• Use a quality, heavy-duty knob-in-lock set with a dead-latch mechanism.
• Use a heavy-duty, four-screw strike plate with three-inch screws to penetrate into a wooden door frame. Lightweight moldings are often tacked on to the door frame and can be torn away with a firm kick.
• Use a wide-angle 160-degree peephole mounted no higher than fifty-eight inches.
SLIDING GLASS PATIO DOORS
These are very vulnerable to being forced open from the outside because of inherently defective latch mechanisms.
• Use a secondary blocking device on all sliding glass doors, like a wood dowel, a sturdy pole, a two-by-four, etc., laid in the bottom of the track, or a pin that goes through the door and frame. These pins and secondary latch devices are sold in all hardware stores and are easy to install.
• Keep the latch mechanism in good condition and properly adjusted.
• Keep sliding-door rollers in good condition and functioning.
• Use antilift devices such as through-the-door pins or upper-track screws.
• Use highly visible alarm decals, BEWARE OF DOG signs, or block-watch placards.
WINDOWS
An open window, visible from the street or alley, may be the sole reason your home gets chosen for a burglary.
• Secure all accessible windows with secondary blocking devices.
• When you do wish to open windows for ventilation, open them no more than six inches and use a blocking device to prevent them from getting pried open further.
• Make sure someone cannot reach through an open window and undo the blocking device or unlock a door.
• Use antilift devices to prevent windows from being lifted out. The least expensive and easiest method is to install screws halfway into the upper track of the movable glass panel to prevent it from being lifted out in the closed position.
• Use crime-prevention or alarm decals on ground-accessible windows.
INTERIOR LIGHTING
To create the illusion of signs of life and activity inside a residence at night, interior lighting is necessary. A darkened home night after night sends the message to burglars that you are away on a trip.
• Use light timers on a daily basis, not just when you are away.
• Light timers are best used near front and back windows with the curtains closed to simulate actual occupancy.
• Light timers can also be used to turn on radios or television sets to further enhance the illusion of occupancy.
ALARM SYSTEMS
Alarm systems definitely have a place in a home security plan and are effective if used properly.
• Alarm systems are effective when used with ample and visible signage. The deterrent value comes from the alarm company lawn sign and from the alarm decals on the windows, generally causing criminals to bypass that property and go to another property without such signage.
• Alarm systems need to have an audible horn or bell to be effective.
• Alarm systems must be properly installed, programmed, maintained, and tested with your alarm company on a monthly basis.
• Consider adding a front-door camera to your system.
• If you don’t add an active camera system, use of a dummy camera can also be very effective. For purposes of safety, deterrence is better than after-the-fact evidence gathering anyhow.
• Make sure your alarm response call list is up to date.
• Inform your neighbor how to respond to an alarm bell.
DOGS
Dogs can be one of the most useful deterrents to someone thinking about breaking into your home. A barking dog, even a smaller one, is about as inviting to an intruder as a shotgun being pointed at his face.
Burglary
Of course, the goal of a burglar is to steal something of value without getting caught and to do so with the least resistance. Sometimes, simple burglary turns confrontational when a homeowner or occupant happens to be present when the thief had mistakenly believed the premises vacant. Burglaries occur mostly during the day, when people are generally at work or doing errands. Most burglars work alone and tend to prowl a neighborhood looking for the right residence and the right opportunity. Many of these operations are not highly planned, so a house is often targeted if it looks like it would be easy to get in and out without detection.
In general, these petty burglars want to avoid getting recognized or having to deal with physical conflict and will usually flee when approached. Remember, most burglaries do not result in violence unless the criminal is cornered and then resorts to force in order to escape.
If you encounter a burglar in your home, you should perform a threat assessment. Although you will understandably be surprised to encounter a stranger in your home, remain calm in order to immediately determine the level of threat the intruder presents.
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS CHECKLIST for encountering a burglar:
What is in their hands? Do they have a weapon?
What do they want, or what item does it seem they are in your house trying to steal?
What is their physical condition and general appearance?
Do they seem drunk or on drugs? If so, then they will be completely unpredictable and utterly irrational— very dangerous.
TARGET RECOGNITION
If your house is invaded, the first thing to do is what SEALs call “target recognition.” On our missions, many times we entered a house or building from multiple points. Each man in the team knew how far he could go and then had to stop. Another member of the team would be coming from the opposite direction, and we didn’t want to mistake our own men for targets. The worst thing to happen in the field is to commit what we call a “blue-on-blue”—that is, shooting one of our own. SEAL training stresses the skill of instant target recognition. We have to sum up what course of action to take at each moment. If your house is invaded, this skill is extremely critical. You need to assess the attacker’s manpower or firepower quickly.
Again, the typical petty burglar is there to steal whatever appears valuable and what is readily lying about in the open, such as electronics or a visible jewelry box. A majority of these types of burglaries are committed by addicts or by perpetrators under the influence of drugs or alcohol. This makes them very unpredictable; in addition, they will be dealing with their own “fight or flight” response. I don’t condone giving criminals a pass, but think about these factors:
• Do you have kids, a wife, a husband, a girlfriend, or a boyfriend in the house who could be in danger if this escalates?
• Even if you could beat the hell out of this guy, is it worth potentially getting injured or infected during a violent scuffle?
• Is your own or your family’s safety worth a few dollars?
DO NOT TURN THE BURGLAR INTO A CORNERED ANIMAL
You must attempt to de-escalate the situation. The best decision, in most cases, is to stand away from the most obvious exit pathway the burglar has, use your body language to indicate that you will offer them no resistance if they rightly choose to get out while they can, and then let them go. Once they exit, call the police but do not pursue the criminal on your own. For what happens when de-escalation is not possible, see “Robbery” (below), “Home Invasion” (page 186), and “Fighting” (page 146).
Robbery
In contrast, robberies are generally carried out by career criminals who have made stealing their profession, so to say. Robberies often occur at night and on weekends, when homes are more likely to be occupied. These invaders will have scouted out the target, assessing a house’s exits, types of windows, or other physical vulnerabilities. They will also target a house based on the resident who occupies the dwelling. Their selection process may include targeting a woman living alone, a wealthy senior citizen, or an owner of a local store, for example. It is not unheard-of for a robber to follow you home based on the value of the car you are driving or the jewelry you are wearing. Some of these robbers could have been in your home before as a delivery per
son, installer, or repair technician. This class of criminal rarely works alone and relies on a measure of planning before they choose a target. They are also armed and willing to use their weapons to complete their crime.
YOUR RESPONSE: 911
If you hear an unfamiliar sound around your house, especially at your windows or doors, assume it is someone attempting a forced entry. Immediately call 911 and report, “Someone is breaking into my house. Send help.” If possible, call from a landline, because your address will instantly appear on the dispatcher’s display. Maintain the connection with the dispatcher until help arrives, even if you have to put the phone down.
Remember, 911 will always work, even if you don’t have landline phone service (like many people who rely entirely on cell phones). Additionally, you may wish to have a cheaper, spare cell phone plugged in and charged somewhere in your house as you may be unable to get to the phone you normally use.
If you are certain a break-in is in progress, you might not have time to wait for the police, or even have the chance to call for help. In any regard, now is the time to initiate the threat assessment:
• Am I alone, or do I have a wife, a husband, kids, a girlfriend, or a boyfriend in the home?
• Fight or flight: Should I simply leave the premises now through an exit in the opposition direction, or do I investigate?
• Do I have the ability to fight off one or more intruders? If there is one intruder, the answer might be yes. If there is a group of heavily armed men, for example, the answer will be no, or rather, not just yet.
If you are going to investigate, get something you can use as a weapon. (See “Improvised Weapons,” page 301.) When investigating your house, move from room to room, making as much noise as possible. Shout out that the police have been called and that authorities will arrive shortly. You should also warn the intruder that you are armed, instructing them to get out of the house now.
FIREARMS
I have often been asked what I recommend for home defense, specifically with regard to firearms. My answer is always the same: If you are going to get a firearm for home defense, you need to be proficient with it. Just buying a gun and not knowing how to use it could do more harm than good to you and your family during a stressful situation, such as when a robbery is in progress. In addition, you need to be willing to use it and take a life if it comes down to that. Also, if others live with you, especially children, it is very important to understand firearm safety and how to properly store a weapon. (See “Gear,” page 295.)
ENCOUNTERING THE INVADER
Regardless of whether the robbers entered through the front door by a ruse or gained access through a softer entry, such as a rear door, window, or garage, you must quickly make a threat assessment of the multiple variables present. Once you are face-to-face with your intruder, and you have determined that they will attempt to cause you harm rather than accepting the exit pathway you have provided for them, make sure your first blow is fast, without hesitation, and directed at the throat of the intruder. (For more on this, see “Fighting,” page 146.) However, if you see three, four, or five assailants entering, it could be better to hold back because striking out will get you killed. Being dead, obviously, makes you of no use to the rest of your family. But if the opportunity arises, remember violence of action. Hold nothing back. Time to pull the trigger!
If during a home invasion you are overwhelmed and outnumbered, there are other techniques that will help you survive. If you are bound or corralled by weapons into submission, then in effect—even if you are in your own home—you have been kidnapped. I discuss survival methods for this situation in “Home Invasion” (page 186) and “Tiger Kidnapping” (page 187).
In Special Operations we use close-quarters combat to clear a house. It is methodically done at a very fast pace. Dynamically and aggressively, we enter each room and immediately sweep from the far left corner all the way over to the far right corner. In the case of the bin Laden raid, the team had landed, entered, cleared a three-story structure, and killed the world’s most wanted man within fifteen minutes. That was a great day—a result of great training and preparation!
CONVENIENCE STORE OR BANK ROBBERY
Although each situation is different, individuals who decide to hold up a convenience store, for example, will usually be armed, desperate, and unpredictable—which is a very dangerous combination. Keep in mind, this person is committing a serious felony and can become extremely dangerous if you present yourself as a disruption to their intent. You have very important decisions to make in a very short time, which is why the threat assessment is again so important.
1. If you have access to a quick escape before the robbers control the scene, take it!
2. Failing that, your best response is to stay low, and find cover if possible.
3. Comply with any instructions the robbers have, up to the point at which you foresee harm coming to yourself from doing so.
4. Remember, “Life before property.” If you think the assailant will simply leave the premises after taking what they want, then let them. Let them finish their bank robbery without drawing attention to yourself or intervening.
5. Keep an eye on their movements without direct eye contact. Don’t be curious and stare at them to see what’s happening, since this will actually increase your chances of being considered a witness that the assailant might be inclined to eliminate.
6. However, as I stated earlier, “If I die, let it be on my feet.” I’d rather take the risk of fighting than risk being gunned down by a drugged-up criminal while lying on the ground. These assailants are usually so dangerous that they could start shooting everyone present, even if unprovoked. If this is your threat assessment, and you are in the immediate proximity of the assailant, fighting is the only option. Pull the trigger and disable the thief with your maximum effort.
7. When it’s over and police arrive, don’t move, and make sure to show your hands, so as not to be mistaken as a threat. (See the instructions for encountering law enforcement in the “Active Shooter” section, page 37.)
CARJACKING
Since the day the horse was left in the barn and the automobile became the standard means of transportation, cars have been getting stolen. Until relatively recent times, the average car thief knew how to hot-wire a car and take it when the owner was unaware. Carjacking, defined as forcibly stealing a car while it is occupied, increased in popularity proportionately as more and more antitheft devices became included in autos.
For the criminal, it’s easier to steal a car that is running or one that has keys in it than it is to steal a vehicle with a screeching alarm system that may alert authorities. That you happen to be in the car, or are about to get in it, is an asset to the thief, since the car is ready to steal and drive away quickly. However, you are also the carjacker’s greatest liability, and one that needs to be overcome swiftly with an element of surprise. Unlike in other crimes that require planning, such as home invasions, the carjacker usually makes a rapid choice of which car to target. Still, they do have criteria and are generally looking for several things when picking their targets:
• Someone who seems preoccupied and distracted (such as on a cell phone).
• Individuals who seem weaker than the carjacker or look like they will not fight.
• Vehicles with only a single occupant.
Situational Awareness
Carjacking happens when the car is stopped. Nearly 95 percent of all carjacking takes place in urban and suburban areas, usually no more than five miles from the victim’s home. These crimes occur more often in broad daylight than at night, and usually at intersections or in large commercial parking lots when the victim is either entering or exiting their car. According to the FBI, a weapon, predominantly a gun or a knife, is used in 75 percent of all carjacking incidents. Since most law enforcement agencies do not track carjacking separately from general theft and/or assault, it is difficult to precisely profile the type of person most often v
ictimized. However, the National Crime Victim Survey suggests that men driving alone are more frequently targeted at night, while lone women are the primary victims during the day. In either case, situational awareness is the first defense against car-jackers.
No carjacker is going to jump into a moving vehicle, so be particularly alert at:
• ATMs—they get money and a car
• Gas stations—the carjacker gets a full tank of gas and a vehicle
• High-crime areas
• Freeway exit and entry ramps
• Less-traveled roads (in rural areas)
• Intersections where you must stop
• Isolated areas in parking lots
• Residential driveways and gates
The level of awareness required while driving in the towns and villages of Afghanistan was off the charts. We slowly crept through streets filled with people with nothing but hatred in their eyes, and we were constantly scanning for the individual or group that was ready to attach an explosive device to the vehicle or hose us down with automatic gunfire. We continuously had to identify avenues for escape should we be engaged. It made driving through the most dangerous crime areas of any American city seem like a visit to Disneyland.
Typical Strategies
Learning about the strategies thieves use will help you determine precautions you should take to avoid them. Be aware that in these first three methods there is some type of “story” associated with the carjacking. Pay attention to the tale that is being told to help you avoid danger.
Seal Survival Guide Page 11