It's 1:30 a.m. The family's fast asleep. You hear an unfamiliar noise in your house, then, a crash in the living room. You instinctively know someone breaks into your house at this point. Before you can even move, your heart's racing, your mind's a blank and you've gone into a cold sweat. Your home is now the scene of an ongoing robbery.
What to do when someone breaks into your house, especially at night, or worse, you are home alone? Read on to know what to do and not to do in a home invasion, how you can deal with an intruder in your house, so as to protect yourself and your family from a home invasion robbery.
How to Deal with Home Burglars When You are Not In
Home invasion can happen at anytime. Someday you come home, only to find the subtle signs that your home has been intruded. Lucky you, you are not there when the violent intruder breaks in. At least you don't have to confront with him, and you can make sure your life is 100% protected.
According to home burglary crime statistics, most of thieves avoid the face-to-face confrontation with home owners, so they tend to target empty houses.
When someone breaks into your house when you are away, you can make use of your home security system to stay connected. Call the police immediately when someone is intruding. And ask your neighbors to keep a watch at your house if possible. Your home security cameras will record the criminal act of robbers, which will be used as evidence and help catch the intruder in your house.
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What to Do If You Think Someone is in Your Home and You're Home Alone
In US, UK, Australia, Canada and other countries, what can you legally do when someone breaks into your house and you are at home? Worse still, you are a single lady. Single women living alone should know how to stay safe. Below are some tips on what to do in a home invasion robbery when you are at home.
Tip 1: Preparation Could Save Your Life in the Event of a Home Invasion
The truth is, unless you've been a victim of burglary before, it's natural to assume this will never happen to you. Hopefully you'll use the opportunity of reading this article to prepare for the worst, and also take security measures to make your home safe from break-ins.
Every 15 seconds a new home burglary occurs in the US. As unfair as it seems to maintain a passive attitude toward home-intruders, once they've broken in, their general tendency is to go straight to the master bedroom. You shouldn't waste any time. Have a plan in place to keep yourself safe.
When your house gets broken into, what to do? Remember that taking on the role of the hero may put your whole household in danger. If you're considering violent methods of dealing with the situation, consider the following question: Do you know all of the variables? The burglars may be a pushovers who give chase at the first sign of resistance, but assuming they're not, what plan do you have to subdue them? For that reason, we advise against the use of physical force for the purposes of this article.
Tip 2: Don't Draw Attention to Yourself During the Break-in
If you hear a noise, and find there is a burglar or robber in your house, keep calm and stay where you are. What not to do in a home invasion is to make yourself a target of the intruder(s). Don't let the thief know you are alone, or he may hurt you. Regardless of whether the intruders have already seen you or not, avoid any temptation to shout warnings like, "I'm calling for the police" or using loud screams to hail the attention of neighbors.
Reserve such pleas for extreme, life-threatening cases and only if phoning the police is out of the question. Contacting the authorities (or pushing a panic button if you have a security company but forgot to set an already-existing alarm) should be your first priority. You'll want to do so from a safe part of the house though.
Tip: If your house alarm fob isn't available, try setting off your car's alarm.
Tip 3: De-escalate Any Encounters with the Intruders
In the event that you find yourself face-to-face with your intruders, maintain an attitude of calm cooperation. It's best to place your hands up at shoulder level and promise to remain compliant with any demands. Shooting, like "I have a gun" or "I have called the police" may irritate burglars, and make him to act violently. It is the most important to protect yourself from a serious injury and survive the home invasion.
With your arms at shoulder-height, you'll still be able to defend yourself against a knife or blunt object if the intruder tries to make a lethal blow. It's better to risk injuring your hands than your organs. Ideally this won't be necessary though. If you can show that you're no threat, the intruders will be anxious to carry out their robbery quickly and will therefore leave you alone.
Tip 4: Escape Outside or Find a Safe Room to Hide In
If you aren't faced with direct and personal danger during the home invasion, your first priority is to phone the police. Make sure your call takes place out of earshot from the intruders. Most home-intruders will carry out their robbery within 10 minutes, so the safest option is to keep yourself under the radar for that length of time.
You might choose to stay in a locked bedroom, a closet or en-suite bathroom where you'll be protected even if your voice is heard. Barricade the locked door using any heavy objects at your disposal. Once you've reached the police, clearly state your situation, and also show the video surveillance footage as evidence, recorded by the security camera if you have one.
If you're on the ground floor, consider the option of climbing out of a window with your phone and contacting the police from there.
What to Do When Someone Breaks into Your House and You Have a Gun
Can you, or is it legal, to shoot someone on your property in California, Florida, Texas, and other states? The answer is no. It's not legal to shoot the person just because he enters your property.
But laws on shooting an intruder indicate that homeowners have the legal right to use reasonable force to prevent a crime. When someone intrudes your house and starts a robbery, he is committing a crime.
The self-defence law goes that:
”It is both good law and good sense that a man who is attacked may defend himself. It is both good law and good sense that he may do, but only do, what is reasonably necessary.”
”A person may use such force as is reasonable in the circumstances in the prevention of crime, or in effecting or assisting in the lawful arrest of offenders or suspected offenders or of persons unlawfully at large.”
It is legal to shoot someone breaking into your house, but we don't suggest you do this unless you have received professional practice of using firearms. You may not be as lucky as the woman in Georgia who fired shots at three armed intruder. In most cases, you will neither stop a home invasion nor save your own life by using a gun.
Home Safety is Far Easier If You're Prepared
Contrary to popular belief, most burglaries take place in broad daylight (between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.). Your best line of defense against intrusions during that time is to buy security cameras and use these professional home security products to monitor your home.
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Robbers are also more likely to behave violently if they carry out their invasion in broad daylight. Not so if they're being watched though. That's why security cameras are such a great deterrent, even on their own.
To make it short, considering what to do when a robber is in your house is the last thing you want to suffer. Be well prepared to stop home burglars and intruders at bay should always be your top priority.
