Spartanburg, SC Law Enforcement Holds Workshop on Home Invasions and Offers Tips

How prepared are you to protect your family and yourself should an intruder try to break into your home in the middle of the night or in broad daylight, while you are there! Have you thought about what you would do to protect you and your family? The fact is, you have 30 seconds at best to act if this happens to you. Therefore, it is wise to plan ahead before your home becomes a target!

On Monday, Nov 7, 2011 two hundred concerned citizens of Spartanburg, SC attended a workshop eager to gain knowledge from expert law enforcement officers on how to protect their families should they become the target of a home invasion.

The speakers at the workshop were Master Deputy Craig Bradley and retired law enforcement officer, David Blanton. Sherriff Chuck Wright of Spartanburg County addressed the audience and urged citizens to “drink in” what these speakers had to say. Wright remarked citizens need to be equipped to help law enforcement by learning how to protect themselves and their families, because unfortunately there are not enough officers employed in the city to be everywhere a crime is being committed, even though he wished there could be.

Master Deputy Craig Bradley (Crime Preventions Officer) offered the following tips on how to prepare and protect your family, home and property, which he referred to as “hardening your target.”

Tip #1 – Be aware of suspicious people walking or riding around in your neighborhoods. If you notice them coming by frequently and you don’t recognize them, get a description of the car and/or person, get a car tag number, and call 911 to report it. Officers can make a note of your report and should a crime occur in your neighborhood in the days that follow, they will have a “suspect” on record they can find and question immediately and who may be the culprit. After all, the person you reported was “suspicious” in your neighborhood and didn’t belong there, right?

Tip #2 – Walk around the perimeter of your house and make sure there are no dark areas. Install motion lights to light up your house and yard at night. This will make an intruder think twice before they stop at your house. Motion lights will “harden your target.”

Tip #3 – Trim all hedges close to your home. Tall or wide bushes are ideal for criminals to hide behind. Don’t give them the chance. Harden your target!

Tip #4 – Use dead bolts on your doors that use keys and keep them locked! But make sure everyone in your house knows where the key to the bolts are in case of a fire emergency. Clamp locks, known as sliders are great to keep burglars out. Install one on the top and bottom of doors and it will be extremely difficult for someone to break in your home.

Tip # 5 – Never give access to your home to anyone, unless you are sure who they are first! Always have a barrier such as the door or screen between you and the person outside your home, should you happen to go to the door. Never trust any stranger unless they EARN it first. Assume trespassers are guilty until proven innocent. This is the type of society we live in today.

Tip # 6 – If you have a dog either in the home or outside and it starts barking incessantly, investigate carefully. Don’t go outside, but look out to see if you see anyone. If you do, cal 911! Respect the animal’s warning that someone suspicious may be outside your home. They are barking for a reason!

Tip # 7 – Keep your garage door shut, even in the daytime. Eighty percent of all burglaries take place in broad daylight stated Officer Bradley.

Tip #8 – Lock your vehicles on your property and everywhere you go. Do not let your valuables such as laptops, GPS units, purses, phones and other items of value be “eye candy” for a criminal. Lock your cars and lock valuables in the trunk before you leave home.

Retired law enforcement officer and current instructor of Concealed Weapons Permit Classes (CWP) in Spartanburg SC, David Blanton offered the following tips on how to harden your target against a home invasion.

Tip #1- If a woman is home alone and someone is trying to break in, she needs to call out in a loud voice “honey get the gun, I’m calling the police.” If the intruder hears this, chances are greater that he/she will get out of dodge!

Tip #2 – Dial 911 when you hear someone. Keep your cell phone and the charger by your bed at night. A criminal often will cut the power lines to your house before attempting to break in leaving your cordless phone inoperable.

Tip #3 – Don’t move around through the house when you hear someone breaking in UNLESS you have children you need to get to.

Tip #4 – Place small nightlights throughout your home so that you can make your way through the house safely and quietly, without bumping into furniture to get to your children. Never turn on a light! That just lets the criminal know exactly where you are. Also never run into rooms blindly. Check them out first! The criminal may already be in your home!

Tip #5 – Gather your children, and retreat back to a bedroom and position yourself so you can see the door leading out into the house. With or without a weapon, you want to see the criminal coming and not be blind sighted by them. If your bedroom door locks, you may choose to lock it. That’s fine too, but don’t lock yourself in a bathroom Blanton stated. You don’t want to be cornered in a small area with nowhere to run.

Tip #6 – Blanton stressed that if you choose to have a gun in your home for protection, be sure you have had a lot of practice shooting it and that you’re comfortable with it and know that you would be able to use it for self defense if needed. Having a gun you’ve never shot and are hesitant to use is more dangerous than not having one. A criminal will use any hesitant moment you have to snatch the gun from you and could use it on you.

Tip #7-If someone shows up at your door asking to use the phone because they are having car trouble, tell them you will call 911 and a police officer will be out and they will assist them. If they have a legitimate problem, they will thank you and be glad an officer is on the way. If they are not legitimate, they should leave in a hurry! Do not open a door without another barrier between you and the visitor. Never let anyone you don’t know cross the threshold into your home. Do not stand in front of a glass door! The criminal can see you standing there.

Tip #8 -“The Castle Doctrine” of SC allows homeowners to protect themselves (using deadly force) anywhere on their property inside and out, in their vehicle, and in their businesses in self defense, if they are in fear for their life. To read SC’s Castle Doctrine bill visit the link above.

Tip #9 -Press the panic button on your key ring if you hear someone in your garage. The loud noise should make them leave quickly.

City councilman Britt stated that more of these workshops will be held, as long as there is interest from Spartanburg residents.

These are excellent tips for anyone who wants to plan ahead and get prepared before their home and property are targeted for an invasion.

Sources:

Home Invasion Workshop held Nov. 7, 2011 at the Spartanburg SC Administration Bldg.: Organized by City Council and the Spartanburg Sheriff’s Department

2005-2006 Bill 4301: Protection of Persons and Property Act – South Carolina Legislature Online

http://www.schouse.gov/sess116_2005-2006/bills/4301.htm


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