Home Invasion Prevention – be on your guard.

To paraphrase von Clausewitz, home invasion prevention is very simple, but simple things are very difficult.

There are two methods that home invaders use to gain entry to consider. These are guile and force.

Most invaders pretend to have some reason to gain entry, but if balked, may attempt to use force to break in. What is home invasion?

Preventing home invasion against forced entry involves the same security measures as hardening your home against burglary. Deadbolt locks and high security strike plates should be installed on all external doors, and the doors and their frames should be strong and in good condition.

Wide-angle peepholes should be installed on doors to enable you to see who is knocking or ringing the bell before making the decision to open the door. Do not rely on door chains. Accessible windows should be able to resist brute force attacks, be fitted with good quality locks and be connected to your perimeter alarm system.

None of these prevention measures matter if they are not used however. You must carefully build habits to ensure you always leave the door locked and your perimeter alarm on, and everyone in the house with you must do the same. Home invasion prevention, in many ways, is about establishing habits for the whole family to observe.

Home invasion prevention against entry by deception involves you being on your guard, not opening your door to strangers and being as sure as you can be about those that you allow into your home.

The tactics that criminals use to trick their way into homes to commit home incursion are the same kind of deceptive ruses that criminals use for distraction burglary. The difference is that once inside your home, invaders will quickly drop any pretense, overpower occupants and use terror, or even violence, to obtain cash, jewelry, PIN numbers etc.

Criminals will attempt to pass themselves off as representatives of utility companies, repair services, local council officers, charity workers and just about anyone that might have a reason for being invited inside your home.

Uniforms are no guarantee that the wearer is genuine. Uniforms can be stolen, copied or items of clothing can be assembled that look like a uniform on a quick inspection. Most all utility companies and other organizations issue their representatives with identification, usually this identification bears a photograph of the holder. Furthermore utility companies rarely call at your home without a prearranged appointment.

Home Invasion Prevention. Prevention is definitely better than cure when it comes to home invasion protection.

Do not open your door but check the ID of the caller. Ask them to slip it under the door or through the mail slot. Do not feel embarrassed by doing this a genuine caller will not be offended.

If you were not expecting a home visit keep your door closed and phone the organization to check if they did send the caller to your home. Do not phone any numbers on the identification card, the number could be that of someone in league with the criminal, look up the number in the phone book.

If an unknown caller is standing so close to your door viewer/peephole that you cannot see behind them, ask them to step back away from the door. A wide-angle door viewer will enable you to see to both sides. You may think that you are dealing with one person when in fact there is another thug lurking behind, or to the side of, the caller. Home invasion criminals rarely work alone unless they think they are dealing with a single frail person.

Part of home invasion prevention is not readily accepting stories of distress from strangers at your door.

A perfectly respectable looking caller, male or female or even a child, could give you a very reasonable sounding excuse for needing to enter your home. They need to use your bathroom. You have to be hard hearted and say no, to do otherwise runs the risk of home incursion. They may say that they need to use your phone to call the emergency services, keep your door locked and offer to make the call for them. If the caller gives you a story that seems off, such as your winning a prize in a contest you never entered, deny them entry and announce you have called for help.

If you are alone at home and receive an unexpected knock at the door, call out loudly “I’ll see who it is.” Avoid giving the impression that you are at home alone.

What do you do if you are unfortunate enough to have raiders bust into your home despite all your home invasion prevention measures?

There is no one correct answer. You must have a plan and all your family must know what to do, and what not to do, should the worst happen. Neighbors also should be aware of your home invasion protection plans, and being a member of your local neighborhood watch is always a good idea.

Prevention is definitely better than cure when it comes to home invasion protection. Raiders do seek out homes that are likely to provide them with a worthwhile haul but they don’t want too difficult a job getting into your home.

Hardening your home and knowing not to open your door to strangers will likely mean that you will not be picked as a target. Home invasion prevention makes invaders look elsewhere.

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