| Recently, there was a high profile home invasion in | | | | someone breaks in. Alarms are great, even though |
| Connecticut where a mother and two daughters | | | | many talk against their effectiveness |
| were killed. The husband survived the vicious attack. | | | | · Consider having a firearm to protect you and |
| It happened in a well- to-do, relatively crime free | | | | your family in case of home attack. If you chose this |
| neighborhood, to a respected medical doctor and his | | | | option get trained in its storage, safety and use. In |
| family. This horrendous attack became an extremely | | | | trained, responsible hands firearms are great |
| high profile case and ended up being broadcast all | | | | protection tools |
| over national television. | | | | · Create a safe-room in your home. You can |
| One national talk show had three experts discussing | | | | choose any room such as an unused bedroom or |
| the case and home invasions in general. After about | | | | your master bedroom. It is a simple idea. Pick a room |
| 20 minutes of conversation that really was quite | | | | and install a strong security door with a long, deep |
| superficial, I came away with a few steps people can | | | | deadbolt lock along with reinforced door hinges (if |
| do to help themselves. However, the general | | | | you need help talk to a locksmith or a hardware |
| consensus seemed that there wasn't too much we | | | | store employee). Keep a cell phone in the room (in |
| can do to stop home invasions. I was taken aback as | | | | case your land-line phone is disabled) flashlight and |
| this simply is not true. There are many positive | | | | any weapons you may choose to use. Have a family |
| actions we can take to protect ourselves. | | | | plan for everyone to run to the room in case of |
| I've listed some effective tips that work to curtail, | | | | trouble. From there you can make a stand or have |
| limit or stop home invasions. You don't have to use all | | | | more time to call authorities. |
| of them to be effective; you can use one or you | | | | There are actually more things you could do to help |
| can utilize them all. | | | | yourself, but the tips mentioned cover all the major |
| · Get strong wooden or metal security doors | | | | areas, except the most important one-lock your |
| for your main entrances | | | | doors! So many families, mostly in "good |
| · Install deeply set deadbolt locks into any | | | | neighborhoods" do not lock their doors. Countless |
| outside entrance doors | | | | instances of home burglary, rape and death have |
| · Place a piece of wood in the window track of | | | | occurred because doors were left unlocked and |
| sliding glass doors--this keeps them from being forced | | | | predators had an easy way in. This is a simple fact |
| open | | | | most people do not know. We live in a mobile |
| · Get motion detector lights for the outside of | | | | society where a bad neighborhood is just a short ride |
| your home. These are inexpensive and unbelievably | | | | away from a good neighborhood. |
| easy to install. Put them at all corners of your home. | | | | Like any thing in life, solutions to problems come |
| They light up when motion crosses its path. | | | | about from taking action. If you're concerned for |
| Predators don't like light | | | | your family's safety regarding home invasions, follow |
| · Install an alarm system, which has an internal | | | | some of the easy tips mentioned and you'll certainly |
| siren (which most of them come with) and an | | | | be better off. |
| outside siren to notify your neighbors also in case | | | | |