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This weekend I'm pretty sure I had an attempted home invasion.

Background:
Forgot to shut my 6am cell phone alarm off for the weekend so it went off Saturday morning. I got up to use the bathroom since I was up. Immediately after that, 4-5 loud police style bangs on my front door. Keep in mind it was pitch black out. I live in a quiet fairly well to do neighborhood, no cars visible, have a long steep driveway. Basically no good reason for anyone to be at my door, too early for punk kids, too late for anyone leaving the bar. Anyways, woke all 5 of us up. Talked to neighbors later and phoned police asking if anyone had anything similar reported, nothing.

Lessons Learned: (Realized I was a soft target)
I hadn't been leaving porch lights on. It's a safe neighborhood, right? Wrong. I realized I am one of the few houses that doesnt use them at night. Realized I had no lights on in the house. No locks on internal door knobs from garage into basement, from spare basement bedroom into house or on door from basement to upstairs.

(Made myself a hard target)
I beefed up security. Made every window and door difficult to get into. Installed some new locks on doors, motion sensors and spotlights all over.

Overall Lesson Learned:
Night sights are amazing! Not for looking down them, but I set my taclight, cell and pistol down a few times while getting dressed, couldnt find my cell or taclight in complete dark. But I could see the beautiful green glow of night sights and knew the orientation of the gun. Easy to grab quick!
Had a red taclight, but didnt know where it was, a must for seeing while getting dressed without blowing night vision, it now resides on night stand.

Anyways, figured someone may get something out of this, or rethink their own home security with difficult economic times ahead. I feel much more secure at night now even after having this incident happen. I have had 1 house and 1 apt broke into prior (Both daytime) also garage and car (Night time) all in different parts of the country. So maybe I just have bad luck or these things do happen. Local Home Depot says they have had a lot of people buying home security lately...hmm
 
armchair quarter back here. I don't think I would have went outside. I might have if the dog had alerted or acted strange. I wouldnt have wanted to expose myself. Or i would have sent the dog out the front while i went out the side or other entrance.
Sounds like everyone in household stayed calm.
 
So your alarm went off and woke you and the neighbor up. The neighbor was pissed so he banged on your door. Now you think you were the target of a home invasion?

Please don't shoot any meter readers. Thanks.

ETA: Since you made the house air tight make sure you put some long web "handles" on the dowels you put in all of the windows and sliding door tracks. That will make them easier to find and remove when your accidental fire smolders from the lack of oxygen in your house and makes a lot of smoke.
 
I have the the only house on my whole block that leaves ANY external lights on. Actually seven + stair lighting at my place. Obvious IR cameras with accompanying IR extra glaring lights (LOL) + driveway alerts. You have to come up 30+ feet of stairs or climb over a fence to get to my door. As soon as you hit stair #4 I know you are coming.

The whole opposite side of the street is pitch black at night. Crazy. My neighbors are all dimwits and have the street smarts of infants, but come on. I've mentioned it to them and one told me she doesn't like wasting energy.

Oh well. Softer targets around me mean they will 'get it' first. If I was inclined to rob a house I'd be in hog heaven with my neighbor across the street. Literally tells everyone when he is gone for a few days, no lights, no car in driveway, high bushes allow easy access and time to pry open windows, paper thin doors with 3/4" screws in the frame, leaves blinds open so you can see right inside at night .... you name it ... a burglar's paradise. Not to mention they "look down on guns" so no defense to a home invasion whatsoever. Some deluded morons actually have earned what is coming to them I guess.
 
So your alarm went off and woke you and the neighbor up. The neighbor was pissed so he banged on your door. Now you think you were the target of a home invasion?

Please don't shoot any meter readers. Thanks.

ETA: Since you made the house air tight make sure you put some long web "handles" on the dowels you put in all of the windows and sliding door tracks. That will make them easier to find and remove when your accidental fire smolders from the lack of oxygen in your house and makes a lot of smoke.

Exactly how would his cell phone alarm (alarm clock) wake up a neighbor? Glad you've thought of everything and know better than anyone else how to do everything.
 
In response to JAFO: First off, you were kind rude in your reply, thanks!

Second I edited my post, it was my cell phone alarm that went off and woke me up, not a house alarm. Did you not read where said I talked to my neighbors? If I was home and my house alarm was going off I would probably shut it off before neighbors pounded on my door. If a meter reader bangs on my door in the dark at 6am, yes he might be looking down a barrel when the door opens.

Thirdly, I did not make my house any more airtight, the 40yr old house is plenty drafty. If I did have a fire I would hope it was a smoldering slow burning fire, give me time to escape.

To lostbackpacker: Going out the front door may not have been the wisest of ideas, not sure if I'd do it again or not
 
I have a kennel full of coonhounds that are bred to be heard for miles and they announce EVERY visitor. The "house" dog patrols the back yard (about 1/2 acre) loose. All my fences have an electric strand running along the top. The entire perimeter of the house is lighted on motion sensors, like a dozen of them, with one light near the vehicles that never turns off. To get to the house you have to go 150' down the driveway, which is fenced on both sides and easily blocked. We have certain lights in the house that we never turn off. My guns are in a safe, and my HP handguns are in a lockbox that I can open by feel in less than 5 seconds without getting out of bed.

I've actually given some thought to putting one of my trail cams in a birdhouse near the house end of the driveway, just so I know who came and went, and when.
 
Front Porch lights on all the time and theres actually two different kinds of lights. Always have a table lamp on in the living room. No way to get upstairs without making noise on the stairs. I would not go outside unless I did so via the door in to the carport which can be opened without being seen at night.
 
I've always been the type to do a hard, fast and unexpected offense, sort of come between the threat and family I guess. I guess part of me wanted to see some idiot kids out there or a drunk neighbor so I could go back to sleep peacefully :( Anyways, all better now just posted thinking that some might read my experience and take a walk around their house and see if it is as secure as they would like. I'm definately taking suggestions, my dad and friend gave me some good ideas that I have put to use already.
 
Really like the idea of an indoor set up floodlight that is motion activated! That alone would likely surprise some so much they would withdraw...I'll have to look into that. Thanks for posting your story, good lessons.
 
Really like the idea of an indoor set up floodlight that is motion activated! That alone would likely surprise some so much they would withdraw...I'll have to look into that. Thanks for posting your story, good lessons.


Yeah basically like the garage floodlights, but plugs into wall outlet $30 Walmart
 
I think you did the right things. You armed yourself, loudly challenged the possible threat, and gave notice you were not someone to be f***#d with. I probably would not just sit in a room and wait. Not in my make up. I would look out windows for intruders. The honks probably got the idea. I agree with your exterior sweep, with the dog. You already have more tactical training than a criminal, so a solo sweep was fine IMO. I want to make sure my whole area is clear before I return to the house. You have the training, so no problem. Dogs, flashlight, command voice all set the odds in your favor.

I have motion sensing lights on all side of the house, and 3 infrared beam sensors across my driveways and front yards. These are a pretty inexpensive security item as well. They ring a chime in my house which immediately sets off the Aussie and Shepard into a barking fit. Anybody knocking on my door unexpected can expect to be greeted as a possible intruder. 65 pound Aussie and 90 pound German Shepard pretty much covers the interior needs real well if we are gone also. They hate strange criminal types, wonder where they got that idea ?
 
Have you signed up for the OHPD community alert emails they provide some useful information. Also if your in the OH city limits OHPD was trying to set up a block watch program. I copied the body of there email below.

"The Oak Harbor Police Department Community Service Team is in the planning stages to start up the Block Watch Program again in our community.

If you are interested in getting a Block Watch program started in your neighborhood, and you live within the city limits of Oak Harbor, please call 360-279-4600, Monday-Friday, between 8am and 5pm. Our Community Service Officer will contact you with more information."
 
I think you did the right things. You armed yourself, loudly challenged the possible threat, and gave notice you were not someone to be f***#d with. I probably would not just sit in a room and wait. Not in my make up. I would look out windows for intruders. The honks probably got the idea. I agree with your exterior sweep, with the dog. You already have more tactical training than a criminal, so a solo sweep was fine IMO. I want to make sure my whole area is clear before I return to the house. You have the training, so no problem. Dogs, flashlight, command voice all set the odds in your favor.

I have motion sensing lights on all side of the house, and 3 infrared beam sensors across my driveways and front yards. These are a pretty inexpensive security item as well. They ring a chime in my house which immediately sets off the Aussie and Shepard into a barking fit. Anybody knocking on my door unexpected can expect to be greeted as a possible intruder. 65 pound Aussie and 90 pound German Shepard pretty much covers the interior needs real well if we are gone also. They hate strange criminal types, wonder where they got that idea ?

Agreed! I'm going outside to put as much distance and bullet slowing material (Doors, exterior plywood, 2X4's, drywall, furniture, etc) between the threat and my Family.

We debated this 2 or 3 years back. There were some good points made on both sides.

Lefty.
 
I'll definitely look into the community alert emails. Probably wouldnt have gone outside if I didnt have my GF as backup armed and trained as well. But yeah, 3 younguns in the house, one of which was doing a sleepover, talk about timing!
 
Every night I stage boots, clothing, tac light and weapons in exactly the same place in relation to the foot of the bed. I can just slide down the bed and reach it all while still sitting. The clothing is in order, dark sweater below pants (no underwear, if I have to go commando, I'll really go commando)! Besides the boots and sox, I keep an old pair of slip-on walking shoes within reach. Wow, I just revved up my memory molecule and realized I've been doing this since about 1973.

PS: thanks for the interesting thread!
 
Last Edited:
I like the story and can look beyond the typo about your cell phone waking up the neighbor. Good for you making your house as secure as possible. The door from the garage into the house is a common criminal entry point that should be locked and dead bolted every night. Porch lights always on at my house. I have to say stepping outside was a mistake, even with back up and a vest. You don't know where or whom you are going to encounter when you leave you door. If you are ambushed, they will potentially have your weapon. Stay inside next time and call the police. You can protect the ground and situation from inside. Outside you could become a target.
 
One thing that I picked up was a set of Howard Leight Sport Electronic Earmuffs to protect my ears if I ever do have to fire my weapon. One thing I dont want is to be handicapped if I have more than one intruder. Plus I can turn the sensitivity up and can hear beyond what I normally can. Good info Mydearas. Thanks for sharing.
 

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