Without reliable statistical data, it would be difficult to speculate how effective the preventative measures for home invasions and burglaries would be. However, if I were a betting man, I’d venture a wager that those measures would be 80% effective in warding off the would-be burglar. There are too many other homes that don’t present such a risk. That being said, if there is something in your home the intruder wants (I mean really wants), he may have the brains to overcome any obstacle you place in his way. Once again, there are measures you can take to minimize injury in the event of an assault as a result of a home invasion. Keep in mind that these are measures taken by individuals that are not comfortable defending their home with a firearm (with the element of surprise, there may not be time enough to get the firearm.

1. This is going to sound silly. Plan and conduct rehearsals. Pick a few scenarios, develop courses of action and implement them in your plan. Obviously you won’t be able to plan for every scenario. Let you courses of action encompass many scenarios with minor adjustments.
2. Unless you believe that you are going to be killed anyway, don’t resist. Cooperate. Your valuables can be replaced. You cannot. Having said that, if able, do not allow yourself to be transported to another location. The odds are against survival.
3. If the Invader doesn’t have a firearm you can try the wasp spray if you have it in a strategic location like the umbrella basket at the door in the intruder’s eyes (See “Alternatives to Pepper Spray”).
4. Prepare a safe (panic) room into which you can escape. The door to this room should be reinforced to prevent the attacker from gaining entrance long enough for you to call for help. Make sure a cell phone has a good signal in that room.
5. Pre-planned signals that the neighbors are aware of. Whistles, signs in the window, any type of noise that may be unusual.
6. Use the panic alarm for your monitored home security system. Many systems now have key fobs, which means you can activate the alarm without having to go to the keypad. An audible alarm may scare the invader away. A silent alarm may allow the police the catch the crook.
7. This is easier said than done. Force yourself to stay calm. You’ll be able to think more effectively to develop a plan of escape.
8. Make mental notes of the attacker’s appearance. Anything you can remember will assist the authorities in apprehending him quickly.

This list is not comprehensive. The measures that can be utilized are open to the imagination. I can’t stress the importance of planning enough. Without a plan, it will be difficult to stay calm in the midst of the chaos of a home invasion. Since every situation will be different, you’ll have to tailor your response accordingly. Remember, in all situations, cool heads prevail!

As we go through life enjoying the things that we are blessed with, we must also plan and prepare for circumstances that may be uncomfortable to talk about. There is a seedy element that wants to deprive us of that which we have worked so hard for. This criminal element will stop at nothing to come into our homes and take that for which they have not worked. They conduct their “business” in a number of ways. The most common way is to burglarize your home. There is however, a technique that is becoming increasingly prevalent as the time goes by. The home invasion.

Now, you may ask how is a home invasion different from a burglary? Well. I’m glad you asked. Before answering, let me say that many municipalities group these two “techniques” together so that there is very little statistical data on home invasions as compared to that of burglaries alone. That being said, as time progresses, authorities are now starting to pay more attention to this trend in criminal behavior. Burglars tend to work in the daytime when no one is home. They tend to be mostly non-violent (unless they are surprised by a homeowner who is actually at home). If given the opportunity, the burglar will run if confronted by the homeowner (most of the time). Burglars will gain entrance in any number of ways if given the opportunity. The most common way, believe it or not is through the front or rear door. They’ll only climb through a window about 20 percent of the time. The most common reason for a person to be relegated to burglarizing homes is to support a drug habit. They could be male or female (mostly male).

The home invader is a different beast altogether. He tends to be more violent. Think about it. He is attempting to enter a house he knows is occupied in order to overpower the occupants! He tends to work at night and will target the victim least likely (in his mind) to give him any resistance upon entry. The victim will tend to be the elderly, single women or even drug dealers. And as you can see by my use of the pronoun, he tends to be a male. He may target an individual who by virtue of the expensive vehicle they’re driving looks to have money. The would-be intruder may follow his target home in the day and wait until nightfall to commence his nocturnal escapades. Another thing. Obviously, money is not the only reason for home invasions. The attacker may have found a “mark” he feels he can dominate and control (I know I don’t have to go any further with this scenario. You get the picture).

They can gain entrance by kicking in the door, climbing through a window or faking a delivery to gain trust. Upon entry, the first few minutes tend to be the most violent, while the assailant establishes control of his victims. The intruder will more than likely tie up his victims and incapacitate the phone lines (not necessarily in that order). Once in control and assured the threat of discovery (by any means) is minimized, they can now take their time to carry out their purpose for entering the home in the first place (to burglarize or molest). Of course, there are measures you can take to greatly minimize your chances of being a victim. Most of these measures are simple and inexpensive. They only involve making minor adjustments to your everyday habits. We’ll discuss these in a subsequent article.