Defend Your Fortress

Funny Games. Panic Room. The Last House on the Left. The Strangers. Straw Dogs. What do all these have in common? If "They're all Home invasion movies" is your answer, then you hit it on the spot. These are movies which after watching it, made you check your locks twice to make sure you are completely safe in your protective walls. Perhaps some even had to check inside the cabinets while holding a knife or a gun or a baseball bat before going to sleep to make sure no menacing character is hiding there. Home Invasion is a forcible entry of an occupied home by a person or a group of people wherein it is reasonable to assume that given the situation, such people intend to harm the people who lawfully live there. The law considers this a more serious crime than burglary--a forcible entry of an unoccupied abode. As fictional as these movies are, home invasion in itself is a reality. The idea of someone invading your safe place with intent of harming you is more than just terrifying. The fact that most home invasions happen at night makes it more ominous because it is at this time that we are more down on our guard. This fear is not unfounded especially when home invasion crimes occur even in the most peaceful neighborhood. Although the probability is very low, the numbers will never be enough to take away the fear or the anxiety of thinking it could still happen. Here are a series of strategies (if money is not a problem) that will make the intruders sweat and hopefully, eventually, give up.

Install solid doors in solid frames with excellent double locks. Like a fortified wall to a castle is what a door is to your house. It is your first line of defense and common sense dictates to build it well. By having these, you won't have to worry about intruders kicking it open. Not even a famous FBI kick can open your door if you have it built with thick heavy oak. Anyone who attempts to do it will more than likely end up with a major limp. Double locks, either dead bolt or spring bolt are also another safety measure. With all these in place, it will take a while for intruders to penetrate your first line of defense giving you ample time to plan an escape.

Bar windows. This is probably an extreme bordering in paranoia act. However, if it makes you feel safer knowing that even if an intruder breaks your window, they are still not likely to get in, then go right ahead. Just make sure that the bars are easy to open from the inside. Statistic shows that more people died from a fire because of an inability to escape than from a home invasion.

Install an alarm system. Do not just get any cheap alarm system since most of them are fly-by-night companies. Remember, if the deal is too good to be true, it probably is. It is wise to check with your local police and get a recommendation on a good alarm systems company. They definitely have responded to alarms before so they should know which one works well. Better yet, ask the police officers what kind of alarm system they have in their house.

Peepholes are prehistoric, get a closed circuit video camera instead. Have you ever seen one of those movies where in strangers will knock on the door and one of the household members opens it? Remember what happens next? That's right, that person ended up either being the first to get killed or taken hostage with no means to escape. Why are peepholes outdated? Well, it will work for less aggressive intruders who would patiently wait until someone opens the door for them but it certainly won't work for intruders who fires immediately at the door. The safer way to do it is to stay as far away from the door as possible and keep it closed. Even if it is the most harmless looking person at the other side of the door, if it is someone you do not know, do not open the door. That is what the closed circuit video camera is for. You can see the person and communicate at the same time. Some common ruse used is when intruders pretend to seek help. If it is an emergency, tell them to stay put and you will call an ambulance or a police. If it is not an emergency, tell them bluntly that you do not feel comfortable letting them in or opening the door for that matter and direct them to seek help elsewhere.

The best way to feel safe in your own house is to know you have made several precautions to make it safe. After all, it is best to remember that the best fights are those won by prevention.