Plan For the Worst - What to Do If There Really Is a Break-In

The very thought of experiencing a break-in can send chills up your spine. The last thing you would want is to come home one day and discover that your house has been broken into. When it comes to unpleasant scenarios like this, the value of having a home security monitoring system like BeHome247 is hard to quantify.

Imagine being with your family at a restaurant one night, and all of a sudden you get a text alert on your smartphone. One of the window sensors connected to your BeHome247 system was triggered, and there’s been some type of security breach. You log into the BeHome247 online interface, and are presented with the option to alert the authorities. Unlike a traditional alarm system which automatically alerts the police (often resulting in false alarms), BeHome247 gives you the option to determine whether the threat is legitimate, and whether the police need to be called or not. Using the BeHome247 portal, you review the video surveillance footage to see what exactly happened. You discover that an intruder attempted to gain access, but was scared away by the alarm siren that was triggered by the window sensor. Chalk up a victory for BeHome247!

So what should you do if there is a break-in while you’re at home? As unpleasant as it may be to think about these things, it is absolutely critical for you to take some time and develop a plan for these types of scenarios. Keeping the following ideas in mind will help you manage the stress of the situation by being prepared with a proper response.

A Non-Confrontational Strategy is Always Ideal

It’s important to remember that there’s no single best strategy that will work for every situation. Everyone’s personality type is different, their response under stress is different, the layout of each person’s house will be different, the entry point of the intruder will vary, etc., you get the idea. If there’s any way that you can quietly gather your family and safely escape, that’s always the best option. Whatever an intruder may steal can be replaced, but your life (and the lives of your loved ones) is invaluable. No need to play hero; just escape your home and get to a place of safety if at all possible, and then get help.

If trying to escape the house seems too risky, find a safe room that has a locking door (e.g., an interior closet, etc.), and quietly gather your family into that room. Lock the door and barricade it with any furniture or other heavy items that you can find. Most people sleep with their cell phones nearby; this is a good safety practice, and it’s important to keep your phone charged at all times in case you need to call the police in an emergency situation. Be sure to bring your phone with you and quietly call 911 from the safe room. Tell the police the situation in as brief detail as possible, and provide your address. Do exactly as the dispatcher tells you to do; remember, they are trained professionals, and it’s always better to follow their advice than to try and wing it. Tip: Have your emergency numbers programmed into your phone for easy access; it’s hard to believe, but even pressing three numbers can be difficult when your hands are shaking.

Believe it or Not, Most Burglars are Cowards

In the vast majority of cases, a burglar simply wants to find something of value, steal it and get out of the house with as little interruption as possible. If there’s any way possible for you to avoid engaging the intruder altogether, that is the route to take. Again, nothing is worth risking your life for if you and your family are not in any immediate life-threatening danger (i.e., the burglar is not actively attacking you). There’s no need to yell out anything like “I’ve called the police!” If you do, you’ll have given the burglar a good idea of your location, and in a rush of adrenaline, he may panic and seek you out to do you harm just for interrupting his plan. You have called the police, so just wait it out quietly and let the professionals handle the situation. It’s possible that the intruder may be gone by the time the police arrive, but at least you and your family will be safe. As scary as a break-in can be, it is vital for you to keep a cool head and remember what’s most important. Choosing to escape–or to quietly hide–is almost always the best option.

The old saying “Plan for the worst, hope for the best” definitely applies here; you shouldn’t live with an unhealthy sense of paranoia or fear, but at the same time you shouldn’t be too naive in your approach to life. There are some very real threats out there, and the person who is prepared for virtually any scenario stands a better chance of keeping themselves and their family out of harm’s way.

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