Another Home Invasion In CT

Report said they "burst in"...

Dont' know if that means the door was opened to a knock, they kicked it in, or went around back to a glass door. Obviously moving to a nice town isn't the answer; both of the CT invasions happened in price-exclusive neighborhoods. Very much like mine.

You have offered a lot of good ideas. But nobody has mentioned the peep sight, which i installed some years back. Allows you to see, or demand to see, someone at the door without opening it. Except when the wife hangs a wreath right over it during the holidays.

Good lighting; just saw lighting kits from Sprtsmans guide that aren't just motion sensing, they are motion tracking so the lights move with the object that tripped the sensor. Looked pretty interesting.

Bushes next to the house aren't all bad; superior thorny brambles under windows can substantially deter someone forcing their way through if they are getting all cut up and snagged in the process.

Dogs - the benefits are endless, plus most are naturally vigilant and protective. And loud. And decidedly not easy to silence, considering the BG has to come inside first in order to deal with the dog, then dispatch a moving snarling target with teeth in the dark. Of course, i would be awakened to the initial barking and will be at the top of the stairs with Mr. Mossberg and a blinding tac light.

I really like the retractable blinds for the back door; maybe a danger if your house is prone to catching fire, but otherwise like a cosmetically enhanced version of the commercial roll-down gates on every storefront in NYC.

Alarms are okay, but i think the sign by the door does most of the work. If the alarm trips and the cops get called, they are still not going to be there except to mop up the mess. Unless the alarm is trained to say "shots fired, officer down". Which would open up a whole different can of worms, but would probably get the LE there a whole lot faster.

The worst thing about these is their apparent randomness. I guess you should never buy the biggest house in the neighborhood and should drive older cars. Or at least park the Mercedes in the garage, out of sight...
 
You're sitting on the couch watching TV when 5 guys crash through your rear slider and you have 3 seconds before they are in your living room with you. What do you do? Is the element of surprise and disparity of force too much to overcome? Do you wait until they separate to search the house before drawing and taking down the one or two in sight, hoping you can escape into the night with your family?
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Layers! Lighting outside, cameras outside, burglar bars, alarm system, rotweiler, and finally my family. I have given us an ounce of prevention plus the time to identify that we are under attack and acquire the defensive tools needed to repel an attack.
 
With regard to the peep sight, I substituted in CCTV. If I were setting up a new place, I would prefer that. You don't have to approach the door to see who is there, just check the monitor.

Note: Credit where it is due, I got most of the home layering ideas from Mas Ayoob.
 
Note: Credit where it is due, I got most of the home layering ideas from Mas Ayoob.
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Mine just stacked up over the years. My burglar bars came on the house when I bought it although I did add front and rear door bars. Alarm system was my first move and saved me from a potential hugh loss in valuables. Our local deputies suggested the lighting to a neighbor while we all talked about an event that happened next door. Cameras were installed after someone stole a metal welcome mat from out front of my house while my boys were home alone and in serious fear (strange man looking shady out front stealing things). The wife and I wanted to be able to watch the house from our cell phones.....we love this BTW.....my boys not so much LOL. Finally the dog. My boys get credit for this because they whined and cried until I gave in. The Rotty is turning into an early warning system and a buttocks chewing machine.

I guess I just lucked into my system over time.
 
And although they haven't been on TV or been the designated spokespersons for their department, I have several times had LEOs tell me that they recommend citizens, and especially small business people, be armed. Preaching to the choir, of course.
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My dad is a dentist and a few of his patients are local pd/sheriff's deputies. The most recent LEO that was in his chair knew that my dad was a hunter, gun owner, conceal carry holder, and asked "so what are you packing around the office?" and was astonished that he said nothing. He generally carries when going to his office at night to do paperwork, etc. - but I told him he should keep something on him, preferably something bigger in his back office, and if the front counter girls felt comfortable - something up front for them.

My step-mom agree at least with him carrying something on him at all times even while working, he owns his own practice and doesn't even make use of some of the benefits of being a small business owner. I would be ecstatic to be able to carry at work, and I single handedly would never be able to convince the owners otherwise unless something drastic happened here, which I hope it never does.
 
(A Rottie!)

Hiker1, that would only be possible if the dog were in a coma upon arrival. If one is really worried about them taking out your lone dog, get another dog and that'll turn away even more people.

Any dog owner should know that dogs have a sense of duty and need to have a job. If you give them this encouragement to duty, they will be happy controllable, aggressive dogs who take their job seriously. One bark is for friends and another bark is for strangers or uniforms. I love dogs.

Home Depot or Lowes has a cheapish (185) camera setup that I use and has one cam and the remote but can easily be tied to an extra TV, and it works very good. It takes up to four cams I think.
 
We've got the finest home security available, two great big ol' dogs and a crazy woman with a .357mag.
God help the poor dumb sob who tries it out.
 
Hiker1, it appears you assume there will only be one dog, and that it will be left on its own, outdoors.
I have three, and they are primarily indoor dogs. When outdoors, the two large dogs play together. I suppose they'd be vulnerable to poisons, but a baseball bat, not so much.

I assume nothing - if you have 3 dogs, you probably aren't going to have a home invasion. If you have 3 dogs and 5 BG's decide that it's still worth the risk, you and your dogs have a serious problem.
 
Hiker1, that would only be possible if the dog were in a coma upon arrival. If one is really worried about them taking out your lone dog, get another dog and that'll turn away even more people.

Probably true. It' also highly unlikely that 5 somewhat-organized armed BG's are going to target your house anyway.

If they have recon'd your house, know you have protective dogs, they're probably not coming. If they know this and come anyway, there is something inside that they want pretty badly.
 
I was talking to a detective from the Tampa Police Department on Tuesday and he said in his 10 years of service he has seen only one home invasion that was NOT linked to drugs (as in home owner is a dope dealer). Seems they are rare for those of us who aren't into curb side pharmaceuticals.
 
"...Would even a 12 ga shotgun have been..." Yep. If you are good enough and have practiced on multiple targets. Mind you, nothing is going to help when you're pulled nekkid from the shower.
A dog can make a difference though. Even little dogs. Territorial creatures, so they are, that will defend their humans. Most criminals are afraid of dogs too.
"...NOT linked to drugs..." Mostly Asian gangbangers attacking hard working Asian businessmen's homes, up here.
 
Layers! Lighting outside, cameras outside, burglar bars, alarm system, rotweiler, and finally my family. I have given us an ounce of prevention plus the time to identify that we are under attack and acquire the defensive tools needed to repel an attack.
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Sad we have gotten to this point. I agree to be proactive but damn you need to live too! I have the basics: Deadbolts & outside lighting. If someone still wants to break-in, they will receive a warning & then the business end of the nine. I will not live in fear or worry about stopping a BG from harming me or my family.
 
VinnyT, I don't live in fear. Not from attack anyway. My fear is not keeping my kids and even the wife LOL safe.

With my system in place it allows me to let my guard down from condition yellow while in my home and still have the time to meet an attack. It gives me peace of mind especially when my kids or wife are home alone. Finally it keeps my valuables safe when we aren't home.

I can grab my cell phone or a laptop and literally see inside and outside my house live from 16 cameras (13 outside and 3 inside) all but two of them are night vision capable. This whole system cost only 2500 bucks. Thats DVR, Cameras, Cables, Power supplies, and Connectors. I did the install which was easy as pie.

If they still want to come in, I have the firearms waiting also.
 
When you've never had:

a break-in
a friend or family member murdered
and etc.

it is easy to lull oneself into the false security that comes with such good fortune, or maybe lack of misfortune.
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Very true, I just had a conversation with a gentleman that reports his house is seldom locked, and he even remarked, "I suppose someday we'll be cleaned out," to which I replied, "Im sure you will." Maybe it's my Detroit upbringing, but both my houses are always locked and usually checked for security. My new home has already had security lighting installed, even though it's in a rather "lax-locking area," and my carrying habits (gun on me or near me at all times) do not waver when I am there, nor does my attention to sounds I don't recognize. It is a wilder area though, so I am up far more than usual with just the new animal sounds. When I move permanently, the new house will also have a good alarm system and security cameras, and luckily, like here, I have pretty good neighbors. I don't intend to be the victim that changes everyone's views on security in the area.
 
Threegun, I understand. My reply more or less was a soapbox post of where society has gone. It's is a shame we need to go to these lengths to protect our loved ones. Some more than others depending on the area of course, but I am completely agree with your security layout.
 
QUOTE: Colt1911:

Times (or the area) are pretty bad when you have to carry a gun in the shower ...
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I don't actually carry one in the shower, but have two on the rest of the time even at home. I don't want to get my CA 44 Spl wet, so instead, when I go to the shower, I hide all my guns except my stainless steel S&W 38 Spl, which I lay within arms reach of my shower, so should I hear a noise of someone breaking in I can grab it, although normally that is my backup carry. I figure the humidity of the shower, is not going to damage it with it being stainless steel. I hope it want anyway! :)
 
99% of home invasions are drug related.

That being said, a little prevention goes a long way. I lock my doors, have motion lights and a cattle dog with ears the size of pizza boxes.

And my cruiser out front:D
 
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