Dark Survival

The very idea of a home invasion is enough to send chills up your spine.  And while our nation is a protected one and break-ins are generally uncommon, the reality is, they do happen every day.  Our home is our sanctuary, and the place we should feel the safest and secure.   Because the everyday “home invasion” is not a specified crime, the statistics are difficult to calculate.  A “home invasion” can fall under a number of different categories from burglary, assault, armed robbery, rape, or even murder. Although there is no specific tracking for violent home invasions, we can look at the associated crimes and those numbers are enough to drive a sane person to take the necessary precautions.

• Between 2-4 million burglaries occur every year in the United States
• In almost a million per year, someone is home when the intruder breaks in
• Over a quarter-million people become victims of a violent assault associated with a home break-in
• A home invasion occurs every 13 seconds
• According to the FBI, 65% of home invasions happen between 6 am and 6 pm
• 65% of burglars know their victims
• 85% of burglaries are committed by non-professionals
• According to the FBI, the average loss per burglary is $2,416
• Only 17% of US homes have a security system
• The good news, 60-70% of Burglars will avoid homes that have any kind of Security System

Instead of hoping for the best, consider implementing these 7 simple steps to avoid a worst-case scenario. When it comes to home defense, here are a few easy tips to give you an advantage over a home intruder.

Step 1.)   Make it Harder For Home Intruders to Get In

This might sound obvious, but most doors and windows can be breached without much effort.   Home defense starts outside the home and there are several things you can do to secure possible entry-points into your house. The first thing you should do is to identify your home’s possible points of entry; specifically, windows and doors. Better locks are the best first step. Invest in heavy-duty, well-made locks from reputable companies like Schlage and consider upgrading your doors to include Nightlock barriers which make almost any door kick-proof. Windows, while a bit tougher to toughen up, can also be made safer. Obviously no one wants bars on their windows, so luckily you do have viable options that won’t be considered a neighborhood eyesore.  Fortunately, you can compromise with security film that can be applied to your home’s windows which makes it much harder to break a window out.

Step 2.)  Keep Your Phone Nearby

This one is simple: keep your phone charged and within reach. In the event of a home intruder situation, you should call 9-1-1 as soon as you can safely do so and keep them on the phone throughout the event. Alerting the police as quickly as possible can buy you lifesaving seconds and giving the dispatcher an accurate description of yourself and your family members, as well as other pertinent information regarding the situation, can help to ensure your safety as well.

Step 3.) Stay Put

If you can safely put a door and a lock between you and any home intruders, do so and stay put.  Don’t go exploring or trying to clear your home. You want to put yourself between your family and the intruder, but that’s as far as you should be moving in your home during a home invasion. Even among military professionals, the decision to clear a room or building by yourself is often considered reckless.  If you can hold up safely, you give yourself the advantage and every advantage you can gain is important.

Step 4.) Have a Plan and Practice It

Home defense is more than locks, lights, and techniques. Proper home defense tactics aren’t just high-speed drills.   Your family should have a detailed plan in the event of a home defense scenario. The plan should lay out whos responsibility should be who calls the police. The kids should know what to do if a scenario occurs as well. The home defense plan should involve the entire family and is not the same as a fire escape plan. Make the plan to fit your home and family and rehearse it with every member of the family.

Step 5.) Light Up The Scene

Motion sensing lights are a lot like car alarms, which may not deter every criminal but throwing light on what they’re doing increases the odds of a neighbor being alerted to the situation and calling 9-1-1.  It also helps to assist the police when they arrive on the scene. Inside your home you have the distinct advantage of knowing the layout.  A tactical flashlight is a key tool to help positively identify or temporarily stun a home intruder. There are several handheld tactical flashlight options available.  The ProTacHL-X  Flashlight seems to be a clear leader in the space.  The flashlight has a long-range, high-candela light that produces a bright, far-reaching beam that features a high beam of 1000 lumens. It’s also USB rechargeable and accepts multiple battery sources, so you always have a beam when you need it. While the ProTacis considered top of the line, there are alternatives that are less expensive.  Ape Survival occasionally runs a promotion to get their strike pen (for free) which is a handy tactical tool that also comes with a built-in torchlight.

Step 6.) Home Security Systems

When it comes to home protection, the home security system is the most important component when it comes to safety.  As noted earlier 60-70% of Burglars will avoid homes that have any kind of Security System and only 17% of US homes have a security system.  Having a security system in place often provides family members with enough warning to get to a safe location in or outside the home while the alarm system dispatches local authorities.   Additionally, monitored home alarm systems will warn home occupants of the presence of smoke and warn of early sources of heat. There are a number of home security systems on the market, many of which can be set up with no contract, like ADT by LifeShield

Security Cameras, such as Guardline, work great with the motion-sensing lights mentioned above.  Cameras not only record and create evidence against bad guys, but they can also provide you real-time situational awareness inside and outside of your home. Companies like Ring allow you to view all of your cameras on your smartphone with the click of a button, making it easy to monitor your home at all times.

Step 7.) Use Diversion Safes to Lock Up Valuables

Diversion Safes protect small valuables such as cash, jewelry, and collectibles by hiding them in “plain sight” inside hollowed-out containers of common kitchen, cleaning or food product containers.  Burglars spend no more than 10 minutes inside a house and cannot look everywhere for items of value. Thus the utility of diversion safes.

We are lucky to live in a nation where home invasions are rare.  However, when home invasions do happen, they are often violent. For those rare occurrences, it’s essential to be ready and to be prepared. The best thing you can do is to continue educating yourself on best practices for keeping your family safe. In this short video, a US Army officer reveals how 7 out of 8 home defense strategies will get you KILLED… … and the one strategy you MUST deploy to keep your family alive when angry mobs come after your possessions, your food, or your loved ones. Watch this important safety video now, before it’s too late. This detailed video that goes in-depth on how to better protect your home.

What’s Your Plan?

Although most people assume the highest risk of a home invasion comes during the cover of night, most incidents actually occur between 10 am and 3 pm. Keep your windows, doors, and other points of entry to your home locked and secured, even when you’re home during the day. Stay alert and keep an eye out for any suspicious individuals who look out of place in your neighborhood.  This is because criminals have been known to case homes before attempting to burglarize them. Do you currently have a home defense plan? Are there any tips you’d add to this list? Let us know, we want to hear from you