Keeping your House Safe and Secure from the Bad Guys
Many years ago I was sleeping in my parent's house, when I heard a knock at the door. I was 19 or 20 at the time, severely hung over and not so happy about being woken up at 8 in the morning. Soon there was a second round of knocking, which got me to the edge of the bed and my feet on the floor. Out of the corner of my eye, peering through the blinds, I saw two men walk away from the house and get in a car. I watched them drive away.
It had been a couple of years since high school. Often I would run into an old classmate who looked completely different. Usually they had gained weight, lost weight, grown their hair out, cut their hair, or maybe they were sporting a beard. One of the men looked my age, but I didn't recognize him. I figured they were old schoolmates that had changed their appearance. There was a part of me that wondered who they were, but I drank too much the previous night to really care.
At this point I was up, still sitting on the edge of the bed, and just staring at the ground. I couldn’t fall back asleep, but I surely didn't want to get up. So there I sat, staring at my feet for the next ten minutes.
Soon I saw movement again outside. I turned my head to the right and looked through the blinds. They were back, walking towards the front door, but their car was not in the driveway. I waited for a knock, but there was none.
I walked to the front door, anticipating an old schoolmate. When I got there, I couldn't see anybody through the pane. The door however, was shaking, slowly, back and forth. I knew then something wasn't right.
As I slowly approached, I peeked through the upper glass pane and saw one of the men, squatted down at the end of the walk-way, peering around the corner. As I watched him, the door began to move again, back and forth. I stood on my tip-toes and looked down. There was the second man, trying to pick the lock to my parent's front door. I immediately called 911, told them my house was being broken into, and decided to exit out the back slider. This certainly was not the morning I was expecting.
Growing up in Florida, it rained constantly in the summer months, and my folks had a rain gauge attached to a 2x4 sticking in the ground. Upon exiting their home, I went from being scared to quite angry. I pulled this 2x4 out of the ground and decided to approach them. Probably not the wisest idea, but given how quickly this all happened, my age, and my hung-over state, it wasn’t surprising.
At this point I was barefoot, and clothed in nothing more than a pair of cut off sweat pants as I walked outside. With no shirt, no shoes, serious morning breath and brandishing a 2x4 as a weapon, I was a perfect candidate for “Cops."
My anger rose as I approached the corner. I came around the front of the house slowly and quietly. I was now furious with rage and ready for a physical altercation. The younger male with long hair now had my brother’s window open, the screen thrown on the ground beside him. When he saw me, he froze.
Strangely there were few words spoken. As I walked towards him with my improvised weapon, he continued to back up. It was a very slow walk between the two of us for the next 50 feet or so, before he took off running. His lookout ran in the other direction. I had recalled which way they drove their car after their initial visit. I ran up to the street, anticipating that he would come from that direction in order to pick up his accomplice.
I was correct. But I would not get his tag, because as he drove by, he aimed a gun at me through the window and I covered my face praying he wouldn't shoot. (15 minutes ago I was asleep. Asleep!) Thankfully, no shots were fired.
I walked back to my parent’s house and waited for the police to arrive.
So how can we protect our homes from the bad guys here in Las Vegas?
My parents didn’t have an alarm system, they didn’t have a dog and their property was hidden by a large hedge of trees. They also had some acreage, enough to keep the would-be burglars hidden from neighbors. There was a combination of things that left their home open to an intruder. Some their fault, most not.
First things first
Secure the doors and windows. I was shocked to find this out, but not everybody is as OCD as I am (there is no sarcasm font I'm told.) Over 1/3 of burglars enter a home through an unlocked door or window. High quality deadbolt locks can secure doors, but they do little good if they are not in use.
A dog really is your best friend
My previous residence of 8 years did not have a security system. But it did have two dogs who barked. A dog does two things: 1) It acts as an alarm and 2) It is a physical threat to an intruder. Burglars obviously don't want to be seen or heard, but they also don't want to get hurt.
Home alarms
There have been plenty of arguments against security alarms on various TV programs like 20/20. Regardless, they still make noise which can deter a bad guy. They also will notify authorities immediately. In my case I had time to call 911. Others may not have the time, or be able to find their phone.
Install motion lights
Motion lights are affordable and and work immediately to deter crime. Burglars don't want to be seen or heard, and illuminating an area as they approach can be quite effective. When used in conjunction with security cameras this can absolutely dissuade a criminal.
Meet your neighbors
I’ve also learned to work with my trusted neighbors, and keep an eye on each other’s houses when we are away. If it looks like somebody is at home, burglars move on to the next property. If you’re leaving for a holiday weekend to go camping at Mt. Charleston for instance, have a neighbor park in your driveway, pick up your mail, and check in occasionally.
So what happened?
So what happened to the knuckleheads who attempted to break into my parent’s house? One police report, and one line-up later, they were in custody. Apparently they had been breaking into homes all over the area. One of them was only 17 years old, while the other was 32. The minor however was released on his own recognizance. Shortly after he appeared on the local news “Most wanted” segment because he decided not to stick around. I never knew what happened to his partner in crime though. (Perhaps he went on to become a lobbyist for Goldman Sachs?)
More than anything, I was just glad my Mom or Dad weren't home when it happened.
Remember, even if you live in a gated community here in Vegas, put security measures in place to protect your home and more importantly your family.