To start with, what to do in a home invasion?

Verify their presence as soon as possible, avoid arguing with the intruder, take action quickly, maintain composure, move to your designated safe room, make a call for assistance, flee through a back window, retaliate, and make notes right away.

For more information, continue reading.

What To Do When Someone Is Breaking Into Your House?

Verify Their Presence Quickly 

Be quick to check because time is of the essence. Inhale deeply, pay close attention, and check your phone for alerts from your phone’s security cameras or video doorbell.

Test your ability to distinguish between the sounds of footsteps, breaking glass, opening doors, moving furniture, and normal plumbing noises from those made by pets and other loud noises.

Avoid Confronting The Home Invader

Confronting an intruder can have terrible, horrifying results. Even if the suspect isn’t carrying a weapon, protecting your loved ones from harm should come first when an intruder enters your property.

The majority of the time, burglars just want to take whatever valuables they can find and leave without hurting anyone. Don’t resist the invader if you come face to face with them. When no one is home, burglars typically break into a building. Be a good witness by recording everything, from the items taken to any property damage, rather than attempting to apprehend a burglar who is running away. Stop anyone from entering the crime scene and dial the police. Keep in mind that your safety and the welfare of your loved ones are far more important than your possessions. Avoid doing anything that might startle the intruder and force them to take an extreme step. A loved one’s safety may be in danger if you try to stop the person.

Take Action Swiftly

The last thing you want to do is press the panic button when you see a home invader entering your property. Instead, maintain your composure because the next 30 seconds after a burglary are crucial to how everything else turns out. Try to ascertain crucial information such as the quantity of burglars, the areas they intend to target, and whether they pose a threat to your safety. To avoid being seen, keep quiet and exercise caution. Together with your family, develop a successful action plan once you have a good understanding of what the intruders are up to.

Be Calm

It’s common for your heart rate to increase and your adrenaline to spike in scary situations. In order to clear your mind and body and decide what to do next, take a few deep breaths.

In high-stress situations, refrain from drawing your weapon unless you have received tactical training; weapons like firearms frequently increase danger rather than reduce it, especially if you have not received formal training.

Move To Designated Safe Room

During a home invasion, it can be dangerous to attempt to leave your house. Go to a designated safe room to avoid any security risks. Remember to prepare the safe room with a flashlight, phone, water, and a self-defense weapon that you can use if the situation escalates and you are left with no choice but to confront the intruder. You might also want to have a large piece of furniture that you can slide in front of the entrance. Never leave the safe room if there are no sounds, even if you think the intruders have fled. Instead, remain inside until assistance arrives.

Call Police

To deal with potentially dangerous situations, police are prepared and trained. Every law enforcement officer receives specialized training to deal with home invaders, which is a good enough reason to put your trust in them rather than attempting to handle things on your own. Call the police and let them know what’s going on once you and the other residents are gathered in the safe room. Do not hang up if for any reason you are unable to communicate with the operator. Instead, leave your phone on speaker mode so that the person on the other end can hear what is being said.

Escape Through A Rear Window

Escape through a rear entrance or window can be a risky maneuver, especially if you don’t know how to plan the exercise. Verify that the intruder has already entered your home and is not still outside trying to figure out how to gain access before developing an escape strategy. The last thing you want to do is accidentally run into an armed robber. Make sure no one is hiding out by thoroughly inspecting the escape route. Take a chance and head for your neighbor’s house or any other place you deem secure if you can’t find anyone. Move very quietly and with extreme caution to prevent drawing unwanted attention.

Retaliate

During a home invasion, many homeowners act rashly. The intruder might become enraged as a result and attack the homeowner or a family member. As a last resort, think about taking revenge. Only if you or a loved one’s safety is in danger should you consider confronting the intruder. You can act if the intruder is attempting to enter the safe room and you do not anticipate assistance arriving in the upcoming few minutes.

Take Notes Immediately Afterward

If you’re in a position to see the intruder, take notes on everything. You should be able to provide a detailed account of their weight, gender, height, clothing, vehicles, and direction of travel in case they flee before police show up.

It will be simpler for police to find the burglar and stop them from harming other homes. Additionally, make a list of everything that was damaged or taken so you can report the burglary to the police in detail and begin your recovery.

Even though a break-in can be a frightening and upsetting experience, you can minimize the risk of one happening and maintain composure in the event that it does.

Systems Of Home Security 

If you do not already have a home security system, you should think about getting one in addition to taking the steps above to prevent break-ins. A home security system will not only serve as a deterrent, but it will also notify you and the authorities of any incidents.

Some home security systems come with some really cool features. The ability for magnetic sensors to be installed on the windows is one of the features to look for. Additionally, you should confirm that the home security system is simple to use and maintain. User-friendliness should come first. Visit our guide to the best home security systems if you’re interested in learning more.

A home security system should be installed as soon as possible. Your mental health as well as the security of your home, possessions, and loved ones are too important to put off.

Tips For Home Security 

The most well-liked doorbell cameras, home security systems, you name it, we’ve tested and reviewed. There are other home security suggestions to keep in mind, but these systems undoubtedly help to deter burglars and home invaders. You’ll feel more secure right away if you use these simple security tips and tricks. Lighting is where it all begins.

Lighting Is Everything

Bright lighting is the first and most crucial deterrent. Criminals look for dark areas that appear deserted and are challenging to see at dusk or in the dark when they are scoping out potential target locations. Your home will be visible to neighbors and onlookers if your yard is well-lit. Therefore, to give the impression that someone is home and deter burglars from targeting your home, we advise leaving a few interior lights on while you are away. A spotlight camera is something else you might want to research. The Ring Spotlight is always a good option for surveillance and lighting, as we recently discovered from first-hand experience.

Avoid An Empty Appearance

Keep your house from looking empty, as was previously mentioned. You should turn on the radio or the TV while you’re going to be away in addition to leaving the lights on inside. A great way to keep burglars and curious onlookers away from your home is to create the appearance of movement inside.

If you intend to be away from home for an extended period of time, we also advise you to have a plan for your mail. Your home may become a convenient target if it becomes obvious that you have not collected any mail or newspapers. Leaving packages outside your door will also attract shady characters like porch pirates or package thieves.

Do Not Showcase Valuables

The visibility or accessibility of your expensive or large items is another thing you need to think about. When organizing the yard, keep this in mind above all else. Burglars are frequently drawn to expensive items like a new grill, a riding lawnmower, or a nice car that is visible when parked close to the house. They’ll assume that if there’s something expensive outside or close to the house, there must also be something expensive inside.

Did You Know: Leaving ostentatious items in your yard, such as a brand-new lawnmower, leaves them open to theft and gives burglars the impression that more pricey items may be kept inside your house.

Keep Your Keys With You

Numerous individuals believe that keeping a hidden key is a secure and practical way to have a spare key in case of emergency. Sadly, this is not a particularly good idea. The truth is that thieves are aware of this custom and frequently look for a hidden key before trying another entry method. Burglars frequently observe the neighborhood activity while they are casing out a house. They might notice the key and the location of it if they are keeping an eye on your house to decide whether it is one they want to break into.

Make Entry Difficult

Although it might seem obvious, there are many little things that can make your home seem like a good target. These might include windows that are thin or inadequately secured, doors with subpar locks, or easily opened garage doors. However, it is simple to fix these issues. A secure garage door, new doorknobs and deadbolts (or better yet, smart locks), and thick windows with clearly locked latches are all things you should make sure you have. If a doorway appears to be a straightforward access point, it probably is.

Vivint – Smart Door Lock

Cover Your Windows

It’s also crucial to close your drapes and blinds. You must ensure that potential intruders cannot see clearly into your home, which could reveal any of your possessions or give away the fact that you are away. A burglar who lacks motivation to break into your home will probably choose another one as a target.

Eliminate Blind Spots

Many people overlook the significance of maintaining their home’s visibility from the street and their neighbors’ yards. A burglar may feel comfortable targeting your home if he or she can conceal themselves from onlookers behind bushes, furniture, or fences. A burglar will be less likely to loiter, though, if there is nowhere for them to hide.

Unruly plants like trees and shrubs are frequently found and can act as blind spots or hiding places. To prevent any blind spots that they might cause, we advise keeping your trees and bushes trimmed.

Beef Up Your Doors

Another effective deterrent are thick, imposing doors. Burglars won’t be as confident in their ability to quickly enter your home if you have strike plates on your doors and make your doors appear difficult to break through. They won’t likely want to stay visible for long enough to break in if it seems like it would take a long time to get inside your house.

Pro Tip: If your doors have glass panels, check to see that they are secure and do not provide a direct line of sight into the house. A deadbolt or other locking device should be installed on your door in a place that cannot be accessed through a window.

Keep Your Yard Free Of Tall Objects

Live Video of the Vivint Doorbell

When there are ladders, trees, or big appliances close to the house, it may be easier for intruders to climb up to a high window or the roof in search of a better point of entry. They can also act as a hiding place for potential burglars. Keeping tall objects hidden and pruning trees in a way that makes them challenging to climb are better ideas. You should also get rid of anything in your yard that could be thrown into windows, like big rocks or other heavy objects.

Keep Your Garage Closed

Don, the Vivint Installation Technician, installing our Smart Garage Door Opener

Although it should go without saying, you’d be surprised at how frequently garage doors are left raised, unlocked, or cracked open. Always check to make sure there is no way for a burglar to enter your garage. A garage that has been compromised makes it simple for an intruder to enter, close the door, and hide while planning a break-in. If you leave your garage unprotected, you run the risk of having tools or other pricey items stolen, even if a burglar finds it challenging to enter your home through the garage.

In light of the fact that Vivint and other smart home security systems frequently sell remote garage door controllers and garage sensors, we advise looking into these systems. In fact, the Vivint garage opener we recently tested and reviewed added a little extra peace of mind to the smart home security system.

The Bottom Line

Everyone is susceptible to home invasion, but some homes are more likely to be the target than others. Intruders will stay away from a home that is obviously outfitted with a security system, as well as good lighting and sturdy locks. But you should follow the advice above if you find someone inside your house.

Please DO LEAVE A COMMENT in the blog comment section below if you have any questions, and I will be happy to assist you.