The first hour
- Get everyone to the safe room. Lock or barricade the door.
- Call 911. Stay on the line. Give your address, how many people are inside the home, and where your family is.
- Don't go looking for the intruder or confront anyone over property.
- Use your family code word so everyone knows this is real and to go to the safe room.
- Stay put until police tell you it's safe. Follow their instructions; keep hands visible when they arrive.
The first day
- Don't touch anything; police may need evidence.
- Make a list of what's missing for police and insurance.
- Get locks changed if keys were taken.
The first week and beyond
- Review how they got in and harden that spot.
- Talk about how everyone feels; fear after a break-in is normal.
- Tell neighbors and your neighborhood group.
The legal side
- Use-of-force and self-defense laws vary by state and still apply in any emergency. Read your state's laws and consider a class from a qualified local instructor or attorney-led seminar.
- Many states have a 'castle doctrine' that addresses self-defense inside your home. The details differ a lot from state to state, and some states have none. This is an overview only, not legal advice.
- Protecting property alone usually does not justify deadly force under U.S. law.
Get ready now: checklist
Your checks save on this phone.
Common mistakes
- Confronting someone over property.
- No phone in the safe room.
- Leaving doors unlocked during the day.
- Not knowing your state's laws.
Keeping kids calm
- Practice the safe room drill like a fire drill.
- Kids' job: go to the safe room, stay quiet, stay together.
Gear that helps
- Door security bar: my pick, Master Lock 265 dual-function door/patio security bar
- Solid-core safe room door with deadbolt
- Spare phone and charger
- Door and window alarms: my pick, GE Personal Security Window/Door Alarm (4-pack)
- Flashlight: my pick, GearLight S1000 Rechargeable LED Flashlight, 2 Pack
- Pepper spray (check state laws): my pick, SABRE RED police-strength pepper spray with key ring
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Sources
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Prepper tricks for this
Home Security (7)
Dowel or broom handle in the sliding door track
Cost: About $2-5.
Why it works: Even if the lock is forced, the door can't slide open.
How to do it
- Measure the bottom track of your sliding door when it's closed.
- Cut a wooden dowel or old broom handle to fit snugly in the track.
- Lay it in the track when the door is closed and locked.
- Add a few screws into the top track (or a pin lock) so the door can't be lifted out.
Safety: Make sure everyone knows how to remove it fast in a fire.
Source: Washington State University Alert: Extra security for sliding glass doors and ground-level windows
Longer screws in the door strike plate
Cost: About $5 for a box of screws.
Why it works: Most doors get kicked in because short screws only reach the thin door trim. Long screws anchor into the house frame.
How to do it
- Unscrew the short screws in the metal plate on the door frame where the lock goes in.
- Replace them with 3-inch wood screws so they reach the wall stud.
- Do the same for the door hinges.
Safety: Drive them in gently so you don't pull the door frame out of shape.
Gravel under windows
Cost: About $5 a bag or $30-50 for a yard of gravel.
Why it works: Crunchy gravel is noisy to walk on, which discourages sneaking up.
How to do it
- Spread 2-3 inches of pea gravel or crushed rock in beds under ground-floor windows.
Safety: It's a deterrent, not a lock. Pair it with good locks and lighting.
Source: Seattle Police Department: Home Security - Window Security
Solar motion lights
Cost: About $15-25 each.
Why it works: Sudden light startles intruders and helps you see. It keeps working in a power outage.
How to do it
- Mount solar motion-sensor lights over doors, the side yard and the driveway.
- Point the solar panel toward the sun.
Safety: Aim them so they don't shine into neighbors' windows.
Thorny plants under windows
Cost: About $10-30 per plant.
Why it works: It's hard and painful to stand in thorns to get through a window.
How to do it
- Plant thorny shrubs like roses or holly under ground-floor windows.
- Keep them trimmed below the windowsill (about 3 feet) so no one can hide behind them.
Safety: Check that the plant isn't invasive in your state (Japanese barberry, for example, is invasive in many areas). Overgrown shrubs give cover, so keep them trimmed.
Source: Seattle Police Department: Home Security - Window Security
Rubber door wedge for hotels and inside rooms
Cost: About $3-10.
Why it works: A wedge jams the door so it can't be pushed open.
How to do it
- Pack a rubber doorstop wedge when you travel.
- At night, push it firmly under the inside of the hotel room door.
- Door-stop alarm wedges (about $10) also sound a loud alarm if the door is pushed.
Safety: Remember to kick it out first if you need to leave fast in a fire.
Don't advertise your supplies
Cost: Free.
Why it works: In a long emergency, people remember who had a generator running.
How to do it
- Break down boxes from generators, freeze-dried food and electronics, and put them in the recycling inside out.
- Don't post your home address or what's in your pantry online.
- Be generous with neighbors, quietly.
Safety: Knowing your neighbors is the best security of all.
Source: Ready.gov: Make a Plan