This content was created by Robert Siciliano. This content was uploaded by Robert Siciliano. This is a YouTube video titled "Home Invasion Expert, www.PersonalSecurity.TV" (created 2007-02-19) presenting an English, interview/panel-style conversation about rising home invasions and how to protect oneself. Participants include a host (Speaker A), personal security consultant Robert L. Siciliano, and several guests (Speakers C and D) who recount home-invasion incidents and reactions (neighbors not helping, police response). Siciliano offers practical safety advice and tips (awareness, alarms, door reinforcement, non-lethal protection, self-defense, trusting instincts) and the segment frames the issue as a nationwide concern.
Chapters
Most people, I think all of us, assume that our homes are our havens, safe places where we can protect ourselves and our families from the violence of the world around us. But before we settle in today and close our locks tonight, you may want to double-check everything on your windows and doors. I don't do this to frighten you. I do this because it's happening and I want to inform you. Take a look at this. Last month in New York City, four armed men entered a house through a second-story window just before dawn. They tied up the seven people inside and escaped with thousands in cash and jewels. That same night, in another part of the city, a man was savagely beaten in his own home after he surprised an intruder. These acts of terrorism are not unusual, and they're not just a big city problem. Home invasions are happening everywhere. Just three months ago, two men burst into a private home in a small Connecticut town and abducted a child. A month later, a man was shot during a battle with a burglar in his suburban home. In California, Tennessee, and Florida, home invasions are becoming frighteningly more common and often deadly. Police across the country say more criminals are turning to home invasion for the thrill, and Americans need to know how to protect themselves in these often violent confrontations. Okay, how do we protect ourselves from home invasion? With us is Robert L. Siciliano, a personal security consultant. He's also the author of The Safety Minute. Now, I assume that means the first 60 seconds are the most important.
It's all about taking a minute for safety. Watching this show, you can't help but feel a certain amount of helplessness, and you know, what do you do to protect yourself? But believe it or not, we do have a large degree of control over whether or not we are chosen as victims, and simply having a plan of action can help keep you and your family safe.
How?
Well, being aware, constant awareness of your environment, alarming your home ahead of time, taking a proactive approach to your personal security, knowing that you can protect yourself, that there is things you can do ahead of time to eliminate the possibility of danger.
Okay, what, what could Elaine's daughter or Cheryl or Wally have done? What did you take?
A basic self-defense course ahead of time. Know how to debilitate somebody in the event that they do attack you. Somebody tries to kick in a door, you have, uh, this door club that prevents somebody from kicking in the door.
That goes at the bottom of the door?
Goes to the bottom door. You drill a hole at the bottom of the door and it prevents somebody from actually opening the door. Um, and then, you know, just having a, a beware of dog sign right out on the exterior of your home makes you less of a victim. You have to understand that there always has been, is, and always will be a criminal element out there, and our job is not to be chosen victim. You have to show that you are not the one that they want to invade. They want to go to the neighbor's house. In the event they do get into the house, have a non-lethal personal protection product, something that you can spray into their house to quickly debilitate them.
Now, you're shaking your head. You're shaking your head. Why?
I'm really upset because We can't fortify ourselves. We can't fortify the whole world. We have to become more sensitized to the fact that we as Americans have taken murder, crime, and violence as normal. And selling your stuff is not going to keep them out. My daughter was 5'7", 3— size 3, 105 pounds. The killer man was 6'2" and 270 pounds, and the killer That woman had a .357 Snub Nose Magnum in her head! Ma'am, I'm on your side. No, wait a minute! I'm not getting hysterical.
I'm not selling products.
I'm simply educating you on the techniques of self-defense.
I'm totally on your side. Have you ever played with a little child and a little baby poked you in the eye and you were temporarily blinded? It doesn't take a lot of physical strength to debilitate somebody. Or you're playing with a little child and he kicks you in the groin and you're debilitated.
One of your frustrations is that your daughter had a neighbor who heard her screaming and did nothing.
Right.
Even the most basic assistance, that, that what you're really angry about is that our society is at the point where a woman in a good apartment building could be screaming for her life and no one wants to get involved, right?
This was the fact that there were two young women that were her neighbors. You could reach across the hall and almost open the door. It was an old brownstone building, a very nice building.
That was the best chance she had to find help.
And nobody screamed. They heard her screaming and nobody called 911. 911. Nobody helped.
Larry answered the door, what he thought were the two cops, ended up in handcuffs in the bedroom. And then what changed?
And then, uh, when we realized that they weren't real policemen was when my nephew's handcuffs popped off, and there was four pieces of his handcuffs laying on the floor. He started yelling, uh, call 911, they're not real cops. And, uh, luckily they—
but you've done nothing wrong.
No.
So you, you said they've corralled— you've just accepted that law enforcement can come into your home and arrest you?
Yeah.
You're not a lawyer, are you?
No.
No.
Do Did you catch these guys?
Yeah, they were caught. We called 911. Henry's, you know, his handcuffs came off, so he immediately called the police when they ran out the door. And we notified them that they just left in a black van, and about 2 minutes later they pulled them over.
Has it changed the way you feel about your home and your security?
I feel like I'm more aware now of my surroundings, and I have to be more leery of what's happening around me.
Sad.
It is sad. I don't feel as scared as I did before. 'cause I've managed to get through this unharmed, luckily. I hear some of the other stories and I'm realizing more and more how fortunate we were.
In fact, what are the other tips you didn't get to, Robert? Let's put them up there. You've got 7. The first 4 you've pretty much covered, but what are the other 3?
Well, basically, you know, trust in your instincts, have a constant awareness of your surroundings. In the event that somebody knocks on your door, you don't know who it is, okay? You don't open the door for strangers. You've told your kids all your life, "Don't talk to strangers." So who are you to turn around and open the door for a stranger who you don't know? Okay? If there is somebody at the door, it's a utility worker, get a phone number, call a supervisor. If it's a delivery person, get a phone number, call the reception desk and confirm that there's actually a delivery being made. They're going to use all these different techniques to get into your home. You have to be proactive and make sure they don't get in by being proactive and using defensive measures.
When we come back, we're going to try and learn a little from Cheryl's work and from Elaine's work. What they have done in their communities. Don't go away. Home invasions today.
