The Tribune

By CORPORAL MAKELLE PINDER

YOU can never be too cautious about your safety, especially when it comes to house break-ins and home invasions, which occur almost every day in The Bahamas.

These are not isolated incidents; in fact, they are issues that occur around the world and centre solely on time and opportunity.

Therefore, the ultimate question that needs to be asked is: is your home really safe?

Remember that your home should be a sanctuary where you feel safe. Additionally, it is the only environment where you have control over who can get close to you or your family. For this reason, protecting your home and family from criminal intrusion should be high on your list of priorities.

Because most house break-ins happen during daytime when residents are at work, criminals prefer to break into homes that are easily accessible and avoid homes where prevention measures have been taken to better secure the residence.

Which is why there are many things that you can do both individually and as a community to lower the risk of being a victim of this act.

Listed are a few extra steps by the Royal Bahamas Police Force National Crime Prevention Office that can be taken to secure your home and help you clamp down on house break-ins and home invasions.

• Make sure that your home always looks occupied.

• Invest in motion detector lights, quality locks and bolts, and security bars.

• Ensure that all outside doors and windows are locked before leaving home or going to bed, even if it’s for a short time. Please lock your doors.

• Make sure that all side and back gates are locked.

• Do not hide any keys on the outside.

• Keep bushes around your home trimmed low and trees trimmed high.

• Make it difficult to break into your home by adopting a dog or installing an alarm system which is always excellent for home security. They provide peace of mind to home owners, especially while on vacation or at work.

• Talk to your neighbours! Watch out for each other’s property.

• When you are in, stay in. Don’t take anything for granted.

• Be vigilant and look out for strange cars and persons that may suddenly start to frequent your neighbourhood.

If you should become a victim of a home invasion, here are a few options of response during the encounter.

• Escaping immediately, saving yourself: this option decreases depending on the amount of time the burglars have to complete their job while having their privacy leaked. Some refuse to look like a coward by leaving their family in danger. However, radical actions may pay off later if you are able to immediately get help.

• Fighting and screaming: screaming and yelling works well if there are neighbours close by or in a public area. There is no purpose in fighting if you are physically incapable. If fighting, make a strong, forceful hit to the nose, eyes, throat or groin area. This will give a small window of time to escape and call for help.

• Compliance with burglars: this allows more time to think of an effective plan of action while creating an escape opportunity once the burglars let their guard down.

• Pulling a weapon on an armed intruder: this option should be your last resort. Most of the time, household weapons are not loaded for child safety, so on the rare occasion you have access to a loaded firearm, be aware the burglar is just as desperate and often will not hold back.

If applied, the safety tips provided can minimise your chances of becoming a victim. Nevertheless, should you fall prey to any criminal act call the Police as soon as possible.

Remember that crime knows no race, status or gender.

If you come across any suspicious person(s) or have any information pertaining to any crime, please call the police emergency at ‘919’ or Crime Stoppers at 328-tips (New Providence), 1-300-8476 (Family Islands).