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Going to Plan B for Survival

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If your “Plan A” for survival sinks, do you have a Plan B backup?

1MForget rushing to the grocery store when disaster like a snowstorm strikes. Everyone else will have the same idea. Need I say more?

The supermarket and the convenience store are the first places a panicking town will flock to for food and water. While they’re duking it out there, you can obtain essential supplies at other places where the masses of people won’t even think to look.

Before some critical event hits, locate all the businesses and water sources within two miles of your home. When compiling this list, don’t assume that any particular business can’t possibly have something valuable. Once the list is complete, sift through it to determine if any have any valuable items. Take your time.

Businesses you might never think have water will have water, such as a dental clinic: bottled water. Same with beauty spas and health clubs. Many gyms also sell food. Don’t blow off the hobby shop: It might sell craft wood and twine. And don’t scratch off an office supply store: the big ones sell candy. Major bookstores sell bottled beverages, pastries and sandwiches.

Make sure you have a bicycle to get to these businesses in the event of a disaster, because a car won’t be practical during or after an event like a tornado, hurricane or flood. And don’t wait for the event to see if the bike works.

If you normally walk your dog or do fitness walks or runs, take different routes to get used to all the different routes throughout your town, in the event that a calamity obstructs your main route. You’ll then instantly know an alternate route to get to a business to obtain essential supplies.

Finally, keep physically fit. Pedaling a bike for a few miles with a duffel bag full of food and bottled water will be very taxing for an out-of-shape person.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

Burglar seen on Video hovering over Baby

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What was going through the head of a burglar as he was hovering over a baby after breaking into a house? Did he momentarily pause to take a breather and find a sense of peace and calm at the sight of an innocent baby? Or…was he contemplating harming the toddler or kidnapping?2B

One thing we know for sure: The 19-year-old actually hovered over the sleeping baby, as this was caught on tape. The man admitted to involvement in two other Houston burglaries, and in one of those he had stolen a gun.

The latest crime occurred on April 5 and the video went viral. The burglar’s name is Christopher Gomez; he confessed to being the star of the video.

His arrest record includes breaking into a car and marijuana possession.

Gomez committed the April 5 crime while the baby’s family was asleep. Nobody heard him enter (makes you wonder what kind of home security the homeowner had, but that’s a whole new article). A laptop computer and briefcase, property of the homeowner, were found later in a neighbor’s yard.

Gomez’s lawyer stated that he’s not sure that the man in the video is his client (even though Gomez confessed). Furthermore, the lawyer, Ralph Gonzalez, pointed out that even if his client is the intruder, he didn’t harm the baby or anyone else. Gonzales added that the video makes the crime seem worse than it actually was.

Gomez is in jail meanwhile, but if he gets out, he’s ordered to remain within a thousand feet of his home and wear an ankle monitor.

Interestingly, as bailiffs escorted Gomez from the courtroom, he mouthed “Hi Mom,” to his family members. It’s safe to assume that his mother then thought, “Where did I go wrong?”

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

Using Technology to Secure Your Home when Traveling

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Whom better than a burglar knows what a great way to find a victim is? Edith Cowan University in Australia interviewed 69 burglars. One of their favorite methods of finding a target is to search social media for vacation updates.

3BYou can extrapolate that it wouldn’t be a bright idea to reveal travel plans on your voicemail. Only close family and friends should know; this excludes casual neighbors. Here are more tips:

Don’t buy the biggest house on the block. The biggest, fanciest house on the block really gets a burglar’s attention. Skip it when home shopping.

Home security systems

The vast majority of burglars will not bother with a home that has an alarm. Put the alarm company’s stickers on your windows and their sign in your yard.

Home automation

Use services like Total Connect by Honeywell to control your home from wherever you are. Get video updates of any activity on your front door or cars. You can unlock and disarm your system all from your phone.

Hide valuables

Use a safe for pricey items. Put jewelry in a plastic bag from Walmart, then put it on your vanity. What thief will look inside, thinking it’s new hairspray or a pack of bobby pins?

Close your curtains

It’s a myth that closed curtains in broad daylight are an invitation to burglars. Thieves don’t just break into any home. They want to make sure their efforts are worth it. How can they know this if they can’t see into your house?

But if you want the curtains/shades open for light to come in or to expose a nice view, at least close them when it begins getting dusky. A burglar cases possible targets by looking inside, and it’s very easy for them to see through a bare window at night when your lights are on. Not only can they see what’s worth breaking in for, but they’ll be able to see if the residents can be easily overpowered.

Looks are everything

Accumulations of mail and newspapers will get a burglar’s attention. So will unmowed lawns and a perpetually barren driveway. Put a delivery stop on mail and newspapers, and ask neighbors to park their cars in your lot. Use automatic timers for indoors that set off lights and TVs. Mute the ringer volume on your phone.

Lock your front door!

A 2008 State Farm Insurance study revealed that under 50 percent of 1,000 respondents locked their front doors. It takes the average thief 60 seconds to break in, but only a few seconds for you to lock each portal to your home. Burglars don’t like hard work. Add extra security with a deadbolt.

The Bureau of Justice Statistics, interestingly, says that 40 percent of home burgles are not forced entries. Burglars are literally waltzing right into homes via an unlocked door or window. Lock up, even when you’re home, even during the day. Many burglaries occur during the day.

Keep the garage door closed

Even when you’re home. Install a device that will automatically close the garage door after a specific amount of time open. Prior to traveling, disable the door’s opener or lock the door if it rolls up.

Trash

Don’t leave the boxes that expensive items came in, visible on your curb for trash pickup. Disassemble as much as possible and conceal.

Don’t aid burglars

Keep plant growth away from entry points so that burglars can’t conceal themselves when they’re trying to break in. If you absolutely must have shrubbery near entry points due to aesthetic appeal, then choose thorny plants to repel a thief.

Know your neighbors

Not many burglars will get past a Mrs. Kravitz-type neighbor. A stranger will stand out to neighbors who know each other. Get a Neighborhood Watch program going.

Get a dog

A dog’s incessant barking will drive many burglars away.

Robert Siciliano is a personal security expert to SecurityOptions.com discussing home security and identity theft on TBS Movie and a Makeover. Disclosures.

How to protect your Home from Zombies

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There’s all sorts of threats out there—including zombies—just waiting to get you. Today’s zombies look like the ones on TV and in the movies but the ones who walk amongst us are often addicted to hardcore drugs like meth amphetamines and other mind/body destroying chemicals. But you can fight the walking dead off with preparedness.

7HPortals

Zombies can swoop in with hurricane force, and they love windows. Board them up. But not before you install an alarm system that will detect busted windows and doors. Add bars to the windows for extra protection. If you have money left over, add steel shutters.

Perimeter

You can always surround your home with a moat full of crocodiles, but motion sensors will do just fine. A big dog will enhance protection. Complete everything with a metal fence and maybe even with barbed wire.

Lookout Point

You need to be at your house’s highest point so that you can observe what’s coming from the distance. The ideal observation location is the roof like a widows walk.

Essentials

In the event of a zombie apocalypse, you must have a stock of water, nonperishable food, bedding, indoor clothes, towels, toilet paper and outdoor clothes. And don’t forget enough medications for emergency pain and pre-existing conditions.

Essentials also include tools like an all-everything knife, duct tape, a battery powered radio, a first-aid kit, map and compass, battery powered lights and an ear horn.

Weapons

Zombies can come in the hundreds so it’s best to run the entire gamut with weapons: firearms, explosives, knives and bludgeons. Then practice using them: from grenades to swords to axes to golf clubs to pepper spray (although I’m not sure zombies are affected by pepper spray?). Make sure your weapons are strategically placed in your home so that you’re always within 10 feet of one.

Physical Condition

Finally, make sure you’re in tip-top physical condition so that when holing up in your house is no longer an option, you can make a mad dash for the hills without falling to the ground in exhaustion. You’ll need to be fit enough to leap over obstacles and keep on running. Or just run faster than the zombies and you’ll be fine.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

How to Respond in an active Shooter Scenario

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Here’s how to respond if a shooting breaks out.

7HThere’s no such thing as a perfect world in which guns and bullets don’t exist. Would you know what to do in the event of an unexpected shooting situation?

The first thing you should do in a shooting crisis is to remain calm, even though your head might be telling you to fight or escape. However, an attempt at fighting or escaping may not always be possible, regardless, maintain calm to determine what is possible.

Be aware of your surroundings: people nearby, what they’re doing, odd behaviors, unfolding situations. If you spot dissonance (e.g., an escalating argument), look for possible exits or safe spots to get to, rather than get closer to the unfolding train wreck. If someone brandishes a gun, you’ll then immediately know where the fastest exit or barricade is. Always know where the exits are in any room you’re in.

In general, if you’re in a threatening situation, especially if a shooting occurs, 1) run, 2) hide, and 3) fight. And not always in that order.

If you see the exit, run. If you can see the gunman, he can see you; drop any belongings, crouch and bolt away to a safe place, even if you become injured. Then call 9-1-1.

If there’s a quiet, dark room that you can lock yourself into, do so. Bring other people with you if possible, but keep them quiet: no screaming. If the door doesn’t lock, block it with furniture. Stay put until the authorities find you.

If running and hiding aren’t options, you must fight: a very last resort, however. If possible, recruit others to join forces. Use any weapons available (chair, lamp) and fight for your life. If the gunman’s weapon freezes, lunge at him or sprint away. A 120 pound woman can do this; 120 pounds is a lot of weight coming at a full grown man, whether it’s a big rock or a woman.

This boils down to situation awareness and preparedness. Never think that preparing ahead of time for a shooting that probably will never happen is a form of paranoia. It’s simply being proactive.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussingburglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

Home Invasion ends in Death

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A man died at the hands of two intruders who invaded his home in Sacramento County recently. The 30-year-old victim had been shot. According to witnesses, two intruders barged into the apartment, then shot the man, but not before stealing some of his belongings.

1BCan something like this be prevented? Most likely, even though we don’t have the details. How were the intruders able to force their way into the apartment in the first place? Did the man open the door, and that’s how they got in? Was the door unlocked, and the intruders simply walked in?

Tips to help prevent a home invasion:

  • Instruct your kids or any children visiting that they are never to answer a knock at the door or the doorbell ringing, even if pizza or some other delivery is expected. Your kids must know that they are forbidden from responding to the door even if you’re momentarily indisposed ( in the shower, on a ladder painting the ceiling, etc.).
  • Have an alarm system installed, and always keep it on, and yes, that means making it a habit to turn it off before you step outside to let the dog out, water the garden, retrieve the mail, take out the trash, etc. Kids, too, must learn this habit, since they are often in and out of a house many times in one day.
  • To make it easier to embrace the idea of keeping the alarm on at all times, realize that often, a burglar or rapist won’t even ring your doorbell or knock. They’ll just make their way in and creep up on you.
  • Install a 24-hour video surveillance system. If a burglar or rapist spots that camera, or even the system’s company’s warning decals, this will be a great deterrent. All doors and entry points should have a camera.
  • If a stranger is at your door, speak to that person with the main door closed, never through just the screen door.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

Home Invasion prompts Neighbors to invest in Security

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The Lincoln-Highlands Association is a resident organization devoted to fighting crime in Oakland, California’s Dimond District.

2BA hundred residents are needed for the program, which would require $30 a month to fund a security guard to patrol the area five days per week.

Other neighborhoods have had success with private patrols, and the push for the Association’s private guard was spurred by an armed intruder who shot and wounded an elderly woman in her house.

However, not all residents are gung-ho on paying for the patrol. One resident says that keeping ahead of crime is the city’s responsibility, and one security guard isn’t omnipotent. On the other hand, how else can crime be deterred, wonder the supporters. The supporters say they’ve gotten a very warm response to the plan and will continue seeking out more supporters.

Home Alarm Systems: Can Do Everything but Handcuff the Intruder

Security systems these days can do just about everything save for apprehending your home’s brazen intruder. Modern-day systems come with all sorts of features that will either deter break-ins or make break-ins more difficult, plus also keep the homeowner aware of everything that’s going on with their property: inside and out.

Features include wireless cameras that have full web access to them, remote controlled and timed lighting, iPhone and Android apps to control and monitor video surveillance from anywhere, remote controlled thermostats, among others. A web dashboard allows the user to control all aspects of each feature, which includes programming in a reaction to a specified incident.

Despite all these features, it’s easy to program such alarm systems, which yield to the user significant awareness of their home’s internal and external environment.

Guard or no guard, don’t keep putting off getting a modern home security system. No intruder wants to wait for you.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

Intruder snaps Selfie and disappears

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Remember that scary movie in which the psycho phones the babysitter and says, “Did you check the children?” He was actually in the house and murdered them. Yikes, well that’s just a movie. But sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.

SELFIEAs long as people leave doors unlocked, any whack job can saunter into their house. So if this happens to you while you’re putting your kids to bed, like it recently did to a Denver woman, don’t be surprised.

In her case, though, the man didn’t harm anyone, though he still rents a room for free inside the mother’s mind. Yikes again.

One day the woman found a selfie on her cellphone: a pic of a man she’d never seen before, taken inside her house. Though he stole nothing and though she didn’t even know he’d ventured through her unlocked door till the day after, she remains traumatized.

“And he looks familiar to me; everybody else says they didn’t see him but he looks familiar to me; I know I’ve seen him before,” said neighbor Richard Gardner.

Police say the stranger simply entered through the back door, took the selfie and left. Nobody knows who the man is, but Gardner says, “He doesn’t have glasses when you normally see him walking down the street. Maybe they’re a disguise. I don’t know.”

How to Stay Safe in Your House

  • If you hear someone breaking in, call out to an imaginary companion if you’re alone, “Hey Scott (or some other man’s name), can you see who that is?”
  • Call 9-1-1, then leave, or if you can, reverse this order.
  • Maintain a visible perimeter to your home so neighbors can detect suspicious people near it.
  • Get a home security system, then post their decals on front and back entrances and their signs in your yard.
  • Close all windows when you leave, even on a hot day.
  • Get a neighborhood watch going.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

Police Want your Home Video Surveillance Footage

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Police in San Jose, California believe that viewing home security footage will help them solve crimes. The proposal for homeowners to voluntarily register their security cameras for a new police department database is the creation of councilman Sam Liccardo. The idea is to view the footage promptly after a crime.

1HLiccardo revealed the proposal following a rash of arsons. Property owners willingly gave their home security videos to the police to help identify the arsonist, who has burned down a dozen buildings.

The new database would be managed by pre-existing city technology employees, making the cost nominal.

Homeowners would simply sign up for the database. Police could then remotely gain access into the cameras’ feeds. However, older models would need to be turned in for their tapes.

The issue of privacy concerns has been reared, even though the plan would be based on voluntary actions—which actually doesn’t make sense, since nobody would be forced or even pressured to give up their home footage.

Retired judge LaDoris Cordell says that the database plan is simply an extension of the evolution of surveillance technology, rather than an intrusion of privacy, a way for residents to be abreast of the happenings in their neighborhood.

San Jose wouldn’t be the first to launch such an initiative. Nearly 600 businesses and residents in Philadelphia have signed up with a similar program, which has led to 200 arrests based on video footage.

Liccardo will be facing a “Big Brother” obstacle as he attempts to get his plan approved, but says that the police will not be sitting around watching live feeds for kicks.

There have been no adverse responses to a similar program with the Los Gatos/Monte Sereno police department, in which 30 property owners have signed up.

Sources:

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?id=9405534

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/crime-law/san-jose-police-look-new-tactics-solve-crime/nczm5/

http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-courts/ci_24979753/san-jose-police-would-tap-into-residents-private

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

Can Home Invasion of Elderly Cause Heart Attack?

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I’m a home security expert and have given many speeches on how to protect your home from an invasion, but one of the topics that doesn’t seem to get much attention is the possibility of a heart attack being triggered in an elderly homeowner by the stress of an intrusion.

2BHere are two alarming cases of heart attack in the elderly apparently caused by the stress of a home invasion.

Mildred Pollock, age 89, suffered fatal heart failure a week after two men robbed her inside her house, as reported by WALB News 10 of Mitchell County, GA.

Here’s how it all went down: Two men posed as salesmen and showed up at the elderly victim’s door at about 4:30 pm. The men ended up inside her house. (The report doesn’t say if she invited them in; if they invited themselves in and she accepted; or if they forced their way in.)

But for sure, they removed the elderly woman’s alert pendant and held her to a chair, taking her phones away. The men wanted money, found none, and then left.

Pollock called for help with a backup alert button, was taken to the hospital, and succumbed to heart failure a week later. The home invaders face felony murder charges, even though an autopsy showed clogged arteries in her heart.

However, leehighvalleylive.com reports the case of another elderly victim, age 76, who suffered a mild heart attack the night of a home invasion, after which her health rapidly declined and she died several weeks later.

The forensic examiner attributes the heart attack to the stress of the home invasion/robbery, even though the victim had a pre-existing heart condition.

Tips for Preventing a Home Invasion

  • Always speak to strangers through a locked door, never a screen door, let alone open door.
  • Forbid children to respond to knocks and doorbells.
  • Keep a burglar alarm on at all times, but you must remember to deactivate it every time you open a door or window.
  • Install a video surveillance system: a marvelous deterrent to home invasion.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.