Realty Times July 28, 2000

Using Extreme Prejudice To Protect Yourself At Home
by Broderick Perkins

Warning: This story contains graphic comments about violence in the home. Reader discretion is advised.

Last October, a Las Vegas resident gunned down Patrick Booker, 18, after Booker and another man broke into the resident's apartment home, according to Las Vegas police.

A Vegas home owner knifed to death 24-year-old Yosvani Lopez as he and another armed man carried out a home invasion in Las Vegas two months ago.

In the latest in a string of similar Las Vegas incidents, a home shoot out just last week left a 20-year-old intruder dead and the 60-year-old, straight-shooting home owner shaken but uninjured.

In all three cases, the residents were not charged in the deaths.

Police and security officials say they'd rather see residents harden their homes to prevent entry by malefactors, but you do have a right to protect yourself from harm when someone breaks into your home.

"The common misconception is that you have a right to defend your property and home. That's a Wild West philosophy," said "Crime Doctor" Chris E. McGoey, of San Francisco-CA, based McGoey Security.

"You can only use deadly force to defend your life or someone else's life. You have to be able to prove that you were definitely in fear of your life or great bodily harm. If someone breaks in in the middle of the night, that doesn't require a lot of proof," said McGoey whose consulting firm helped develop 7-Eleven's robbery prevention program.

"In most cases, you have a right to have a weapon in the home as long as it's legal and you have a right to use it in defense of your family in certain conditions. The problem is, we are getting a little gun crazy," said McGoey.

Desensitized by commercialized, graphic and gratuitus violence in the media, the latest generation of would-be criminals stalking your home are, unfortunately, more likely to be armed.

"It's become more risky. Robbers are starting to load up again and there is a trend to shoot people," McGoey added.

Unmasking intruders

McGoey says home intruders come in three varieties:

  • Day light burglars who just want the goods, but not a confrontation. They prefer to gain entry when no one is home.

  • Cat burglars who enter occupied dwellings, prowl around for things to steal and "get off on the rush" of a possible confrontation.

  • More violent home invaders who often are armed, want you home and desire confrontation. Home invaders want easy access to your possessions and will commit violent crime to get them.

    "The home invasion robber is a lot like a street mugger. They come in with a lot of shouts and commands and threats to take over your house. They want you there and the alarm system off. They want access to your credit cards, your car keys and may want to steal you car. They get off on the rush. It's a power thing. Some are rapists," said McGoey.

    Metro Nashville Police Department's resident cybercop Capt. Ken Pence says, while you may have a right to protect yourself and your family from harm, using deadly force in certain situations or on certain targets could land you in the slammer for a long, long time.

    If you scare off an intruder who turns to flee, for example, you can't gun him or her down on their way out of or away from your home.

    "States are pretty decent when they realize it isn't a dope deal gone bad. Shooting family members or SWAT members trying to serve a warrant is not okay. And don't shoot people outside," says Pence, an often quoted geek of a law enforcement official.

    Pence, who lives in a geodesic dome home, posts Macintosh computer tips to Mac-how-to Web pages and created "Danger High", conflict intervention freeware, along with Web-based software for high-schoolers, also develops computerized crime-fighting tools for Nashville's police force.

    Testing your burglary risk

    Like most law enforcement officials, Pence says, rather than stocking your gun cabinet, it's a much better idea to take stock of your home's "hardness" and secure it as needed to prevent intrusions -- and the possibility you'll have to, well, take someone out.

    Pence's "Rate Your Risk" Web page allows you to test your vulnerability to rape, robbery, a stabbing, shooting, beating or murder.

    There's also "Your Risk Of Burglary", a home security test based on risk factors derived from executive security courses, police detectives' reports, crime statistics and security consultants' data, according to Pence.

    The test asks questions about windows, doors and other entryway security, alarms, your personal security habits, visitors, valuables and your home's location -- all to determine your home's vulnerability.

    Generally, the lower the score the more security precautions you've taken. The higher the score the more you need to secure your home.

    The scores also indicate how to further protect your home and its inhabitants.

  • Less than 50. Your burglary risk is low and you likely take sensible precautions.

  • 51 to 75. Your home has a moderate risk for burglary. You likely take some security precautions, but your lifestyle indicates you should not ignore the possibility of burglary.

  • 76 to 130. There's a good chance your home will be burgled. Your security efforts are likely superficial and you should be wary of strangers, hangup calls and valuables left in plain sight. Vary your schedule and put in a security alarm.

  • More than 120. As soon as a burglar or set-up man discovers your home, it very likely will be burgled. The same likely applies to your neighbors. Protecting your house alone helps, but you will not be safe until both you and your neighbors are also secure. Consider a Neighborhood Watch program or move to a safer community.

    McGoey agrees that the key is not too arm yourself, but to make it more difficult for intruders to enter your home. and get at you.

    "Ninety-five percent of home invasions come through the front door. If you don't let them in they will try to kick it down. If you have a solid core door, you can stand outside and kick on it all day and unless you are a world class karate expert or the door is defective you won't get in," McGoey said.


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