Personal Information May Put You at Risk - Serial Rapist Knew Details

An interesting story this morning, "Serial Rapist May Be Targeting Texas Sorority Alumnae, Police Say"

PLANO, Texas –  Police are looking for a serial rapist who may be targeting sorority alumnae in at least three North Texas cities, where at least four women have been attacked in their homes by a man who reportedly claimed he knew personal details about his victims. 

The victims, all members of the predominantly black Delta Sigma Theta sorority, were in their mid-50s to mid-60s and all were attacked late at night in their homes, according to police. It is unclear if the women knew each other.

Salient details:

• All victims were members of the same sorority
• All victims are in the same age range
• During the attacks, "the assailant revealed that he knew personal information about his victims"
  

Ok, maybe it's just me, but do any of you see a commonality here? To me, it looks like this piece of scum has access to the sorority's membership list. What do you think?

As we give some thought to this, is it possible that too many people have access to our home addresses, phone numbers, etc? The story does mention "avoid being alone or posting information about their day-to-day activities on social networking sites." But why? It could be a factor, for example, people who have wide open profiles on social media (Facebook, Foursquare, Twitter, Google+) sometimes use the "check-in" feature and let the world know that they are away from their homes, or even when they are home - not smart. However, in this case, the rapist knews where they all live, and, likely, that they are home alone.

Home Invasion Survival

John Vesia has a post on Surviving a Home Invasion prompted by receiving information from an alarm company. He’s asking for comments as to what readers have done to prepare for the possibility, and how to survive.

Has anyone taken measures to ward off the possibility of a home invasion? Certainly, the very thought of one should be horrifying. But what to do? Keep a bat or some other handy weapon in the closet or drawer? Is owning a gun and keeping it at home a good idea if you have young children?

We’ve posted before on it, and thought it might be helpful to remind our readers.

In our post, Anecdotal Information on Home Invasion - Use of Deadly Force we cover the following:

During my recent time with a retired police officer (see Real-life Pit Bull Encounter) was home invasion, which is defined as, "burglary of a dwelling while the residents are at home." I've had several posts on what type of response you should have, or how you should prepare for the possibility of home invasion.

As we compared notes on burglary (I don't remember why the subject came up), the gist of our conversation was that true home invasion is actually pretty rare. Most are accidental - burglaries where someone isn't supposed to be home. For example, a home is usually burglarized when the residents are known to be away, or during the day. During those times, if someone is at home, it's likely that the burglar will attempt to flee, because he's after your property, not you, and wants to get away, not hang around.

The most frequent cases of intentional home invasion may be where the invader is an acquaintance (or relative) or former partner ( or spouse) of the resident, and intends harm to said resident, usually murder, rape, or robbery. In other words, someone breaks into your home because they know you are there, and want to harm or harass you while you are present.

In any case, depending on the original intention of the home invader (burglary of an unoccupied residence, robbery of the residents, or worse), your response should be appropriate. You don’t know what the intentions are, and can’t trust that it’s not to rape, rob, or murder you and your entire family. You don’t know. Will you risk it?

Our response in the same post was:

"weapons should always be your first resort, not the last. My reasoning is that, if faced with an unknown threat, especially an intruder that is so bold as to invade an occupied home, you should assume a deadly threatto your family." My position, after assuming that all other steps are taken to make the home a hard target, and assuming the invaders probably know that you are home and are coming in anyway, you are justified in using a weapon. The commenter is correct that use of deadly force may constitute a crime if not justified. I will clarify my opinion:

1. If you have a chance (or a choice), make sure that everyone in the home is BEHIND you and in as safe a place as possible. There are many cases in the news of inner-city shootouts that kill residents in their homes because bullets keep going until they stop. That means that you want everyone you care about behind you, if possible.
2. Call the cops - let them know where you are, meaning your full address and WHERE YOU ARE IN THE HOUSE. Make sure you let the dispatcher know that you are armed, and give a description of your appearance. For example, "My family and I are in the second-floor bedroom furthest back. I am a five foot, nine-inch white male with a beard, and wearing a blue t-shirt and boxer shorts. I am armed with a small semi-automatic pistol." For a good example of why you want to do this, go here.
3. Let the intruder know that you are there, armed, and that law enforcement has been called. Do this while staying on the phone so that it's recorded by the dispatcher (almost all 911 calls are recorded). Do this in a loud, clear voice.
4. If you believe the lives of you or your family are in danger, do what you have to do.

Consult with legal authorities in your state. Is that clear enough?

There is more good information linked from Weapons first or last?, a post on whether to use weapons or empty-hand self defense skills in a home invasion. Can you guess where we come down on that?

UPDATE: Wim weighs in on the subject here.

For more information:

Be sure to read Martial Views
Crime Doctor's Home Invasion page
Equalizer saves the day
The Armed Citizen

Anecdotal Information on Home Invasion - Use of Deadly Force

I just got a comment on a post from earlier this year, Weapons first or last?, which brought up the subject of use of deadly force in home invasions. Specifically, whether you should use that force in response to the invasion. The comment:

Although I appreciate your focus on prevention in the latter part of the post. I have to disagree with your shoot to kill advice. There are laws that govern use of force, when it is appropriate to escalate etc. Your readers should be warned that escalating force without LEGAL justification can result in charges leading to conviction. If you were to fatally injure an unarmed intruder in your home, you would find yourself being charged with far worse a crime than your aggressor.I believe there is even a major motion picture about a situation similar to this titled "Felon".

During my recent time with a retired police officer (see Real-life Pit Bull Encounter) was home invasion, which is defined as, "burglary of a dwelling while the residents are at home." I've had several posts on what type of response you should have, or how you should prepare for the possibility of home invasion.

As we compared notes on burglary (I don't remember why the subject came up), the gist of our conversation was that true home invasion is actually pretty rare. Most are accidental - burglaries where someone isn't supposed to be home. For example, a home is usually burglarized when the residents are known to be away, or during the day. During those times, if someone is at home, it's likely that the burglar will attempt to flee, because he's after your property, not you, and wants to get away, not hang around.

The most frequent cases of intentional home invasion may be where the invader is an acquaintance (or relative) or former partner ( or spouse) of the resident, and intends harm to said resident, usually murder, rape, or robbery. In other words, someone breaks into your home because they know you are there, and want to harm or harass you while you are present.

Take the Sean Taylor case. The NFL star was known by the invaders (one was formerly employed at the home), were not supposed to be in the home (it was during the NFL season), and they were armed, though didn't plan to harm the family. This was a situation where Taylor's presence in his own home precipitated a crime going from a property crime (burglary), to a violent crime (murder).

The point of this post is to make the distinction between the types of crime, and how serious it is if someone actually breaks in while you are there. If that happens, the invaders probably mean you harm, and protecting you and your family is your responsibility.

In context, the original post (Weapons first or last?) was addressing whether one should use firearms against a home intruder. My point was that, "weapons should always be your first resort, not the last. My reasoning is that, if faced with an unknown threat, especially an intruder that is so bold as to invade an occupied home, you should assume a deadly threat to your family." My position, after assuming that all other steps are taken to make the home a hard target, and assuming the invaders probably know that you are home and are coming in anyway, you are justified in using a weapon. The commenter is correct that use of deadly force may constitute a crime if not justified. I will clarify my opinion:

1. If you have a chance (or a choice), make sure that everyone in the home is BEHIND you and in as safe a place as possible. There are many cases in the news of inner-city shootouts that kill residents in their homes because bullets keep going until they stop. That means that you want everyone you care about behind you, if possible.
2. Call the cops - let them know where you are, meaning your full address and WHERE YOU ARE IN THE HOUSE. Make sure you let the dispatcher know that you are armed, and give a description of your appearance. For example, "My family and I are in the second-floor bedroom furthest back. I am a five foot, nine-inch white male with a beard, and wearing a blue t-shirt and boxer shorts. I am armed with a small semi-automatic pistol." For a good example of why you want to do this, go here.
3. Let the intruder know that you are there, armed, and that law enforcement has been called. Do this while staying on the phone so that it's recorded by the dispatcher (almost all 911 calls are recorded). Do this in a loud, clear voice.
4. If you believe the lives of you or your family are in danger, do what you have to do.

Consult with legal authorities in your state. Is that clear enough? Comments are welcomed.

For more information:

Crime Doctor (for great tips and information)
TDA Weapons first or last?
TDA Equalizer saves the day
TDA "...he was just standing there with a gun pointed at my face"
TDA Bringing a gun to a knife fight?
FBI Uniform Crime Reports
Civilian Gun Self-Defense Blog (for examples of use of force situations)
Google News (news stories)
Wikipedia

Technorati Tags: home invasion,deadly force,guns

Georgia and the Nature of Man

I think Georgia was a wake-up call for many of us, for whom the sight of raw aggression has been limited to parts south and east of that small country. I often ponder, as I read the news, how many can still hold the viewpoint that man is essentially good. The sight of the Russian army rolling through the streets of Gori, expelling ethnic Georgians from their homes in South Ossetia, and stories of murder and pillage remind us of the dangers we face in the world today, and how thin a line there is between civilization and savagery. A governing principle in my understanding of mankind's dealing with one another is that there is evil in our hearts, evil which must be restrained. Were this not so, there would be no need for police, prisons, armies, or even governments, much less weapons and martial arts.

This should serve as a reminder to equip yourself to resist evil in all it's forms. Support and participate in civic activities like local and national elections. Arm yourself with education and information needed to make wise choices. Support the armed forces, law enforcement, and public safety by, at a minimum, reporting crime. Finally, learn to protect yourself, and if possible, put yourself in the way of those who would prey on the weak.

Nations and individuals seems to have an unlimited capacity to prey upon those weaker in strength or resolve. Be prepared.

 

Technorati Tags: Georgia,Russia

Weapons first or last?

I find it interesting that in the martial arts community, there seems to be a divide between those who espouse and practice with firearms, and those who shun them. A recent thread on the Convocation (How would you defend yourself in your home?) highlighted that split, to some extent, with some taking the position (read it to be clear) that "empty hand" should be your first resort, and weapons, including firearms being the last. Others, including yours truly, believe that weapons should always be your first resort, not the last. My reasoning is that, if faced with an unknown threat, especially an intruder that is so bold as to invade an occupied home, you should assume a deadly threat to your family.

Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor's home invasion was an attempted burglary that left him dead of a shotgun blast to the leg. Reportedly, the intruders knew Taylor (or had done work for the family in the past, and assumed that no one was home at the time. Taylor, his fiance, and 18 month-old daughter were in the home. From an early account:

... Taylor was awakened by a noise in his living room, Sharpstein said. As the shooter or shooters approached Taylor's bedroom, he reached for a machete or other form of knife he keeps nearby in case of emergency, and two shots were fired, one striking his leg in the groin area.

Cerrato said Taylor's fiancee tried to call police from the house line, only to discover that the line had been cut. She had to use her cellphone to call 911, which delayed the response time.

As of this posting, there is a gag order on the case, so more information may not be revealed for some time. The facts , as we now know them:

• It was approximately 1:30 AM
• Everyone was in bed, and awakened by the intrusion
• Four subjects gained entry by prying open a rear bathroom door, then "kicked in a rear bedroom door..."
• Taylor, hearing a noise, responded by grabbing a weapon (a "machete or other form of knife"), and investigated
• One of the intruders shot Taylor
• Taylor's fiance attempted to call 911, the line was cut, and she made contact with her cell phone

What lessons can we apply to this for our own self-protection? My thoughts:

1. The intruders gained entry without interruption or deterrent. A large dog barking, or an alarm system may have prevented entry by scaring off the intruders.
2. The machete wasn't enough - I'd bet that many, if not most, home invaders are armed. Do you think they just carry clubs or knives? The intruders had the benefit of numbers and weapons, plus at least one or two had been in the home before. Taylor may (a slim chance) have been able to fight off more than one attacker, but they were armed, and the stakes just went up. You may not know (until it's too late) that a home invader is armed. Assume they are.
3. You do need to identify your target, but don't hesitate. If you know where your family is (behind you), and that no one else should be in the home, take appropriate action with no delay.
4. There should be no such thing as a "warning shot." If you shoot, and the subject is armed, you may die. Shoot to kill, no wound.
5. Have a backup plan. What if you gun doesn't fire? Have another. Keep a weapon close at hand, loaded, and unlocked.
6. Train your family members as to how to handle many situations, including fires, first aid, and home invasion. If possible, create a "safe room," and escape route, plus a meeting point.
7. The cell phone being available could be a life-saver. Your phone lines may be cut, or if you use cordless phones, your power may be out. Keep a backup!

Some good tips (from Crime Doctor's Home Invasion page):

Install solid core doors, heavy duty locks, and window security devices

Lock all doors, windows, and garages at all times

Use four three-inch screws to secure heavy duty lock strike plates in the door frame

Use the door peephole BEFORE opening the door

Use your porch light to help you to see clearly outside

Never rely on a chain-latch as a barrier to partially open the door

Never open the door to strangers or solicitors

Call the police if the stranger acts suspicious

Alert your neighbors to suspicious solicitors

Hold a family meeting to discuss home security plans

Set the home perimeter alarm at night, if you have one

Home invasion resources:

The COCA thread
Crime Information
SelfDefenseResource.com
Defend University
Crime Doctor
Charlotte Self Defense

 

Technorati Tags: Crime prevention,self-defense,weapons,gun,home invasion

Have you had to defend your home?

I am catching up on email (sorry for whomever has emailed and not gotten a polite and timely response), and on threads at the Convocation of Martial Arts, and came upon a thread entitled, "How would you defend yourself in your home?" Excellent! Read through the whole thing, then post if you like, but I'd like to ask a more pertinent question that can be a learning experience for us all:

Have you ever had to defend your home? Rather, have you ever been in a situation where you've faced an intruder and, successfully or unsuccessfully defended yourself? If so, this isn't a theoretical situation for you, and you can help thousands of the readers of this blog and the partner sites at CoCA. Please reply via comment, or better yet, at the Have you HAD to defend your home? thread there.

Questions:

1. What happened?
2. Why do you think it happened, or why were you vulnerable?
3. What would you do differently?
4. Any other advice for readers on this subject?

Many thanks,

Nathan

More lock bumping help

For a few days, most of my hits came from our lock bumping post (see it here). We recently got a comment that I felt deserved it's own post. Please check out www.lockbumping.org for some great information and links. I haven't checked all the links yet, but as I hear back will let you know. Please discuss at CoCA here.

Mobile Emergency Numbers - share this!

I just had to call in several crashed and disabled vehicles on I-70 in Ohio, 'cause I'm forced to drive in the snow for my work. If, like me, you travel a lot, you may want to put these numbers in your cell phone. Unfortunately, 911 isn't universal yet, despite the law. Also, dialing 911 from you cell phone should also help locate you (E-911), but it doesn't always. Still, this excellent site should be of some assistance.

Also, for safety, I recommend putting 911 into the "turbo dial" of your phone so that you can just hold down the button and it will dial it. Many phones are set up that way by default, but not all.

Just a safety tip! Again, thanks to http://www.911dispatch.com/ for these Mobile Emergency Numbers: "Highway Notification Numbers"

Click the email this button at the bottom of this post and share with friends!

Lock Bumping Threat - watch this video!

If you can, email this link to your friends and family members. Thanks to WMC-TV in Memphis for producing this informative video. Good stuff!

How to Keep Surveillance on Your Home

Adam Walls of 919 security self defense blog has a great post on a program that uses IP and video cameras to keep remote surveillance. He's got great posts on a lot of security issues (it's his business). Check out the his blog and site.

How To Keep Surveillance On Your Home From Anywhere In The World

Many of you out there probably try not to worry about your home when you are on vacation. You want to spend your whole time relaxing and not having a care in the world until you get back on that plane or back in that car to go back home. But, for some of us who have either had their homes broken into or constantly worry because you may live in a bad neighborhood, VISEC Surveillance Software has you covered. NASA Level Programmers have developed a next generation computer program called VISEC. VISEC turns your home or office computer into a powerful, global-wide video surveillance system in 5 minutes or less.

With VISEC you can keep an eye on everything you ever wanted without spending a fortune. This is very helpful for monitoring your home, office, cars and valuables.
Watch your pets, nanny, babysitter even your kids!
View from any location in the world via the Internet.
Use your computer's IP address to log on and immediately view live or past video.
Record all video activity, or just when motion is detected.
In motion detection mode you can be alerted by email, cell phone or PDA when motion is detected.
Can also be used as a stealth surveillance system allowing the program to operate secretly on your computer. Suspect an abusive nanny or cheating spouse? Simply set VISEC on 'secret' mode and record everything for possible evidence.
VISEC is extremely easy to use. Installation and configuration will only take 5 minutes.

VISEC can record up to four cameras at once using your existing computer and any webcam, wireless or hidden camera. This is great because everyone with a need for recording video can use VISEC. A web cam allows you to connect directly to your computer and this means simple installation through USB ports.

Video surveillance has never been so easy.

DefendU on Identity Theft

Defend University is a great ongoing resource for self-defense and defensive tactics information. Here, they discuss something that's timely, considering the high-profile incidents in the past year.

Protect Yourself from Identity Theft

Identity theft has doubled since 2001.

Don't think it can't happen to you and don't think it's not that big of a deal. At the very least, you'll spend an average of $1,000 clearing your name and restoring your credit standing and it can take years to clean up the mess.

Because of the bad credit you'll have until you can get everything restored you will have trouble getting loans, home mortgages, even lose out on job opportunities...

Follow these simple steps to avoid being a victim:

• Shred all financial and personal information before throwing it away.

• Never leave mail overnight in your mailbox. Meth addicts are big into stealing mail with an eye toward finding utility bill payments. Your information can be purloined, your checks washed and you won't even know it for about a month.

• Mail your bill payments and other financial materials from the metal U.S. mailboxes. Those flimsy aluminum mail boxes found in office buildings and apartments are easy to pry open.

• Do not include personal information, such as your full name, address and phone number, on printed checks. Don't laugh, I see it all the time. I've even had bank tellers tell me privately that they have fictitious addresses on their checks.

• Cancel unused credit card accounts and cut up the cards before disposing. Come on, do I really need to tell you this?

• Carry only what you need in your wallet (leave out unnecessary credit cards, checks, etc.) If you lose your wallet (happens all the time) or you are mugged, pickpocketed or robbed, you won't lose everything -- meaning you will have access to some credit or cash while you are getting all of your other cards reissued.

• Never give Social Security numbers, bank account numbers or other personal financial information to anybody on the telephone. Again, don't laugh, people do it.

• Request copies of your credit report periodically to see if someone is trying to apply for credit under your name.

You might consider having your mail go to a commercial mail box location or a Post Office Box. That way you don't have a direct link to your home address for identity thieves.

Protecting yourself from this new threat will require you to change your thinking about how you protect your information. And you will have to have the discipline to continue your security procedures. Remember, you have to be careful all the time. The identity thief just needs to get lucky once.

Tags: Identity theft, fraud, crime, self defense

Real and Fake Cameras for Home Security

Adam Walls of 919 Security Self Defense Blog has some good posts on security for the home, including fake cameras. Read them here:

Nanny Cams Are A Must For Child Safety Surveillance On Your Home From Anywhere In The World Dummy Cameras Provide Just As Much Security

Tags: Security, Self-Defense, Surveillance

Are you feeling lucky?

Read this one! Nice job by the batter...

CLEARFIELD, Utah (AP) -- A Sunset man's attempt at breaking into a home ended after the home owner beat the intruder on the head with a baseball bat as he climbed through a window.

The home owner used a Louisville Slugger, with the words "are you feeling lucky," written on it, said Assistant Clearfield Police Chief Greg Krusi.

The beating sent the intruder to Davis Hospital and Medical Center in Layton with head injuries, Krusi said.

There's more. He was apparently a registered sex offender, drunk, and had a hatchet. Not his lucky day, eh?

New Link - 919 Security Self Defense Blog

919 Security Self Defense Blog is pretty nice. It's focused (so far) on home safety and self-defense tips, and links to his company's site (self-defense products). Check it out.

Home Invasion Survival

Imagine this scenario. After a long week at work, you are finally able to relax at home with your spouse and two teen-age daughters. You’re in your living room watching TV with your spouse. Your daughters are in their own rooms doing…whatever. Because both of you have worked hard for many years, you are now able to live more comfortably in what you thought to be a safe community.

At 9:00PM you hear a knock on the door and your spouse gets up to answer the door. After the door is unlocked you hear a sudden outburst as two strange young men burst through the door and into your living room. As the door crashes open, you see your spouse is being punched and beaten to the floor. Before you have time react you are overcome by physical force and threats of harm to you and your family. The two men are brandishing guns and are shouting obscene threats and commands simultaneously as they push you onto the couch. One of the men quickly searches the house for other occupants while the other stands guard over you.

Your mind is racing. Will we be killed? Will these attackers beat us or molest our daughters? The level of terror and anxiety is enormous and will cause victims to sometimes act irrationally. Some will freeze and become incapacitated from fright. Others will instinctively resist and try to fight back. Others will run away if possible. Psychologists have labeled this phenomenon as the “fight or flight syndrome.” The first thirty seconds are the most critical to your family’s survival.

Read the rest...