You are supposed to feel the secure at home, and when someone tries to enter or enters your personal space that secure feeling shatters. When a man I didn’t know attempted to enter my home I was beside myself with fear. I didn’t know what to do.
Luckily, my door was locked and he didn’t manage to get inside, but it was still unnerving. Since that night, I’ve devoted time to learning how to prevent a break in, and more importantly what to do if someone does manage to get inside. Here is how I’ve regained my sense of home security.
Prevention
Prevention isn’t all about how to keep the intruders out, although that’s important too. Learning what draws attention to your home is the first step in stopping an invasion.
I’m still not sure what drew the would-be intruders attention to my home, but I now know some tools to prevent it from happening again. Here are some of the ways you can keep from drawing attention to your home.
If you purchase something expensive try to move it into your home when there isn’t a lot of people around. If it comes in a box, don’t put that box out by the street for all to see.
In addition, make sure you keep your blinds closed when you aren’t home, you don’t want people to be able to see your belongings just by looking through the window. Lastly, don’t leave tools, toys, or any other expensive looking items out in your yard. It only takes one slip-up to catch the attention of an intruder.
Know Your Rights
Every state has different laws regarding what you can and can’t do to protect yourself from intruders. Some laws say that you can do whatever you need to do to protect yourself once an intruder enters your home, while others limit what you can do.
I learned that in my state I can protect myself by any means necessary if someone enters my home and I believe that myself or someone else in the home is in danger.
However, even if the law states that I was within my legal rights to protect myself or someone else that doesn’t mean I will not be sued in civil court by the intruder or by his/her family members.
Research the laws in your state to know what you can legally do to protect yourself and your family from an intruder. I suggest visiting your local sheriffs office or police station to inquire about the laws in your city and state.
Have a Plan
Beyond knowing what you are legally allowed to do, knowing what you would actually do will provide you with some sense of safety. Make sure you know where your protection is located – be it a gun, knife, baseball bat, mace, or whatever else you choose to use or are legally allowed to use.
Also, make sure you know where in your home you will retreat to. This place should put as many doors between you and the intruder as possible, but make sure you can get there quickly no matter where the intruder enters.
Having a place to hide while you wait for the police could save your life. Lastly, make sure you have a phone near you or near your hiding spot so you can call for help.
After learning some prevention methods, learning my rights, and comprising my plan, I now feel much safer in my home. I know that I can’t plan for every circumstance; however, I’m confident that with my new-found knowledge, I’ll be more prepared if the worst case scenario does occur.
Leave a Reply