Home Invasions – How to thwart a home invasion!

One of the more frightening and potentially dangerous crimes that can occur to a family is a home invasion robbery. A home invasion is when robbers force their way into an occupied home to commit a robbery or other crime.  It violates our private space and the one place that we think of as our protected sanctuary.

Home invasion is like the residential form of carjacking and it’s on the increase. Like the crime of carjacking, most police agencies don’t track home invasions as a separate crime. The majority of police agencies and the FBI will statistically record the crime as a residential burglary or a robbery. Without the ability to track the specific crime of home invasion, little can be done to alert the public as to the frequency of occurrence in their community or develop a law enforcement plan of action to control it.

The Criminal Profile of a Home Invader

Residential burglars work mostly during the day and when most residents are not home. Burglars tend to work alone and probe a neighborhood looking for the right residence and the right opportunity. Alarm signs and decals, bars on windows, strong locks and doors, big dogs, and alert neighbors can sometimes deter burglars. Additionally, burglars will avoid a confrontation and will usually flee when approached. Most burglaries do not result in violence unless the criminal is cornered and uses physical force to escape.

Home invasion thieves, in contrast, work more often at night and on weekends when homes are more likely to be occupied. The home invader will sometimes target the resident as well as the dwelling. The selection process may include a woman living alone, a wealthy senior or a known drug dealer. We often hear of Home Invaders following you home based on the value of the car you are driving or the personal jewelry you are wearing. Some home invaders may have been in your home before as a delivery person, skilled tradesman or repair/service provider.  Home robbers rarely work alone and rely on an overwhelming physical confrontation to gain initial control and control the situation with fear.

The greatest violence usually occurs during the initial seconds of the confrontation and home invaders often come prepared with firearms, weapons and equipment to tie you up and remove the maximum in stolen goods.. Some in-home invaders appear to enjoy the intimidation, domination, and violence.  They are looking for the adrenaline “rush”.

Home Invasion Trends

Home invasions are escalating. The reason for the increase seems to follow a pattern. The traditional commercial targets for robbers like convenience stores and fast-food restaurants have hardened themselves against criminal attack and have reduced their cash on hand. Technology has allowed commercial establishments to install affordable video surveillance systems, silent alarms, and other anti-crime deterrent devices.  The typical residence, by comparison, is now a more attractive choice.

Home invaders know that they won’t have to overcome alarm systems when the residents are home in the evening. They scope out your level of security looking for cameras and other devices.  Unlike robbing a retail store, home invaders expect privacy once they are inside your home and won’t have to deal with the police suddenly driving up or customers walking in.

Once the offenders take control of a residence they can force you to open safes, locate hidden valuables, supply keys to the family car, and PIN numbers to their ATM cards. Home invaders will try to increase their escape time by disabling the phones and sometimes will leave the residents bound or incapacitated. It is not unheard of for robbers to load up the victim’s car with valuables and drive away without anyone in the neighborhood taking notice.

Modus of Operandi

The most commonly used point of entry is through the front door or garage. Sometimes they will simply kick open the door and confront everyone inside with violent threats. More common is when they will actually knock on the door first or ring the bell. The home invader hopes that the resident will simply open the door, without question, in response to their knock. And, unfortunately, many people do just that.

Home invaders will sometimes use a ruse or “sales man” approach to get you to open the door. They have been known to pretend to be delivering a package, flowers or lie about hitting your parked car. Once the door is opened for them, the home invaders will use explosive force and threats to gain control of the home and produce fear in the occupants. Once under control their control they will begin to collect your valuables.

Some have been known to spend hours ransacking a residence while the homeowners are bound nearby watching in terror. Others have been known to eat meals, watch TV, or even take a nap. A major concern in the resident’s mind is that the robbers might commit more violence like sexual assault or even murder. We have all heard about a victim forced to withdraw cash from their ATM machine or take them to a business or bank to rob it as well.

Prevention

The same tactics used to prevent daytime burglaries will go a long way to preventing forced entry home invasions. If you can delay a home invader at the point of entry then you have a chance of deterring them or have time to call the police. A solid core door, strong locks with reinforced strike plates, and reinforced window devices will stop most forced entries. Some homeowners build safe rooms inside their home to allow them to escape the violence while giving police the opportunity to respond.

The weakest home security link is the home occupant who fails to lock doors or windows or who will open the door without question at the sound of a knock. The best defense against home invasion is knowledge and planning. Homeowners should hold a family meeting to discuss how to answer the door when someone knocks. Another important topic is what to do if your home is invaded. Once you know how home robbers work, you can effectively prevent most occurrences.

Security Measures to implement:

• Install solid core doors, heavy duty locks, and window security devices
• Lock all doors, windows, and garages at all times
• Use four three-inch screws to secure heavy duty lock strike plates in the door frame
• Install a camera system allowing you to see who is at the door and communicate without going to the door
• Use your porch light to help you to see clearly outside
• Never rely on a chain or latch as a barrier to partially open the door
• Never open the door to strangers or solicitors
• Call the police if a stranger acts suspicious
• Alert your neighbors to suspicious solicitors
• Hold a family and neighborhood meetings to discuss home security plans
• Set the home perimeter alarm at whenever you are home.

We can assist you further with enhanced security devices and measures in the future.