(Jan. 10, 2004)

The boldness of criminals, locally and across the nation, has caused citizens to reevaluate their security of their home. With burglaries and home invasions on the rise, residents need to take extra steps to protect themselves and their property.

For years, citizens have been taught that thier home is a sanctuary. Even when not at home, property was safe from the criminal element. But with the increase of home invasions and burglaries, citizens should evaluate the safety and security of their home.

According to crime statistics from the FBI, a burglary is committed somewhere in the United States every 15.4 seconds. Most burglaries are non-confrontational, however, the victim of a burglary feels vulnerable and violated.

Most home burglaries occur during the day when most people are at work or school. Business burglaries occur at night after the businesses have close and there is less traffic in business districts.

Statistics show young males under the age of 25 commit most burglaries. The items they select are usually expensive and can easily be converted to cash. Money, electronics, jewelry, and guns, are common items taken during a burglary.

Burglars usually select homes that are unoccupied and are easily accessible. By taking a few simple safety and security measures, residents can make their home less appealing to burglars.

Sampson County sheriff's detective Capt. Ricky Mattocks said the best protection a resident can have against burglary is a strong door with good locks.

"The harder it is to break into a home, the greater the chance the burglar will choose an easier victim," he said.

Mattocks recommends using steel or solid wooden doors that resist prying and twisting. Additionally, good quality locks and deadbolts are essential.

"Remember that the lock or deadbolt is only as strong at the door casing," Mattocks said.

Most door casings are made of soft wood that can easily be split or busted. When a burglar kicks a door with a weak casing, the casing will often break and allow the door to open.

Weak latch mechanisms make sliding glass doors an easy target for burglars to enter a home. Inserting a wooden stick or dowel between the sliding door and the door jam can increase the security of a sliding door. Commercial devices that have a folding metal arm, such as the "Charley Bar," may also be installed on a sliding door. When not in use, the Charley Bar can be folded out of the way. To secure the door, simply lower the metal arm between the sliding door and the jam.

Rollers on sliding doors should be properly adjusted and in good working condition to prevent the door from being lifted out of the track.

Windows that are accessible from the ground are attractive to burglars, including windows that may be reached from trees, balconies, or fences.

"Most windows have latches and not locks," Mattocks said. "Latches can be slipped open with thin materials such as credit cards or screw drivers."

To prevent windows from being opened, use locking pins. Locking pins are inexpensive to purchase and easy to install.

Windows that are used for ventilation should be blocked to prevent opening more than six inches. With the window open, make sure a burglar cannot reach through and open a door.

Nosy neighbors are good neighbors, according to Mattocks. Neighbors who are aware of what is going on in their community are most likely to report suspicious or criminal activity.

"Most crimes in progress calls are reported by an alert neighbor," Mattocks said. "The quicker law enforcement officers can arrive at the scene after a crime is committed, the better our chances are in solving the crime."

Interior lighting shows signs of life inside the home. Light timers may be used to create the illusion that someone is living in the home, even while on vacation or just out for the evening. Keep curtains drawn at night to prevent burglars from seeing inside the home.

Timers may also be used to turn on radios and television sets to further enhance the illusion of occupancy.

Exterior lighting is also very important. The purpose of good lighting is to allow a resident or neighbor to see if a threat or suspicious person is lurking around the home. Exterior lighting should be bright enough to see 100-feet. Good lighting is also a deterrent to criminals because they don't want to be seen or identified.

Security lights with infrared motion sensors are relatively inexpensive and can easily replace exterior porch lights or side door lights on single-family homes. Heat-motion sensor can be adjusted to detect body heat and can be programmed to reset after one minute. Security lights are highly recommended for single-family homes.

Alarm systems deter burglaries because they increase the chances that a criminal will be caught and arrested by the police. The deterrent value of alarms come from yard signs or window decals identifying the home as having an alarm system.

Alarm systems need to be properly installed and maintained and can be monitor for fire, as well as burglary. The system should have an audible device that will activate if someone does break into the home.

Home alarms, like car alarms, are generally ignored except for a brief glance, however, by establishing a good relationship with neighbors, the concern for an alarm is more genuine. Neighbors will usually call the police, wait for them to arrive, allow them inside for an inspection, and secure the residence. Some good neighbors might also call a glass company or locksmith to repair any damage.

"Most burglaries are solve by tracing property back to the owner," Mattocks said. "This is why it is very important for property owners to record the make, model, and serial numbers of their valuables. Engraving a driver's license number or taking a photograph is also helpful."

One of the more frightening and potentially dangerous crimes that can occur to a family is a home invasion.

A home invasion is when robbers force their way into an occupied home, apartment or hotel room, to commit a robbery or other crimes. It is particularly frightening because it violates our private space and the one place we feel safe, our home.

Home invasion is the residential form of an automobile carjacking and it is on the rise. Three home invasions have been reported in Sampson County in the past three months.

Most law enforcement agencies statistically record a home invasion as a residential burglary or robbery. Without the ability to track the specific crime of home invasion, little can be done to alert the public about the frequency of occurrence in their community.

Residential burglars work mostly during the day and when a residence is less likely to be occupied. Most burglars work alone and tend to probe a neighborhood looking for the right residence and the right opportunity. Alarm signs and decals, bars on windows, strong locks and doors, big dogs, and alert neighbors can sometimes deter burglars. Also, burglars will avoid a confrontation and will usually flee when approached. Most burglaries do not result in violence unless they are cornered and has to use force to escape.

Home invasions more often occur on nights and weekends when residences are likely to be occupied. The home invaders will sometimes target the resident as well as the residence. For example, the selection process may include a woman living alone, a senior citizen or a known drug dealer. It is not uncommon for a robber to follow their victim home based on the value of the car they drive or the jewelry they wear.

Home invaders rarely work alone and rely on an overwhelming physical confrontation to gain control and instill fear in their victims. The greatest violence usually occurs during the initial confrontation. The home invaders often come prepared with handcuffs, rope, duct tape, and firearms.

According to Mattocks, the act of committing a home invasion has escalated.

"Businesses have made it more difficult for criminals to attack," Mattocks said. "Technology has allowed businesses to install affordable video surveillance systems, silent alarms, and other anti-crime devices. Because the act of committing a crime in a business has become more difficult, a residence can be more appealing to a criminal."

Home invaders know that they won't have to overcome alarm systems when the home is occupied or be worried about video cameras and silent alarms. Home robbers have privacy once inside the home and do not have to deal with customers or security patrols. Once the offenders have taken control of a residence, they can force the occupants to open safes, locate hidden valuables, and supply keys to the family car. Home robbers will try to increase their escape time by disabling the phones and sometimes will leave their victims bound or incapacitated.

The most common point of attack in a home invasion is through the front door or garage. Sometimes the invaders will simply kick open the door and confront everyone inside. More common is when the home invaders knock on the door first or ring the doorbell. They hope the occupant will simply open the door, without question, in response to their knock. Unfortunately, many people do just that.

"We see the threshold of a door as a protective barrier," Mattocks said. "As long as we're behind that threshold, we feel protected. The criminal doesn't see that barrier."

Home invaders will sometimes use trickery to get the occupant to open the door.

"In some cases they have pretended to be delivering a package or lie about an accident like hitting your parked car," Mattocks said. "Once the door is opened, they use force and threats to gain control of the home and produce fear in their victims. Once the occupants are under control, the robbers begin collecting the valuables."

The same tactics used to prevent daytime burglaries will go a long way to prevent forced entry home robberies. Delaying a home invader at the point of entry with good doors and locks gives the victim time to call the police. A solid core door, strong locks with reinforced strike plates, and reinforced window locking devices will stop most forced entries.

The weakest home security link is the home occupant who fails to lock doors or windows or who will open the door without question at the sound of a knock.

The best defense against home invasion is education and planning. Parents should hold family meetings to discuss how to answer the door when someone knocks. Another important topic is how to act should your home be invaded. Once you know how home invaders work, a person can effectively prevent most occurrences.

Rod Brown can be reached at 910-592-8137, ext. 22 or by email at [email protected].