Debunking some home defense myths

[1fast5gp]

I saw this on GT and it is some very useful reading, it might be long but I think it is worth it.

 

 

Myth #1: During a burglary, you will be able to gather your family and barricade yourselves in one room, with a gun on the door, and the wife on the phone.

 

This myth is often repeated on forums, especially around here, and I am here to tell you that this is not how you should expect a burglary to happen.

 

The perpetuators of this myth seem to think that when somebody breaks in, they will immediately know it, and that they have time to get all of their family members from predictable locations into one room that they can barricade themselves in, and cover the door.

 

This is not how the typical burglary occurs.

 

Unless you have a working alarm system, any noise you hear will probably not be an immediate sign of danger. That noise could be a thud, a crash, breaking glass, or a barking dog. When you hear a noise in the night, chances are you don't know what it is, and you will arm yourself to investigate. Granted, trying to clear your home when intruders are present is not tactically sound, but in most cases, you don't know that intruders are present. You can't expect to go to full lockdown for every noise you hear, but then again, you can't not investigate a noise that is out of place.

 

Even if you do have a working alarm, most alarms are set on a delay, and you will hear the noise at least 30-90 seconds before the alarm activates.

You cannot expect your family to be in predictable places. Not all burglaries occur during hours when your family is asleep, and even for those that do, your family might be working late, enjoying a midnight snack, or using the bathroom.

To be safe, you need to practice realistic scenarios in which suspicions are investigted to determine their nature. You also need to practice scenarios in which family members are not in easy, predictable locations. You can't expect one nice, neat plan to cover all threats to your home.

 

 

Myth #2: Bad guys do not wear soft armor.

The typical burglar is stereotyped as some unemployed deadbeat looking for a rent payment, a reckless addict looking for a fix, or a young punk who wants your stereo. Although many intruders do fit these "amateur" patterns, it is important to understand that many burglaries are committed by hardened criminals and gang members. This latter type of intruder is committed to the criminal lifestyle, and prepared to effectuate it. These people follow "thug culture" in movies, rap music, and among their peer groups, and soft armor has become a popular item, almost elevated to some sort of perverse fashion symbol. These criminals fantasize about violent shootouts with the police, and prepare themselves accordingly. These criminals are often well armed and well prepared, especially in the case of planned home invasion robberies.

 

Although your typical burglar won't be wearing armor, not planning for that fact can get you killed. We arm ourselves not because gunfights are common, but because the stakes of not being prepared are often life and death.

 

Remember, this is my rifle, and this is my gun.........

 

 

Myth #3: Detaining an intruder at gunpoint is safe.

 

I have seen several commando fantasies that involve holding an intruder at gunpoint until the police can arrive and secure him properly. This fantasy usually involves a person who wants to "play police" during the middle of a dangerous intrusion.

 

While you are busy barking orders at the intruder at gunpoint, and keeping him covered while the police are on their way, his accomplice could be sneaking up on you, ready to shoot.

 

If there is a burglar in your home, you shoot to stop the threat, then prepare for another threat (provided you have the benefit of the Castle Doctrine). Period. You, the citizen, are ill prepared to contain even a solitary individual. Even the police are nervous when holding a dangerous criminal at gunpoint, as criminals have drawn weapons quickly, before the officer could fire. This has resulted in the deaths of trained police officers, and you are probably not a trained police officer. If you are distracted by trying to contain one threat, you might not see the other threat until it is too late. (If your state imposes a legal duty to retreat, this advice is not applicable to you. Check and know your local laws.)

 

 

Myth #4: You will be able to easily retreive a secured firearm.

 

You cannot count on being able to retreive a secured firearm when seconds count. Safes and locks occasionally malfunction, and tired citizens are not always able to unsecure the weapon in time. Any delay in arming yourself can get you killed.

 

Securing your firearm is a good idea, but only when it is out of your immediate presence. You need to keep a weapon immediately accessible in your bedroom or office when you are in it. If you do not want one within reach of your bed, for obvious reason, then place it elsewhere in the room.

 

It is not that difficult to lock your guns up when you are away, and retreive them when you are at home and around them. Even if you have children, it takes little effort to unlock the gun for the night, then put it away in the morning.

 

 

Myth #5: Alarms are useless, because the police will show up after the burglars have left.

 

Alarms are not useless, and perpetuation of this myth leaves citizens unprepared for very real threats.

 

Alarms serve three primary functions:

 

First, an audible alarm, even if not connected to a monitoring station, will alert you to problems within your home, especially in the middle of the night. An alarm that activates loudly, upon intrusion, just might wake you up in enough time to arm yourself and save your life.

 

Second, monitored alarms place an upper limit on the duration a burglary can last. Absent alarms, burglars can spend hours in your home, rummaging for valuables, or cracking into immovable safes. It happens. Having an active, monitored alarm will ensure that burglars cannot remain for long, if they even choose to continue at all. This time constraint, critical for when you are away from home (as 3 in 4 burglaries are to unoccupied dwellings), promotes a sense of haste in the intruder, and limits the amount of property they can locate and carry away.

 

Third, alarm systems keep you and your family safe from fire and carbon monoxide, and can summon help if you are unable to.

 

Myth #6: A dog is a good substitute for an alarm.

 

Dogs are helpful, but unless yours has been trained for a law enforcement or military role, it is risky to rely on it. Although you might "know" your dog, relying on it in a life or death situation is a poor choice.

 

Dogs are part of a layered security plan. If you must rely on noise, rely on an alarm instead. There are plenty of victims who hoped their dog would bark or bite, but were let down.

 

 

Myth #7: Guns, dogs, and alarms are enough.

 

Guns, dogs, and alarms are not enough. If your security plan relies on these three, you have failed.

 

More break-ins are prevented by good planning than are stopped by an armed homeowner, an intimidating dog, or a loud alarm.

 

 

The best way to stay safe is to avoid being selected as a target. Prowling thieves look for open opportunities, and you need to work to avoid being an opportunity.

Secure your doors.

Apply security laminate to your windows.

Install a privacy fence.

Lock your gates, if you have them.

Let the meter readers and lawn care crews ask for your permission to enter.

Install motion sensing lights.

Install video cameras.

Install security decals, even if you don't have a security system.

Install "beware of dog" signs, even if you don't have a dog.

Plant obstructive plants under windows, and remove any plants that might give cover to prowlers.

Keep your vehicles in the garage.

Keep your shed locked.

Keep doors locked, unless necessary.

Keep your garage door closed unless something is coming in or out of it.

Never leave windows open you are away, and be careful of which windows you open at night.

Never forget that a second story window can be entered, if open.

Remove tools, heavy objects, and other debris from your yard, so prowers don't have the means to break into your home.

Install double sided deadbolts where glass can be broken and reached through to the inside.

There are many other ideas not listed here. Remember, you don't have to make your home intruder proof, only resistant. As long as you are thorough with your security, and it shows, your home will be a much less appealing target than others on your street. If your neighbors want to be complacent while you are prepared, then they can be victims of burglary, not you. That is there choice, and if they fail to prepare, then it is their problem.

 

 

[1fast5gp]

Myth #8: My door is secure enough.

 

Unless you have paid special attention to it, your door is probably not secure enough. The typical American home uses very insecure exterior doors. The materials are flimsy, and simply not up to the task of keeping a violent intruder out.

 

Hollow-core wooden doors are easily splintered by a well built thug using no tools. Ideally, they should be replaced with solid wooden doors, or if you can afford it, metal doors. If you live in the path of hurricanes, upgrading your doors is a good idea for the weather alone.

 

Door frames are notoriously flimsy. Make sure your frame is solid, and built with quality lumber. Most homes use 1" screws to secure critical elements of the door and its hardware. Avoid 1" screws, as they can get you killed. To resist criminal entry, you should be using 3" screws.

 

There are a number of good door security accessories, such as metal reinforcements, security wedges, and sliding security bars. Take a look at what is available, and choose something which meets your needs.

 

A note about locks - if your lock came with your house, or you bought it at a home improvement store, then please throw it away and call a professional locksmith. Almost any lock not bought through a professional locksmith can be picked in under a minute by a moderately trained individual. Picking is not the main threat, though. The greatest danger associated with lousy locks is a practice known as "bump keying" in which a criminal will use a specially cut key and a blunt object to enter your home in about 10 seconds. All current consumer grade locks are vulnerable to it, and the keys are easy to manufacture. Bump keys are made from standard key blanks cut to a certain depth, that when placed in a lock and struck, will "bump" the pins to the unlocked position. Even if the typical addict burglar doesn't know how, his fence probably does. The keys can be made from standard blanks on a key machine in about 30 seconds. How many key machines have you seen in pawn shops, auto shops, small stores, and other places which fences might operate?

 

When you call the locksmith, tell him what I told you, and ask him what quality products he offers. Refuse the standard consumer grade locks. If you don't believe me, I'm sure a locksmith will post in this thread shortly to validate what I have said.

 

 

Myth #9: Those who use video surveillance are either paranoid or criminals themselves.

 

Video surveillance sometimes gets a bad rap on forums. Some people feel it is only for the paranoid or those engaging in crime, but this is not the case. (although it might have been when a system cost $5k, and was beyond the reach of middle America)

 

Video surveillance is a great tool to help keep you safe. In the event of a suspicious situation, video surveillance can help you identify the number and nature of threats, if any. When something goes bump in the night, as it surely will, you do not have to go investigate it if you can clearly see the cause on your screen.

 

Video surveillance also helps you be a good citizen. If you should be the victim of crime, your system can provide critical evidence to the police, and may assist in helping take a predatory criminal off of the streets.

 

 

Myth #10: Burglars can easily bypass thorny bushes, fences, and motion activated lights.

 

Although, semantically, this myth has a bit of truth to it, common usage of this "wisdom" is flawed and can get you killed. While a burglar can bypass these obstacles, the vast majority choose not to. The prowling thief is an opportunist, and does not want the headaches involved with these obstacles, unless you happen to have the Hope Diamond laying on your kitchen table, and he happens to know it. Your neighborhood is probably filled with many sheeple who give no serious thought to home security, and it will be these homes that are a more appealing target for a thief.

 

Although they are not foolproof, these obstacles do have a deterrent effect, and are valuable. use them appropriately.

 

Myth #11: The typical burglary involves happens after dark, with you at home.

 

Roughly 3 in 4 burglaries occur during the daytime, when residents are out of the home. American burglars, like none other in the world, are nervous about intruding into occupied homes, and for very good reason.

 

Your security plan needs to account for intrusions when you are gone. Keep your perimiter fortified, your alarm working, and all guns/valuables locked up and out of easy access.

 

For a good article covering home burglaries and the Second Amendment, click here to read Lawyers, Guns, and Burglars, by David B. Kopel. I suggest that everyone take the time to read this article. It is very informative, and can help keep you safe, as well as give you good talking points when fighting back against the lies and spin fron gun grabbers.

 

 

Myth #12: .223 overpenetrates

 

False. See link here.

 

.223 is a great option for home defense. It penetrates less than many pistol and shotgun loads. It also allows for easy follow-up shots, and can defeat criminals wearing body armor (see myth above).

 

 

Myth #13: All burglars want to sneak in and out without being detected.

 

False. Sometimes we stereotype the burglar as a stealthy thief, who breaks in and out, with hopes of being undetected. This stereotype is wrong, and can get you killed.

 

Home invasion robbery is a very serious and dangerous crime, and is growing in popularity among thugs. While a simple burglary involves entry, a home invasion robbery involves, typically, multiple armed thugs overpowering the occupants of the home, holding them at weaponpoint, and proceeding to rifle through the house. Home invasion robberies are extremely dangerous, and frequently escalate to rape or murder.

 

The home invasion robber is usually let in through the front door by the occupant of the home. Some robbers will even impersonate missionaries, salesmen, stranded motorists, deliverymen, or utility workers. If you are conned into opening the door, the situation will become extremely dynamic, and you will usually lose.

 

It is not impolite to not open the door to people you don't know. Your family's safety is your first priority.

 

To defend against home invasion robberies, ensure that you always carry around your home, and never open the door until you have confirmed the identity and purpose of the person on the other side. If you do not already know the person, such as when a utility or municipal worker comes to the door, you need to call their employer and verify the legitimacy of the visit. Opening the door to anyone without a clear, legitimate purpose is not advisable.

 

 

Myth #14: Security begins and ends at my home.

 

All security does not begin and end at your home, even though most security does. To create a solid deterrent to crime, you must work with your neighbors to establish a neighborhood watch program. The residents on your street are good allies to work with in the fight against crime. When neighbors look out for each other, and work with the police to identify and report suspicious activity, it reduces crime for everyone.

 

When you work in isolation, thieves will bypass your secured home and commit crimes against softer targets elsewhere on your street. It drags down the neighborhood, and can come back to hurt you. Thieves who initially passed over your house due to its security will become more brazen after successful burglaries in the neighborhood, and you might be next on the hit list of an emboldened criminal.

 

When the entire neighborhood is safe, both individually and together, criminals bypass your entire street and take their crimes elsewhere. An entire neighborhood of aware and cooperative individuals is a huge deterrent to crime.

 

Get involved, know your neighbors, and establish a good working relationship with the police. When they know the community cares, they will be more willing to resolve complaints against criminal elements that may live in your neighborhood. They will also be faster to respond to calls, and your neighborhood may get the benefit of extra patrols. If you don't beleive me, ask a cop. When you care, they care. When residents don't care, the entire neighborhood goes to hell, and the police can get burnt out after fighting a losing battle.

 

Neighborhoods are not always "taken over" by criminals. More often than not, resident apathy surrenders the neighborhood to them.

 

 

 

I am sick of crime.

 

Please take the time to make your home and your neighborhood less appealing and less vulnerable to criminals. This is a matter of security, so stop putting it off.

 

Resolve to do something about it this weekend, not at some unknown time in the future. Sit down with your family and your neighbors, and make meaningful changes to solve the problem. Please, tell your family that this weekend is the weekend that you will be thorough in planning for your safety.

 

Who is with me?

 

Also for those who are not aware of what Ohio's "Castle Doctrine" states, here is a link to info on it.

http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/node/5973

 

Lets keep our assets and families safe. And Maybe our LEOs on the forum can give their insight.

[BloodRed]

Very good article.

[verse]

Nice read, thanks for posting.

 

This should have been in the regular forum just so people who don't come in here can read it as well. Mods?

Edited April 29, 2009 by verse

[Ramsey]

Plus rep for post.