HOME ATTACKS – KNOW WHAT TO DO Most people think of their homes as a safe place where they feel protected from the dangers of the ‘outside’ world. Sadly, this is often not the case.
Many crimes are in fact committed within the 'safety' of our homes, some by strangers (external threat), others by family members and acquaintances (internal threat). The types of crime which may be committed inside a home are cause for serious concern and include non-violent crimes such as housebreaking and theft as well as violent crimes such as robbery, serious assault, abuse, rape, incest and murder.
In this article the focus is on the external threat, ie, the possibility of a sudden criminal attack against a home and its occupants by unknown criminal elements. The external threat The external threat comes mainly from housebreakers and robbers. Housebreakings with intent to commit a violent crime once inside and house robberies can be a very traumatic experience leading to serious financial losses and much psychological and physical suffering of the victims.
During a criminal home invasion, as often experienced in South Africa, there is multiple victimisation in a single incident. As an example, criminals often discovered during the act of stealing by the occupants of the house, may transform into violent offenders and end up committing more serious types of crime, eg, malicious damage to property, assault, rape and even murder.
According to South African Police statistics, the reported cases of burglary (and attempts) at residential premises in the Republic increased by 32,8% over the period from 1994 to 2001. Robbery with aggravating circumstances followed a similar trend with an increase of 39,3% over the same period. Attacks against our homes and families can be conducted by three different types of criminals:
* Amateurs - are opportunists and look for easy targets. They take chances, but if the risk of detection is too high, they will not attempt to enter a home.
* Semi-professionals - know that the key to success is planning. They usually scout a neighbourhood, 'casing' a residence and waiting for the right moment to strike.
* Professionals - spend sufficient time planning and strategising and focus on extremely valuable items, such as money, jewellery, cars and weapons. Whilst amateurs usually choose easy targets, eg, unoccupied homes that are easy to break into, the more professional criminals may seek to enter a home with the intention of robbing the occupants of their belongings. This is when the occupants are most at risk of being subjected to multiple victimisation.
In South Africa, it is not uncommon for home-owners to be violently victimised during an incident of housebreaking. In many documented instances, in fact, entire families have been brutalised and members tortured, raped and killed. According to crime news reports ('The Star', 13-12-01), in many hijacking-related events, criminals have been breaking into residential premises, tying up their victims and taking their vehicles with the keys and household goods. Defensive strategies The above situation is cause for serious concern amongst law abiding citizens who, in order to defend themselves against the threat of home invasions, find it necessary to review their security arrangements to make it as difficult as possible for criminals to gain access to their homes.
There is a difference between occasional and professional offenders. Occasional offenders often respond to an opportunity they find irresistible and can be deterred by preventive measures. Professional offenders, on the other hand, are characterised by experience and by being well organised and are often not easily deterred by preventive measures.
Having said that, however, a number of crime prevention strategies (behavioural, situational and environmental) can be considered in order to minimise the risk of violent victimisation whilst in the 'safety' of our homes. * The first step to make a home and its occupants secure is to evaluate the effectiveness of the existing security measures. It is important to identify all vulnerable areas. Police and security experts can be of assistance in this regard. * One of the best defensive strategies against crime is maintaining a high level of alertness, especially when we arrive home or depart from home. If you notice any suspicious person or vehicles near your home, drive on and call police or security. Beware of repairmen, delivery personnel or general workers in the proximity of your home. When you are inside your home, it is also necessary to remain vigilant, eg, arm the perimeter alarm, check doors and windows and listen to unusual noises. * If you arrive home to find that windows or doors have been tampered with, do not go inside but instead call police or security from a cellphone or a neighbour's home. * Do not give personal information to unknown callers. In the event of an obscene call, hang up immediately without talking. Consider installing a caller's identification device. * Domestic staff and children need to be educated to look out for suspicious people loitering in the neighbourhood and report them to the police. They should have the telephone number of the police and security put in a visible place for an emergency, be told not to pass out information on their employers/parents and not to allow strangers on the property without permission. * Employers should always check staff's references as the 'external threat' may also come from within the household. The fact that a domestic worker has been with a family for years does not constitute a guarantee of safety. * Always lock doors and gates, even if you have to go just around the corner. Lock your garage and also the door that goes from the garage to the house. Secure your sliding glass doors to prevent them from being lifted out of their track. * Keep skylights closed and locked. This is a common access point for criminals. * Do not leave ladders or tools lying around your house as these may be used to gain access to your house or apartment. * Be sure that there are no large trees with branches overhanging your house that could be used by criminals to climb onto the roof or balcony. * Consider fencing your property in such a way that it is possible to see through. Walls or solid fencing provide unlimited cover for criminals once they are in your yard. * Close your blinds when you are home in order to avoid being observed by potential criminals. * Avoid names next to street numbers. This will prevent a would-be burglar of looking up the name of the resident in the telephone book and using his/her telephone number to check if someone is home. However, the house numbers should be clearly visible for police, firemen and paramedics to easily identify your home in an emergency. * Home owners should also make their homes more secure against the possibility of criminal invasions by, for instance, considering the following target hardening measures: • Intruder detection and panic systems may not in themselves prevent a criminal attack against a household but may be of value in:
(1) detecting a crime in progress and
(2) activating an emergency reaction system. The utilisation of outdoor infrared beams or passive infrared detectors offers the advantage that the home owners will be alerted of an attempted housebreaking at an early stage, thus providing them with far more time to react to an emergency situation.
Furthermore, remote portable panic transmitters should be carried at all times in order to be able to summon the contracted security company at the first signs of potential trouble. A panic transmitter should be kept in the car. Indications are that burglars tend to avoid houses fitted with alarms and links to response companies. It is, however, necessary to be linked to a reputable security company with a strong presence in the area. This should provide for a quick reaction to an emergency. Also, test your security systems on a regular basis and arrange for them to be adequately maintained. • Other security systems which may be considered include video surveillance cameras placed at strategic positions. A video intercom system will also be of value. • Surveillance is a weapon that may be used against criminals who are less likely to act if their actions can be witnessed. Shrubberies should be trimmed away and large plants and trees avoided (as they provide a hiding place for criminals). • Dogs can be a deterrent provided that they are adequately trained to raise the alarm. Small dogs kept inside the house, especially at night, can act as an early warning system against potential intruders. Have a beware dog sign at strategic places. • Materials, locks and padlocks securing doors, garage doors and fence gates should be of the best quality. Solid core doors, dead bolts and hardened shackle padlocks should be considered. Depending on the level of threat and on location (eg, isolated homes), consideration should also be given to installing burglar proofing and security doors/garage doors and reinforced glass where needed. • Valuables should not be kept in the main bedroom as this is the first place the burglars inspect. Use a properly hidden safe to lock your valuables and firearm away. A child's room is also an area rarely touched by burglars who usually presume that it contains nothing worthwhile for them. • Make a valuables inventory and keep a photographic or videotape record of your expensive and personally significant items. Store this inventory at a safe location. It is also recommended that you mark these items with some kind of personal information. This is helpful for both police and insurance purposes. • Lighting is an important crime deterrent. Your residence should be well lit. Consider a combination of photoelectric lighting (which automatically switches itself on at dusk and off at dawn) and motion-sensitive lighting (which switches itself on the instant an intruder steps into its range) to cover strategic areas. Make sure the lights are positioned at a height that intruders cannot easily disable them. Electronic timers that turn internal lights on and off at different times are also important. Conclusion Criminal home invasions can have extremely serious consequences for the victims. As we cannot expect the police or security to be constantly guarding our properties and us, it becomes necessary for us to take the initiative and adopt defensive strategies to minimise the risk of violent victimisation. By Elio Zannoni, who is a criminologist and specialist in crime risk factors and prevention strategies. He can be contacted at International Threat Analysis, a specialist, international risk consultancy involved in the intelligence and analysis of crime threats and risks worldwide. He may be contacted on 011 792 3739,
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PROTECT YOUR HOME FROM BURGLARS Here's the inside scoop on the most effective ways to protect your home and family from unwelcome intruders. Doors
· Choose metal exterior doors. If this is not possible, choose a solid wood door instead of a composite one. · Make sure door hinges are located inside so doors can't be removed from the outside. · If your mail slot is in your door, make sure a hand can't reach through the slot to the doorknob or locks. · For sliding glass doors, install a device that secures both the sliding and stationary panels of the door by pinning them together where the frames overlap. · Change your locks when you move into a new or existing home. You never know who had access to the home or who may still have keys to it. Windows
· Don't use crescent or "butterfly" latches to secure double-hung windows. They can be pried open easily with a knife. Use a do-it-yourself nail or bolt window stop instead. Drill the hole for the stop at a slight downward angle to prevent a burglar from jiggling the pin out of the hole under pressure. · Laminated-glass windows, which can only be cut from one side, foil another burglary method: Quietly cutting glass to gain entry. Laminated security glass products may be specified for virtually any application, regardless of concurrent requirements for heat-transfer, visibility, or aesthetics. They are especially appropriate for front-door windows and sidelights. · One ill-advised "security" treatment is the application of film to windows. Window films have never passed tests necessary to certify them as resistant to forced entry, and windows with a daylight application of film—one that is unanchored and adhered to the glass surface only—are actually easier to break than their unfilmed counterparts. · Windows that are never used—unless they are a means of escape during a fire—should be fastened permanently shut. Alarm Systems According to the police, homes equipped with centrally monitored alarm systems are 15 times less likely to be targets of break-ins. These steps will help you choose one that's right for your security needs. Determine how much protection you need.
The goal of a residential security system is to detect an intruder as early as possible, alert the home's occupants to his presence, and scare him away before he does any harm. Progressive layers of protection accomplish this goal. Imagine four concentric circles around your house, with your family and your most valuable possessions at the center. The interior of your home is the second layer, the exterior shell of your home is the third, and the property around your home is the fourth. For most people, a system that protects the second and third circles is both effective and cost efficient. This involves sensors on the windows and exterior doors, with interior motion detectors as backup to the point-of-entry protection. The additional cost of protecting the innermost circle adds spot protection for high-value areas, such as a security closet or safe; at this level the system will include 24-hour panic buttons. At the outermost circle of protection, motion sensors let you know when someone has come onto your property. Unless you live in a remote or hidden location, this protection is likely more than you need for the costs involved. Decide how you want the system to respond.
At a minimum, include one interior siren to scare off the burglar and alert you to the situation. You may want to add an exterior siren so that the neighbors know when your alarm is activated. Also, consider whether you want the system monitored by a central station. Choose a type of alarm system.
A basic alarm system is a low-voltage electrical circuit with sensors installed on doors and windows. When the flow of electricity through a sensor is interrupted because the door or window is opened, a siren sounds or a light flashes. Many systems also include motion sensors. When something moves within the sensor's range, an alarm sounds. Some systems are monitored systems, meaning they send a signal to a central station where operators, in turn, notify police. Compare prices
Get bids from two or three reputable security companies in your area. Be sure to compare not only the installation charges but also annual inspection costs and monthly fees (for monitored systems). Also, check with your insurance agent to see if you'll receive a discount for installing a certain type of system. Use it right
Alarm systems are only a part of good home security, and electronic systems have to be used properly to be effective. Solid doors and locks, as well as security-smart lighting and landscaping, are still important as well. BURGLAR PROOF YOUR HOME - SOME TIPS TO KEEP HOMEOWNERS SAFE
1. Pay attention to items that could allow easy access to second-floor windows or balconies. If you're remodeling or painting the exterior of your home, put ladders away at the end of each day. Don't leave them loose outside. If you can't put them safely inside, lock them securely. Suggest your neighbors follow this rule on ladders too.
2. Put things away. Don't leave articles on sidewalks, lawn or porch in areas easily accessible to the general public.
3. Be Alert for unusual activities. If you see an unknown person loitering in or around a neighbor's yard, don't be afraid to check his or her identity with your neighbor by phone.
4. Close garage doors whether at home or away. Opened and empty usually indicates an empty home and often allows easy access to cellar or entry unseen from the street.
5. When working in an attic or cellar or anyplace away from the main area of the house, lock up!
6. Secure all entrances at night and when leaving including cellar doors and windows.
7. Secure patio doors. They should lock from the inside. Place a strip of wood into the lower track and protruding screws in the upper track to prevent door from being slid/lifted out.
8. Use lights effectively. Leave several burning in different parts of the house when you go out and also turn on the television . Outside entrance lights and post lights illuminate possible hiding places around your house. Motion-detection lights on all sides of the house can also make your home less inviting to burglars.
9. Have effective window locks. A safe lock can be made by drilling a slight downward angle through the top of the bottom window sash and the bottom of the top sash and inserting a penny nail into the hole.
10. Vary your routine. If you follow the same routine weekly, a would-be burglar could watch your movements and know when your house is likely to be empty.
11· Make it difficult for an intruder to hide; trim bushes and trees to allow maximum exposure of windows and doorways.
12· Don't hide your house key outside. If a family member habitually loses or forgets his or her key, develop a better strategy—perhaps giving a set of keys to a trustworthy neighbor, or hanging the key on a long chain that a teen can wear around the neck.
13· Lower the volume of your telephone's ring so it can't be heard outside your house. (An unanswered phone tells a burglar casing your house that no one's home.)
14. Your first line of defense against burglars is the entryway doors. That means having a good deadbolt.
SOME TIPS TO KEEP FLAT DWELLERS SAFE
1. Women living alone should place their first and middle initials and last names on the mailbox, rather than their full names or "MISS," "MS." OR "MRS."
2. Keep you outer main doors locked. Cooperate with other tenants to see the door is not released unless you're sure about the person requesting entrance.
3. Change your locks when you move in. You never know who may still have a key to service technicians.
4. Never admit strangers in your apartment. Keep locks fastened and refer sales representatives, solicitors and information seekers to building managers.
5. Develop a buddy system with your neighbors. Be alert for suspicious looking strangers sounds or actions in hallways, and notify the building superintendent at once.
6. Supplemental locks can be placed on windows that open onto fire escapes and on doors that open onto terraces and balconies.
7. Keep few valuables in your apartment. Money, jewelry, furs etc. are safer in a storage vault or safe deposit box.
8. Keep mail box empty. If you are away, arrange with a neighbor or building manager to have letter circulars, etc. taken out of the box.
9. Leave a light burning and a radio playing quietly when you go out in the evening, this would give the impression that someone is at home.
10. Check references of house keepers and others who may have to work inside your apartment when you aren't there. WHAT TO DO IF YOU THINK YOUR HOME HAS BEEN ENTERED
1. Go to another phone and call police at once.
2. Don't touch anything in your home.
3. Leave everything exactly as you find it, so that evidence won't be destroyed.
4. Don't attempt a personal investigation, let the police handle it.
5. Give police any information you have, such as description of person(s) involved, items missing, etc. If strange cars have been in neighborhood, give description or license number. When you leave your home empty during an extended trip, there are some things you can do to make sure it’s safe from prowlers.
1. Secure all doors with quality deadbolt lock
2. Lock the door connecting your home to an attached garage with a key. It’s not enough just to lock it with an automatic garage door opener.
3. Rig lights, radios and televisions to timers so they turn on and off at various intervals.
4. A cost-effective way to discourage prowlers is to install low-voltage outdoor lights around the perimeter of your house.
5. Piles of newspapers and an empty driveway are a sure give away that no one is home.
6. Leave some shades open so your home doesn’t look shut up.
7. Never leave a message on your answering machine saying you’re away on a trip. You’d be surprised at how many people do this.
8. Be sure to mow your lawn before you leave; a well manicured lawn gives the impression that you are home.
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