Here are a few ways to help prevent a home invasion:
1. Keep every single door locked in your home. Leave a spare key with one of your neighbors or with possibly a family member in case you get locked out.
2. Keep all your window blinds and curtains closed during the night. This can deter criminal activity. It makes invaders think twice about what they can’t see on the other side.
3. Home alone? Never let the appearance of a house look totally dark. Put on some lights and possibly use a radio to make it appear as if someone is always home.
4. Know your surroundings. When approaching your vehicle, criminals may follow you home after stalking you.
5. Intruders will less likely injure you if you cooperate with their demands. In many instances they will only take your possessions and not harm you if you do.
6. Just glance at the intruder so they don’t feel threatened by you being able to give a good description of what they look like.
7. Victims are often placed in a master bathroom during a home invasion. A phone or hand gun carefully hidden in the room may come in handy.
8. A secret code over the telephone that you have rehearsed in advance may signal help.
9. If the phone should ring during a home invasion, the intruder would probably tell you not to answer it. Make sure you tell them that you are expecting a very important call. Tell them that the caller knows you are home and that if you don’t answer, the caller will suspect something is wrong and call your neighbor. If you answer the call and it happens to be someone who knows your code, make sure you say it in a natural tone of voice and your caller will know then to call 911.
Atlantic Systems is an authorized dealer of Guardian Protection Services located in Pittsburgh. Do a search on home invasion protection Pittsburgh, guardian Pittsburgh or visit their site at http://www.securitysystemspittsburgh.com to learn more about home security and home invasion.