HOME SECURITY
Overview

Poor home security leads to more than 8,000 home intrusions every day – either by burglars or invaders. The U.S. Department of Justice says up to 70 percent of all homes will be burgled or invaded at least once in the next 20 years. Yet most people are careless – in their behavior as well as in fortifying their homes with hardware and electronics. They rely on sheer luck that their lazy habits and flimsy hardware will protect them. “Hey, it’s a safe neighborhood. Nothing has ever happened around here.” Yet.

For the first time in his life, Harold Preston is locking his doors at night. He's just learned that one of his neighbours, a 77-year-old widow who lives alone, was severely beaten when someone forced their way inside. ... Neighbours reacted with surprise: "That's something that happened right under our nose." "I can't believe it happened." "Nothing ever happens here." "Things like that happen in big cities, not here."
Excerpted from The Ottawa Citizen – 06 July 2007

Burglars usually avoid residents but the growing numbers of invaders actually seek residents to get their wallets, car keys, and hidden caches – making home invasions more lucrative than street robberies and more violent. These robbers, rapists, and killers, knowing that the home itself helps hide the crime from witnesses, often become frenzied with power, terrorizing, raping, torturing. The victims never fully recover.

However, home intrusions are the most preventable of all crimes.

For the first time, Crime-Safety-Security.com handily classifies all home intrusions into five types to help you truly understand home security. To add to the familiar police terms of Break-In, Walk-In, and Push-In, I’ve created two new categories: Mug-In and Scam-In. See:

• Home Security - Overview (YOU’RE NOW ON THIS PAGE)
• Break-In: Most homes are easy to invade. Make yours burglarproof.
• Walk-In: Half of all home invasions are through unlocked doors and windows! It's easy to always keep them locked at all times with the guidance in the Security Products Buying Guide: Home - Intro (below).
• Push-In: Never blindly open the door when someone knocks. If you are pushed-in, do not stay inside with him (even if other family members are home) – flee to the outside for help. See Hostage Taking. Better to use an intercom from www.smarthome.com.
• Mug-In: If you’re ambushed outside your home and ordered to go inside, do not go! As with a push-in, you’re better off outside. See Kidnapping.
• Scam-In: Do not open the door, not even an inch, to any stranger - no matter what they say - scam-artists are master manipulators (see Push-In above).
• Cracks in Security: subtle variations of Break-In, Walk-In, Push-In, Mug-In, and Scam-In home intrusions.
• College - Apartment & Dormitory Security: staying safe despite careless roommates.
• Good Neighbors: the final layer of home protection.
• Security Product Buying Guide: Home - Intro
• Door Reinforcement
• Window Reinforcement
• Garage & Yard Reinforcement
• Simple Home Electronics
• Alarm Systems
• Flaws in Electronic Security
• Apartment & Dormitory Security
• Safe Room
• Recap: for a quick summary of this entire section.

See Alarm Systems

Safeguard your home security even if you live in Sleepy Valley - predators like to prowl where the prey least expect them.

Prevent the vast majority of home intrusions - whether by burglar or invader by making sure all your family members use these home security strategies. Of course, predators will always find prey – but the most cautious targets will be spared.

Go to
Break-In | Walk-In | Push-In | Mug-In | Scam-In | Cracks in Security | College - Home Security | Good Neighbors | Recap

Crime-Safety-Security Home Page