The 5 D’s Of Home Defense
Deter
Protecting our castle.
What we are preparing against in this first “D” is an attack on our family through home invasion of our property through a burglary.
Having this happen will destroy our feeling of safety within our homes.
The first “D” is to Deter the attack.
It is our first line of defense against attack. Parallels to the Color Code of Awareness can be drawn.
The same characteristics that make us an attractive target on the street also make our homes an inviting target to a burglar.
Just as if we are in Condition White personally and look like an easy target, our homes can look like an easy target.
Our goal is make our home look like a hard target. Bad guys want easy targets. They don’t like to be seen, recorded or heard and they don’t want to spend much time getting into your home.
Let’s start from the beginning.
They search for a good target to hit. As they drive around, they are looking for clues that will amount to either “let’s keep driving” or “stop, let’s hit this one.”
Is the garage door open? Is it often open so valuables can be seen so the burglar knows where they can be found even if it is closed later?
Is there activity inside or out?
Have kids walked into the house without a key or code input?
Is there a new, large TV box sitting by the trash can or other indications that something new and expensive is inside?
Are there trees or shrubs that hide windows and doors?
He doesn’t want to be seen approaching the home by you or be seen while jimmying a window or busting down a door.
Is there easy access to the backyard where he can ply his craft unseen and create an access point slowly and quietly?
Does the property look well-kept and orderly? Fair or unfair, the overall appearance can add to the appeal to getting hit or be a deterrent.
You’ll have to adjust your protection plan and consider your neighborhood, do your neighbors windows look out at your house?
Busy street or quiet street?
Local PD response times to your home?
Where would a burglar park? Is there street lighting?
Can a dog on your property be seen from the street?
Perform a security audit and ask yourself all of these questions.
Now, working from the above questions, let’s work on a checklist.
Start by driving down your street or walk your neighborhood and be the bad guy.
Look for which house you would attack. How would you attack it? How is it vulnerable?
Now turn that same evil eye toward your home. How would you attack it? Where, how, when? Walk around and try to break-in.
As you see potential weak areas, apply a defense to make is stronger.
Consider a fence that blocks easy access to your backyard. Lock the fence gate from inside.
Trim shrubs from around doors and windows.
Consider landscaping that funnels the bad guy to lighted, reinforced doors.
Install an alarm yard sign. Preferably with an actual alarm system.
Install motion-activated flood lights.
Install a lighting control that activates indoor lights randomly to give the appearance of someone home when you are away.
Lights that give off the same blue light as a TV are available and when they are behind a blind or curtain, they look as if someone is home and watching TV.
Install security cameras that can be seen. Unseen cameras in addition.
Form a family plan of always keeping the garage door closed.
Form a neighborhood plan that encourages all to lock their car doors. If a bad guy knows he can get into cars to steal stuff, then all the bad guys know that your neighborhood is an easy mark for such activity – they talk to each other regarding such things.
If your neighbors have created a ‘easy mark’ reputation it is bad for you too. Now the bad guys are in your neighborhood looking to commit crimes.
Put some thought into what the criminals are looking for and adjust your security plan accordingly.
In our next article, we will address the second line of defense if the bad guys have chosen your home to attack.
Here are the layers of defense we find in Deter:
1. Garage Door
2. Parked Cars
3. Vacation
4. Property
5. Windows