Self Defense Planning for a Break In and Burglary Prevention

Protecting yourself and your family during a burglary will never be an easy, stress-free feat, but the more you prepare, the more confident you will be if the time comes.  There are two different ways to prepare for a break in: (1) preventative measures and (2) planning for when an intruder is in your home.

We will start with Preventative Measures to Help Avoid Burglaries altogether.   Prevention is as important as planning for invasion because the best situation is to avoid a break in.  Consider doing the following to help deter invasion:

1.  Appear present at all times:  The majority of burglaries happen while people are not home, so make it appear that you are in the house by installing motion sensor lights outdoors, and automatic lights indoors.  Additionally, don't let packages or mail pile up which can be a huge indicator of someone being gone.

2.  Make your home look secure:  Whether you install an alarm system or not, make it look like you have one by putting fake cameras outside, and putting up yard/window signs to show your home security system.

3.  Create entry barriers to your home:  Make sure your home does not have easy access to everyone.  There are several things you can do to make sure your home is not simple to get into including locking your windows/doors, putting up a fence, planting thorny rose bushes by windows, and never leaving your garage door open.

Now that we have Burglary Prevention Tactics covered, you will need to make a Self Defense Plan for Invasion that you and your family are agreed upon in case there does come a time when someone is in your house:

1. Determine who/what needs to be included in your plan:  Do you have children, pets or a spouse?  Make sure that you have a plan for each family member, and be sure that everyone is aware of the steps.

2.  Have self defense devices and know how to use them:  Most burglaries are completed within minutes of entry, so chances are, the police will not make it to you prior to you having to defend yourself.  While your best scenario would be to avoid confrontation all together, having a safety device is a great way to protect yourself in case you do come face-to-face with danger. Consider options that will protect you within arm's reach such as a bat or pepper spray - and, also products that can keep you safe from afar such as our s1 Pepper Spray Gun which can protect you up to 150+ feet.  Importantly, whatever you choose, practice with your defense products and be confident in how to use them.

3.  Determine your exit strategies and meet-up points:  Have a walk-through of your home with your family to discuss different ways of exiting.  If you only have one stairwell, it is wise to get ladder which would allow your family to escape through a window - that way if the intruder is at the bottom of the stairwell, it isn't your only option.  Finally, determine a safe meet-up point - this will be particularly important if your family is not all together in one place upon leaving the home.

What are your best self defense tactics?  Feel free to share them in the comments section below to share with our readers - your quick comment may help save a life in doing so.