can appear as a more attractive choice.

Home invaders know that they won't have to overcome alarm systemswhen the home is occupied or be worried about video cameras and silentalarms. Home robbers have privacy once inside and don’t haveto deal with customers suddenly driving up or security patrols. Oncethe offenders take control of a residence they can force the occupantsto open safes, locate hidden valuables, supply keys to the familycar, and PIN numbers to their ATM cards. Home robbers will try toincrease their escape time by disabling the phones and sometimes willleave their victims bound or incapacitated. It is not unheard of forrobbers to load up the victim’s car with valuables and driveaway without anyone in the neighborhood taking notice.

Method of Operation

The most common point of attack is through the front door or garage.Sometimes the home invaders will simply kick open the door and confronteveryone inside. More common is when the home invaders knock on thedoor first or ring the bell. The home invader hopes that the occupantwill simply open the door, without question, in response to theirknock. Unfortunately, many people do just that.

Home invaders will sometimes use a ruse or impersonation to get youto open the door. They have been known to pretend to be deliveringa package, flowers or lie about an accident like hitting your parkedcar. Once the door is opened for them, the home invaders will usean explosive amount of force and threats to gain control of the homeand produce fear in the victims. Once the occupants are under controlthe robbers will begin to collect your valuables.

Prevention Steps

It is very important to take precautions to avoid becoing a victimof home invasion. Here are some guidelines to follow to guardagainst home invasion.

The weakest home security link is the home occupant who fails tolock doors or windows or who will open the door without question atthe sound of a knock. The best defense against home invasion is educationand planning. Parents should hold a family meeting to discuss howto answer the door when someone knocks. Another important topic ishow to act should your home or family be invaded. Once you know howhome robbers work, you can effectively prevent most occurrences.

Remember these important security steps:

Always ask for identification and be cautious ofanyone asking you to open your door (be particularly careful ofthose who come to the door acting as utility company employees,law enforcement personnel and salesmen). - Never rely on a chainlatch as a barrier to a partially opened door.

Install deadbolt locks.

Use four 3" screws to secure heavy-duty lockstrike plates.

Keep doors and windows locked even when you areat home.

Keep shades or drapes drawn after dark. - Relinquishonly your car key when your car is in for service or at parkinglots/garages.

If you see someone outside your home who looks suspicious,contact the police and ask them to investigate.

Install solid core doors, heavy duty locks,and window security devices

Lock all doors, windows, and garages at all times

Use four three-inch screws to secure heavy dutylock strike plates

Use the door peephole BEFORE opening the door

Use your porch light to help you to see clearly

Never rely on a chain-latch as a barrier to partiallyopen the door

Never open the door to strangers or solicitors

Call the police if the stranger acts suspicious

Alert your neighbors to suspicious solicitors

Hold a family meeting to discuss home security plans

Set the perimeter alarm at night, if you have one

Local Alarms

Audible alarm sirens can prevent home invasion...if they are set.Alarm systems can be designed so that perimeter door and window sensorsare activated while the home is occupied. The alarm can be set toinstantly go off upon unauthorized entry. Be prepared to give a prearrangedduress password to the alarm company if they call. Most alarm panelshave an emergency panic button that will function much like a 911call and will instruct your alarm monitoring company to call the police.Alarm company lawn and window signs help advertise that your houseis wired and capable of getting a response from the police. Thesealarm signs and decals offer good deterrence value and may cause therobber to select another victim.

Automatic Phone Dialers

Automatic dial telephones, that can call 911 in speakerphone mode,can be effective in getting police assistance. If a home invader breaksin you may have just a split second to push the 911 direct-dial buttonon your telephone. If you dial in speakerphone mode the police dispatchercan listen in on what is going on in the room. Every telephone inyour home should be programmed with this feature and all family membersshould be instructed how to make this emergency call. Your home addresswill automatically pop up on the police dispatcher screen and an officershould be dispatched even if the phone wire is cut. All 911 hang-upcalls are supposed to be investigated by the police because of thistype of scenario.

Have an Escape Plan

If someone in the household can escape and call for help, the homeinvaders will have lost their advantage of having privacy and time.To some, running away from your family in crisis is distasteful, especiallyto men or women with children. However, the alternative might meanbeing handcuffed or tied-up or otherwise incapacitated and left towatch in horror as your family is molested. If you have a plan forescaping, make sure you include were to run and what to say. Sometimesa radical escape measure pays off, in life and death circumstances,like diving through a plate glass window, jumping from a balcony orclimbing onto the roof. Although you might sustain minor injuriesyou must weigh them against your chance of survival with the assailants.

Home invaders will sometimes threaten harm to children to get adultsto comply with their demands. But at the same time, children are oftenoverlooked as potential rescuers and sometimes are not as well guarded.If the opportunity presents itself, a trained child can dial 911,activate an alarm panic button, or escape to the neighbor’s houseto summon the police. If they are capable, they should do it.

Never Stop Thinking

Keeping a cool head is important, even in dire circumstances. Ifyou can keep your wits about you one can increase their options bywaiting for the right moment to act. Always be thinking and re-evaluatingthe situation as it evolves. At first there may be no chance for escape,but after a while you may see an opening. Fighting may not be wise,however the attackers may let their guard down once you appear tocomply. If you decide to strike a blow, do it fast, suddenly, andforceful to the nose, eyes, or throat without concern for the damageyou might inflict. While the assailant is momentarily stunned, makeyour escape. Don’t stand there waiting to throw more punchesor gather family members. You might ask, won't that cause them toharm me for sure? Maybe, if they catch you. This is an option thatmust be considered. Sometimes hours into the siege, an opportunityarises where you can hit the automatic dial on the telephone or alarmpanic button without being seen. Always be looking for that chance.

What Doesn’t Always Work

Screaming and shouting is the easiest and most natural thing thatalmost everyone can do. Screaming can alert savvy neighbors to callthe police or the noise alone may scare off the home invaders. However,home invaders know this and will be prepared to make you stop screaming,by force, if necessary. One of the first threats you will hear is,“if you scream I’ll kill you.” If you can’t escape,but are out in public, scream your head off. Scream things like, “call911.” Visit with your neighbors so they know that you have afamily plan and teach them how to react when you need help.

Handguns and pepper spray can provide a means of self-defense ina life-threatening situation. Homeowners have successfully defendedtheir families in the past from home invaders using such weapons.However, far more homeowners have lost their weapons to home invadersbecause they couldn't get to them in time to use them. Most chemicalsprays are tucked away somewhere and many handguns are kept unloadedor locked up to prevent children from getting their hands on them.During a home invasion, you cannot always count on your ability toget to these weapons before being injured yourself.

Fighting with the intruders sometimes works, especially if you havesome training and are physically fit. But for most, fighting doesn'twork because the victim was pre-selected for their lack of fight capability.In a life-threatening situation there are no rules for fighting inself defense. The idea is not to stand toe-to-toe and duke it out.All you need is one incapacitating blow to the nose, eyes, or throatto allow time to get out of there and call for help. Take a self-defenseclass together with your family so all can learn the proper techniquesand can practice the procedures. A practiced technique has a betterchance of being used effectively in a crisis.

Faking illness doesn’t always work especially in the home. Mosthome invaders don’t care about your welfare anyway. Faking illnessmight work in public or while being transported or while fightingoff molesters but don’t count on it as you only choice. You mustdecide in advance depending on your acting skills.

What Not to Do

Don’t ever try to pull a weapon on an armed perpetrator whohas you covered with a handgun unless you feel it’s your lastchance. Don’t ever agree to be transported somewhere else liketo an ATM machine or other location unless you feel it's a life ordeath decision. The second crime scene is almost always more violentthan in your home. If you have a choice, never agree to be tied-up,handcuffed or placed in the trunk of a car because it takes away mostof your self defense options. Don’t ever follow an intruder oncethey leave your home. Leave that for the police. Don’t fightover property loss, it can be replaced…your life cannot.

Disclaimer: The Preventing Home Invasion Tips/ Information presented and opinions expressed herein are those of theauthors and do not necessarily represent the views of TipsAndTreats.com and/or its partners.

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