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Drug-addicted Teen Burglar Sentenced to Prison

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Burglars aren’t the people you see in the movies driving expensive cars, living lavish lifestyles and vacationing in the Caribbean. Burglars are usually addicted to drugs, unemployed because of their habit, and have sucked the lives and savings out of their families and so must turn to crime to get their fix.

You’ve heard “desperate people do desperate things,” and that statement can be directly equated to the mindset of a drug addict. People under the influence are sick and irrational and will stop at nothing to get what they need. Often, their illness has such a grip on them that in their minds, scenarios that actually result in violence leading to murder begin to seem normal. To them, it makes perfect sense that such things are what they need to do to get high.

People often ask, “Why?” “Why would anyone do that?” Because drugs have such a grip on them that the ability to make sound, rational decisions is no longer a part of their psyche.

It’s even worse when a teenager is the addict and perpetrator. At a young age, his reality isn’t quite developed. Leo Ray and his wife were victims of an invasion at their Idaho home. Ray told the Times-News in an interview that he answered the door at about 6 a.m. the day of the robbery to three guns in his face, then two men held guns to his head while another—whom he later identified as a 16-year-old boy—stood across the room with a rope and another gun. The men tied up the Rays and ransacked their home, stealing guns, computers and other valuables.

The prosecutor stated, “The teen has had significant substance abuse treatment and significant opportunities for counseling in the juvenile justice system.” But he obviously was beyond repair.

Bad, sick, dysfunctional people are everywhere. This doesn’t mean you should hide under your bed and worry; it means you need to keep your head up, be aware, know your options, live your life and invest in your personal and home security.

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

Home Invaders Caught on Resident’s Surveillance Video

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Video rules! I have 15 cameras in and around my house designed to keep me informed of who, what, when and where, 24/7/365. I see my cams on my iPhone, iPad, laptop and PC. My cams work both day and night and record video anytime they sense motion.

surveillance

There are cameras everywhere today. Most businesses have cameras on the exterior of their buildings monitoring their perimeter and cameras inside to keep employees and customers in check. And just about every home security system today comes with the option to also install cameras, too.

All which goes to say that you never know who has video surveillance, right? And which also brings me to how two idiots were caught after robbing and invading two different homes.

NBC Connecticut reports two women, ages 71 and 58, were returning home with groceries when a man with a gun and another man confronted the two women, forced them inside and tied them up. The assailants fled in one victim’s car.

Then, the next day, a 38-year-old man and 32-year-old woman were inside their home when two masked men with handguns confronted them, tied them up and ransacked the residence for valuables. The invaders also stole their car.

Police must have gone door to door asking residents who had security cameras to provide footage, because they were able to recover surveillance footage of the vehicle taken during one of home invasions, as well as footage of a suspect.

Home invasions happen because people are unaware of their environment or are “too comfortable” in their surroundings and completely drop their guard. Don’t become a victim.

#1 Be aware of what’s going on around you—that’s 50–100 feet around the perimeter of your body—at all times. If something seems wrong, it is wrong.

#2 Lock your doors. I’m home, kids are inside, doors are locked, dog is watching guard.

#3 Get, install and use a home security system. My alarm is almost always on. Having an alarm on all the time, while you are home or away, is a great layer of protection.

#4 Install cameras with your alarm system. They are the best way to deter or catch bad guys.

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

Should I Get a Dog for Protection?

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Dogs are much like video surveillance. They can both listen and see all day and all night. They are an extra pair of eyes and ears. They are on watch 24/7/365. They are like a bodyguard in that they are both defensive and offensive.

Getting home protection in the form of a furry beast is a big decision. Protection dogs aren’t to be taken lightly. Dogs bark. They bite, they eat, they poop, they pee and they are dirty. They require time, money and significant attention.

My dog is the furriest beast ever to roam the earth and is sweet, lovely, psycho, a pain in the ass and very territorial. When someone with obvious bad intentions comes around, like someone with a bad attitude, a predator or even someone who’s drunk or rowdy, this excites her, as these characteristics tend to get her attention even more.

There’s a slight drawback to her vigilance. I live in proximity to lots of foot traffic and whenever anyone comes within 100 yards of my perimeter, she starts barking…which means she’s pretty much barking all day, which isn’t always a good thing. She barks until she can no longer see or hear a human. And when she barks, my head starts to swivel. I’m looking out the window, seeing what she sees—and if I don’t like it, I start barking too.

Not all dogs are bred for protection—a real protection dog is trained for protection because it possesses what’s called “prey drive.” (Read up on it.) Most are bred as pets. Only a few, like Dobermans, Rottweilers, Belgian Malinois, Bullmastiffs, German shepherds and a handful of others are natural protection dogs, but not even these top breeds always produce the right temperament. Knowing what type of dog is a protection dog is and isn’t, is key to knowing what you are getting into. A protection dog does not mean that it will bark nonstop, or that it will snarl and behave aggressively at everyone. A good protection dog is generally sublime, aware, alert and careful. Its every action has a calculated reason behind it.

Let me say it again: A dog is a big deal. And if you have the resources and the right attitude, you should get one.

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

Home Invasion Victims Fight Back

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The term self-defense in general means fighting back; by definition, it means “defending oneself.” However, I’ve always preferred the never-used term self-offense, which in my mind means attacking the attacker before he has a chance to attack you.

Anyway, two recent home invasion stories demonstrate a little self-defense and self-offense as the “victims” become victorious by taking control over the situations.

As SFGate reports in its article, “Home invasion victim holds suspect at gunpoint,” “Authorities in south Alabama say the victim of a home invasion robbery held a suspect at gunpoint until sheriff’s deputies arrived.”

Apparently this 20-year-old kicked in the front door and the homeowner’s dog went after him as the homeowner got out his shotgun! Love that! A shotgun and a dog! (It would have been even better if the owner had a home security system that blared when the door was kicked in.)

Australia’s Herald Sun reports in its piece, “Home invader stabbed as victim fights back,” that police were called to a house after reports that three men armed with knives had assaulted the victim and stolen jewelry and a mobile phone. The resident allegedly fought back, stabbing one of the home invaders in the torso.

There are proactive ways to prevent a home invasion such as these.

#1 Have a home security system installed and turned on while you are home.

#2 Install signage such as “Home Alarmed” or “Beware of Dog.”

#3 Install solid-core doors and strong locks.

#4 Install door reinforcement technology to make the door harder to kick in.

#5 Never open the door for strangers.

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

High-end, High-tech Home Security

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There’s really no limit to how much money can be spent on home security if you want to ensure the very best home security for your family and money isn’t a huge concern. Note that while some of these options are affordable, others are very expensive.

  • Keyless door locks: As you might expect, keyless door locks don’t need any keys to open. Some require a pin code to open, and others may work with wireless Bluetooth or can be controlled via the internet.
  • Remote-controlled home alarms: Remote-controlled alarms are almost a standard offering today. Remotely controlling an alarm system can be done online from any internet-connected device or via a keyfob within 200 feet of your home.
  • Robotic camera: Very expensive, but I WANT ONE! GroundBot™ is a robotic mobile platform that hosts cameras and sensors. GroundBot can be remote controlled by hand or programmed to navigate by GPS.
  • Remote monitoring: This involves real-time human remote monitoring of your property via sound and video 24 hours a day, all year long. (Gas stations employ systems like this.) If a robber comes in, the dispatcher would warn the robber over the speaker system that he is being filmed and law enforcement has been dispatched.
  • Bulletproof everything: If flying bullets are a concern, you can install bulletproof doors, bulletproof glass and steel plating in your walls.
  • Safe rooms: A safe room (or “panic room”) can protect you from natural disasters like a hurricane or tornado or man-made ones like bombs, and is effective against home invaders too. High-tech ones are equipped with such features as satellite phones, internet, food, water and even oxygen.
  • Sixteen- or 32-camera CCTV: An eight-camera system today can be had for under $500. Sixteen- or 32-camera digital video recorders are still a little expensive, but with a system of up to 32 cameras, there won’t be a spot outside or inside your property that won’t have an extra pair of eyes on it.

Home security is a must for everyone. Whether you drop big money or small change, the peace of mind you will receive is priceless.

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

Setting off a False Alarm Can Cost You

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If you have a home alarm system, you may be guilty of setting it off accidentally. Sometimes we open a door or window that sets it off, while other times we mess up the secret code. The result of this mishap is usually a very loud siren and the attention of your neighbors. If you don’t call to cancel in time, then it results in law enforcement showing up.

We’re all familiar with the boy who cried wolf. The protagonist of the fable is a bored shepherd boy who entertained himself by calling out “Wolf!” Nearby villagers who came to his rescue found that the alarms were false and that they had wasted their time. When the boy was actually confronted by a wolf, the villagers didn’t believe his cries for help, and the wolf ate the flock (and, in some versions, the boy).

Accidentally setting off an alarm can cost you in much the same manner.

The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that “The Santa Fe Police Department has netted nearly $500,000 from false-alarm fines and registration fees since the program began in 2010, a report says. At the same time, a business called CryWolf earned more than $271,000 from city residents and businesses for administering the program, a 32 percent fee it takes off the top of collections.”

I’m just as guilty as anyone of setting off a false alarm. But I’ve never had law enforcement show up to my home as a result.

To protect yourself against false alarms, follow these four simple tips:

  1. Have your service provider set up your alarm system to call your mobile phone first, then your home phone second. If you don’t answer the phone, then they will call the police.
  2. Program your mobile phone with your alarm service provider’s number and call them the second you falsely set off your alarm. Memorize your PIN so you aren’t fumbling for it.
  3. Don’t carry your PIN in your wallet. If your wallet is lost or stolen, your address and alarm PIN are in the hands of a stranger.
  4. Whenever setting up access for anyone to enter your home while you’re away, your risk for false alarms goes up dramatically. Provide specific hands-on instruction on how to disable and reset the alarm. Telling someone over the phone how to do it is often insufficient.

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

Remote Monitoring for Your Business

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Remote security systems like ADT Pulse™ and ADT Pulse™ for Business allow homeowners or operators of a business to control a building’s key functions without even having to be present.

Did you know from almost anywhere you can easily arm and disarm your alarm system, giving added security when you can’t be there to lock up? What’s cool is you can view events in multiple areas of your facility, have greater control over loss, and oversee your business from almost anywhere.

For example if somebody leaves the coffee maker on, you can shut it off from your mobile. If the AC is set on high you can lower it. You can control these settings when you’re not in the office.

Whether away on business or across town at home, you can receive email & text alerts on your mobile or tablet regarding your business and system.

The Chicago Tribune reports “For those who are techno-phobic or just don’t know where to begin, at no obligation, ADT’s team of small business security specialists can assess what security system or service is right for their business, and layout a plan. During the system is installation, there is hands-on training and 24/7 customer support that will dispatch a technician if necessary.”

It has no less than 5 ways to turn it on and off including a wired keypad, iPhone app, Touch pad, computer and remote control on the keychain for deactivating before the garage door goes up. The touch pads sit in bedrooms/office/kitchen and has a live video feed tuned into anywhere you want. There’s also a big green or red icon on the touch pad letting you know if it’s set or not. The touchpad definitely give you more control with, than without. It allows very simple setting of the alarm so it’s mostly always on and you know it which reduces false alarms.

What I like most is the remote security cameras. No matter where in the world you are, with remote video monitoringyour business is only a click away.

Barefoot Bandit Gets 7 Years

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You may recall the story about Colton Harris Moore who as a teenager was busted for committing over 100 burglaries in the Pacific Northwest. He stole cars, speedboats and airplanes and is known as the “Barefoot Burglar” because he kicked off his shoes running from the police through the woods.

Last summer he signed a movie deal to make $1.3 million with 20th Century Fox. However he won’t earn any money from this, as all the funds will go to restitution.

After 2 years of running, he was busted in a chase that involved police, boats and bullets. Most of these stories usually end up in the perpetrator being dead. But this now 20 year old will live to tell another tale, from prison.  He was recently sentenced to 7 years in state prison and pleaded guilty to numerous charges including burglary and identity theft.

In sentencing the judge was quoted saying “This case is a tragedy in many ways, but it’s a triumph of the human spirit in other ways, I could have been reading about the history of a mass murderer. I could have been reading about a drug abusive, alcoholic young man. That is the triumph of Colton Harris-Moore: He has survived.”

He survived and left many victims behind. He destroyed thousands of dollars in cars, airplanes and boats. He stole everything from food to cash and jewelry, electronics and clothing. As “romantic” as his story is, the victims of his crimes will never feel the same way again in their own homes.

Lock your doors and windows

Install a monitored alarm system. Consider ADT Pulse.

Give your home that lived in look

Leave the TV on LOUD while you are gone

Install timers on your lights both indoor and outdoor

Close the shades to prevent peeping inside

Use defensive signage

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to Home Security Source discussing ADT Pulse on Fox News.

Home Invasion Was “The Ultimate House of Horrors”

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In a 2007 home invasion Steven Hayes and Joshua Komisarjevsky, the 2 men found guilty of a home invasion in Connecticut, brutally attacked and killed a mother and her daughters. The father was left for dead in the basement. Their crime began when they saw the mother (who was eventually murdered) in a parking lot and followed her home.

The home was invaded at 3am. The father was immediately beaten and tied up in the basement. He was held captive for a time but he escaped alive. The kids were tied to their beds and the mother was forced to go to the bank and withdraw money.

While at the bank the mother told a bank representative what was happening. The bank called the police who sent cruisers to the scene. It ended badly.

Hayes was sentenced to death and the prosecution has just rested in its case against Komisarjevsky. The AP reports the prosecutor said in his closing arguments “It was shockingly brutal. It was evil. It was vicious,” adding the men created a “hellish inferno.” The prosecutor continued by describing the murderous plan that involved “greed, sex, death and destruction.” He showed them the masks, bat and BB gun Komisarjevsky used.”

Here are 6 tips to help keep you safe and help prevent a home invasion:
1. Never talk to strangers via an open or screen door. Always talk to them through a locked door.

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

3. Install a home burglar alarm and keep it on 24/7/365. With a home alarm system on, when someone knocks on the door, a conscious decision has to be made to turn off the alarm. Most people will keep it on.

4. Not all home invaders knock, some break in without warning.  Just another reason to have that alarm on.

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

6. Install strong locks and solid core doors. Back up your door with door reinforcement technologies that make it difficult to kick in a door.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist toHome Security Source discussing Home Invasions on Montel Williams. Disclosures

Protect Your Home This Holiday Season

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Burglars are opportunists looking for a score. They case a neighborhood looking for homes that look unoccupied, mailboxes stuffed, news papers piled up, lights off, shades up with a Christmas tree in the window inside with lots of gifts under the tree.

They prefer homes with no signage outside says “This House Is Alarmed” or “Protected By ADT”. Once they determine a valuable target they begin jiggling doorknobs to see which homes aren’t locked.

It’s not uncommon for burglars to walk around the house in broad daylight looking like a contractor, holding a clipboard and in some kind of a uniform. Their goal is to look like they belong there.

The chances of your home getting burglarized are reduced significantly when you put layers of protection in place.

Protect yourself:

Install a home security system and keep it on during the day when you are home or away and especially at night while you are sleeping.

Lock your doors and install good door locks that can’t be easily “bumped”. This generally means spending a little more money and getting advice from a locksmith.

Keep shades down so the bad guy can’t see what you have going on inside.

Put your light on timers to give your home that lived in look.

If you have a garage, pull in the garage when unloading gifts and large purchases

If you travel make sure to have someone collect mail, newspapers and even shovel while you are gone.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist toHome Security Source discussing Home Invasions on Montel Williams. Disclosures