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target of a daytime break-in? ...an opportunistic snatch and grab of some sort
or target of a home invasion... where people forcibly enter while you're there?
The first is just about unavoidable if you don't follow some very basic common sense things
(door locks, trimmed shrubs, neighbors you talk to, etc).
The second is damned unlikely to happen.
You say home invasions are damned near unlikely to happen? Really?
I was a Police Officer in two different states for a total of 30 years. No, I do not have statistics, but I can tell you that we handled a lot of home invasions. Some perps broke doors off hinges, while others decoyed at the front door and forced their way in, once the homeowner opened the door. Some victims were lucky to only have some items stolen and the thieves left. Other victims not so much. People have been tied up, beaten and otherwise tortured and women raped. Mostly at gunpoint. Sure, some were drug related, but certainly NOT the majority. I've seen them in seedy parts of town and the affluent parts of town. Mostly(not all) done by various gangs for initiation purposes.
Yes, a common burglar would not appreciate you trimming your hedges and locking your doors, but violent home invaders could care less. If they target your house for whatever the reason, they WILL get in.
I've dealt with a lot of criminals, investigating, arresting and defending myself against them. I've been assaulted several times while working and not working. Two people tried to rob me at gunpoint, only to be shot themselves(separate incidents). I've been stabbed once and slashed once.
What I'm saying is, we do not live in the Land of Oz. Crime happens. Lot's of crimes even go unreported, so statistics are skewed.
I already posted this in the thread "thieves at your door";
Quote:
Yeah, that's definitely not a new tactic.
I had something similar happen to me, only it was older folks, maybe early forties. When the bell rang, I went upstairs and looked out the window. I could see an early '90's pick up truck in my driveway. My wife was at work and my truck was in the garage. They were not selling pine needles, because I could see the bed of the truck was empty.
Doorbell range again and I see another person in the pick up get out and walk towards the back of my house. There were three guys altogether, so one remained in the drivers seat of the pick up truck. They were fairly well dressed, meaning not in work clothes or any type of uniform, like TWC.
Along the way, I picked up my handgun, extra magazine and the old standby, the Louisville Slugger. I called 911 and told them exactly what was happening. While on the phone with 911, I heard one of them try the back door knob.
Lucky for them, the cops pulled up, blocking their truck. One took off running and the cops corralled the other two. They claimed to be selling pine needles, yet there was not even one strand of a pine needle in their truck. They did have various tools that could be used as burglary tools. I walked around back and found a screw driver wedged in my window screen.
Cops charged them with attempted burglary, possession of burglary tools and various warrants from different counties.
They met a better fate, then if they would have entered my home.......I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who would attempt to cause me great bodily harm, in the pursuit of burglarizing my home and stealing all that I worked for.
You really have to be careful, because another method is to home invade. They ring the bell, you open the door and they push their way into your home. I know that's rare, but it does happen and people should be aware.
Well..if you read these threads..you would be lead to believe that home invasions are a daily occurrence in Charlotte.
According to my community police contacts, home invasions are usually the product of "something". The thugs know something about the inhabitants of the home...either that they have cash money around, that they sell/have drugs, or that they've made somebody really mad. It is rare that a home invasion is random or just a whim. If you've taken the steps to protect your home and don't dabble in anything that could make you a target, you should be reasonably safe. A few city smarts goes a long way...
You don't have to live in fear. Take the necessary precautions and you should be just fine.
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