What To Do During A Home Invasion

What to Do During a Home Invasion

Most home invasions happen when families aren’t at home. Many occur during the day, when the kids are at school and the parents are at work. Others occur late at night, often when a criminal has assumed (sometimes incorrectly) that no one is home. While it’s always terrible to be robbed, it’s far better for it to happen when you aren’t home.

There are two very dangerous scenarios that can happen if you are home at the time of a home invasion. The first is if you are already inside your home and a criminal enters. The second is if you arrive home to find a criminal inside your residence.

Simple Steps

If you’re home during a robbery, these tips can help maximize your safety:

-    Try to stay calm. Take deep breaths and attempt to remain composed. You are far less likely to make smart decisions if you begin to panic. This is particularly important if you have children, as they may be very frightened and will look to you for guidance regarding what to do.

-    Call the police. If you suspect that your home is being invaded, call the police. Even if you aren’t sure what’s happening, call the police Sometimes, people hear sounds in their home, but assume that it must be a pet or something innocuous, rather than a criminal. Don’t make this mistake. Keep a phone in your bedroom so that you can call immediately if you are awakened by the sounds of a burglar.

-    Activate the alarm. If it’s safe for you to do so, activate your door alarms and/or home security system.

-    Don’t go investigate. If you’re sleeping upstairs and you hear sounds downstairs, it’s not a good idea to get up and investigate. You run the risk of surprising the criminal(s) in the act, which can lead to violence.

-    Get outside to safety. Thieves are rarely interested in hurting others. In most cases, they simply want to take your material possessions and they would prefer to not be confronted. However, it’s important to remember that criminals can become violent when caught in the act. Because of this, it’s best to attempt to flee if you encounter a criminal inside your home. Forget about your possessions – they can be replaced. Gather all the members of your family and escape through a back door or a window Once outside, use a cell phone to call the police.

-    Hide in a safe room. If you can’t escape, collect your family members and remain in a room such as a bedroom. Be sure to keep a phone in this room, as you will need it to call the police.

-    Don’t be a hero. If you come face to face with the criminal, do whatever he says. Don’t attempt to fight back or resist. Move slowly and deliberately, so as to not surprise him. If you can, try to make a mental note of his appearance. If possible, try to get a look at his vehicle and which direction he drives away, as this information will be useful to the police.