Happy Tuesday To You Saints!
As most of you have heard, last week my home was invaded/buglarized and I lost everything. One of my coworkers gave me a great word and said “through ALL things give thanks”… The a listener called me while I was on the air over the weekend and said I should thank God for the “free moving company” and now I hvae plenty of space for what GOD is about to bless me with. Those words really helped me get through.
So Now I wanted to post this article I read online and I feel this will help others so enjoy!
by Chris E McGoey, CPP, CSP, CAM
Home Invasion
One of the more frightening and potentially dangerous crimes that can occur to a family is a home invasion robbery. A home invasion is when robbers force their way into an occupied home, apartment or hotel room to commit a robbery or other crimes. It is particularly frightening because it violates our private space and the one place that we think of as our sanctuary.
Home invasion is like the residential form of an automobile carjacking and it’s on the rise. Like the crime of carjacking, most police agencies don’t track home invasions as a separate crime. Most police agencies and the FBI will statistically record the crime as a residential burglary or a robbery. Without the ability to track the specific crime of home invasion, little can be done to alert the public as to the frequency of occurrence in their community or devise a law enforcement plan of action to control it.
Criminal Profile
Residential burglars work mostly during the day and when a residence is more likely to be unoccupied. Most burglars work alone and tend to probe a neighborhood looking for the right residence and the right opportunity. Alarm signs and decals, bars on windows, strong locks and doors, big dogs, and alert neighbors can sometimes deter burglars. Also, burglars will avoid a confrontation and will usually flee when approached. Most burglaries do not result in violence unless the criminal is cornered and uses force to escape.
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. Much like automobiles, the traditional commercial targets for robbers like convenience stores and fast-food restaurants have hardened themselves against criminal attack and have reduced available cash. Technology has allowed commercial establishments to install affordable video surveillance systems, silent alarms, and other anti-crime deterrent devices. A residence, by comparison, is now a more attractive choice.
Prevention Steps
The same tactics used to prevent daytime burglaries will go a long way to preventing forced entry home robberies. If you can delay a home invader at the point of entry then you have a chance of deterring them or have time to call the police. A solid core door, strong locks with reinforced strike plates, and reinforced window devices will stop most forced entries.
The weakest home security link is the home occupant who fails to lock doors or windows or who will open the door without question at the sound of a knock. The best defense against home invasion is education and planning. Parents should hold a family meeting to discuss how to answer the door when someone knocks. Another important topic is how to act should your home or family be invaded. Once you know how home robbers work, you can effectively prevent most occurrences. See also Home Invasion Family Survival Tips for more information.
Remember these important security steps:
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 duty lock strike plates in the door frame
Use the door peephole BEFORE opening the door
Use your porch light to help you to see clearly outside
Never rely on a chain-latch as a barrier to partially open 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 home perimeter alarm at night, if you have one
