A few notes of a lecture from the Sgt of Gahanna swat team went over at our Krav Maga spring camp regarding home break-ins/home intruders.....
A few facts and stats:
-1 in 5 homes will experience a break in in the US.
-47% of home break ins will produce physical injuries to homeowners.
-38% of all reported assaults and 60% of all reported rapes occur during home invasions.
-8,000 home invasions occur per day in N. America, that’s 3,600,000 a year.
-30% are “no force” entries…they come in through unlocked doors
-50% of the time a weapon is used, most common is an edged weapon
This epidemic is under reported because nationally the vast majority of law enforcement entities don’t track home invasions as a separate crime. Most agencies statistically list home invasions as burglaries, rapes or robberies.
Burglars are more apt to break into a home during a week day when nobody is expected to be home. They are looking to steal property as quickly and quietly as possible. As banks and convenience stores become harder targets (security cameras, safes, etc) drug addicts and other criminals in need of money are striking softer targets like homes.
What can we do?
- Don’t “show off” what you have. Don’t park your Porsche in the driveway, don’t have your big screen tv visible through a window.
-When you buy something like a plasma tv don’t put the box out by the trash but shred it and put it in a bag.
- Make your home a hard target. Lighting, big dog, signs for alarm co. as well as an alarm, very good locks on doors, etc.
Home invaders are a different breed. They will break in at night or weekends because they want people to be home. They are looking for privacy and time with their victims. Statistically most will be working in pairs. There is almost a 100% chance that they are recidivists. They get off on torture, rape and seeing others in pain. They do not see their victims as human beings. No reasoning or begging will help as they want their vicitms to beg for their lives as they feel power having life or death in their hands. They know that their victims will do anything they ask if they threaten their spouse or child.
This is not a crime ridden neighborhood or a rich neighborhood problem. Every home is a potential target.
Ways they get into a home;
-“no force” because people didn’t lock their doors.
–Waiting outside or in your garage for you to return home and then force you inside.
–Break down a door or break a window.
–Ruse; Delivery person, a utility worker checking on a gas leak, Law enforcement, Someone saying they just backed into your car or hit a dog in the neighborhood and want help, collecting for charity, etc
Why answer your door to anyone you are not expecting? It is better to look over cautious or offend people than to be a victim of home invasion. By the way, 32% of the time the home invader or burglar has been in your home before. They were the person who delivered your washing machine, a repair man or a utility co. worker or the actual home invader was tipped off by one of these people.
What can we do?
-make your home a hard target. Look at your locks, lighting, etc. and get a professional to look at your home for you as well.
-Keep your eyes open when you are out. Don’t be afraid to eye ball someone right back or ask them what they need. When they know they are discovered they usually look for a less confident victim. If followed drive to a police department or fire department.
-Have a plan….that already puts you ahead of 99% of people in the US
-Practice the plan. Have “home invader” drills.
Almost everyone with children practice home fire drills. We are told by authorities to have smoke detectors, fire ext, etc. in our homes. The schools practice fire drills and get our kids to bug us about checking batteries in smoke detectors. There are 1,100 reported fires a day…..compared to 8,000 home invasions a day. Don’t ya think that needs addressed even more so?
DRILLS: Everyone scatters, gets out and notifies neighbors. Break windows, scream, DO NOT obey or even listen. Plan before hand what can be used as a weapon.
Be Safe!