21 Things Your Burglar Won’t Tell You
1. Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.
2. Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier.
3. Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste… and taste means there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they have.
4. Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway. And I might leave a pizza flyer in your front door to see how long it takes you to remove it..
5. If it snows while you’re out of town, get a neighbor to create car and foot tracks into the house. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway.
Emergency Personal Alarm Keychain + LED Light
6. If decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don’t let your alarm company install the control pad where I can see if it’s set. That makes it too easy.
7. A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the windows on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom – and your jewelry. It’s not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there too.
8. It’s raining, you’re fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door – understandable. But understand this: I don’t take a day off because of bad weather.
9. I always knock first. If you answer, I’ll ask for directions somewhere or offer to clean your gutters. (Don’t take me up on it.)
10. Do you really think I won’t look in your sock drawer? I always check dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet.
11. Here’s a helpful hint: I almost never go into kids’ rooms.
12. You’re right: I won’t have enough time to break into that safe where you keep your valuables. But if it’s not bolted down, I’ll take it with me.
13. A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system. If you’re reluctant to leave your TV on while you’re out of town, you can buy a $35 device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering glow of a real television.
14. Sometimes, I carry a clipboard. Sometimes, I dress like a lawn guy and carry a rake. I do my best to never, ever look like a crook.
15. The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbors.
Fake Security Camera with Blinking Light LOOKS REAL
16. I’ll break a window to get in, even if it makes a little noise. If your neighbor hears one loud sound, he’ll stop what he’s doing and wait to hear it again. If he doesn’t hear it again, he’ll just go back to what he was doing. It’s human nature.
17. I’m not complaining, but why would you pay all that money for a fancy alarm system and leave your house without setting it?
18. I love looking in your windows. I’m looking for signs that you’re home, and for flat screen TVs or gaming systems I’d like. I’ll drive or walk through your neighborhood at night, before you close the blinds, just to pick my targets.
19. Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page. It’s easier than you think to look up your address.
20. To you, leaving that window open just a crack during the day is a way to let in a little fresh air. To me, it’s an invitation.
21. If you don’t answer when I knock, I try the door. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and walk right in.
Here’s an idea…
Put your car keys beside your bed at night.
If you hear a noise outside your home or someone trying to get in your house, just press the panic button for your car. The alarm will be set off, and the horn will continue to sound until either you turn it off or the car battery dies. This tip came from a neighborhood watch coordinator. Next time you come home for the night and you start to put your keys away, think of this: It’s a security alarm system that you probably already have and requires no installation. Test it. It will go off from most everywhere inside your house and will keep honking until your battery runs down or until you reset it with the button on the key fob chain. It works if you park in your driveway or garage. If your car alarm goes off when someone is trying to break into your house, odds are the burglar/rapist won’t stick around. After a few seconds all the neighbors will be looking out their windows to see who is out there and sure enough the criminal won’t want that. And remember to carry your keys while walking to your car in a parking lot. The alarm can work the same way there. This is something that should really be shared with everyone. Maybe it could save a life or a sexual abuse crime.
10 Things To Do When A Stranger Knocks On Your Door
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Lots of good pointers in this piece. It is however focused on urban dwellers, and rural people have a number of problems that are not associated with living in the city.
As an example, I live in a very rural area and my closest neighbour is a mile away. From my yard you cannot see anything but pasture and forest. No one is going to see a suspicious person on my property, and most days no one would see a strange vehicle going down the road either. Police response time is measured in hours, not minutes.
While an audible alarm will deter burglars to a degree, if your alarm system is not monitored by an alarm center it can be pretty worthless. Savvy burglars know that rural homes rarely have monitored alarms in remote areas because the home owners often have problems finding key holders to attend if they are away. The burglars also know that police will not get there for quite some time. A fake alarm company sign at the gate will do as much as the real thing.
We have found that there are only two items you can depend on to thwart burglars in a remote area. A 12 gauge shotgun and a big dog. A sign at the entrance to your property advising that there is a guard dog lets them know there is a 4 footed patrol. A few deer and moose antlers hanging on the garage lets them know the occupants are armed without resorting to any nasty signs about “beware of owner”.
Most crooks will look for easier targets.
I agree that a rural location is not necessarily safer than an urban location, but it entirely depends on the specifics of the situation and the two locations being compared. If we’re taking about the risks of disaster and the follow-on consequences in a city, forget it… that will be the worst place, no question about it. With regards to a typical burglar situation though, although there are more ‘targets’, there is also a higher likelihood of being seen. There is power in numbers, so to speak. Having said that, no matter where you live, there are a number of precautions that one can take to deter a burglar…
Burglars, especially former Marine Recon, Army Rangers, or SEALs, know how to deal with dogs. If the dog barks, then the crook knows where the dog is and about how big it is. Dogs are dealt with by using “doggie darts”, which are either hollow rounds filled with an ultrashort-acting barbiturate or a paralytic substance like curare or poison-arrow toxin. These rounds can also be fired with an air-rifle equipped to fire needle-tipped, hollow rounds like zoos use. These can be fired through a window if the dog shows its head.
I hate alarm systems. When I was a Marine Recon, we had devices to bypass wired alarm systems and could even transmit a false signal. Now, wireless alarms and cell phones can be jammed, and even bypassed, by using wireless jammers. See the article in Wikepedia on “cell phone jammers”.
@Wolfy; Don’t recall any of that exotic stuff. We used “hushpuppies” to kill dogs, not put’em to sleep. Too many variables for that, sounds farfetched. This ain’t PETA. The hushpuppie was an S&W Model 39/59 with a can on it. Worked real good at hushing the puppy, permanently. Guess they use an M9 with a can,now. Did you happen to be in MEU/SOC Det 1? That’s yes or no. Everybody in the desert had a Warlock unit. I know Navy SEALs and Rangers and Force Recon marines….they aren’t burglars. Oh, yeah, you’ll find the occasional scumbag, anywhere, even in these troops. But they will be that way because they aren’t any good, they just have to be tuff enough to survive the training and get through. They’re the kind that JUST does enough to get by. They’ll get caught just like the other low-life scumbags that are burglars, just because they think they’re SO good and won’t get caught. Hypo-darts, typically can’t be fired through windows, ask a big game keeper. If it’s sturdy enough to make it through the window, you might as well use a bullet. As far as people being “the burglar’s best friend”, you are sooo right. People just deny the possibility and don’t think about it or prepare for it. That makes it easy. Survive well. Enjoy.
I’ve been reading the responses about killing the big guard dog and how people can tell what size the dog is by its bark. Well I have a Bassett Hound that sounds just like my English Mastiff. Size difference is absolutely huge. I have also been reading the “poor me, I’m a girl” BS. Girls get a grip!! You are only a victim if you allow it!! Anyone who comes to my house will be met with my mastiff and if the burglar kills my dog, he will have to deal with me and my baby eagle .40 and yes I am always waiting for some idiot to try. I am a cop and yes I am a girl too. So “Wolfy”, I also believe you are full of $hit too!! Girls, grow a backbone and stand on your own 2 feet!!
To the cop who said Girls grow a backbone! For one you can immediately call for all your buddies to come to your aid, and not all girls known how to shoot a .40. Seriously?! I grew up in the south and am glad my dad taught me about firearms and how to use them for protection as a child. People are limited to their surroundings and upbringing. A girl brought up in a Quaker home ain’t growing know backbone!!!
I’m extremely doubtful for several reasons about your claims to have been a Reconnaissance Marine.
A former SOF guy would know better than to make the idiotic claim that retired secret squirrels are going to break into houses once they EAS.
I’m completely unaware of the military using tranquilizers against guard dogs. If the objective is to not kill the dog, and I have no idea why we would care, good luck dosing him right. If the dogs life dosen’t matter, why on earth would you buy an expensive weapon system that can do nothing a regular gun can or less when we already have suppressed weapons?
In addition, I’m calling bullshit on you dealing with professional alarm systems while doorkicking as a Marine in a third world country.
Yeah Wolfy.Your not a Recon Marine/Force Recon or even a Marine to begin with.Nice try.I wouldn’t go around saying that in public you never know who is currently a Marine or a FORMER Marine.
Stay salty.
There is no such thing as a former Marine. With that said, that guy is full of shit.
you guys are hilarious! love it!
Once a Marine, always a Marine.
Wolfy, I don’t remember spending a whole lot of time training to learn how to memorize the size of a dog by its bark. Can you imagine- a classroom full of grunts just sitting there for days upon days watching a powerpoint of different size of dogs, and listening to their different barks? You, Sir, are an idiot. Also I don’t recall the ASP issuing tranqualizer darts.
I’m not an ex marine, but I do know that vets specifically do not allow tranquilizing feral cats, simply because you don’t know if it will actually work right away or not, or if even at all. Plus the vets say that if too much is used, it can kill cats. I have a feeling the same principle would work non guard dogs as well.
And as for knowing the size of a dog by it’s bark, I think I know what you mean. Certain barks do suggest certain sizes. However, I’m not sure how accurate this always is.
@MK;
I don’t think the size of the dog correlates to the size of the bark, at least not dependably (exception being the German Shepherd Dog); I’ve heard a lot more high-pitched yapping coming from Pit Bulls than I ever have from Chihuahuas. I’ve owned plenty of both breeds to know first hand. But I’ve been bitten more times by Chihuahuas (3 times) than by Pits (0 times).
I completely agree with you. I have two miniature dachshunds–neither of them weighs over 10 pounds. The girl is a yappy little thing, but I’ve had people ask me if the boy is a German Shepherd (or some other large dog) when they can hear his bark, but can’t see him (like before we walk into the house).
We also have a mini Dachshund (or should I say, the mini Dachshund has us), and their bark is quite amazingly loud due to their big chest/lungs which is part of their breed design. He has no idea that he’s only 13 pounds
luckily a burgler won’t kill or harm a dog but avoid them most of the time. There are too many other targets w/out dogs
A big ( size 13 ) pair or two of boots visible by the door would help too!
as a single woman the best thing i purchased and placed next to the front door was the HUGE well used dog dish from yard sale, next to door eye level on a fancy hanger an older thick chain dog leash, also from feed store a huge raw hide bone- soaked, then ran over in gravel driveway/pavement then well placed ice pick holes, left on front steps to be kicked around ever so often…. eye level next to front door a beware of dog sign…
in front of bay window on family table a small box of the hugest dry dog bone style biscuits…bigger dog stuff and well used the better…. books of rotty/pitbull care,or books how break bad dog habits from barking, huge well ran over sticks as dog fetch sticks- old dead basket/soft balls that are partly shredded, all good…
well planted seeds of doubt.
use your imagination…and where to find this stuff.
never had another strange man stand on my porch again…
I love the HUGE dog bowl idea, and one of those HUGE dog bones by the front door!
@Ken.
If you size it right it could be a dog bath for Sampson(sp ?). LOL.
Be well.
Now that’s an idea
@me; Subversion is the best form of protection via disinformation. Very thoughtful. Survive well. Enjoy.
Great ideas! Especially if your home alone alot or the husband/bf works nights!
Also @me, have you thought about maybe getting a dog- since you put so much effort into pretending? (Just saying).
I also live in the country. Most people do have guns of some sort because the police do take forever.
For some skiddish people a can of wasp spray on the night stand works better than pepper spray. Personally my gun works better.
Love the idea of a wasp can.
Actually wasp spray is a horrible idea:
1: It is a federal felony to use it incorrectly
2: Courts do not accept self-defence in cases of poisoning, and wasp spray is poison. You will go down for this.
3: You would put first responders and medical personel in danger because the spray will remain toxic and on the target.
4: Not all poisons are acutely toxic to people, you might give a burglar liver cancer a year down the road but what good does that do you now?
Get a gun or the high quality pepper spray that looks like a small fire extinguisher. Don’t believe everything you read on the internet.
I would agree that there are better alternatives, such as pepper spray, bear spray, a firearm, etc. Having said that, if someone has no alternative and happens to grab a can of wasp spray, it would seem logical to ignore the label on the can (“It is a violation of federal law to use this product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling”) and potentially preserve one’s life with it. Again though, for those who happen to read this, please consider a better alternative like Joe said in his comment.
wasp spray is made of mint oil and has about a 20 foot range and better aiming capacity than mace.
The active ingredient in wasp spray is pyrethrins. It is contained in the seed casings of the flower, Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium. Most of it comes from Kenya. It is a potent insecticidal and neurotoxin that attacks the nervous systems of all insects.
I looked up the ingredients in my wasp spray, one is Lambda-Cyhalogen. Which is a synthetic pyrethrin. Some interesting reading about it can be found here: http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/l_cyhalogen.pdf
This tells all about it and it’s effects on bugs, animals and people. From reading that, I’d say wasp spray would be a pretty effective defense in the short term.
Surely it’s better to spray someone with wasp spray than to kill them with a shot gun?
Just sayin’
spraying perfume in the eyes temporarily blinds a person … learned this first hand when I was a kid …
Thank you for the car alarm tip! I just tried it out and worked perfectly
@ K.J. , In your situation you are spot on. It was once written herein that the ( State Police of Many States ) upon final arrival will give the same advise, ” We can’t get here in time to protect you. You need to do it yourselves.” As a follow up the dialogue would go if you have shoot then drag them inside before you call us. It has always been odd to me but, over and over I’ve experienced how urban/city folks are afraid of the dark in the back woods. While conversely, individuals from the outback are uncomfortable in the city at night. Gives us a bit of an edge. Though a 10 gauge and a back up… Well we could go on about which and what to have, depends on where you are and what you may face. Signs are good and are dogs better, you still have to keep your guard up… Survive-All…
You know something, if these crooks have this much ambition why don’t they go out and get a job?!!
Pro burglars make a good living at thieving and don’t pay taxes. What would you do if you can’t find a job and have the skills to do that kind of work? As the unemployment rate goes up, so does the burglary, robbery, and car theft rate. There are plenty of good targets for those who dare. Sometimes it’s like taking candy from a baby. People will buy a big flat-screen TV but won’t buy a solid-core, three deadbolt, high-security front door for the same price. Crime happens when good poeple do nothing!
@Wolfy; Yeah, some people get what they deserve because they don’t use their brain. Still, the burglars are scum. Regardless of their service. survive well. Enjoy.
The criminals I know do not want to answer to anyone else, and they hate being expected to be somewhere at a given time.
People inclined to work for a living are not inclined to commit a lot of crimes when they are unemployed. Poverty does not cause crime. Crime causes poverty.
I think poaching, raiding gardens, and other direct theft of food would go up, not other crimes.
@ Phil S. Nice little tips. This should help people to avoid the criminal scum better.
The “Smart Key” idea has real merit for many circumstances as regards life style and location… Survive-All…
@ Ken and the M.S.B. clan… Here’s number 22, personal experience: The people that your realtor bring to see your house which is up for sale… And the realitor taking pictures of your house with it’s antiques, rugs, etc… to enhance their potential for a sale, set you up for that work a day robbery. Survive-All…
Otter, your comments about the real estate market procedures is bang on. I was a police officer for a long time and what you describe works as a veritable catalogue for B&E artists. Another NO NO that realtors do all the time, and it is becoming more common due to the poor housing market, is the Open House. Nothing like letting every Tom, dick and Harry in to see first hand what you have and how best to break in to the home.
I always tell people I know that if they are selling and have a realtor who is actively marketing their home, to remove firearms, valuables and things you just can’t live without, from the home and store them at a relatives or close friends while the property is on the market.
K.J., you’re right on. A decent real estate broker will advise their customers to put away their valuables, guns and medications, or take them with them, when leaving the house for a showing or open house. Also, their taking photos with antiques in them to make the house look better is not a way to enhance a house. You’re not selling your furniture, antiques, decorations or artwork, you’re trying to sell the house. Be sure the REALTOR is taking photos of the house, not the cute corner setting. I know I’ve never been enticed to buy a house because someone had nice antiques, but featured in the MLS they can make you a target.
Thanks for the car-alarm tip!
I made the mistake of letting an unknown mow my yard, since I had seen him around here and there. I wasn’t at home when he broke in, but my ex and my dog were home. My dog was inside when the lawn-mowing thief cased my place, so I guess he didn’t figure on a dog being there. The ex woke up barely in time to see the thief quickly climbing out the window with my dog biting at his leg. Thief got the remote control, nothing else, but the tv had been moved around on its table. The only reason I figured it was the lawn-mowing guy was because neighbors told me they’d heard rumors, so now they believed them.
A few years later, I was by myself and heard noises outside that could have been a critter, or a person trying to break in. I cranked my shotgun just in case it was human, and that caused running sounds. I planted yucca around my windows soon afterward (the pointy, make-you-bleed kind, not the food kind).
LOL
There is nothing that gets peoples attention faster than the slide bars/action noise when you are working the pump of a shotgun!
Good pointer on the use of plants that bite. Keeps people and unwanted animals at bay, and it looks a whole lot nicer than barbed wire or broken glass set in cement. I have done the same thing in a couple of ‘weak’ spots, but used Hawthorn as things like Yucca do not like -40F.
totally bang on with the slide action, it will stop most anyone in their tracks! I live in the country on a dead end road,all our mail boxes are at the end of the road with the same address plus the added A B C. a repo guy parked in my yard and walked himself out to my barn where my ’01 Brown Dodge 4×4 was parked up to my horse trailer, so no one can hook on to it and take off. he stopped dead in his tracks and raised his arms when he heard the slide action. he stood there and explained himself, showed me paper work that he was looking for a maroon 98′ 2×4 dodge. after I chewed his ads about parking in my yard snooping around my barn I explained the difference between maroon and Brown, 01′ & 98′, and 4 wheel drive. to note,when I called and reported it to the police the only thing that got their attention was me holding him at gun point.
@ K.J., Thanks, you laid out all of the between the lines common sense I hoped people would root out for themselves. Having you with your credentials state it thus should open some minds. Survive-All…
@ K.J., Oh, man you make me laugh! “faster than the slide bars/action… of a shotgun!” Well, as you are west of the Mississippi… I can tell you that “weak” spots are like we used to say in Bridger, Wyoming (” -40″ )… There’s nothing between us and the north pole except a barbed wire fence and it blew down 20 years ago. That kind of cold has it’s own security. Keep them coming K.J. … Survival-All…
Good tip on the car alarm; here in Texas nothing beats a heavily armed and gun proficient household with a few big dogs!
I did string some thin heavy gauge wire about 9 inches up across some main areas for a few weeks when the local kids were deciding if my house was the best to vandalize.
It sure did make for a funny moment when I came out of the dark and they took off running just to end up on the ground faster than I could have expected myself:) The cops came and their mothers were called to pick them up; no more problems here.
(I just wish I could have used my paint ball clay mores and scarecrow sprinklers!)
Paintball Claymore? Oooh…tell me more.
@Eric Pinola; Real claymores would have worked mo better!!! Survive well. Enjoy.
I have been off work so not used car for a few days and been mainly in the house.
When I went to the car last night there were neat piles of gravel from my drive placed on the top of each of the four tyres on my car.
Obvious to me that someone is going to come back and see if the gravel is still there to see if I am away on holiday. I leaft one stone on each tyre so it is obvious that the stones have moved and I am aware of what is going on.
good one!!
Very observant of you! Good information to pass on especially for the elderly whose behavior is often more predictable.
What everyone should understand is…A lock only keeps honest people out. No one home is exempt. All are a target. Some very good suggestions here, and a good list of examples.
Thorny plants under windows may work, but if a theif/rapist wants in your house, he will wear gloves, long sleeves, or jacket. Remember that tall bushes can be used as cover by the offender. It is a good idea to use motion lights in blind areas.
No car alarm in the world will stay on until the battery dies. This burglar clearly isn’t in the car-burgling business. 60 seconds is the norm.
My neighbor’s car alarm goes off at night all the time. It doesn’t stop after 60 seconds. (On the other hand, neighbors like me have learned to ignore it, so if it were a real emergency, we wouldn’t think he needed help.)
60 seconds? What make and model is that? I’ve been jolted more than once by a car alarm that went on for several minutes.
I really enjoyed the article and the tips Are a big help I’ll be telling my mom this
Great Information. I love the tip about the car keys and alarm. That should give you plenty of time to get your gun that is next to the keys at your bedside.
JC, I beg to differ. As a night shift nurse, I can very irritably vouch for the fact that there are pleanty of car alarms in my neighborhood that can go on for the better part of 15-30 mins….
I agree Emily, on one hand we should do everything in our power to protect ourselves, so I probably will do the key fob by the bed thing, sure couldn’t hurt. BUT in my neck of the woods, no one would ever bother themselves to find out why my alarm was going off! My hopes is that this criminal is probably already stressed out so maybe this would just scare him off. Safety is a layering process, so I look at different ways to protect my family. Take my junk, but leave my family alone!
You “commando” guys are pretty funny — been watching Die Hard too many times. Unless you’re a billionaire, the guy who breaks into your house won’t be a Navy Seal (much less a team of well trained, well armed Marines). He’ll be a stoned teenager, or a punk looking for a TV to fence to get his next hit. Good prevention is important, and being prepared in case someone comes into your home while you’re there. First, make your home an unlikely target by using some of these tips and others. Secondly, be prepared for an intruder in case that ever happens. Firearms training and gun safety training (and lots of practice) will give you a means of protecting your family. If you choose to arm yourself, make certain that you are proficient, and understand fully how to use that gun. Family members, including children, should also be trained so they aren’t curious about it.
Friends have told me I could put myself in danger with a revolver because it can be taken from me and used against me or could be dangerous with children in your home. I have been advised to have handy and high up beyond a child’s reach-wasp spray. You can get a good brand at grocery that shoots a good distance and has a wide range. You are supposed to spray the person in their eyes and also on their hands. I think that the hands are also a good idea because a person will rub their eyes hence getting more wasp spray in their eyes. This is however a more passive approach yet may allow you to have more time to take other action(s) if you feel the need to do such.
I think the only way you put yourself at risk of having a revolver taken away from you is if you do not intend to use it. NEVER, EVER, EVER, pull a gun on someone without using it. They will take it away and use it on you. However, if you hear someone in your house and you see it’s not someone you know, I would not hesitate for a moment to use that gun. Someone is not going to run toward gun shots to try to take that gun away from you.
Some folks are pointing out how a special-ops guy with special ammo can get past your dog, or climb through that yucca plant under your window. Yes, if you are a chief of state or involved in the Mafia, you might need that extra protection provided by 3-4 round-the-clock Secret Service agents. If you are a regular person, you don’t need that. You don’t need to be the best armed or best protected or most vigilant, you just need to be better protected than your neighbors. Bad guys are lazy. If it’s hard to get into your house, they will go some where easier to get in. It’s like being in the woods and being chased by a bear. You don’t have to outrun the bear, you just have to outrun your friends.
“It’s like being in the woods and being chased by a bear. You don’t have to outrun the bear, you just have to outrun your friends.”
I laughed my a$$ off with that one… thanks for that
This! Exactly this! Unless you’re in a super swanky part of town with lots of really expensive things on display you aren’t a major target. Someone looking for something to pawn for their next score will try your house, fail, and move on.
Great tips all around.
My biggest theft deterrent is that we own crap. Yes. That’s right. We have cheap crap in our house. We don’t have the nicest t.v. We own an older-than-dirt gaming system. We don’t brag about anything we get on Facebook or anywhere else, either. Why pay $$$$$ for a t.v. when a $ t.v. works just as well? It’s not like you can take it with you. Why risk your life because some idiot wants your fancy schmancy stuff? psh
I’ve got crap and I’m happy.
Well that seems a bit unfortunate. I am not going to use “the cheap stuff” my whole life beause I am just waiting for someone to break in and steal it. What an unusual way of thinking.
I just want to say how much I enjoyed thins comment. It does make sense.
I know what you mean! I wouldn’t really call my stuff crap… it’s just not the latest and greatest. My car is something a 80 year old grandma would drive. I always lock the doors, and never keep anything valuable in it. All my furniture is used, my computers are both over 6 years old and I have nothing of value save family photos. And I prefer it thataway.
That’s great! Unfortunate, my butt. It’s so terribly unfortunate how consumerized our culture has become. I remember reading in anthropology class way back that there was a culture where all the huts faced in to a communal fire pit where they all ate together every evening and shared everything. As western culture intruded, some people gained possessions and would not share. Eventually all the huts faced away from one another and they each had their own pit. The community was fractured and war started. Pretty fascinating vivid pictorial of cultural values changing. Not saying everyone should necessarily have nothing, but it is a philosophical question. Some good tips for those of us with some “collections” of stuff!
“1. Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.”
First one on the list; If you’re that lazy, or so helplessly stupid that you can’t do things like this for yourself… Part of the ol’ salesman ploy is to check how dumb you are. Professionals run real businesses and have other people come do the robbing for them. If you’re such a lazy moron that you can’t perform basic maintenance yourself, they know they’ve got a sucker.
@Anonymous, you would be amazed how many people DO NOT do their own maintenance. Especially in regions of wealth. It is quite common to hire others to do that sort of thing. Therefore, tip 1 is quite valid (for those people).
Some of us are just tired of doing our own maintenance. I’ve been my own handyman, plumber, electrician, gardner for years and I’m tired of it. If I can afford to pay someone else to do it once in awhile, I will.
That sounds perfectly reasonable to me!
@Anonymous, Some people are elderly and need help with things around the house..
Um..There is no way in hell I could move a fridge in or out of a house. I am only 5″8′ and 135lbs, I have to have help moving appliances into an home.
@Jessica.
You, by yourself, can move a fridge. Use an appliance dolly. Empty the fridge if need be. When stairs are involved, they are a biatch.
Saying you can’t do something is the first step to failure.
Be well.
@Mortimer…spoken like a clueless man. Please. Move an appliance with a dolly by myself? I’m 5’3 and weigh 108 lbs. No way could I maneuver a heavy appliance with a dolly BY MYSELF – never mind the fact that I could never fit a refrigerator into my mid-sized sedan. Add that to the fact that I have severe back problems from an injury years ago, and it would be very foolish for me to even attempt to do this myself. Good grief.
Also, @Anonymous, how completely small minded to assume that anyone who hires a professional is too lazy to do it themselves.
Wow, what an insensitive comment. Lazy or stupid? I get someone to plow my driveway (we have storms where our cars are actually covered to the roof) because I feel my time is better spent with my family – or you know, saving lives. Oh, and my Mom does too… I never considered crippled with arthritis as equating to laziness.
@Anonymous, Are you serious? I live in an apartment and we were just robbed last month by the guy who came to switch out our dishwasher. We deserved that because we didn’t do it on our own? Even though we couldn’t because the apartment complex does it? That is seriously an insensitive comment to think that because people aren’t handy and can’t switch out a goddamn dishwasher for themselves they must be lazy and/or stupid. Yes, we can change the shutters and clean the carpet on our own, but I can tell you now that I would have trouble (not saying that I couldn’t) getting a fridge or a large appliance into the apartment (I’m 5’2″ and 100lbs.).
Our lease requires us to have the carpet professionally cleaned every year. Some things aren’t as simple as people being stupid or lazy. There are plenty of people, the elderly or disabled for instance, who need that kind of assistance but also need information like this to protect themselves.
Good for you for being able to take care of yourself without assistance but you shouldn’t generalize the situations of others when a tip like this could be very useful.
Best deterrent of all: be known as a gun nut in your neighborhood. Put up a sign that says your snotty neighbor doesn’t talk to you because they hate guns and don’t have any, and you do… For gun owners, this list is common sense. And, we don’t have to hire out help for simple stuff when we can do it ourselves…
Best sign ever: “If you are found here tonight, you will be found here in the morning.”
Current sign on my gate:
BEWARE: The dog eats everyone the owner shoots!
that is hilarious! If I ever get something bigger than an ankle biter, I’ll have to pick up one of those stickers!
Put it up anyway! They don’t need to know how big your dog is
Posted
No Trespassing
Violators will be shot
and fed to the hogs
My personal favorite sign “Trespassers will be shot, survivors will be shot again”
Car alarms in my neighborhood go off for a good 10-15 as well, soooo annoying.
Great tips from everyone. Commenting on the dog darts. I don’t think most commom criminals know about those so thanks for “educating” them on it…lets not give out any more “tips” shall we? I have 2 large mastiff’s for my family’s protection and lots of .45′s and 9mm’s that can all run faster than the anyone breaking in so unless a Seal is breaking in I think I stand a chance.
Lets stick to tips for prevention because those are what I can use
My tip…If I don’t know who is at my front door I don’t answer. Plain and simple. There are just to many people out there looking to take advantage of others these days and frankly I don’t trust anyone. Sad to say though. I let the dogs greet visitors at the window next to the door with a nice teeth filled grin.
For those who don’t like dogs how about buying some dog toys and leaving them in your yard instead and moving them around and beating them up to look chewed on. You can also buy fake dog poo piles. Some burglers will just bypass a house altogether if they suspect a dog because they HATE dogs that much. Maybe set a timer with a dog bark I am sure some one sells it some where.
Yes pets get hurt in burglaries. And trust me, we are not handing out any information a burglar/criminal has not already thought of. Most of them do not think like a typical “honest” person. (Somebody mentioned that earlier…)
And they don’t need to shoot darts or “hushpuppies” to kill them. That is typically used for dogs that are a direct threat, by trained or experienced criminals. Direct threat being a “real” security dog, trained to defend with highly aggressive force.
Criminals can and do use poison to remove the threat; its quite easy to do.
“Bait and Wait” Antifreeze is commonly used. As are other things like car engine fluids. You can soak something enticing in it and they chow it down, almost always fatal within days, sometimes much much sooner, depending on poison used & how much. They know you will be without your 4-legged security when that happens and they plan for it. It receives far less attention than shooting one. Pretty nasty, no?
On another note, everyone with a dog that they confidently use for security reasons, that dog can be considered a threat and shot/killed by a police officer if for some reason, they are inclined to visit your property.
If you have a neighbor that makes a call to the police, that makes them rush over for your safety or safety of others, the police can kill your dog that is rightfully guarding your home, in order to “save” you or anyone else. The neighbor can be lying their ass off, but still say “oops, made a mistake”. If cops can’t prove it was intentional, not much you can do.
Dogs that are known to have an aggressive demeanor, have a greater chance of being shot first and considered after. Pit bulls, rottweilers, German shepherds, dobermans, etc…
Anyone that has been falsely accused or raided UN-rightfully knows what I’m talking about! Happened to some friends of ours…(it was malicious intent).
AAAAAND…if on the off chance the police have a K-9 with them and your dog attacks or even motions to attack their dog, they can be shot. AAAAND..you will be held accountable for your dog’s actions, responsible to pay damages to the city for the assault of an officer. Yeah. Like $10,000.
Soooo, you can put out deterrents like signs to try to keep safe, but end up being screwed in court…
You can have security cameras but if they see too much of someone else’s privacy, you can be sued and screwed in court…
You can have a gun for protection but if you use it you could be screwed ROYALLY in court…
And you can have a big dog protect you from strangers, only to be shot & killed and then screwed in court…
Damned if you do and damned if you don’t
But I’d rather stick up for myself and go down fighting anyway!
It is interesting what you have said. The house across the street has been abandoned for 5 years with weeds and grass and everything out of control by the owner who is doing 31 years in prison for killing a heroin addicted teen breaking a window and climbing into his house at 0400am in the morning!
Thieves who live in the area or plan on returning to a neighborhood to hit a house multiple times or hit other homes in the area will typically try to rob you in a way where you didn’t notice immediately. Taking some select jewelery, a portion of money, one or two credit cards, etc. I realize almost no one uses checks anymore, but most adults still have check books, and you can easily tear out checks from the back of it that no one will notice.
The best deterrent is to make your home look not worth the trouble. If you live in a fabulous home with fancy cars, people will take great trouble to make sure they can get into your home. If your house looks like a slum, or looks vacated, it looks like easy pickings. The best compromise is a combination of average outside appearance coupled with major annoyances. Large dogs with deep barks. Beware of dog signs.Big thorny bushes actually ARE a good deterrent, because they’re a bother to get around. They slow your entrance and exit, they snag and hold your clothing and, worst of all, they cover you with identifying evidence.
The easiest pickings are the suburbs, middle of the day, while everyone is off at school or work. Let yourself into a back yard and into a window or something. Wear some kind of uniform looking getup and any few noticing neighbors will overlook you.
Rural areas are isolated, but have the most hassles by far. Literally every home will have armed owners and loose dogs. And local law enforcement will be very understanding to the homeowner who accidentally shoots you 15 times. No thanks!
Good burgulars never look like burgulars. They look like a babysitter, a friend of your child, a”confused” person, a serviceperson, etc.
Sometimes the thieves look like EMT’s. Personal experience, when my Dad passed away. 4 EMT’s in the house, 1 took Mom into living room while the other 3 ‘picked up the mess’ of stuff used to try to save Dad. Then they all left. 4 hours later (no one else had been in the house yet) when my brother and I arrived, brother went to check the bedroom and found 3 firearms missing. Bedside .357, sock drawer 9mm, AND a shotgun. I have no idea how they got out with the shotgun, but it was gone too. Police report was made immediately, but no investigation ever took place.
Trust NO ONE who comes into your home or property if you don’t know them well.
Tammy, according to my experience: Never trust anyone in your home even if you know them well!!
In regards to the comment about EMT’s stealing the firearms from a man’s home after his death. Back in the mid 80′s I lived on Fort Ord, California in Monterey County. The local coroner was arrested, convicted and sent to prison for stealing from the dead. He stole items from the very rich folks living in Pebble Beach, Pacific Grove, Carmel and the other richy rich areas of the county. He gave a lot of the jewelery to his girlfriend and she turned him in when he refused to leave his wife. Anyone who comes into your house can rip you off if they have a desire to do so. Always be on guard.
Well I have the security system which is set even when I’m in the house. I have the camera. My dog is useless unless you want a bath. My cat would be more likely to attack. I sleep with my key fob on the bedside table and a gun or two near or in my bed. Even when home my doors are lock….So I will shoot first and ask questions later…They can’t see in my windows because my drapes are always closed. There are security lights 360 degrees on my property. I don’t trust too many people. I look to see who is at the door before opening it and I always answer the door with a weapon in my hands. I know how, and am very prepared to use it. I’m not afraid to take anothers life to save mine or my families…So burglars if you feel really brave…bring it on.
“My dog is useless unless you want a bath. My cat would be more likely to attack”
hahaha this is a great quote and I have the same issue.
What does one who is deaf and lives alone do? I do not make it well known I live alone. I live in the country – my house is back off the road a ways so no one can see in the house when they drive by. I have 2 sons living on the property so people come and go everyday. We don’t leave newspapers piled up. I leave a lamp on in the living room and a light on in the kitchen. I have never used a gun so don’t have one. My son’s have guns and if they hear a noise a person might end up facing the end of a gun barrel.
There are lots of elderly or disable people who cannot do maintaince, clean carpets, install appliances, etc.
Since I’m doing all I know to do and can do, I depend on God to watch over me. He is the greatest protector there is.
Sounds like you have it figured out then
With your 2 sons living on the property, that is a big help for you I’m sure…
You might consider installing motion-activated lights on your property, if you think they would wake you. They would certainly startle a thief. Otherwise your sons are probably your best protection – that and precautionary measures (dog, security system sign, prickly bushes, chain locks, etc.). I feel your pain to a degree, I’m very HOH in one ear and if I am asleep with my good ear in the pillow, I can’t hear a thing – hubby has startled me several times when he comes home late and I don’t hear him until he’s in the bedroom – imagine if that was a burgler or rapist!! Scares me to death to think about it!
Being the crazy people on the block helps, one morning after my husband left for work I noticed someone in our front yard, it was 5:30 in the morning, no one should be in my yard at that time… So I grabbed my husbands shot gun, and went out and told the man he had the wrong house, the guy took off running… We never had any problems after that…
That’s illegal…
It’s only illegal if you shoot someone… Which didn’t happen… If someone was on your front yard walking up to your house, with a hood on, you would wait for them to come in your house where your children are before you did something about it? If so then you are an idiot… My husband is a cop, so I am well aware of what is allowed…
Not where I live.
Not in my state. Here, it is legal to shoot a tresspasser.
@A; I wouldn’t say that Ashleigh is correct or incorrect as in most jurisdictions she’s half-right. Some states have laws called “menacing”, “criminal endangerment”, “brandishing”, “armed threatening” etc. Most of these are some form of action that can range from simply holding a firearm in your hands to pointing a firearm in their direction. In some jurisdictions these could be considered felonies under certain circumstances, especially if it has been determined by law that you din’t have a right to do so. Not trying to turn anyone off of legitimately defending themselves, just be sure you understand the law in your state. I would suggest taking a concealed weapons class for your state, even if you don’t want to carry, as they will usually have some part of the course that covers the states “use of force” laws. Be well informed. Survive well. Enjoy.
I live in Alabama. If I shoot someone on MY property, the police won’t even investigate.
@Kris; OH, Yes they will. If you think they won’t, you are very mistaken. If it is not a severely “righteous shoot” they will have your ass. Make sure all your I’s are dotted and your TEE’s are crossed. Have a lawyer and shut the F@#k up. Don’t talk until YOU HAVE A LAWYER. Don’t try and be smarter than the cops, that’s not your job, that’s why you have a lawyer. Shut up and survive. Survive well. Enjoy.
I am a police officer here in Texas and I WOULD investigate!!
Yes, they will certainly investigate here in Texas, and should investigate. What if the guy is a legitimate meter-reader (before Smart Meters, of course)? Or someone else who has an easement on to your property? Or a person you invited over, just to kill because of a money dispute (i.e., get him in your door and claim it was a home invasion)?
But your point is still pretty-much valid. If the guy was a crook, they’re done here (and I’m sure in Alabama) – the crook loses. In other states, they will spend countless hours investigating the gun, the clip, your past mental health, and whether you had any other options short of killing the guy (like letting him rape your daughter in exchange for then leaving…and I only exaggerate a bit).
By the way, very cool website, not having me to identify all of my 3rd cousins prior to letting me post.
In Ashleigh’s case it does not matter whether it was legal or illegal because up until now, IT WORKED!
To avoid some of the people looking for opportunity, you could put up a no soliciting sign. I did a few weeks ago, and went from 2 or 3 people knocking on my door everyday to none. Who knows how many of the were legit?
As someone who lives in a big city and has had her apartment and car broken into many times because it is simply unavoidable. Plus, I had a huge house fire at one point so most of my sentimental items went up in flames… My best suggestion is use a safe deposit box at a bank for the truly irreplaceable items (i.e. grandmother’s jewelry), a large (i.e. can not be carried away) fireproof safe for things you need to have easier access to like passports, and get good homeowner’s/renter’s insurance. All of your stuff CAN be replaced. If it can’t be replaced, keep it well locked up. I keep my nice TV, my Xbox and my laptop on easy display in hopes that a burglar will just take those things, consider it a successful robbery and bolt. I can replace all of those things easily. I backup my computer files twice daily using an automatic online company and have lo-jack on it as well so maybe, just maybe, I could track down the thieves using the lo-jack and get a little justice.
I guess what I’m saying is instead of praying you don’t get robbed, take steps NOW to make a recovery from a robbery less difficult and not as heartbreaking.
@Liz; So, you’ve just given up? You don’t believe that you have a RIGHT to live in peace without fear of someone robbing you of your rightful possessions that you worked for and are entitled to have and use. While no place is ever truly burglar proof you can and should be able to protect your property and domicile from those that do not produce a positive net gain for society. Doing so and resisting, is the only thing that makes that kind of person go somewhere else. By giving up you let them win, and while I don’t care if YOU give up, it causes them to be bolder and it then becomes an issue for others and myself. Have some heart and fight back.
Better to be alive and have some things stolen than to be dead and have them stolen anyway. If push comes to shove, my LIFE is worth FAR more than a gaming system or money. I’m not saying you shouldn’t take precautions and be prepared, but *things* can be replaced. People can’t be.
I was simply pointing out that after all precautions have been taken, robberies still happen. Usually, robberies happen when no one is home (I was at work when my home was robbed and my car was locked with alarm armed every time it was broken into) so worrying about your safety isn’t really the issue many times. I feel that it is far more terrifying to come home from a long day of work and realize that while you were gone someone was in your home tearing through your stuff, breaking whatever was in their way and taking whatever they thought they could pawn quickly. Guess what… I take all of the precautions but because I lived in an exterior entrance apartment I couldn’t get a reliable alarm system on my individual apartment because of the landlord’s “no holes in the walls” rules. So the doors were dead-bolted, the window alarms were activated and I always leave lights on timers. They DRILLED a hole through the dead bolt lock rendering it useless and then walked right in and walked right back out with everything of value. My neighbors were all at work too except one older woman who said and I quote, “Yeah, I heard some drilling noise but figured someone was building something. Sorry to hear about your belongings.” That was my point. If someone wants to rob you; they will. They will learn your schedule and test it out ahead of time (maybe by making noise near your home to see if anyone reacts). So keep a shotgun by your bed all you want but you have to leave your home at some point and that’s probably when a robbery will occur.
@Liz; Well, I can tell you what I would do, but that would prolly be illegal where you live. First, I would take my car and park it in a parking garage and take the bus back home. I would buy a Taser and have a handgun available. I would lie in wait until someone broke in (you could leave some bait on the curb like a 54″ LCD TV box by the garbage). I would Tase them into unconsciousness and then hog tie them. Stuff an ether soaked rag into their mouth. Oh, I forgot to say get an aluminum baseball bat and several tarps and painter’s drop cloths…….yeah! You get the picture. MOVE. MOVE somewhere else. If all you do can’t protect what you have, you live in the wrong place. If you don’t have the right, legally, to protect yourself with deadly force, you live in the wrong place. If you live in the place you describe, it is only a matter of time until someone breaks in WHILE YOU ARE HOME and then Tases you into unconsciousness, hogties you and stuffs an ether soaked rag into your mouth…………NOW you get the picture!!! Of course they may not use the baseball bat on you, for a little while??? MOVE. MOVE NOW. If you value the city you live in or your job, more than your life and well being, you will get what you cultivate. Survive well. Enjoy.
We sleep with a handgun and a baseball bat by the bed, but being rural dwellers, the keys stay in our vehicles. Our philosophy is “take the car/pickup/truck and leave us alone. However, if you enter, we are armed and dangerous. Refuse to be a hapless victim!
Our logic is: You can take our stuff but if you are dumb enough to come up the stairs you WILL pay for your stupidity.
If you leave your keys in a vehicle, insurance will not pay out for theft. It is considered your fault. Police will also not take a report. The insurance company can also have you arrested for insurance fraud just filing a claim if you left your keys in the car.
Several years ago when my husband and I were working opposite shifts, I was asleep, and about 3am my dog started growling and barking. I grabbed the shotgun and walked into the living room where through the blinds I could see the silhouette of a man creeping around on my porch. I was just about to give that man the shock of his life and potentially a trip to meet Jesus, when my cell phone rang and my husband said he hated to wake me but some work related part was going to be being direct delivered to the house any time via an urgent delivery service. I stayed in the living room and watched with the shotgun never leaving my hands, until the man finished his paperwork, dropped the box, and went back to his car… and for what seemed like forever after that. I don’t think I was able to go back to sleep. Our arsenal has grown since then, and if it comes between me or my family or someone else’s life… it’ll be them, every time. I will protect me and mine with a fierceness that few could comprehend.
living in the country, we had ducks at one point. They are some serious noise makers when anyone, including your own, come into the yard. I also have 4 dogs, one stays inside. If anyone gets in they have to face my teen age son, his gun, my husband and his guns, and myself using one of hubby’s. I don’t doubt I coud get my teenaged daughter to use a gun as well if someone broke in.
But the dogs are always our first defense. Giving us time to load.
Sign on front gate: House protected by Smith and Wesson 7 days a week..you guess which days.
These are awesome tips and all some of the comments helped out even more or made me giggle. Great ideas! I doubt anyone will break into my house then. My parents are almost always outside and we hardly ever let anyone on our property. My dad and I know how to use guns and I am trained for a sword (which I own). We are also known as the crazies on our street so… NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. YEAH!
@Gaby.
A long knife like a sword or a machete will scare a lot of people more than a handgun. I have no idea why. Both are lethal.
I’d rather be called crazy than victim.
Be well.
@Mortimer; Funny thing, over in the desert, Iraq more than the ‘Stan’ was that you could be riding gunner up top on a hummer and have cars run up to your rear (there are Aramaic signs on the back of EVERY vehicle that said not to do that or we’ll shoot) real close and scare the hell out of you. You could rack back the fifty (M2) and point it at them and they wouldn’t flinch. If you pulled out your handgun and waved it at them they would slam on the brakes. Funnnneeee. However it has a foundation in reality. The people in Iraq were so afraid of being “assassinated” (which they, the populace associated with a handgun, not a machine gun) that the handgun would scare the be-jesus out of them and they would back off then. Funny. Sad but funny. Survive well. Enjoy.
“I’d rather be called crazy than victim.” I like this and I agree!
Another good tip people (if it wasn’t mentioned already): LOCK YOUR CARS! You may think you live in a safe neighborhood, but you don’t. Leaving them unlocked is EXACTLY what the thieves want you to do. We had a neighborhood here in NC just last week that had 18, yes EIGHTEEN, cars on just one single street burglarized. Cash, wallets, purses, iPods, laptops, GPSs, everything you can imagine was stolen. It’s a paradise for these types of people.
Locking your car doesn’t mean it won’t get broken into, it just means more damage if it is broken into. Back when my parents were living in an apartment building all of the cars were broken into one night. My dad was the only one who could leave on time the next morning. The rest of the cars were to damaged to drive. My dad was the only person to leave his car unlocked. The best thing you can do is just not leave anything valuable in your car when it’s left unattended.
@Anonymous; Some insurance companies won’t replace items or pay for repairs if the car isn’t/wasn’t locked. Just FYI. Plus, leave it unlocked, really? Just give up and let them run wild. Must live in the big city. Survive well. Enjoy.
I lived in a city in the rust belt for 16 years. I gave up locking my car year 3 after having replaced windows 6 times. I left nothing of value in the car. Ever. I would regularly come out in the morning to find that the car had been “tossed”, but generally the thief was good enough to shut the door so that the interior light went out and the car would start.
I am now back in Texas and lock the truck always. 2 years of being here and parking outside of a condo and so far, no break ins. I will be glad to close on a house and get her in a garage where she belongs.
@glitter & guns; Amen, ambiguously-gendered, androgynous, planetary co-inhabitant (i.e. brother)! Ha! Survive well. Enjoy.
Really people? You leave these things in your car?? The only thing I leave in mine is the stuff I’m taking to Goodwill or the recycling center. Or the odd Taco Bell napkin. And a little dog hair.
It’s true, NOTHING scares a thief or perv more than a shotgun. I got home one night at 2 am and saw a guy from the neighbor hood walking his dog. By the time I was inside he was shining a flashlight in my windows.
I haven’t seen him walking his dog by my house once since he looked down the barrel of my 20 gauge that night.
remember, if the body falls in the house, its self defense
also if you have no trespassing signs on your property. or if they have the ability and way to do harm, I could legally shoot someone on my property being that im 5’5″ and 120 lbs if they are larger than me and are threatening me.
Laws vary widely depending upon the State you are in. In all cases though, you must be threatened with death (there are a variety of legal terms used here) to begin to justify the shooting. Even then… you may not win in court (at least you will be alive). If the intruder is in your house, threatening with a weapon, you will likely be ‘justified’ in a court. If the intruder is trying to steal your car (for example) in most (or all?) cases you are not justified… your own life must be threatened in a real way. Check with your states laws for details. This is something every gun owner should be very aware of (laws in their own state regarding this).
@Kait.
Signs can be a good idea.
Here are a few signs that are a bad idea:
- Beware of Dog. This sign suggests that you knew that you had a problem dog. If something unfortunate happens like your dog biting a burglar you could end up losing in court.
- Forget the Dog, Beware of Owner. Could be twisted to suggest that you are the problem.
- Protected by Smith & Wesson. Why tell criminals that you have firearms?
We should round up all of the good lawyers, put them on a ship at sea. Kill the rest. Sink the ship.
Be well.
While those signs are entertaining, they “indicate a propensity” to violence and WILL be used against you in court. If you were on the jury and someone had one of these signs on their property, what would you think? Mortimer is correct that most of these signs are not good for your survival. Survive well. Enjoy.
It can also be self defense if it falls outside. There just may be consequences if it happens that way!
What happens if the burglar is also armed?
@Zee.
That’s what range time is for. You also have the home field advantage.
Be well.
I keep all my blinds drawn at night, and my house is fitted with motion detecting lights and REAL cameras. They send pictures to my email when they detect motion, so if you even come near my house I have evidence to prove it. I also have a loaded shotgun and loaded 9mm pistol that I am not afraid to use. You’re MUCH better off looking elsewhere.
True story: one night I was home and heard someone trying my front door. Without even thinking, I ran and grabbed my 9mm pistol and waited at the front door. At that moment my husband texted me and said my father-in-law was coming over to get something (he has a key to our house). I relaxed, and when he opened the door and saw me standing there with my gun, he was so surprised it almost knocked him off his feet. I felt really bad about scaring him, but he said he was proud of me
Be real careful of what your cameras can see. It would really suck to have your security system used against you in court.
Be well.
@Zee, shoot first and you won’t have a problem. And since they were on your property AND armed, you have every right to do so.
Great article and comments though! I never would’ve thought of most of those things, especially planting a thorny plant around a window!
@Sarah.
Not true in this state. The rules in most states require that a reasonable person would be in fear for their life when not in the home (castle doctrine).
I live in a state with a “make my day” law. If you unlawfully enter my home I can employ lethal force at will. Note: In this state the common areas of a shared space like an apartment building are not considered “home”.
You should also be sure to shoot them when they are facing you. A lot of places consider a fleeing felon to have ended the threat. That means that the original victim becomes the criminal for shooting at a fleeing attacker.
Check the laws where you live!
Be well.
@Sarah; You must live south of the Mason Dixon and/or west of the Mississippi river and not on the Left Coast. Zee, what she told you is not correct everywhere in the U.S. Make sure you check your local laws for “use of force” and the consequences. While I live in a state that Sarah’s advice would work for, some people DO NOT. NJ, NY, MA, CT all have use of force laws that defy convention and are more like England in their respect for use of force issues. There are others too, this is not a comprehensive list of those states, it varies, so check to be sure of your legal standing in those circumstances. In my state we have a night rule for invasion of a home, basically you can mow them down…but that is not the be all to end all. You are liable civilly for the loss of life in some jurisdictions and not others, so beware and educate yourself. Survive well. Enjoy.
This seems like a great set of tips! We currently live in the suburbs, soon to be moving to a place more rural. Although we are in a modest neighborhood there have been countless break ins and car thefts in the last year and a half. Almost everyone has gotten broken into in our neighborhood, save us. I credit that largely in part to my lab mix, Duke. He has made himself known to almost everyone in the neighborhood, and barks at nearly everything that gets too close to his house!
@ Mortimer and TripodXL
Y’all are right, I should’ve thought about my response more before I gave advice. In MY state I am allowed the use of deadly force (or just-trying-to-slow-them-down force) if anyone is forcing their way into my home, my vehicle, my place of business, or if they are trying to commit a crime against me (or if they have already succeeded at any of the above things). People in my state don’t take kindly to bein’ “messed with”
@Zee
I am not sure of other states’ laws referring to the use of force, so your best bet is to read up on your laws if you have a fire arm or any concerns. I do apologize for the misadvice.
Great article. I just thought I’d add my two cents.
A lady in my neighborhood has had her house broken into twice, a lawnmower stolen from her garage, and has had her car broken into. She often forgets to close her garage door. The lawnmower was stolen while she was home! Her daughter’s purse was stolen after she left it in the car overnight. She usually doesn’t lock her backyard gate.
I think one of the easiest things she could have done to prevent this would be to keep her garage closed with the cars inside (I know they both cars can fit, I’ve seen the inside of the garage many times!) and keep everything locked.
You know those, Lock, Take, Hide signs you see in parking lots? OK, common sense stuff people. I read the post “we leave our keys in the car” seriously? OOOH KAY! Choosing to be a victim cuz its so much work to take your keys in the house and lock the car. Or keeping your items on display to thwart a thief from stealing jewlery? Well your showcase just brought the criminal IN YOUR HOME. There really is no need to reinvent the wheel here.
Even when your State laws say you can’t shoot someone, like if they are just stealing your car and not threatening you, what happens when you DO shoot depends entirely on the responding officer.
A small truck with 3 men inside entered my brother’s posted property and drove around behind his barn. Brother has carry permit, walks quietly behind barn to see what’s up, the 3 guys are hooking the truck to brother’s huge hydraulic log splitter to steal it. He lets them continue until they start to drive away, then shows himself and drawn handgun. The driver didn’t stop so brother shot 2 tires of the truck making them stop. The guys all bailed and ran, sheriff came and determined the truck was stolen and brother had every right to shoot the tires. It MAY have been a different story if he had shot one of the people, but he was shooting towards them.
It may have helped that at the time brother was a firearms instructor at Front Site, and the sheriff’s deputy had taken his classes. It always helps to have a personal relationship with local law enforcement officers.
@Tammy.
It depends on the laws in your state.
Where I live shooting at someone, for stealing, is a go to jail unless I can demonstrate fear for life or limb.
Knowing the responder probably does, and should, not matter. One set of laws for everybody.
Be well.
For those of you that DO NOT answer your door if you do not know the person, that is a big NO NO! The reason being is that burglars will knock on the door to see if anyone is home. If somebody answers they’ll pretend they are looking for somebody that obviously does not live there (immediately call the cops and let them know somebody was casing your house and possibly others in the neighborhood). If nobody answers they’ll go though the side gate and look for open windows. If there are none, they’ll just kick the side or back door in.
Oh yeah, and don’t think those little bathroom sliding windows up high can be safely left unlocked or open. I’ve seen plenty of homes burglarized in which a young skinny kid slides the trash can under that window, slides it open, and opens the door to let his friends in.
If somebody is knocking at your door and you don’t recognize them, you should always at least let them know that somebody is home by simply saying “I’m not interested” though the door. You can further advise them you are going to call the police because you don’t know them. The last thing a crook wants is the police in the neighborhood looking for suspicious persons and contacting them. Letting them know you are calling the police will make them less likely to look for other homes in your neighborhood.
Police departments all over the nation are spread thin and officers can’t be everywhere at once. Officers depend on good citizens to be force multipliers. It is up to us to look out for each other and be good neighbors. If you see somebody suspicious don’t be afraid to call the police, it is their job to investigate these types of things. I also make it a habit that if I see somebody I don’t know in my neighborhood as I am out and about, to say hello to them. If you engage them and make eye contact with them, speak with them they know you can identify their face, voice or any other distinguishing features. Crooks that are casing neighborhoods don’t like when people can identify them.
I am a career police officer and the things I am telling you come from personal on the job experience. I hope this helps.
GOOD POINT! My neighbor saved my home from being broken into. She saw 2 people come up to my front door and didn’t think much about it. Then they started kicking the door (I have glass windows on the door and they thought they would break a pane, stick their hand in and unlock the door- but no, my deadbolt requires a key from inside and out). She ran outside with her phone and the thieves were out of there. We went around and warned all the neighbors, and we try to look out for each other. I greet any people walking down the street…
The cop who responded said most of them ignore alarms, kick in the front door and are in and out before the alarm people/police respond. That’s in my poor neighborhood, where they know people don’t have jewelry to find but have expensive tvs and gaming systems.
Also, it depends on the robber, because my neighbors have 2 german shepards and the guys jumped the fence anyway to try to break in. They got bitten- we can only assume they were wasted or beyond stupid…
“or beyond stupid…”
Isn’t that the truth. Most burglars are just that… which is why some preparedness precautions and preventative measures can put layers of security between you and the stupid burglar.
@MS Laura; Yeah, the burglars should know that they are being watched, by now. A double key deadbolt is probably the KEY to preventing them from robbing you blind as MOST people don’t have one. That is a key. Survive well. Enjoy.
@william penn; Of course you could not answer the door and WAIT until they break in. Rack the shotgun and WAIT, When they break in let them have Karma. All you have to do is fear for your life and “have no place to retreat to”. At that point, you can snuff them all you want. Just don’t talk about it or brag about it. That simple. Kill’em and they won’t be an imposition to society. IMHO. Survive well. Enjoy.
I would add one thing. Don’t put out boxes that advertise the new electronics and other items you have just acquired. Turn the boxes inside-out or just take them to a dumpster yourself.
@Shana.
Good point. We recycle cardboard, plastic, and glass. Just not cardboard that identifies the product. Cut them up and send them to the landfill. Biodegrade nicely.
If you buy ammo online you should ask for nondescript boxes. Most sellers will comply.
Be well.
After reading thru these, lots of great tips, I noticed what I do is not listed. I holler my son’s name and say “Michael can you get the door?” No one else but me is usually here…..but the person at the door doesn’t know that. Also I have tall rose bushes with big a@@ thorns in front of my bedroom window. I live in an apt complex. I have the dog for alerting me to someone nearby. I always keep the door locked. Always lock your car and don’t leave anything in view…example coins packages,etc. When I lived in Denver in the hood…my apt. was the only one that didn’t get broke into. I don’t if it was prayer, I pray warring angels to guard my windows and doors, I also let it be known I had a rifle and loved going target practicing! It worked for me. Picking the petals off a sunflower with your gun is so much fun! lol!
If you suspect someone outside, don’t turn on your inside lights! This is what my husband does turns on all the lights in the house because he can’t see. This lights everything up inside our home like a Christmas tree! What you should do is turn on your outside lights so you can see who is outside!! I hate it when he does that!!lol
Also, by leaving your inside lights off, if someone makes it into your home YOU will have the advantage in the dark. How many of us can walk through our home from one end to the other without a light because we know every inch of the place? A criminal is not going to have your layout committed to memory…
I recommend ALWAYS keeping your vehicle doors locked if you have an automatic garage door opener. How easy would it be for someone to hit the button, & walk right on in & bust down the door?
Oh, and never use Four Square type apps on Facebook to check yourself into places. And if someone rings your door bell asking if you’d like to buy a security system, tell them YOU ALREADY HAVE ONE (whether you do or not.) Better safe than sorry. And if someone asks you if you own a gun, tell them ABSOLUTELY!!! (Again, whether you do or not.)
Beware of creepy land lords or acting land lords. My husband and I have acting land lords as our actual land lords are stationed at another army base. Our acting land lords are very strange and the wife really creeped me out. We moved into our home when I was about five months pregnant and I stay home. Our a-l-l wife would come up with random reasons to come over every single day and try to find some reason why she needed to come in our house. Her husband was over fixing our back screen door and she and all of her four kids would just walk right in our house and start looking in all of our rooms, we lock all of our doors but we had the back one unlocked while her husband was over working on it. I started not answering the door when she would knock and she’d stay out there for 15 minutes just knocking. The final straw was when a house down the street was on fire, the firefighters had already put the fire out but she was concerned for my safety( I guess I should have known that she would use any event to try to walk in my house) I was getting ready for a hail and farewell at my husband’s work and I was in the shower, at this point 8 months pregnant and I hear knocking for about 5 minutes so I jumped out of the shower really quick to peek out the bathroom door and see who was knocking(our door has glass and from the bathroom you can see who is at the door without them seeing you. And all I see is her husband going to all of our different windows peering inside. At the time our back door had a code lock that you type in a number combo that makes noise when you type each key, our code lock had just reset itself two days before( thank the Lord) so we were using the deadbolt instead. I heard our land lords wife at the back door typing numbers into the key pad and trying to open the door! I am a woman who is 8 months pregnant and in the shower and this creepy lady is just going to walk in my house, so naturally I grabbed my handgun, ignored her knocking and finished getting ready. She called me to ask if I was okay, because a house down the street was on fire and then told me she wanted me to come let her and her husband in because they wanted to speak with me. I politely told her no, I didn’t have time to let her in I was meeting my husband and then I informed her that I didn’t appreciate her husband peeping in my windows or her trying to unlock our back door. I told her that my husband and myself both carry handguns and if someone walks into my home or breaks into my home, which is what she was attempting to do they will find themselves met with a gun because they are an intruder and are then considered dangerous, and I advised her that she shouldn’t make a habit out of walking into people’s homes because some people may not be as gracious as I had been. We didn’t hear a word from her until the day after our baby was born they tried to come to the hospital to see us.
Point being, there is a difference between hospitality and creepy. My family has that whole southern hospitality thing going on, I’m really familiar with it, but these people are strange. They always ask for too much information and put us in uncomfortable situations by over stepping social boundaries. Whether you are protecting yourself or your home If you don’t feel right when certain people are around there is probably a reason for it and you should trust your instincts and be safe, nearly 70% of violent crimes are committed by someone who knew the victim.
Hi Holly,horrible story, sounds like harassment. Hope things are sorted out and the landlords know their place. If not,unless you are really attatched to that house, you should probably think of moving. Definitely not normal behaviour. Would creep me out. Kind regards, Pat
I’m glad that you guys are ok. Those people sound really creepy and your should trust your instincts. You really can’t even trust other woman nowadays….some woman will steal a baby or lure other woman or children for her predator husband or boyfriend!!
I am a widow. I kept a pair of my husband’s shoes, two ball caps, two jackets, some of his car and handyman magazines. I keep the jackets and caps on the hook by the back door where they’ve always been. When I have a repair person scheduled to come I put out the shoes and scatter the magazines here and there. I’ve had repair men comment that they read the same magazines, or say, “There you go, you guys take care!”, etc. I never give out the information that I live alone.
Just wanted to share a tip of my own: Be careful with your automatic garage door openers. We keep ours locked in the glove box so it isn’t easily found if someone were to break into the car. We also lock the garage door from the inside, especially when home alone or out of town.
Feeling very fortunate to live in a very average, safe neighborhood, with our 100-lb dog, but I understand no one is immune to crime. I am always aware of my surroundings and very wary of strangers and people coming into my home, or even just to the front door. And even though my dog is a gentle giant, I ALWAYS tell people not to get too close because she is extremely protective.
Thank you for the great ideas! Be safe~
I do the same thing with my dogs! I have a Lab and a Rottweiler. Both are nearly 100lb and I always tell people to keep their distance. My dogs are well trained and loving, but I wouldn’t have a stranger know that there probably wouldn’t be a bite to accompany the bark. A while back I had a plumber come to the house and when he asked if my dogs bite, I just said “They’re protective of their mom”
Another ‘weapon’ of sorts, for those that refuse to have handguns in their home…keep a can of wasp spray near the door or near your bed. That stuff has GREAT range & is useful for giving you that element of surprise & extra time to grab your phone & call 911.
Personally, I have guns…
There are many pepper sprays with an effective range up 20 feet and in easier to carry containers than a can of wasp spray. The active ingredients in wasp sprays penetrate the nervous systems of insects and kill them. Since wasp sprays are not formulated to be used directly on human beings, they should not be relied upon as a form of non-lethal self-defense, as their safety and effectiveness for this purpose has not been sufficiently tested, and the toxic effects could potentially be much more harmful or less effective than expected. Additionally, most spray insecticide containers include warnings stating that “It is a violation of federal law to use this product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling”.
A small tip : Don’t have a welcome mat with your family name on it! I work for a federal judge and see alot of cases, one such case awhile back involved a family that had been robbed while they were out of town. While the crooks were carrying items out to the car, two neighbors confronted them, the fast thinking crooks used the name they’d seen on the welcome mat. The neighbor later testified he’d believed their story and that they were friends of the family because “afterall they’d known their name”.
Also, has anyone else heard of the burglar graffiti tags? There was another case that involved several houses that kept getting hit repeatedly.. There was always at least a few months between each burglary. Cops here later found out that it was a group of burglars and that the houses all had a graffiti mark on the back of their fences, or rock, etc. Different colors meant different things, difficulty, types of items, dogs in the house, etc. They’d been using it as a way to communicate to each other which houses to hit. I was just curious if this was a local thing or if others had heard of it. -ignore my grammatical errors I’m typing this in the dark :p
The gangs here do that all the time. They mark cars and garage doors in subtle ways but if you know what you are looking for you can usually deter them by painting over it or removing the markers. Windshield advertising is common practice around here but thieves use this annoying practice to their advantage. They know when a car doesn’t get driven often because it will have the same flyers on it for days. The police will only do over-the-phone reports here unless there is a real need for them to arrive on the scene like a shooting. When my car gets broken into, I simply call them and tell them what was damaged, what was taken (usually it is something stupid like gum or a lighter), where I was parked and that’s that. I have had the marks on my garage before but I don’t park in my garage because I would get blocked in by other cars so they would just get my storage items which can all be replaced. I wish I knew which symbols meant what. That’s why I have good insurance, as I stated in a previous response.
One thing I think a lot of people forget about is how easy it is to break into a car and anyone with a garage leaves a jet to the house on the car (garage for opener). We use the lock on the opener on the garage wall when we go to bed and we also lock the door between the garage and the house.
Glad I don’t live in such a criminally active place, sounds terrifying.
Does anyone worry that a burglar might hurt your pets? I worry about that. What if the dog is growling at them and they need them to be quiet?
My fiance and I sleep with 3 fans on. It’s hard to hear anything outside of our bedroom.
I worry more about them hurting threatening animals like a big German shepherd rather than a small submissive dog or cat. It is always in the back of my head though…Maybe someone knows the stats, but I never hear anything about hurt pets during a burglary in the news or anything.
That is the only thing I worry about these days since I got my cat less than a year ago. I never leave my cat alone for more than a day. I always find a sitter for him when I have to be gone for a weekend or more. Even though I could get robbed 5 minutes after I leave in the morning, if a thief sees me leaving with luggage I feel that my cat would be more vulnerable. I just pray that if my current apartment is broken into, my cat hides from the burglar rather than tries to play with them or attack them. I shudder at the thought of what might happen to him if he became a hindrance to the robbery.
@Liz; Is this what you call living? You should read my post to, what I think was your first post here, and what I said there. Why are you here? This is a survival and prepper site and you don’t appear to know that or don’t understand what that is. I am really not trying to be snitty with you, but what you describe as “everyday life” sounds horrible. I realize you ARE describing “survival in the city” but that isn’t survival for the type of people that are prepper/survivalist people, by and large. Also, I’m not trying to run you off, I want you to be here and learn to prepare and survive. There are a lot of good people and knowledge here, I’m just a little (LOL) more honest and blunt than most. Do you just live in an “unusually bad neighborhood” or do you live in one of “the cities”(i.e. Chicago, Philly, NYC, Boston, D.C. etc.)? You either need a more secure living arrangement where you live or you need, you NEED to move. Survive well. Enjoy.
Not sure if this has been said already, but if you are planning on replacing your garage door or if you have a door that has windows make sure you get a solid door. A lot of criminals will look through those little decorative windows to see if your car is in the garage before trying to break in. p.s. don’t assume that because you have taken all the precautions to prevent a break in i.e. made the home seem occupied, that people won’t still break in. My one experience with a break in was around Christmas not even late at night and I had my TV up very loud watching a movie and my Grandma’s car was in the driveway…I don’t know if it would have worked but my uncle said I should have yelled “Dad, get the gun!!” …I hid and called 911 instead.
@Alex.
Good advice on garage doors. In my opinion you should not have an electric garage door opener. Far too easy to hack. A properly adjusted door, the springs, should be easy for anyone to open. Kinda sucks in the rain. I used some gate latches and paddle locks to secure mine.
You should have got the gun or a baseball bat or whatever. Calling 911 is a good idea. Phones out. Firing a weapon will usually get a response from the police. The international convention for distress is to do something three times. Add a round to the double tap.
Hiding has its place. Doing so when the attacker is in the same building as you is not a good survival strategy.
I find the lack of opposition to criminal behavior these days to be appalling. In the Columbine, Virginia Tech, and Aurora theater situations nobody opposed the shooter. Throw things at the shooter. Attack if you can. You might get shot. You might die. The shooter intends to shoot you anyway.
Be well.
If someone unfamiliar (or someone you know but don’t quite trust) knocks on your door, have a can of oven cleaner or wasp spray in your hand when you answer, just in case you need to protect yourself. Did this once when I was 9 months pregnant–thankfully did not need to use.
One of my all-time favorite sighs goes like this: “these premises guarded by shotgun 4 days per week. Guess which days.”
Some friends have a sign that says:
Private property
Violators will be shot
Survivors wil be shot again
Lol.
Meh. Just get enough insurance to cover your replaceable belongings, and put your non-replaceable ones in a safe deposit box. If somebody wants to break into your home, they can.
I have read the article and all the comments and there are some good ideas. I do think we all should do the best we can to protect ourselves and our property. I do have a concern about someone saying they bought a dog dish and I think it was a big dog chain or collar this was to help draw off people from coming to the house. I don’t see where things like that would do any good because a lot of people case a house before they hit it. If they don’t see a dog after a week they are going to figure it is all show. And Yes crooks around here have been known to case houses for a week or longer. I do think one thing to help is try not to keep a set schedule at your house. At my house everyone comes and goes at different times. You can not pin point when someone will not be there. It would not hurt if you have someone who is retired or does not work to just show up at your house off and on during the week while you are at work
You are so right about schedules. We are all creatures of habit and routines. It is VERY easy to pick up on other people’s routines. It is good advice to mix it up…
If a stranger comes to the door…don’t answer it!!! Not rocket science. I’m not going to open the door to my home to a stranger and hope he’s a good guy. Don’t open it! If he’s selling something, he’ll leave a flyer, but if you’re looking for yard service, an exterminator, or a carpet cleaning…you’re either going to look online or find a reference from someone you trust. JUST DON”T OPEN THE DOOR. if he starts rattling the door knob, meet him with a revolver or call the police after you start screaming!
You said something that is very telling… “…if he starts rattling the door knob…”. Yes think about that for a minute. If someone is actually turning the knob on your door, it means THEY ARE LOOKING TO OPEN THE DOOR! If that happens, you are DEFINITELY dealing with a ‘bad guy’. This world is filled with people that are looking to take something from you. Be prepared. You are not immune.
This article is spot on.
With a yellow ribbon in my window I was basically yelling that my husband was deployed and I was home alone. Someone did try to break into my home (in the middle of the night) and it was the loud dog that kept him from getting in. It turned out to be someone from the lawn crew who came on a weekly basis and thought since the dog already knew him he could get past her. He was wrong, thank goodness.
I can’t emphasize enough to military spouses how important it is to be on alert. It’s common knowledge that once a spouse deploys something in the house will break (it always does!) and little clues like the yellow ribbon, a picture of them in uniform on the fridge, a count down calendar, etc. are dead giveaways. If the topic even comes up- your spouse will be home any day now and you can’t wait.
My hope is that someone reads this and learns from my mistakes.
That’s very good advice regarding the yellow ribbon. We all tend to give away clues to the criminal minded. Unfortunately in this world, we have to think like them in order to increase our odds of avoidance.
Rapist entered my home because he had cased the place, spoken to neighbors and knew my husband was deployed. He used this 8 times in the city I lived in, but different area’s so the police didn’t put them together until he confessed. I now have a gun, know how to use it. I sleep w/ it and have a 3 stage burgular system. My cars are always locked. My husband will be home momentarily, not in a couple of days!!! If I hear a noise now, I and my trained dog go to find out what is happening with weapon in hand. I take no chances these days…period.
I can’t believe no one has mentioned cameras. We have a small camera in the window facing the front door, with a sign that says “smile you are being recorded on camera”
@Anon; Yeah, cameras are great, after the fact! They don’t do anything to prevent burglaries. Notice of a camera’s presence will only run off the timid. If they want what you have, the camera won’t stop them. Furthermore, if you antagonize them with “smile for the camera”, they’ll just tear your house apart to find it (the DVR). Now, I’m not sayin’ don’t have a camera, just don’t piss them off about having it and they won’t look for it. You are right, however, about having a video system as part of your security. Survive well. Enjoy.
In regard to an earlier post about the use of curare by burglars…this is absolute nonsense, meth heads are not that sophisticated. this is someone living out a fantasy they have either read or saw on TV shows!!! first of all, curare is no longer manufactured. 2nd, it is super long acting paralytic agent and would kill any animal or person administered to without ventilatory support 3rd, ketamine is usually the drug of choice used to sedate animals. I know all of this bc I am an anesthesiologist
Another tool of the rip off community is the telephone. I do not engage in phone conversations with people I do not know unless I initiate the call. I consider it an invasion of my personal space if I receive a call from some one that I did not give my telephone number to.
David, neither do I!!! I do get very tired of the same masked numbers showing up though, because some of them call all times of the day and night! So I do answer those, and no matter who they ask for, even if it’s my own name, I say, “Sorry, but you have the wrong number.” And they DO have the WRONG number, because if they think I’m going to identify myself to people who cover up who they are! That’s totally NOT fair on ANY level! It also puts a stop to them calling incessantly, as they now believe it’s not my number. There are always more than one way to outsmart these ridiculous practices. There have been a few rare occasions when a masked number was someone I actually wanted to speak to. So once I discover that, I call back and apologize, explaining that we get a lot of nuisance calls, and since their number was masked, I had mistakenly assumed they were one of those. They always seem to understand.
We haven’t answered our home phone in at least 15 years. Our message says “We do not answer our phone. If you’d like a call back, please leave a message and a number and maybe we will return your call.” At first people thought it was rude (we have a tape saved of messages we’ve received from people who thought so…), but I don’t see why I should have to answer just because someone else decided to call. Anyone we want to talk with knows how to get a hold of us and anyone else can leave a message.
My roommates and I were burglarized earlier this year. None of us were home, but we suspect the thief hopped the back wall (we back up to a church parking lot) and smashed in the glass on our back door. They stole one of my roommate’s backpacks to hold all of their loot in. Since then, we’re super vigilant – cars we don’t recognize are closely monitored, the same sales person multiple times in one week results in notes to our neighbors to be on the lookout, and we keep all of the doors locked and blinds shut. We leave the porch light on until the last person goes to bed and make sure to regularly water the plants on our front porch (our only way of showing we’ve been home recently). It’s tough, especially recovering from the feeling of being violated, but it just makes you more aware and more protective of your space and of your neighbors.
@marauders4; You guys need to really think about what was stolen. Any paperwork with personal info, ANY keys what so ever, passwords on computers etc. And who doesn’t have a file on their laptop with some stupid name that contains ALL your user names and passwords and prolly acct numbers, too. Survive well. Enjoy.
Something important that nobody seems to have mentioned: a lot of burglars will just kick the door down. When my sister got robbed at gunpoint (in broad daylight), the robbers went from knocking on the door asking to use a phone to kicking the door down like it was nothing in about a minute. They didn’t even try the knob first, and she didn’t have time to even pick up a phone to call the cops before they were inside with a gun to her head.
…which is why those long nails in your door frame are so important. I’m pretty sure they need to go in at least two inches or something, because deadbolts aren’t going to help if the whole frame is kicked in. And chain locks are good too. Between those, it’ll take at least a few times to kick a door in which would buy some time. I just wish we’d known then, cause it’s a miracle nobody was hurt.
@Minoette; Not to be blunt but chain locks are necessary as a discouragement, but they are useless for stopping someone from kicking in the door. As to the screws, they need to be 4″ course threads all down the door latch side and in all the hinge screw holes (door and jamb). This will keep the frame in place from being “kicked in”. If you want true, that’s TRUE, door security you will put a dead bolt at the top and bottom, about 18″ from the end, with enhanced jamb receivers. A heavy duty outer (screen/glass) door with REAL security hardware will also allow the opening of the front door without exposure to immediate danger. Neither of the doors will be kicked in. Survive well. Enjoy.
We have 2 Siberian Huskies that live indoors most of the time. I have had many people mistake our male Husky for a wolf……in the dark I don’t think a burglar would be sticking around to find out if it really was a wolf or not. If I do answer the door during the day (I am usually alone with our kids), I make sure that whoever it is can see the large wolf-looking dogs investigating who is at the door. So far we haven’t had any problems, but we also live in a small-ish town far away from any large cities.
My home was burglarized last week while I was at work. According to police there were 2-4 guys posing as sales people who, when no one answered their knocks, kicked the door in. They took televisions and other items. Apparently they hit 7 other houses in the area. Time to move although I know you can’t escape thieves.
I have found that dogs do work wonders. We have 2 lab mixes, still puppies at 9 & 10 months old, but they don’t sound like pups when they bark!! We’ve had people cut through our yard only to end up running through as soon as the dogs hear them and start barking. We’ve also had delivery and repair people refuse to even come into our enclosed porch once they hear the dogs. It’s funny because the worst these 2 would do, at least at their ages, is lick you to death. These dogs are inside pets, part of our family, but they do pull their weight
Also, make sure you don’t have a lot of bushes & such around the house. It can hide folks trying to break in.
Carrying your car keys while walking to and from your car works even if you don’t have a car alarm…if someone were to attack you, a key in the eye would stop them pretty quickly. And DON’T be jabbering away on your phone while walking in an empty or dark parking lot!! Pay attention!!
You are so right about people jabbering away on the phone. Same thing with people who are constantly texting on the phone… COMPLETELY unaware of what’s going on around them.
We have Pyrenees livestock dogs, roaming goats (with horns) that will RUN at people (to get treats, but strangers don’t know that) LOUD guinea hens and peacocks out with the free range chickens, and several deer feeders, game cameras, and elevated “box on stilts” hunting blinds visible from the house and drive. It looks like armed hillbillies live here!
Go to a shooting range, save your best target, and post it in the window!
I live in Texas and we are known to love our guns and my house hold is not an exception. I also live in the country. My advice is to buy a dog that sounds a lot bigger than it is and move your car. I am a stay at home mom of two and I don’t necessary leave my house every day but about every other day I will clearly move my truck. I will change the direction it’s parked or move where it is parked all together. My husband often has to work nights and the nights that he does I sleep with our Bassett hound who clearly sounds like a dog that is as big as you are but is not.
@Jamie; You’re a very smart girl, Jamie. Another thought is to keep your keys with you (this assumes a newer model vehicle, 2005 or later, mostly) and you can use the “panic button” on the key fob to create a distraction. When I go to bed I keep a flashlight (working..if you don’t turn it on occasionally you won’t know that), my keys w/fob, and my cell phone, right by my head where I can reach instinctively by muscle memory. I guarantee that the horn blaring on and off, in the dead of night, will unnerve all but the most PCPed/insane of intruders. If someone is still trying to get in and hasn’t left after that, THAT IS A CLUE as to their state of mind and should be used in any decision making matrix you go through. Call 911 immediately after pressing the panic button and arm yourself at the same time. Sorry for the visual, but I sleep in the buff, so I keep my pants in the “fireman’s position” on the floor, so I can just step into them, along with slip on footwear. I can be up and ready to move in less than a minute, if need be. Some might consider that to be overkill, but I like you, live rurally and the sheriff’s dept. might take 15-20 minutes or more to get there. Better safe than sorry. Survive well. Enjoy.
Yes I am a flying leap and a jump from my front door if someone breaks in. Because my front door and back are between my room and my kid’s rooms. So the robber has two ways to go and I’ll be dammed if they are taking one step down that hallway.
I can’t believe no one has mentioned having barred windows/doors. My Mother-In-Law lives in a pretty bad neighborhood, but her house hasn’t been broken into much since they fitted the doors with bars. (I’m sure having 2 Rotts helped too). As my Father-In-Law is a hunter, I’m not at all concerned about them.
I’m not personally into guns, but Nathan has a sword collection and they’re pretty sharp. Our former roommate slept with a nightstick under his pillow. I keep my cell with me at all times because I tend to be the one hiding and calling for help.
Our neighbor across the street is one of the best neighbors in the world… A nosy little old lady. She notices each time we have a new roommate, or one moves out. She gets to recognize long or frequent guests. I’ve seen her open her door in the middle of the night to peek her head out to see what a loud noise is. She once confronted someone who had gone into my next-door neighbor’s house… Not that I advise that.
We know our three closest neighbors by name, and I think that is one of our best defenses. They recognize who should be at our home and who shouldn’t, and we do the same for them. We are all vigilant and alert each other to what’s going on in the neighborhood where we can. An additional perk? I know that should my house ever catch on fire, They will do their best to save my pets, even if my home is lost.
The T.V. tip essentially saved my life. Last year a man stole a cash register from a gas station and the cops chased him into our apartment complex. He ended up breaking into my neighbors apartment right next to mine to hold up. Of course the cops found him and unfortunately he was shot to death. I was home alone next door and my husband was out of town. The cops told me that I was very lucky that the fugitive didn’t break into my apartment seeing as how it was the only without a door mat. They told me that my having the Television on all day while I was cleaning is probably the only thing that kept him from choosing my apartment while I was home.
Another post from me this one including a couple of tips from us. We collect swords. Our biggest ones we keep on display on the walls clearly viable from the windows of our apartment and the same when we lived in a house. My husband and I familiarize ourselves with the swords so we know their weight and how they swing so we aren’t taken off guard if we need to wield one. The other thing we did was put up a no soliciting sign. People aren’t allowed to solicit at our complex anyway but they still do. I had people knocking on my door all the time and I haven’t gotten any since I put the sign up.
After working for 33 years in Law Enforcement I will tell you the best defense for a burglar is an alarm that you turn on every night. Then purchase and learn how to use several handguns. Place them up high, like in the tops of closets if you have small children. This will keep them safe because they are too small to get up that high to get the firearms. As the children get older show them the firearms, Take them to the range with you. If they want let them fire the firearm. Take away the mystic of the firearm. Tell them they should never touch the firearm themselves and tell them that if they ever want to look at it, come ask you and you will immediately stop what you are doing and show them. Keep multiple firearms in your home so you don’t have to go far to get one. Always check your windows and always turn on your alarm when you leave and at night. In the event that you find a burglar in your home you will be on your own and you will have to defend yourself. Remember, when seconds count, the police are only minutes away. And buy a gun safe to store your firearms in when you leave your house. And if your jurisdiction allows it, get a concealed pistol permit. And do not keep a firearm in your night stand with children in the home, always on the top shelf of a closet. Also remember that an unloaded firearm is about as useful as a stapler.
I agree with what you said about an unloaded firearm. Crookes ain’t going to wait for you to load.
My husband was a permit-to-carry instructor before we moved and both of us are well trained in firearms and safety. He has several handguns that he trained his students in and I have my own that I am very proficient in. Practice, practice, practice is so important with firearms and he really tried to drive that point home with his students. Know your weapon and how to handle it. Also, know your ammunition. If you fire at an intruder and miss, some types of ammunition could possibly carry through the surfaces behind them and injure an innocent (or your own family if they are in an adjoining room).
I am a stay-at-home mom with 3 small kids. I carry my firearm loaded and in a holster on my hip during the day and atop the bookshelf next to the bed at night. It may seem excessive to some, but with the small kids, I cannot retreat very easily should something happen. Plus, I always have positive control of my firearm. The kids are not curious about it as they are used to seeing it on my hip. My husband has allowed all 3 to watch him clean his firearms and the 2 older have been allowed to touch the components.
My step-son was 10 when we first took him shooting on a friend’s farm and for him to see the results of a watermelon being shot (especially since he pulled the trigger) imbued him with an even deeper respect for the firearms. All of the kids know that if they want to see one of the guns, all they have to do is to ask and we will stop what we are doing and go over any questions they may have. They have asked a couple of times, but overall their curiosity has an outlet, so they have a comfortable respect for the firearms and follow all of the rules for them.
I agree completely with you here. If you satisfy the curiosity a child has about guns, the mystery is taken away and respect for the weapon and what it can do takes it’s place. I don’t carry my gun on me during the day, but I do have easy access to a weapon at all times. My 3 dogs make me feel a bit safer as they will buy me time to get the kids out of harms way and me to one of my guns (which are loaded at all times). He has his own gun, a single shot break barrel rifle, and loves to go out shooting with us. He also knows how dangerous they can be. We’ve discussed, in detail, what my son needs to do if he’s over at another kids house and they want to go ‘check out’ the gun. I’ve also gone over a drill of sorts with my kids in case someone breaks in while we are home. It’s just like any drill whether it’s for a fire, an earthquake or an intruder. My son is 9 and my daughter 4. My son’s responsibility is to grab his sister and call 911 if he can grab the phone…
We’re remodeling our house and my father suggested putting a light switch in our bedroom that turns on the outside light. So we installed front and back door light switches in our closet just to be safe. Also, I worked at a mall for a while and my boss always stressed to us to be alert at night walking to your car. Look around, look under you car as you walk up, see what’s parked next to your car, even if your car is locked look in the back seat, etc. I’ve heard stories about vans being parked next to cars and when the girl is unlocking the door, they grabbed and pulled in her in and took off. Always use the buddy system or have security escort you and wait until you’re in and gone!
I’m really surprised this hasn’t been talked about: If you sell things on Craigslist in your area, be sure you NEVER let the buyer meet you at your home. If it’s completely unavoidable make sure you have a firearm with you at the time of the meeting and watch your house VERY closely for the days afterwards. We got very close to being broken into shortly after moving in. The only thing that stopped them was all our furniture being -not purposely but fortunately- blocking all access points except the front door. The fear I had being alone in my own home for the weeks afterwards made me determined never to be a victim of this again. I’ve not only become (more) proficient in handguns, but am also learning archery. My logic is, any schmuck can pick up a gun but never hit the broadside of a barn, if I have my bow and arrow in hand you can bet they’ll believe I have the skill to follow through on that promise. If you come into my home, I will no doubt be terrified of you, but scared fingers twitch on triggers more than steady ones, so be assured I will only fire quicker the more scared you make me.
@Madeleine; Well said young lady. Fire quicker. Use your fear to YOUR advantage. Practice, practice, practice! Shoot them all you want to. Survive well. Enjoy.
I am female and live alone. I was raised around guns, have my own, and know/am prepared to use it. I think they’re a great idea and would definitely recommend. I try to train myself to grab the gun (loaded w/ one in the chamber & safety off, all i have to do is cock the hammer. I have an extra full cartridge, too.)and get PISSED! I had to train myself to get mad, because I would used to hesitate. When i’m mad, I don’t. I will shoot you repeatedly.
@Andrea; What you are describing is called “violence of action”. Don’t ever tell a cop that you were “pissed off”, ever. Violence of action is the ability to visit an offender with a serious amount of “controlled force”, in a short period of time, to do the most damage possible, to STOP (this is a legal word, learn it) the offender and render him harmless. Use your anger to FOCUS your power into this concept of “violence of action”. Appreciate you. Survive well. Enjoy.
One of the best ideas for a home intruder that I have heard…get a can of wasp spray! It will stun the intruder and will spray a LONG DISTANCE! Keep it by your bed or where ever. Love this idea in lieu of a potentially deadly firearm.
@Snappy; When you get through spraying the wasp spray into the face of a PCPed intruder and he takes the spray and shoves it up your @$$ remember this conversation. First, if someone is in your domicile, they mean you harm and I don’t care how they got there!!! Second if they are there and you try to use some half-@$$ed method of “kinder and gentler” persuasion, you will get what you ask for and the outcome may not be what you want or have visualized. If someone is in your home (depending on state law) beat the crap out of them or shoot them. Wasp spray is iffy, baseball bats are better and bullets even more so. Violence of action is needed. You need to go up and read ALL the comments and discussion and get edumacated about the appropriate use of self defense. Survive well. Enjoy.
Now, Now, Tripod calm down, take a deep breathe…. …..
Most of us know how protective and trained you are – that is good thing!
But not all of us have had your life experiences and training.
I remember a story about a little old woman taking out burglars with a can of oven cleaner spray!
And to you Snappy.
It is against the law to use that product inconsistent to the recommended directions. It can blind a person. Be sure your life is endangered, just sayin…
Another useful tip from someone whose been hit twice.
A lot of towns or areas will have a neighborhood watch.
We currently have a group on fb for our small town. Someone farts in public its posted to that site.
It really keeps you up with everything going on around you.
Make friends with your neighbors.
No joke this is how I caught the person who robbed me the first time.
My neighbor had a ton of cameras on his house. One just happened to be facing my driveway.
I work graves and live alone in a four bedroom house
I take my dog to work with me. Cause I’m more worried about being attacked on the grave shift. As a woman working outside all night.
In fact she has chased more then one person away from me who have just popped out of the bushes.
My last tip is more then likely its someone you know through passing. An aquantence.
Unfortunately both my times had been from family. (drug addicts)
I finally just decided to up and move and simply not tell anyone where I live.
Wow! This post is getting a lot of attention on Pinterest, which might explain why the replies keep coming in over a year later! My HOA tried to start an neighborhood watch, and at first I was interested. I changed my mind after I saw the application form. They wanted to know details that I wasn’t comfortable divulging, such as our daily routine, when we come and go during the day, my husband’s and my work schedules, etc.Being on my HOA board and involved in neighborhood activities has enabled me to get acquainted with a lot of my neighbors. I also know who lives in my immediate vicinity, and we all have a healthy degree of nosiness, knowing just enough about each other to report anything suspicious or out of the norm. But honestly, that’s not enough to make me trust them with the personal information that the Neighborhood Watch committee was seeking. I don’t know the data on “acquaintance theft,” but most rapes are acquaintance- based, and there are females under my roof. Regardless of someone’s motive for breaking in, people I barely know would know when a good time would be to do it! Also, our neighborhood has quite a few renters, so it’s almost impossible to know everybody.
I feel bad for free-loading because we do have a hopefully-intimidating neighborhood watch sign at the sub’s entrance. I do NOT feel bad, however, for treating my neighbors with both kindness and reasonable caution. When it comes to surrendering my personal information to potential perpetrators…in order to protect myself from potential peepetrators(!!)…I really don’t know which way is the right way to go with this from a risk-vs-benefit standpoint. All I know is that I felt really uneasy about filling out that form and decieed not to sign up.
You sound like a reasonable and thinking person… If you have no choice but to live within a Homeowners Association, then I agree with you that there’s no need to provide any more personal information than is absolutely necessary. Personally, I would never live within an HOA because I’m just that kind of person who wants freedom to go about my business on my private property as I see fit, so long as I’m within the law of the town, county and State.
You can still be friendly to your neighbors in the HOA without giving them your life’s schedule of coming’s and goings. All it takes is ONE nutjob, and you could become compromised. Remember too that it’s not always those who are in direct contact with this information, but those who are a friend of a friend, etc.
And yes, this article has been getting lots of attention from Pinterest, which makes sense because the subject is timeless, and important.
thanks for the broken window tip…next time i’ll try that instead of trying to jimmy locks.
I used to get out of a waitress job late enough at night(10-ish) that even though the parking lot lights were on, I’d call my husband as I walked to the car and speak clearly saying that I was walking to the car. I’d let him know that I was checking under and around the vehicle, then state that I was checking the back and front seat while approaching the front door. In a sense, I was not completely alone by having that conversation. My town is pretty safe and there were others usually leaving with me, but by being alert and vocalizing that awareness to a real person on the other end of the phone I felt that it was one small step towards safety.
I also keep that cell phone and a bath robe next to the bed. If I have to leave the house running, I’d feel less vulnerable with covering that I can go to a neighbor’s house in and I’d be calling 911 on the way.
By the way – most cell phones allow shortcuts for often used numbers. Set one (I use “9″) as 911. You can hold down 1 number to “dial” without having to look or think.
By the way, a few weeks ago we had a visit from a young man who did not fit into our neighborhood. I let my husband go to the door and he talked to the young man for quite some time. When he came back in, he said that the kid had been selling magazine subscriptions (for a college on the other side of the state) and had a huge packet of addresses and money that he had gathered. My husband gave him 5$ and sent him on his way. The young man stuck a sticker on our front door, claiming that others were in the neighborhood and the sticker would signal that we had already been visited. After he left, my husband removed the sticker and called the police non-emergency line. Apparently there were a couple of fellows going around a couple of neighborhoods in our town. The police stopped by and talked to my hubby for a few minutes before heading out to round-up the fellow. When they asked why he had given the kid 5$, he told them it was so that the kid wouldn’t suspect him as being the one who called and come back to retaliate at a later time. It was only 5$ but it made me feel a ton better.
One thing I never see recommended for some reason is to never keep your car registration in the car.
People will break into the car and often take the owner’s manual folio because that’s where most people keep their registration. With that in hand, all a would-be burglar has to do is go to the local car dealer and have a duplicate key made, then show up at your house (because the registration has your address, so you’re now easy to find), open the door with his new key and drive the car away. And if stopped for some reason, he can show the registration, which won’t tip anyone off that the car is stolen.
And of course because he now knows where you live, and that you’re careless with your stuff, he might just show up for another visit as well, because he will also have cased the house before driving the car off. And of course, the nicer the car, the more interested he’ll be in the house.
Which also leads to the additional little-given advice to never keep *anything* with your name and address on it in your car.
Nice girl, that is a good idea except it is illegal not to have your registration in the car at all times, at least in my state. My insurance agent did suggest putting it in your purse or wallet to prevent that, but what happens when you get mugged on the street? Well, then they have all your info anyway. Best thing you can do is prepare for the worst hope for the best and you’ll be ready for anything that comes your way.
Don’t have packages from UPS, FedEx etc… delivered to your house if you will not be home. Ask your work if they can be delivered there or if you have a tracking # call delivery company to hold your package for pick up. If you have boxes outside your door burglars will know no one is home. Same goes for flyers left on your front door, we park in the garage and rarely use our front door so I ALWAYS check my front doors to check for flyers.
Be safe!
No one has mentioned repeat break ins by the same people. Pretty frequently a month or so after a burglary there will be another break in because by then insurance money will have come in and the people will have bought shiny new things for the burglars to steal. If you have had a break in recently, be careful. They knew enough to successfully break in once and breaking in a second time is a lot easier.
also, around christmas, or after having a baby shower or other event with gifts: do not put the big boxes out by the trash cans. burglars, robbers will drive around looking for the boxes to see all of what you have inside for them to steal, and they don’t even have to get out of their cars.
Years ago I had a break in, but they never got past my back door or German Shepard. That was 40 years ago, and nothing since.
I’ve had neighbors complain about my dogs barking. Until they found out that a small cluster of homes were not being broken into because of them. The robbers were unsure of which house had the dogs, so avoided us.
I also kept a shot gun handy. Personally, I feel that if someone is breaking in and hears me rack that gun and doesn’t leave they are trying to commit suicide. My mother thinks I’m horrid, but I’ll still be alive.
I’ve never advertised my NRA membership or the fact that I have guns. I had to explain to my step-kids that they may think it’s cool that “Mom” has guns, but you don’t share that info with friends.
I’ve always tried to be very cautious, but this old girl is still learning new tricks.
Thanks for the great info.
Some robbers have thought out what they REALLY want before they steal something. My experience with this was back in the 1970s, living in a poor neighborhood near college where the rent was cheap for the houses, typically shared with other students.
There was no space in the tiny garage for my rather elderly car, so I had to park it on the street. The neighborhood thugs stole my car’s old battery, then came back a day or so after I had purchased a new battery, then stole that one out of my car’s engine compartment. They really just wanted a new battery, and this was how they got it.
I had to have a welder weld a heavy chain and lock on the hood and inside the compartment that was just short enough to keep them from getting anything inside the compartment.
I don’t have a good firearm right now; but I have a really sharp machete and some heavy golf clubs in easy access places. And I know our neighbors really well.
@Anonymous1, I feel your pain. Sometimes it gets me so angry that we have to deal with this $hit. There is a very surprisingly large chunk of population that is ALWAYS looking to rip you off and steal what you’ve got. Can you even imagine how bad it would become if the $hit hit the fan?? It would be insane… This is part of the reason I prep.
I have taken several precautions to protect my family. First I let it be known that my 3 australian shepards are in residence. They do not have a schedule for being let outside, they stay inside unless playing or taking care of business. They bark often and loud and I encourage them to do so. My neighbors know this. Second when a salesman or Jehovah witness or anyone that I do not know comes to the door. I look first, answer the door just a crack and politely decline their services.(If I really wanted said sevices I would go out and hire them… I NEVER hire anyone whos selling door to door) I ALWAYS let my dogs bark and poke their heads through my legs while talking with someone at the door. The person at the door usually asks about the dogs and I always inform them that they are aggressive towards anyone unknown coming too close to the house.
We have ADT signs posted in the front yard and on all the windows. The doors are locked day and night, even when I’m home. The outside lights are turned on every night, though never at the same time. We have a lot of open fields where I live and I’m not shy about setting up an impromptu archery range. (yes I’m the weapon nut in the neighborhood) I keep a 9MM in my nightstand, as does my husband. We have other weapons as well but at night I rely on my 9 as it’s the easiest to access. I’ve taught my children about guns and gun safety from a young age. They go out shooting with us often. My blinds are nearly always closed. When I do open the windows to let in fresh air I ALWAYS make sure to lock them after I close them again. I don’t answer the door once it’s dark unless I know the person. And if I feel I MUST answer the door after dark it’s always with a weapon in hand.
I’ve spoken to my children about what to do if someone ever broke into the house while we are home and have practiced with them… just like you would for a home fire drill. Noises (especially at night) are always investigated with gun and dog at my side. I look out for my neighbors, have spoken with them often and we try to look out for one another.
I’m in a rental home and am not allowed to do much with the yard except keep whats already here alive. So planting thorny bushes is out of the question… but I bar the windows. My door and my children’s doors are wide open when we sleep so I can hear what going on in the house. I don’t trust anyone, especially people trying to sell me something. Anyone who comes over (like a cable or internet installer) is made well aware of the dogs. I also make sure to not leave anything ‘valuable’ out when they enter my home. I’m well aware of the gun laws in my state and keep them in mind, but I would NOT let them stop me from using deadly force if I felt myself or my children were in danger. Better to end up in court then end up a victim. Anywho I don’t know if this will help anyone but it’s what I do.
about the gun laws: I heard a quote once on a tv show: Better to be tried by 12 than carried by 6!!
The car alarm works. 2 young punks tried to steel the 400+LB generator out of the back of my truck they had it out and were trying to stuff it into the back seat of a small car (NOT TO BRIGHT). My wife hit the alarm on her van and the punks took off with the doors to the car still open. Wish I had a paint ball gun could have told the cops to look for a black 4 door and 2 young guys covered in paint ball shots.
I was taught a good trick for taking down a burglar that you’ve come face to face with, if they’re armed (not with a gun, but a knife or something of the like)
Slice their palms, and slice the tendon in their ankle.
They won’t be able to harm you or get away.
You can get charged for this, but if it’s that or your life, I think the choice is simple.
Glad I live here, hubby has hunting guns, locked in gun safe, I don’t know combination so can’t be forced to tell! Have swords on bedroom wall..any burglar would be nuts to attack a screaming woman waving a sword! Kept can of hairspray by bed when hubby on night shift..that stuff stings if in eyes! A rash of vehicle entries lately..a 14-yr old girl and her 21 year old boyfriend..and she had been arrested for car theft earlier that month! Justice system not what it should be!And where were her parents?? My car was entered..I never leave valuables in it, but they took the .25 cents I kept for the grocery cart..made me so mad! I lock car now, never used to even lock house years ago.Still a pretty safe town, or will be when they catch this last bunch of baddies! Not fun, living scared all the time. I can walk at night alone here, but don’t..we have bears around here!
We have sliding doors and windows. So what i like to do is jam the door with a broomstick. We do the same with windows but with a smaller bar.
I was at work in the middle of the night. I work in a regular old home in town with 1 girl and 2 boys with mental handicaps. It was about 3 am and I was sitting up in the living room. The doors were all locked and lights were off because otherwise one of my clients can’t sleep if she has light shining in her room. So I just keep the TV on or else my booklight while I read my book. This night I just had the booklight on. Anyway- 3 am I hear a very aggressive sounding knock at the back door. I don’t answer because I don’t have my pistol on me. I figured if it was important and/ or someone I knew then they had my cell phone number. A few minutes later I heard the screen door open and someone jumping to see inside the little peek-a-boo window on the front door. At this time I went across the room where my phone was charging to get it and phone the police. Just as I had dialed 911 the intruder had gone back around to the back door and had put his foot through the door with a single kick. Again, I didn’t have my gun because I was at work (against policy plus with my clients having mental retardation, not safe to keep it on me) and the house is so sparsely furnished that I had nothing near me that could have been used as an effective weapon. So I did all I could think of at the time. I went into the girl’s room, talked to the dispatcher while I listened to this person go through the house and I had to rock in my arms to keep her calm. The police came just as the guy was leaving with only a game system and all of my cash. Turns out he had burglarized 8 other houses in the neighborhood in the past few days and had even been linked to a “burglary-gone-bad” where his partner had turned a gun on a homeowner and shot him in the abdomen. He ended up bleeding to death and the partner left town. Needless to say, I felt very vulnerable that night not being in my own home where I knew how to protect myself. Any quick advice for someone who is not in their own home?
@TX Grl, You were smart to get out of sight and hide. You were also lucky that the burglar didn’t find you… no telling how he would’ve reacted (although it was better to hide than stay where you were and be confronted). Home invasion can be, and is often very violent. I would suspect that in most or many cases these burglars are armed. While it is always better to avoid conflict and get out of there, if you are caught in the situation and if you cannot meet with equal or greater force, it’s probably going to mean trouble for you…
So, my first reaction to answer your question of “Any quick advice for someone who is not in their own home?” with regards to home invasion, break-in or burglary… First dial 911 (so keep a cell phone with you). Next, get out safely. This means that it is a good idea to maintain situational awareness BEFORE something should happen and know your exits, opposite from the entry of the Perp. Imagine a few ‘what if’ scenarios in your mind and have a general plan of exit. Lastly, hide. It is better to hide in the house than take a chance of being in the open and a sure confrontation.
I’m glad you escaped that encounter without issue.
Sorry to hear that. Deception can work in your favor tho. Here’s a few things you can do to help DECREASE the odds of a break in: Post a beware of dog sign on the fence. Walmart (and some Dollar stores) carry battery powered chimes. put them on alarm mode and affix them on all the windows and doors. Toys that make noise when touched can strategically be placed near entry ways. If you have a vehicle parked out front, affix a military sticker on it (most serviceman carry firearms and robbers know this). As far as personal protection buy a keychain with a mace attached. Tasers are good if your allowed to carry those. Or even an extendable baton that can be stowed in your purse. Last, you can search online “cheap ways to protect yourself” or terms similar. Hope this helps…
If you buy a new TV or other large piece of electronic equipment, don’t throw the box away at your house or leave it with your trash. This is a big advertisement that there is new equipment at this location.
Either keep the box inside for later use or haul it away to the dump to throw away.
These are great tips. None of them are foolproof for a determined criminal but these will deter the less determined criminals. Make yourself a more difficult or annoying target than your neighbor.
I like that sign painted on plywood, after Katrina … No looters I got a mean dog an ugly wife a 12 gauge and a claw hammer.
While some of these are good ideas and will make you more mindful, they aren’t totally accurate on the behaviors of an burglar.
My 2 GSD are in my house when Im not home,so good luck poisoning them.Or shooting them
Mess with my gate,yard,windows and welcome to instant SERIOUS barking. I open my door you will be team charged by two German Sheperds at full speed and all you will see are noses and teeth.
So yeah.My non security trained mutts are one heck of a deterent.
You wanna risk it? Neither does anyone else in my real world
A lot of good ideas. As a former 11b infantry we get plenty of shooting in . I recommend all these people talking about guns make sure you know how to use them don’t expect when your adrenaline is pumping that you will remember to take safety off, or chamber a round practice in the dark I make my wife understand it. Also key fob for your car is a great alarm but also go to a local northern tool or harbor freights and pick up an alarm used for your driveway 2 parts a sensor and a loud alarm that let’s you know when someone is walking by, keep them on at night. Also sensor flood light are nice to. For people that are not familiar with guns get a shotgun with 3 shot or smaller that way you can just point and shoot no need for aiming. German sheaperd great dog for home protection. Leaving a dog bowl buy your door for people to see is a great deterrent. If you have windows you can’t put blind then get them professionally tinted. For your windows I have a brand new home in a nice neighborhood what I have done and seen is measuring your windows cutting a nice finished white wood slab and putting where windows are not openable. In conclusion some of you stop trying to act like bad asses if you have not ever shot at someone stop acting like its simple task anyone that has been in a real combat situation can tell you it’s scary a lot of stuff goes through your head so learn your weapon, practice so if it really happens you do not freeze up.
Actually get a really big dog and train the dog to be your best friend. That is how you get a robber/killer to find another house. A dog that feels that it is part of your family will naturally kill or injure anyone to protect you. Dogs see their loving master as another dog, just bigger, less toothy looking and less hairy. Dogs dont know that they are just dogs, they think that they are born into your family just like a son or daughter does. If you dont want to get a big dog because you lack the skill or time to invest in a large animal, then at least get a chihuhua. I have two chihuahua’s and they are a four legged walking alarm. They can hear if someone one is just sitting outside and does not make a sound, they will bark a bit to let you know or bark loud when needed. That is really all the security you need to get you up and running out the door!!! I remember last year a women I read about in the paper,living alone, just got out of the shower when her home was broken into by some crack head. The man raped, torture and beat her to death. If only she had a little chihuahua to bark its brains out to warn her of the person who was breaking into her livingroom. It took the man almost fifteen minutes to break into her home, enough time for her to run out another door, if a dog could have warned her by barking!!!!!!
For me the dog is to let me know someone is out there-the 38 will do the rest.