So Naptown's had a rash of things that qualify for the term "home invasion" in the last several months, leaving residents jittery and network news people ecstatic.
They have varied in nature, some being just "hot burglaries", a few where occupants are beaten and deprived of cell phones and wallets at gunpoint, and a couple of the especially scary "takeover" kind, where residents are wakened at gunpoint, tied up, sexually assaulted, driven to ATMs to withdraw cash...
The two most headline-grabbing of the latter type took place twenty-some-odd blocks from Roseholme Cottage, which is a little unsettling, but not surprising. 21st Century urban American geography is riddled with fault lines where gentrified neighborhoods or established old money ones rub hard up against the ghetto. The immaculate Tudors of Forest Hills are just across the Monon Trail from hardscrabble little bungalows, and it's not more than a ten or fifteen minute walk from the governor's residence at 46th and Meridian to neighborhoods where you keep your doors locked as you roll past abandoned Victorians with crack dens in the basement.
There's a reason that the previous occupant of this house installed doors that won't yield to a swift kick.
At the same time, the neighborhood where the takeovers occurred was far more suburban in nature, if not in geography. Whereas Roseholme Cottage is on a typical urban street where the houses are cheek-by-jowl and consequently there's a neighborhood dynamic where everybody knows everybody else's business, these houses were on bigger lots laid out with an eye to fostering seclusion and privacy, which has downsides not often thought about.
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34 comments:
True enough; if you've built for more privacy, you need to spend some time making sure you've got the hardened doors & such to help ENFORCE that privacy from the orcs.
Why don't ATMs have emergency codes/buttons? One would think it would be fairly easy to program a code (maybe 911?) that when entered on the keypad would summon the nearest po-po cruiser.
I have the advantage of living in the neighborhood that some of the miscreants operate out of. Keeps things generally quiet. The very few, 4 or 5 in ten years, home invasions have been drug or gang related and the offenders known to the victims.
I installed the doors in my house with a goal for them to be difficult to breach in any normal manner. I found out how well I did the morning the deadbold lock stopped working in the locked position. Finally had to reemove the hinge pins and very carefully wiggle/lever the door out of the frame. Luckily I had other doors still operational.
Nosy neighbors can be as much a blessing as an annoyance.
boat guy,I hear ya.I didn't think that I would like living in town,I'm more of a country guy,but most of the houses on my street are less than 20' from each other,and some people have dogs and/or guns (I have both),and there hasn't been a b&e in over 30 years.
I can see downtown from my front porch,and one of the high crime neighborhoods from my back deck,but trouble stays off my street.
I know how you feel. A few years ago there were 3 or 4 home invasions in my neighborhood in the matter of a couple of months. I admit, at times, I can become lackadaisical about carrying when I'm in my own house. I mean home = safe right? Not always. Those few months got me carrying daily, even at home, and started the rule that only DAD answers the door and kids are to be away from the door (preferably at the back of the house) when it happens.
s
Considering the declining state of police services in many parts of the country, I wonder when the new fashion in home design is going to include solid exterior concrete walls at the ground level with narrow windows and tasteful steel doors mounted in steel frames.
You know, like medieval manors, and for pretty much the same reasons.
Castles are all well and good to keep out the less organized. Without an escape route they become tombs if the attackers are slightly more organized.
And it is still bad form to have a moat with pungy sticks at the bottom.
@Matt I found out how well I did the morning the deadbold lock stopped working
Unless you kicked the door, not really.
I have sent doors along with the *whole* jamb flying into houses. When you don't care about damage, there are very few wooden doors that require more than two kicks.
@Paul: if said moat has koi and decorative lilies floating in it, the HOA shouldn't mind whats at the bottom. And remember, only two exploding pink plastic flamingos per yard, please.
KM is right. The only wooden doors that hold up are built with heavy planks, and make you think about Medieval castle doors. Steel doors with steel door frames, professionally anchored, are best. You might be surprised how obtainable and actually attractive these can be.
Sure, any door can be taken, with the right tools (a Halligan bar and a single-bladed axe make short work of all but the most impressive commercial-grade security doors.)
[Yes, I know that I'm perpetrating thread drift, and I apologize.]
For a quick demo of what a guy with a proper set of irons can do to get into a secured house, watch this quick video.
Notice, though, that even though they're fast, they're still making noise. And that set of irons weighs about 40 pounds and isn't easy to hide while walking around.
I don't use wooden doors, to flimsy and don't hold up well in our local weather. I prefer steel. I also prefer premium locks, hinges and know how to build heavy door frames and how to properly bolt them into supporting structure. If I ever have a house custome built it will incorporate steel doors and frames and armored windows.
The door can be breached if total destruction of it is not problem. I am pretty sure I could of taken out the offending deadbolt with a sledge hammer and punch, but didn't wish to replace the entire door. Same thing that even with reinforced jambs, striker panels etc a well aimed ram should be able to remove the deadbolts and door knobs. The only home invaders in our area that are likely to use those are SWAT. The security screen door would have to be breached first as well, not a terribly difficult job. Hole purpose is to cause the attacker to use up valuable time and make lots of noise. That way I can respond, and the neighbors can call 911 or join the festivities.
Meeting your neighbors is home defense 101 in my book. No random dude with a moving van is clearing my house out while I'm at work.
to neighborhoods where you keep your doors locked as you roll past abandoned Victorians with crack dens in the basement.
While I know what you mean ... always keep your doors locked.
Of course, these days most cars seem to automatically lock when you put them in gear, or soon after.
Also, gripping asked: Why don't ATMs have emergency codes/buttons? One would think it would be fairly easy to program a code (maybe 911?) that when entered on the keypad would summon the nearest po-po cruiser.
Two reasons:
1) Assholes would do prank alerts too often - with a blocked face to stop the camera getting them.
2) The gun-point robber would watch the keypad and tell you you'd get shot if you did it.
It won't work.
Many years ago, a rather colorful relative commented about home burglaries thusly: "Any house can be broken into. Basically, you have to make it worth their while to hit someplace easier." As he was once a PI and process server, I guess he knew whereof he spoke.
Stay safe
While you would hope it never happens, one can imagine the shock and awe, soon replaced with abject fear, on the face of any hooligan unlucky enough to kick the door at R.C., only to be met by majorly pissed Amazonians with enough artillery to repel a militarized SWAT contingent.
> these days most cars seem to automatically lock when you put them in gear
True, but who was the IDIOT who decided it was a good idea to have the doors automatically UNlock when you put the car in "park?"
>only to be met by majorly pissed Amazonians
Not to mention Huck ....
Anon @ 3:11,
Hell, the tiger would scare them off before the ladies got suited up. ;)
Just saw Mike caught it.
Im not to sure wether this is still true but it used to be if you entered your PIN in reverce order it would still work but signel the bank that you were being forced to remove money in other words notifing them you were being robbed.
Since I haven't worked in the banking business since 1981,when, to get people to use the newfangled ATM's they put in play money plus a real fin now and then, with employees buttonholing the customers, I can't verify what Adjshootist says is true or not, but I think someone would have mentioned long before now.
First the disclaimer:
I would never wish the stress, hassle, and carpet shampooing of a home invasion on you and Bobbi.
That said....
I would love to see video of the goblins face when the realization dawns of just how badly he has screwed up.
I would also like to see the faces of the IMPD dispatchers relaying the 911 call from Roseholme requesting fast air to take out the getaway vehicle and the 911 calls from neighbors complaining about the small war that has erupted next door.
BGM
Adj - no. Imagine the PIN 1221. Now enter it backwards.
"Why don't ATMs have emergency codes/buttons? One would think it would be fairly easy to program a code (maybe 911?) that when entered on the keypad would summon the nearest po-po cruiser. "
Oh, the police would just LOVE something else out there that can generate a false alarm...
"Of course, these days most cars seem to automatically lock when you put them in gear, or soon after."
I can understand that, but for some ungodly reason they also programmed the systems to automatically UNLOCK when putting the car in park!
Yeah, what Mike_C said...
Your friendly car dealer can re-program the auto-lock for you.
Been noticing more anti break-in features in new home construction here in the New Orleans area. Windows being narrower & higher up, brick & wrought iron fences with gates, that sort of thing.
That backwards PIN thing was always an urban legend.
After Hurricane Ike, I had the opportunity to anchor the door frames with eight 3/8"x8" wood-thread lag bolts on either side of the frame.
These go into tripled 2"x4" structural framing. The doors themselves are steel.
Sure, they can be breached. Heavy ram on the deadbolt will do it in two or three swings.
But, the noise and clamor will at least give me a chance to wake and respond.
Better than being "one kick wonders", but not as good as all-steel, designed-in from the start.
Suppose trip wires and claymores would be a good enhancement?
Jim
Sunk New Dawn
Galveston, TX
Anonymous said...
"Your friendly car dealer can re-program the auto-lock for you."
I wouldn't trust our local dealer to program their own TV remote control, much less my car.
Easiest way to break into my mcmansion is through the wall. Pop a hole in there, insert saw and cut a hole. Its just vinyl, Styrofoam, and drywall. Studs are at 36 inches, plenty of room.
Most "home invasions" in the U. S. are still robberies of drug dealers or other places thought to have valuable criminal-owned loot. #2 is accidents- places the robbers think are drug dealers but oops, wrong house. Third come surprises- places where burglars find that hard sleepers are home after all.
The planned movie style home invasion takeover is still rare here- too many guns and the system goes crazy when the criminals cross the tracks.
When the ebt cards don't work, though....
I echo that defense #1 is get to know your neighbors. It's hard to beat a whole neighborhood.
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