How to prevent a Home Invasion Home invasions occur when homes are occupied, at night and on weekends. Many times,  residents are targeted because they are known drug dealers or others who appear to be alone or vulnerable. Some home invaders case homes  pretending to be  delivery people or repair people.  Home robbers rarely work alone and rely on an overwhelming physical confrontation to gain initial control and instill fear in you. The greatest threat usually occurs during the initial sixty seconds of the confrontation.  Keep invaders out of your home by remembering to LOCK - LOOK- AND LIGHT.

  

 

 

First of all LOCK your home
Keep your doors and garage doors locked all the time even when you are home. In almost half of all completed residential burglaries, thieves simply walked in through unlocked doors. Open garage doors are often an easy entrance. If you consider getting an alarm system, get one with a panic button you can hit at the front door, just in case someone tries to push past you into the house. For more information on keeping your home locked and secure - Click Here

LOOK
Always look or ask who is at the door before answering. Sometimes the home invader will simply kick in the door but more often, they will knock or ring the bell first in hopes that the occupant will simply open the door, without question. DON'T DO THAT. Look first and take your cellphone to the door and call 911 if something appears suspicious. Make sure your door has a window or peephole never rely on chains as they can be easily broken by a home invader.
Also, get to know your neighbors. Exchange phone numbers and know what cars they drive. This will help you be more likely to recognize people and vehicles that may be suspicious. Join a Neighborhood Watch group. If one doesn't exist, you can start one with help from the Escambia County Sheriffs Department.

AND LIGHT
Install outdoor lights at your front door and motion activated lights to illuminate your yard. Keep your yard clean. Cut back shrubbery so it doesn't hide doors or windows. Cut back tree limbs that a thief could use to climb to an upper-level window. 
  At night, if you think you hear someone breaking in, leave safely if you can, then call the police. If you can't leave, lock yourself in a room with a phone and call the police. If an intruder is in your room, pretend you are asleep.

Download a "do it yourself" home risk assessment to help safeguard your home against burglaries Click Here