How To Prepare For A Home Invasion

A home invasion is when an intruder illegally enters a private and occupied dwelling with the purpose of committing a crime against the occupants such as robbery, assault, rape, murder, or kidnapping. Home invasion is generally an unauthorized and forceful entry into a dwelling.

Knowing how to prepare for a home invasion and taking all the right precautions to protect yourself and you loved ones can give you peace of mind. You should plan and make preparations well in advance of a potential home invasion.

Prepare Your House

1. Don't rely on a chain latch to give you protection when you open the door part-way.
2. Don't open the door to solicitors or strangers.
3. Never talk to strangers through an open doorway or a screen door.
4. Always talk to strangers them through a locked door or intercom system.
5. NEVER let your children open the door.
6. Install a home burglar alarm and keep it on all the time.
7. Install strong steel doors or solid core doors that swing outward.
8. Install a 24-hour camera surveillance system.
9. Use the peephole before opening your door at all times. If there is no-one visible, do not open it.
10. Install a CCTV monitoring system to monitor the front of your house.
11. Reinforce and strengthen the door jambs and hinges with long screws.
12. Call 911 immediately when you suspect a home invasion is about to occur.
13. Build a safe room in your house. Equip it with self defense equipment and an extra mobile phone.
14. Strengthen and "burglar proof" all exterior entrances to your home.
15. Install a camera that monitors the inside of your home.
16. Set up a speed-dial on your phone to 911. Configure it to speaker mode for the 911 operator to hear what's going on.
17. Devise and practice a home security plan and an escape plan with your family. Include a meeting place in case you get separated and instructions for notifying police.
18. Coordinate a neighborhood watch with your neighbors.
19. Install a good home alarm monitoring system. Place home alarm system decals on your doors and windows.
    Always lock all doors, windows and garages.
20. Trim back bushes and trees near the house thereby removing any places for intruders to hide.
21. Install heavy-duty locks and window security systems.
22. Home-invaders may pose as delivery people, public workers, or people in distress. Don't open the door. Don't open the door unless you get phone numbers to call their bosses.
23. If someone claims to be hurt or in distress tell them you will call the police for them.
24. Install a second line or a cell phone in your safe room or bedroom. Burglars may remove a telephone from the receiver when they enter a home.
25. Don't tell or brag to anyone about the possessions in your house. Word spreads, even to the ears of burglars and home invaders.
26. Get non-lethal self defense weapons like a Taser or a Pepper spray. If you choose to arm yourself with a firearm always take the proper training courses.
27. Request a police home inspection if one is offered in your area. They will come out and look over your house and tell you how you can make it safer.