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Home Invasions EVERYWHERE !

8K views 52 replies 48 participants last post by  grady 
#1 ·
I know the Sean thing is being decussed all over America right now, but it's not just the rich and famous that they break into. We have had a rash of them in the Memphis, Germantown, and Collierville area. According to the most recent FBI data, on home robberies, which includes home invasions, rose nearly 13% in 2006 from 2002, even as violent crime overall decreased 0.4%. Last year, 64,000 residential robberies were reported.

There are several reasons that this crime is becoming the crime of choice rather than Carjackig.


These are a few of the reasons.


1. Home invaders know that they won't have to overcome alarm systems when the home is occupied or be worried about video cameras and silent alarms.

2.Unlike robbing a retail store, home invaders expect privacy once inside your home and won’t have to deal with the police suddenly driving up or customers walking in.

3. Once the offenders take control of a residence they can force the occupants to open safes, locate hidden valuables, supply keys to the family car, and PIN numbers to their ATM cards.

4. Convenience stores and fast-food restaurants have hardened themselves against criminal attack and have reduced available cash



Now to protect yourself from the BGs.....


1. Pick where you live if possible

2. Look at the layout of your house.

3. Have a escape plan.

4. Have your weapon handy EVEN at home.


I live 1,100 ft off the road on a dead end county road.

I put my recliner to where I can see by looking to the left, my back door (actually washroom door which has back door in it)......



To the right, my front door.....



AND next to the right hand arm rest, a little table with a Sig P239 40 on it. It goes to my nightstand when I go to bed.



Do not quit thinking about the BG just because you'er safely home.

Personal home safety means taking charge of your security at home. Involve your whole family in creating a personal home safety plan that fits your family needs.

The police are committed to making your city a safer place to live. But they can't be everywhere at once. You have to protect yourself.
 
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#2 ·
honestly violent crime is up....and if these new liberals get in its only going to get worse.

Violent offenders will get out on parole faster putting you and your family in danger.. I would say train as many people as you can in your family STAY ARMED and stay safe...

PS if your 239 dosn't have a friend HE NEEDS one. Buy a 229 or maybe a 226, or if you want come to the dark side and go plastic...
 
#3 ·
Very good post Tank regarding Home Invasions!

I like your observation post and firing lanes.

I have great view of my front door and can see my front porch from window and over a block away in two directions through the windows from where I sit. I also have a Bassett hound and a Blue Tick Coonhound as more than adequate and very verbal alarm system.

My back door is two rooms away and no direct view, but is always locked.

I have a walk-out basement but have a wooden celler door in the backyard that is padlocked from the inside, then a basement door at the bottom of the stairs from the backdoor that is also locked. I also leave the kitchen door that leads to the basement that is locked so any intruders choosing a basement entry has 3 locked doors to breach before getting upstairs.

My pistol if not holstered on my hip is sitting on table next to me.

My wife keeps her pistol in her purse next to her or if she feels the need stores it in the TV/DVD/Satellite Remote control pouch that sits next to her on the back of the sofa for even quicker access.
 
#5 ·
Crime is up in small cities too.Port Arthur,Tx. is about 25 miles from where I live(thankfully):image035 Population of about 60,000,three shootings since last Thursday!This city makes the news almost everyday with a shooting,stabbing or robbery.Crime really is a reality even in smaller cities.
 
#6 ·
I think the biggest defense one can have is prayer and a gun. God will let you use the tool but he's really the defense. The best we can do as humans is try to be aware of our surroundings and keep the grip in our hands at night, so to speak. Bad a$$ bullets help too. Hope this doesn't seem too insensitive, but we shouldn't take a knife to a gun fight. :smiley2:
 
#7 ·
1. Home invaders know that they won't have to overcome alarm systems when the home is occupied or be worried about video cameras and silent alarms.
Well, my alarm isn't silent. They would be wrong about the rest though.

2.Unlike robbing a retail store, home invaders expect privacy once inside your home and won’t have to deal with the police suddenly driving up or customers walking in.
That is a good point, and something I hadn't thought about. Once they're in the house chances are good they won't be surprised by much of anything.

3. Once the offenders take control of a residence they can force the occupants to open safes, locate hidden valuables, supply keys to the family car, and PIN numbers to their ATM cards.
And this is the scary part to me. Suppose you don't have a safe or hidden valuables- even if they think you should. It could lead to something very bad for you.

4. Convenience stores and fast-food restaurants have hardened themselves against criminal attack and have reduced available cash
I've hardened my home as well. But, if they do get in somebody is going to have a very bad day. I'll be praying it isn't me.
 
#8 ·
Sean is a good example of why I always answer the door with a gun in my hand, held behind my back. I have a gun concealed around my house, but no weapon will do any good if it isn't ready to be used. It's like carrying your pepper spray in your pocket or purse, while walking to your car at night alone. A weapon not at the ready is a useless weapon.
 
#13 ·
I OC while at home all day long until I go to bed, I also have cameras all around my property. When someone rings my doorbell I just look at my little wireless handheld monitior (5" screen) to see who it is. If they look suspicious, then my sidearm is in my hand in plain view when I answer the door. This seems to work well with door to door salesman....they never comeback and never try to pitch me for long. :hand10:
 
#9 ·
been a ton of home invasions around Reno, NV lately. i live in a relatively new community Northwest of Reno and we've been hit hard in recent weeks. people just kicking in doors in the middle of the day. luckily, local law enforcement made a couple of arrests around here yesterday, so hopefully those will drop off. both my wife and i are armed at home at all times.
 
#11 ·
Good post everyone.

I carry a gun on my person anytime I'm awake and near me while sleeping.

The important aspects to me are:
  1. Have a Plan
  2. Have weapons available
  3. Have a light or two available
  4. Get a dog
  5. Buy some cheap scream door window alarms and put them on the most likely door. It will give you time that you need to combat a home invasion by coming up shooting.

This is my plan. :bier:
 
#12 ·
This is old hat to a lot of you, but maybe some reader can benefit from it . . .

If you don't have a dog or an alarm system and you want some kind of "early warning system" to give you a little peace of mind, think about rigging up a "trip wire" made of fishing line threaded through some screw eyes. When a visitor accidentally hits it (it's nearly invisible), it pulls something that makes noise, like a stack of cans or something.

The variations on this idea are innumerable. For instance, you could use it to tell you whether someone has been around while you were gone. (He could never re-stack the cans just like you had them.)

Cheap and effective.
 
#14 ·
Excellent point. Some of us can't pick the ideal spot to live yet, and have to make do. I live in an apartment, and I'm lucky to have steel doors - no one's coming kicking through these. On the other hand, the locks are standard locks, not hard to pick, and the doors are not terribly difficult to card. We have chains, but a mediocre set of boltcutters would take care of those no sweat. So what I've done on each of the doors is put a magnet (but if wood, could use a screw) and hung a cheap set of wind chimes on the back of the door, about 1/4" from the door. Whenever the door moves in the slightest, you certainly know it.
 
#15 ·
There haven't been any reports of home invasions where I'm at, but I know that doesn't mean it cannot happen. I live in a split level home, which means there are stairs going up, and stairs going down. I get the whole downstairs area to myself, which is nice, but my Dad doesn't keep any guns loaded, and ready to go if needed. I am the only one in this house that keeps at least one gun loaded. If an intruder was to break in through an upstairs door or window, and my parents were sleeping, I'd be forced to clear the house and make sure they're okay. I often don't come home until after midnight from work, and I usually have my G19 with me. I come home, take off my shoes, leave my G19 on my person, and go upstairs to make sure everything is fine. My Mother is often left by herself with her dog, and she doesn't even know how to use a gun, and believes the cops will protect her. I can't seem to get through to her that the cops may not get here in time to protect her. We don't have an alarm system, and the dog is a miniature Dachshund, that wags his tail at everyone who walks inside. I often worry about my Mother while I'm out with my friends or shopping, but so far nothing has happened, and I pray that nothing bad will happen.
 
#16 ·
Great thread. I really like blackbear's chimes idea. I've also heard that you can get a little buzzer set that can mount on a door and frame. When the connection is broken, it starts screaming. And they are cheap, to.

The wife and I will be moving into our first house on the 15th of December (nothing like a house for a Christmas present). I haven't really reviewed the layout in a defensive sense, but we have already set up an appointment to have an alarm company come out and give an estimate.

One thing I am considering...our bedroom has a bathroom off of it. Would it make sense to get a nice solid door for the bathroom, and if something happens the wife can hole-up in there with a shotgun while I clear the house, or especially if I'm not around? The room is long and narrow, so she could hunker down at the far end and make someone VERY sorry if they try to open the door without getting her approval first. :AR15firing:
 
#18 ·
I forget to say anything about a dog as I have always had one. Member of family stuff..... :wink:

Here's mine. I really like a mix of Black Lab and German Shepard.....



Another thing you can do. Harbor Freight sells a wireless alarm that lets you know when someone is comming down your driveway. It's only like 20 bucks and works well. I'm using one in my shop as a burglar alarm. Works on motion detection.
 
#26 ·
.......
Another thing you can do. Harbor Freight sells a wireless alarm that lets you know when someone is comming down your driveway. It's only like 20 bucks and works well. I'm using one in my shop as a burglar alarm. Works on motion detection.
This is a super idea. I also have a very long driveway (approx. 1000').
Although I did not purchase mine through Harbor Freight I am made aware of every entry via the driveway.
Having said that, there are of course other ways to the house. On foot through the woods on 3 sides, or off the road up hill avoiding the driveway. So thats where the dog's start to earn their keep.

I've considered claymors but the wife would not let me dig up her gardens. :rofl:


Jack
 
#19 ·
Tank Driver great topic, and if I may I have a unique insight, that I would like to share.

When we purchased our house, we had it remodeled by a Christian contractor (converted in Jail) who use to do home invasions of drug dealers for the boys in New York. Basically stealing back the drugs and/or money.

First of all, all the homes, where upscale homes, in fine neighborhoods and had larger yards.

They (three of them) would fly into a nearby town, rent a car, stop by a hardware store on the way, and pick up a 10 lb hammer, (pay cash) and then wait until at least 1 am before visiting the target home.

The home in question had already been checked out by surveillance a few weeks prior, by someone else. That way they knew if there where any quirks, including alarm systems, dogs, and where the master bedroom is.

Then the three men would simply walk up to the front or back door, knock it in, if there was an alarm system, they would rush to the master bedroom with a shotgun, and make the owners turn it off.

And by the time the alarm company called, one of the other guys would have brought one of the children to there room at gun point.

Then the owners would be tied up, and forced to convey the location of the drugs, money, safe, etc.

Interesting facts:
No one was ever seriously hurt, and most drug dealers are never going to call the cops. The only reason they where caught is the DEA had surveillance on one of the homes they hit, and video recorded the whole event.

What I learned from him is:

You can not stop them from breaking into you house.

They always hit the house, when your at home, so you’ll show them where the money/drugs are.

Preventative:
Take note of any unfamiliar occupied cars sitting on your street. They may be gathering intell on your home.


Make sure your house has deep set (long through) deadbolt locks, and steel exterior doors. While they won’t hold up long to the pounding of a 10-lb hammer, it will hold up for at least the first hit.

Second get a dog that will bark should someone enter your yard. Or if you don’t like dogs, get a yard motion sensor that will beep your bedroom, and living area.

Keep a cell phone in your bedroom.

If your sound asleep and they are in your bedroom seconds after you hear the first nose, it’s almost impossible to stop them.

The dog barking or motion sensor should wake you, then the pounding on the door, should alert you that it’s time to get up, grab your sidearm and wait for them at the door of your bedroom, or other place you have to take a cover shot from. At the same time have your partner call 911.

Most importantly, make sure you do not go looking for them, let them come to you.
 
#20 ·
I actually DO live at the end of a No Outlet rural road. Sometimes the isolation can work against (as well as for) you. Several acres are covered by my two outside dogs (G. Shepherds) while the inside is patrolled by my Boxer/Pitbull. Dogs really ARE man's best friend. The guns are just tools.

There are handguns & longuns in hard to find, easy to grab locations from my hip & the front door to the back bedroom. Extra cellphones are stashed as well. Our general intention is for the BG to be a LOT more surprised than we are should he/they mistake our home for an inviting crime scene. Both the politics & the mindset of my community GREATLY favor the home owner in a home invasion situation. The only criminals who would invade a home around these parts are, sadly, drugged-out teenagers taking advantage of an elderly relative...or are from out-of-town.
 
#21 ·
As an old geezer who lives alone I inadvertantly acquired a VERY good home defense tool. Being concerned about potential health problems, I got one of those "Help I've fallen and can't get up" alarms. The trigger hangs around my neck at all times, even while in the shower. If I push it, a piercing alarm goes off, then a person asks me in a VERY loud voice if I'm O.K. ,then, depending on my response or lack of response, in about 4 minutes I will have a Deputy, a Fire Truck and a Rescue Ambulance at my house - all involved will be in my house in seconds, even if they have to break in. I know it works because, once while I was out, my cat actuated the alternate trigger. I am still cleaning the glass up and my wallet took a serious hit to repair the results of their forced entry. I am very pleased by the incident, it certainly increased my sense of security.
 
#24 ·
After I had someone come in through the window last year, we installed those little screamer alarms on the windows. As well, we put nails into each side of the window so it can only open about 6-8 inches. IF we are home or want the window open more, we just slide the nails out. Not that I think it would really stop someone from coming in if they were determined but I think it would wake us up if someone was trying to come in. Plus, the two dogs would start barking. After the lab was untterly useless last year we got another dog that was bred to be a gaurd dog. I think he taught the lab how to be a guard dog and now they both bark.
The cops told us to plant thorny bushes too under our downstairs windows. We didnt because we have a small garden there but it's a good idea in anycase.
 
#27 ·
My best friend, (see avatar), and her new little brother warn me when anyone comes near our home. I always have a gun on my person and answer the door with my hand on it until I know who is there. (The door doesn't open, I look out a window first) Another thing to consider is if you have kids old enough to answer the door you need to devise a plan and do some training. If a BG gets your kids they in essence have you too.
 
#28 ·
Gainesville, FL has had some home invasions, but in fairness...they have been drug related.

First warning system...
I do have two dogs, one is a 125# Rhodesian Ridgeback...I know when someone is around. The RR can be in the back bedroom and you cannot...I repeat...CANNOT open a bag of chips quietly enough. I know he and the Golden would hear even the slightest noise outside the house.
When my wife is gone, they hear her car before I see it in the driveway.

Second warning system...
Sounds like this...Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang,...

I'm never at home without a sidearm on my person or 12" away!

Stay armed...even at home...stay safe!
 
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