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World War II Veteran Fights Off Suspect in Home Invasion

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An elderly World War II veteran fought off a man who had broken into his home and attacked the Marine veteran.

The Boston Herald reports the Vet was sitting in his living room watching TV and his wife was upstairs. The home invader comes in and attacked the Vet, then “as he was being attacked, the man shouted, drawing the attention of his wife who then called police while the suspect fled when the retired Marine fought back.”

Immediately the state and local police went into the neighborhood and found the perpetrator “soaking wet and had fresh blood on his white t-shirt and cuts on his hands and was found to have property stolen from the home”.

Everyone loves a happy ending.

Resistance in an attack has been proven in most cases to send the attacker fleeing. Resistance can be a tricky proposition whether or not a weapon is involved. As long as you survive, you’ve done the right thing.

Every family must have a plan for home security and a home security alarm.

Consider a trained German shepherd as a protection dog as well.

Another consideration is a home safe-room also known as a “panic room” where families can hide out in a relatively bullet proof, well stocked room equipped with wireless communications and wait for law enforcement to show up.

Never talk to strangers via an open or screen door. Always talk to them through a locked door.

NEVER let children open the doors. Always require an adult to do it.

Not all home invaders knock, some break in without warning.  That’s just another reason to have that home alarm on while you are home.

Install a 24-hour camera surveillance system. Security cameras are a great deterrent.  Have them pointed to every door and access point.

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing home invasions on the Gordon Elliot Show. Disclosures

Geolocation Technology; Please Stalk and Rob Me

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Technology is meant to make life easier, safer and in some cases fun-er. Geolocation is supposed to make you save a few bucks on discounts when you “check in” at participating retail stores and gather “points”. It is also supposed to tell your friends and followers via geo-tagging that you just snapped a photo somewhere.  However there is nothing “safe” about this technology.

Geolocation can be used on a PC but is primarily used with a mobile phone. The geolocation software gets its data from your PCs IP address or your phones GPS longitude and latitude. It’s actually a nifty “tool” and a smart use of available technologies.

Some companies have even adopted the technology calling it “GPS Dating” for singles on the dating scene and help a person find someone local to them whenever and wherever. These same sites have photos and descriptions of the person which makes it that much easier to “find” the person. I did a spot on Good Morning America here discussing the security implications of GPS Dating.

With geolocation, the value in this technology for the bad guy is to determine where you are and where you are not. They can get a full profile of your itinerary all day every day. Someone who is paying unwanted attention to you gets every address you are at when you “check in”.

Extreme problems arising with these technologies as they pertain to GPS are with women in domestic violence situations when the woman heads to a shelter; the first thing the shelter does is take the battery out of the phone and/or turn it off so the abuser doesn’t show up at the shelter.

Thieves use geolocation to determine if you are home or not then use that data to plan a home burglary. I had a chance to appear on the CBS Early Show to discuss a gelocation site that revealed ones location away from home and its impact on personal security.

Stalkers who use the phones GPS are usually someone close to the victim like a family member or ex- boyfriend/girlfriend that has the capability of turning on tracking. If you suspect your phone’s GPS has been activated by the carrier then call to find out. If you don’t’ like the feature turned on, request it be turned off or shut it off in your phone.

The bottom line is geolocation could pose a privacy threat. Information collected through geolocation is particularly sensitive, since it can allow an adult or child to be physically contacted wherever he or she is, at any time.

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing GPS Dating Security on Good Morning America. Disclosures.

Are You Your Family’s Chief Security Officer?

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Everyone’s job spills into their personal life is some way. I’m sure if your job is to clean offices all day, your home is probably clean. If you are a computer technician, your family bothers you every day to fix stuff. My guess is if you are a nurse, your kids are probably well taken care of.

My job is to scream about home security and other security issues all day. I’m pretty sure people are listening because they often thank me for the heads up and lately have been pointing to specific posts that saved them lots of headaches and heartache. In my home environment, I’m the CSO, Chief Security Officer, and security is an ongoing process that everyone is involved in. They have no choice. I bark it all day.

My belief is everyone has a job to do in personal safety. No matter what, you must protect yourself and family from the bad-guy. The hard part about this part time job is it requires a bit of thought. Because you’re not immersed in it all day like I am, the “second nature” part requires putting out a tiny bit of extra effort in order to complete whatever security task there may be at hand. To some people who are already burdened with life, a simple task like locking your doors or activating an alarm might be too much to think about.

I remember about 20 years ago I knew I wanted a safe. So I bought one. And that safe sat in my closet in the box for another 8 months until I actually bolted it to the floor and began to use it.  It took extra effort. Everything of significant monetary value that I don’t want stolen is easily locked up and fireproofed. Today it’s no effort.

Occasionally after a long day I go to bed and forget to set the alarm. But I always remember if I didn’t set it as my head hits the pillow, which means I get out of bed and set it. It’s a tiny bit of extra effort. Then I sleep better.  Security might not be your job, but it is really everyone’s job. Be the power of example and provide the leadership your family needs and be their Chief Security Officer.

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing home security and identity theft on TBS Movie and a Makeover. Disclosures.



Celebrity Burglaries and Home Invasions

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I’m not one to dish on celebs, although I did just meet Mario Lopez on the set of EXTRA. Cool dude took a pic with me. Celebs are no different than you and I. They are fallible and vulnerable humans, who just get lots more attention.

With one big exception; they are much bigger targets than we are because often they are moneyed.

A half dozen teens from a hoity toity suburb of LA fancied the celeb lifestyle and considered themselves part of the “in” crowd. While they lived the celeb lifestyle by hanging out in all the clubs, staying up all night and doing drugs, their thirst for drugs led to the need for more money to pay for those drugs. So they started to steal. They first started to break into cars. That was their “gateway” felony which led to breaking into homes. They were dubbed the “Bling Ring” and many are now in jail.

Their methods were simple. They tracked their victims by using social media, Facebook and Twitter. They knew when they were home and when they were away.  They even used Google Earth to scope out their homes.

They would approach a home and knock on the door and ring the bell. If nobody was home they’d jiggle the door knob. When a door was locked they looked under the mat for a key and often found one.

In 2008 Paris Hiltons home was burglarized. Shortly afterwards she installed a burglar alarm to prevent another home invasion. Many people install an alarm after their house is robbed. They react emotionally opposed to being proactive with a home security installation to protect their homes and families.

Paris Hilton recently tweeted she was almost the victim of a home invasion by a man carrying two kitchen knives. Her publicist was quoted saying “”The security cameras and alarm system were alerted and the police immediately came to the house and arrested the intruder who was attempting to break a window when they arrived.”

Without an investment in security this could have been a lot worse. And situations like this happen to millions of “everyday” people annually. Protect yourself for a dollar a day with a monitored system.

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing Home Security on NBC Boston. Disclosures.

Scammer Tricks Woman with Bait and Switch

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As far back as I can remember I would often be approached in parking lots by someone in a van who was trying to sell me home stereo speakers. The speakers were always from a retailer’s loading dock or from trucks that had extra unaccounted inventory. And today was my lucky day.  The ruse was when you got the speakers loaded into your trunk, you were generally getting them in their new box. But the box just had pieces of wood.  Anyone thinking they were getting a deal, was just getting firewood. This is classic bait and switch.  Be more aware of these scams and protect yourself from them.

A twist on this scam happening all over is with laptops. The Business and Heritage reports “As a woman got out of her vehicle, she was approached by a man who had exited from his car. In his car were a woman in the front seat and a kid in the back. He approached the woman and showed her a laptop.  He explained that his girlfriend is a manager at Best Buy and that he had gotten a great deal on some laptops like the one he had. But, now he needed the money more than he needed the laptops and said he would sell them to her for $350.00 each. He had four of them, each in an individual Fed Ex box in his car.  She accompanied him to his car, where he opened two boxes, and she saw what appeared to be two laptops. One was a black laptop with a Best Buy sales tag of $1999.99 and the other was a white Apple laptop with a $1999.99 price tag on it. Both were packaged nicely in plastic bubble wrap in Fed Ex boxes specifically made for shipping laptop computers.

The woman called some of her friends and they all wanted to buy one, so she bought all four of them for $1,000 in cash, on the spot. The scammer loaded them into the woman’s car and quickly left.  After the woman got back to her hotel, she discovered that the “computers” were actually several packages of notebook paper sandwiched between a black notebook binder and a white notebook binder.”

PT Barnum once said, “There’s a sucker born every minute”. Even old scams with new twists make smart people stupid. It’s not difficult to get swindled out of your money in a scam like this. Everyone wants a deal and everyone likes to think they are too smart to get scammed. Always keep in mind what Mom said, “If it’s too good to be true, then it is.”

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing scammers and thieves on The Big Idea with Donnie Deutsch. Disclosures

Woman Becomes Victim of Craigslist Scam

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I have a love/hate relationship with Craigslist. I love the occasional deal I get (like the 25 hp outboard motor I just got) and I love how people use it to find stuff I’m selling or renting out (like an apartment). But I hate the way some people completely over price what they are selling, thinking that old boat motor is worth what a new one costs. Or worse, when scammers contact Craigslisters every time they post an ad trying to get them to ship something overseas and scam them out of their money.

Craigslist should be used with caution. People have been robbed, burglarized, scammed and in some cases their homes were invaded and some people have been killed.

I once listed a property for rent that was relisted for a 1/3rd of my asking price by scammers. People would pull into my driveway and knock on my door while the listing was active and after the listing I posted had expired too.

In Connecticut, a mother, father and son traveled a hundred miles to see a home for rent. The only trouble was, the homeowner wasn’t renting it out and she was still living in it. She was in fact trying to sell it. And when the real estate agent listed it for sale, she also syndicated the ad to multiple sites including Craigslist.

Just like my situation, she had to explain to the people who showed up they were scammed.

Here’s how the scam often works. The scammer copies and pastes the ad and poses as the homeowner who is conveniently away traveling on business in the UK. The scammer lists the ad for much less than is being asked to generate traffic. When people respond to the ad, the scammer tells them they can rent it out and all they have to do is forward him the first month’s rent via a money wire overseas. Some people will want to drive by to get a look without actually going in and that’s enough for them to send the money.

The way I thwarted this crime under my watch was to continually scan Craigslist for key words related to my ad to see if it was being posted by a scammer. When I discovered a fraudulent post, I emailed abuse@craigslist.com with the link. Craigslist was very responsive and took the posts down. I had to do this almost 20 times (the hate part) during the period I was renting out an apartment.

With Craigslist, be very careful who you contact and who contacts you. You never know who the person is or what their motivation may be.

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

Make Personal Safety a Priority

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We often hear people (including myself) drone on at how the system is broken and how good guys end up in jail and bad guys are released on good behavior. The criminal justice system is far from fair. Too often bad people are let out only to re-offend and sometimes do worse the second or third time around.  Securing your home is crucial way of protecting your home and family.

The Seattle PI reports “a man who police say beat an elderly woman and burglarized her home has schizoid-affective disorder, was released from jail three days before the attack and had to be placed in seclusion multiple times at Western State hospital.

The 81-year-old victim told police she thought he would have killed her if other elderly neighbors who police say he also assaulted didn’t come to her aid.”

That is likely someone’s mom and grandmother. Imagine this happening to a loved one.

“The man, who is on Department of Corrections supervision, has a lengthy criminal history including a conviction for custodial assault, second-degree robbery, theft, assault, negligent driving, domestic violence harassment and domestic violence assault.”

This is obviously a bad, bad man. He’s been diagnosed with mental illness and he has extreme tendencies towards violence. The frustrating part of this story is that it is evident in his current state of mind and in his history that he will do this again and again until he commits a heinous enough crime that gets him a life or death sentence.

The courts can only work within the confines of the law. Citizens can only hope the law is sufficient enough to guarantee their safety. What this ultimately means is a citizen’s right to safety is only guaranteed by what he or she does to protect themselves. The ultimate responsibility to protect yourself is on you. The justice system doesn’t necessarily provide justice. It is simply a guide.

By coming to terms with this and realizing the responsibility you have, you develop a higher sense of awareness and begin to put systems in place to prevent such atrocities from happening in your life or to someone you love.

Fundamentals include locking your doors, having a home security plan, investing in home security alarms and home security cameras. The worst thing you can do is nothing. The best thing you can do is be proactive.

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing home invasions on the Gordon Elliot Show. Disclosures

9 Tips to Protect Your Home from a Summertime Burglar

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Nationwide, “burglars made off with $4.6 billion in electronics, jewelry, cash and other items in 2008, according to the FBI. In more than 30 percent of those burglaries, the thief got inside without forcing open a door or window. Many occurred during the day.”

As you pack your car for your next road trip, realize someone’s probably watching.  Neighbors often peek their heads through their windows when they see activity. I’m one of those neighbors. I like to see what is going on and I often keep tabs on who is doing what and when. If a neighbor is leaving to travel, I know about it.

I’m not nosy, I’m security conscious. Nosy is when the neighbor asks questions and pokes around your business. Security conscious is when you observe, adopt situational awareness and try to identify if the rolled up rug your neighbor is stuffing in their trunk is just a rug or if that rug has his wife in it.

Burglars use these same observation tactics. They look for signs you are traveling. They look for outside lights on 24 hours a day. They look for dark homes inside at nighttime. They look for no car in the driveway, mail and news papers piled up or uncut grass that’s three weeks overgrown.  And they look to see you packing your car before a trip. A bad neighbor or his bad seed of a kid may be peering through their windows when you pack. That kid may end up in your house hours after you leave.

The Washington Post reports “but police say there are simple steps residents can take to make it less likely their home will be the next target. “Reduce the opportunity,” District Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier said. “People don’t just walk down the street and decide ‘I’m going to hit your home today.’ They do some casing. The key, police say, is securing your home and eliminating signs that you are away. Doors and windows should be locked even if you’re only heading to the park or a neighborhood barbecue for a few hours.”

Here are a few tips to help protect the safety of your home while you are on vacation:

  • Pack your car in your garage or late at night under the cover of darkness.
  • Use timers on indoor and outdoor lights.
  • Let a trusted neighbor and the police know you are traveling.
  • Unplug garage door openers.
  • Have a neighbor park their car in your driveway.
  • Have a landscaper mow your lawn.
  • Don’t share yourhttp://www.homesecuritysource.com/Blogs.aspx?TopicName=Travel travel plans on social media or on a voicemail outgoing message.
  • Lock everything of significant value in a safe.
  • Invest in a home security camera system and home security alarm system.

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

High School Football Team Player Burglars

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I was 17 once. I hung around with good kids, not so good kids and very bad kids. Teens heavily influence one another in ways that can have a direct impact on their futures. When you are young and new to the world, you are seeking out how things are supposed to be. Your gauge is guided by what your parents have become, but kids don’t often think their parents are smart enough to make the right decisions. So even if the kids’ parents are great, the kid may rebel and do stupid things.

At a young age, a kid that seems to have his act together by his peers, may become a leader. That kid may be a great influencer but may not have his act together at all. He may be a leader, but a blind one. As the saying goes, the blind leading the blind.

In California “police have arrested High school football players in connection with a string of street robberies that targeted teenage boys over the past two weeks. The teenagers were wanted in connection with a string of five robberies that began June 30. After police alerted the community via e-mail and local media, someone called and offered a tip that led police to the suspect’s home. Police said the teens in custody told them that the victims were targeted because they were walking alone and distracted, either by listening to music or talking on their cell phones. In each of the reported cases, a vehicle appeared to canvass a street for an unsuspecting teen. One occupant would get out and walk ahead of the victim. He would then turn around and punch or grab the victim and steal his electronics, usually an iPod, cell phone or both, while shouting threats.”

When I was a kid, I saw this. Teens I ran with thought behavior like this was “cool”. Fortunately for me, I didn’t see the fun in that kind of behavior. I think I got lucky. Today, many of those kids I ran with are messed up, dead or in jail. When young and impressionable, even a good kid can go bad when with the wrong crowd. And for the rest of his life he will pay the penalty. My parents were great. As good a parent as you may be, your kid can get caught up in something like this. Have you talked to your kid today?

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing Home Security on NBC Boston. Disclosures.

Telemarketing Scams Target the Elderly

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We hear it over and over how the elderly are often targeted by scammers. Elderly are simply “elders” and no smarter or dumber than anyone else. If anything, they are wiser. However, as we age we often get feeble, weaker in the mind. That slightly weaker state of mind is when the scammer strikes. You one day may be part of a telemarketing scam.

The psychology behind the success of these scams might have to do with the nature of the scam. Often they put a degree of pressure on the victim in regards to losing something or gaining something, but inevitably, it’s the pressure put on them that makes the victim act. Often the plan to scam money will involve something the victim is aware of, but doesn’t have a good understanding of. The scammer often does their best to speak in a way that is basic, but at the same time slightly over the head of the victim. They lead the victim down a rabbit hole that they can’t pull themselves out of.

In Ohio and all over the country, tried and true lottery scams are emptying bank accounts. In one scam a man loses $500,000 and in another $250,000.

“U.S. postal inspectors say they’re seeing fresh reports about these old-fashioned scams: Senior citizens from Cleveland, Youngstown, Toledo, Mansfield and Madison have recently reported losing hundreds of thousands of dollars apiece. The newest phone scams follow an old-fashioned formula: Scammers promise huge lottery winnings and then string victims along by inventing some problem — taxes, a customs problem, and a legal fee — that requires victims to send a sizable chunk of cash to free up their winnings. The recent victims are elderly and, for the most part, widowed, childless or estranged from family. They may have medical or other issues that cloud their judgment.”

Once the bad-guy locks in on them, they won’t let go until the bank account is beyond empty. Victims have been known to pull all the equity out of their houses as well.

In our day to day affairs with life so hectic and busy, it’s easy to forget those in our lives who are older and who may not be an immediate family member. These are people who the scammers often prey upon.

Who in your life could use some checking in on?

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing scammers and thieves on The Big Idea with Donnie Deutsch. Disclosures.