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How to Survive a Home Invasion

Florida Dock said:
This is an excellent summary of all the key points! I like that Lt. Chaney also included being prepared to give responding officers a brief statement. If you have been required by the circumstances to use force against your assailant, then "clamming up" to the police can make you look guilty--but the urge to give all the small details in order to justify yourself can land you in hot water.

Massad Ayoob, one of the most respected persons teaching self-defense to police and ordinary citizens advocates the brief statement in a setting where you have had to threaten or actually use deadly force in the defense of yourself or others.
(1) Describe the active dynamic such as, "That man forced his way in; I thought he was going to kill us. I was forced to defend us." Do NOT lead with "I shot him." Avoid a detailed description of events.
(2) Describe any accomplices/perpetrators who fled and, if you know, in what direction or by what conveyance.
(3) Point out any major evidence (perpetrator's dropped weapon or signs of break-in).
(4) Point out any witnesses before they scatter.
(5) Indicate that you will sign the complaint and cooperate with law enforcement.
(6) Then invoke your right to silence and to an attorney. Do not submit to detailed questioning.

It is very important to recognize that your perceptions of time, distance and size WILL be distorted by the effects of stress and respectfully decline to give details until you have had at least one good night's sleep AND spoken to your attorney. This is to avoid being entrapped by "the criminalization of imperfect memory". Good, honest people have caused all sorts of legal problems for themselves via well-intended verbosity: "He was right on top of me with a huge knife!" (Later evidence shows he was 15 feet away with a 3" knife.) Such distorted perceptions can lead to the impression that you are not honest and are trying to cover up something.

Give the police enough information to understand your defensive situation in broad strokes and give them any information they may need immediately to pursue and apprehend accomplices. Then politely invoke your right to consult an attorney and to calm down before giving details. Avoid excitedly pouring out details that may be distorted by your stress-altered perception of time, sequence, distance and size of objects.

Finally, ALWAYS call 911 as soon as you can safely do so, even if the invader ran off as soon as he saw your gun and no one was actually injured. Police need to know in a timely fashion that a home invader/burglar is active in the area.

And, yes, that is a very cool door lock! Remember that the best locks only work if they are engaged. My wife is well-drilled in keeping all exterior doors locked. So, I carry a house key on me at all times, to avoid being inadvertently locked out.
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Appreciate the comments, FL Dock. Mr. Ayoob is a subject matter expert and I wholeheartedly agree with his advice. And you are right, if people don’t call 911 when something serious is occurring, the police won’t know where to increase patrols.

Randall
 
KillerFord1977 said:
2 dogs is a massive deterent.
My two will chew on someone they dont know. Not happy hounds with strangers. Good luck
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every once in a while the big guy will jump off the bed in the middle of the night running downstairs in frenzy barking like he's about to rip someone's throat out. i wait at the top of the stairs and listen before i get anything that goes bang. he gives me the "all clear" by coming back up and taking my spot. most likely he hears deer, but you never know.
 
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My initial reaction to this article is that I only find one thing to disagree with.

When the author said "When the police arrive, you need to decide whether or not you need an attorney."

You always need an attorney.

Beyond that, I believe a good lock beats the best handgun every time.
20250608_162616.jpg

This is Bowling Ball. I call her Bowling Ball because.


But she's a hell of an EWS
 
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IMO the most important part of our home defense plan is the fact that you can't see our home from the road. If you don't even know we're there, you're much less likely just select us as a target.

There's one road W/in 3 MILES of our home. We have a fence around the perimeter, the neighbors (all three sides) have a fence around their perimeter and The DOE has a fence around their perimeter.

If you want to come to my home from North, South or East you're going to have to come through a rather large pasture with a resident Bull on each side.

Good luck with that.

To the West is a gated Wind Farm.

The only way on to our property (unless you want to trifle w/the bulls) is the front gate (driveway alarm and a camera).

Then you're going to have to get past Bowling Ball, she won't stop you but everyone within earshot is going to know you're there.

By the time you get to the porch the motion detector lights are on and all semblance of surprise is gone.
 
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Think home security in multiple layers in case one layer doesn't get implemented or something fails. Don't wait until something happens, plan ahead with new home construction or pre-owned home.

A monitored security system, reinforced frames/solid doors/dead bolts, cell phones and hard wired phones, multiple motion lighting, 2A items, and a well trained crazy ass Rottweiler is a good start.
 
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The Night Rider said:
IMO the most important part of our home defense plan is the fact that you can't see our home from the road. If you don't even know we're there, you're much less likely just select us as a target.

There's one road W/in 3 MILES of our home. We have a fence around the perimeter, the neighbors (all three sides) have a fence around their perimeter and The DOE has a fence around their perimeter.

If you want to come to my home from North, South or East you're going to have to come through a rather large pasture with a resident Bull on each side.

Good luck with that.

To the West is a gated Wind Farm.

The only way on to our property (unless you want to trifle w/the bulls) is the front gate (driveway alarm and a camera).

Then you're going to have to get past Bowling Ball, she won't stop you but everyone within earshot is going to know you're there.

By the time you get to the porch the motion detector lights are on and all semblance of surprise is gone.
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Wow, you got everything but a string and a can fulla rocks!

Randall
 
az4783054 said:
Good reminder article. I learned a long time ago to always have a weapon within arms reach or better yet on body carry at all times even at home where you think you're safe from the zombies.
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I was the victim of a home invasion robbery once. I now have a sidearm on my person at all times. It was a Halloween night. I opened the door and in they came. I no longer open my door to anyone unless it is someone I know, or someone I invited.
 
Unfortunately most home invasions round here happen when people are home. Down the road a few miles a elderly couple had 2 armed men walk-in armed thru a unlocked kitchen door at 9 pm. They tied both up & and beat each one forcing them to tell where money, valuables, pin numbers on debit cards ect.

I installed motion detectors round my property. Loaded weapons hidden in various locations & current CCL. Steel targets for practice round our property. Local law enforcement doesn't like to respond to a rural address. I've never had them respond here, lucky if they call back 6 - 8 hours later. So far a few shots fired has scared away trespassers and thieves. Word gets round and no more trouble for a couple years......
 
I felt the article is well written and informative, good information contained within. If the break in occurs when one is awake you stand a very good chance to survive and "repel boarders", if you are sleeping or even in REM sleep your chances drop considerably. I have a Remington 870 HDD, holds 6+1 and loaded with 00. During my Navy stint many of our shoot houses were steel replicating on-board ships, you can do some wicked things with 00 shot, (these days they call it "skip shooting" etc.). Not so much in a house though! All that dry wall and wood, etc. But 00 goes thru dry wall pretty darn good!! The most important of all, no matter what type of doors, windows, locks etc you might have, choose one reliable weapon you want to use for this purpose and practice, practice, practice! And practice some more.
 
Phubar said:
I felt the article is well written and informative, good information contained within. If the break in occurs when one is awake you stand a very good chance to survive and "repel boarders", if you are sleeping or even in REM sleep your chances drop considerably. I have a Remington 870 HDD, holds 6+1 and loaded with 00. During my Navy stint many of our shoot houses were steel replicating on-board ships, you can do some wicked things with 00 shot, (these days they call it "skip shooting" etc.). Not so much in a house though! All that dry wall and wood, etc. But 00 goes thru dry wall pretty darn good!! The most important of all, no matter what type of doors, windows, locks etc you might have, choose one reliable weapon you want to use for this purpose and practice, practice, practice! And practice some more.
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Thank you for the response, Phubar! I recently had lunch with an old Academy-mate. He retired as a Master Deputy from the Orange County, FL Sheriff’s Office. He was a long time trainer in all areas. He was absolutely sold on the shotgun being the best weapon for Patrol and home defense. For the road, they qualify with slugs and 00 buck. I know he’d agree with you!

Randall
 
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