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Recently, doctors, politicians, businessmen and athletes have all been involved in an ever expanding criminal enterprise...home invasion.
A few years ago, armed assailants took Finance Minister Guido Mantega hostage during a party and they threatened to unleash a "bloodbath" if guests did not give them money. Businessman Victor Garcia Sandri was entertaining Mantega and about ten guests when three gunmen broke into his home in Ibiuna. Those at the party said they were hooded and had gloves. They could not recognize any of the criminals who were carrying revolvers, knives and shotguns.
The home invasion of judge Andres Ricardo de Francis Ramos in Nova Iguaçu terrorized his wife during the ransacking of their house. The criminals searched for money, jewels, and valuables, but only left with a cellular telephone.
In affluent enclaves across the country, these high-profile cases and others many of them unsolved have people worried amid what law-enforcement officials and security experts say is becoming an alarming trend. "The ease of these crimes makes them the next wave of violent crime. Too many homes are under-secured and in many cases a hard kick to the door can allow the criminals into the house. The lightening speed of the attack can allow them to take control of the situation quickly while the home owners are still in shock." says protection expert Jonathan Kendall of SecuritySolutionsWorldwide.com, a security consulting and training company.
In home-invasion robberies unlike burglaries thieves hope to confront the occupants, often intending to force victims to open a safe, lead them to the valuables quickly, divulge bank-card PIN numbers, or kidnap the victims to have them withdraw funds. Home invasions are an increasing trend in criminal activity.
Experts believe home invasions are underreported. Security experts who serve high-profile clients say these people often dont report attempted robberies to the police because of privacy concerns. Law enforcement officials say, "It hasnt reached epidemic levels, but certainly we are very aware of this type of criminal activity and behavior."
One reason for the rise in home invasions is demographic: The numbers of rich people with homes to rob has risen quickly in recent years. But police and security experts say criminals are robbing homes more because their traditional targets banks, stores and offices have been hardened with closed-circuit video surveillance, alarms and guards. By comparison, security at many private homes remains lax.
Indeed, in several high-profile crimes, assailants gained access through unlocked or weak doors. In other cases, home-alarm systems apparently werent turned on. Security and alarm experts say this is a surprisingly common mistake: Many homeowners lock their doors and set alarms only when they are away.
Increasingly, wealthy and high-profile individuals must step up security at home and be vigilant in their cars to avoid becoming victims, security experts and police say. They may also need to reduce the amount of information they reveal about themselves on the Internet and in the media. And perhaps most importantly, they should thoroughly investigate the background of anyone who has access to their home, because many robberies are inside jobs. "The security and house keeping personnel in these homes are key targets of the criminals to gain information through bribes and intimidation." says Mr. Kendall.
He goes on, "People think this could never happen to them. It is a very real problem and forecasts indicate that it will get much worse before it gets better."
Inadequate security and a lack of planning may have played a part in what happens to the victims. The increased police presence in some major cities is forcing the criminals to change their tactics and become more sophisticated and smarter. "Career criminals will not just go to work at Bob´s," says Mr. Kendall, "they will change their techniques and territories where they terrorize. We are seeing an increase in more sophisticated thefts, and well planned and coordinated attacks."
Several security and alarm experts say crimes like these can be prevented with a perimeter motion-detection system that sounds whenever someone walks onto a property. Many alarm systems wire only the doors and windows of a home. The problem with that, security experts say, is that by the time someone trips the alarm, it can be too late. Moreover, any alarm system has to be armed to work, and often, they arent. There are other precautions that can save lives including panic rooms, hiding places to stay away from the criminals, panic buttons, and a clear plan in the event of a home invasion.
Home-invasion robbers have the time and often the training to succeed in their crimes. They also can pick their victims by staking them out in public and following them home, and increasingly, finding the victims via cyberspace. "We are seeing an alarming rise in the ´blended´ attack where the criminal team has been able to find and survey the victim over the Internet which then leads to a physical attack or home invasion. And most people are shocked when they find out how accessible their personal and financial information is over the Internet and through common criminal social-networks. The trafficking of personal information all over the world is big business. The other surprise to most is that their home and often their business data networks and telephones are very vulnerable to eavesping. Their wireless networks, their personal computers, and their everyday personal information such as bank accounts, passwords, email, instant messages and Internet purchases can be compromised very easily by these new criminal teams."
Police and security experts say that to avoid this type of robbery, people should be alert to whether they are being followed before driving onto their property, and if they are, to call the police or drive to a police station. Houses should be well-lighted with automatic exterior lights. Additionally, security experts advise clients to avoid drawing attention to money and possessions while theyre out and about. They also recommend reducing the amount of detailed personal information that can be found on the Web.
While at home, it is a mistake to open the door without verifying the identity of a visitor first and to accept unscheduled deliveries. Security experts say homes should be equipped with a voice-video intercom system with cameras trained on the doors and the grounds. Reinforced doors and shatter-guard windows should be installed. Deliveries should be sent to a post-office box or family office instead of to the residence.
Security experts emphasize that preventive steps can be taken without resorting to extreme measures, such as obtaining firearms without proper licensing and training. Such actions can raise legal problems for people wanting to protect their homes and families. If a weapon is the correct solution, then high quality training and a legally procured weapon are a must. In many cases, the right weapon is not a hand gun but a shotgun, experts agree that they are much easier to operate and have that distinctive sound of the slide cocking. "That click-click sound is known the world over from movies and TV. People pay attention when they hear the distinctive sound of a shotgun being readied." says Jonathan Kendall of SecuritySolutionsWorldwide.com. The newer stun-guns and pepper sprays are also a good non-lethal deterrent. But training is also a prerequisite for having these in the home. And it is critical to keep these away from children at all times.
The best solution to this type of crime is training and planning for the worst. Criminals are clearly becoming more sophisticated and ruthless while their methods of attack are evolving. Shock and surprise are still the best criminal tactics to neutralize the victim and control the situation at the beginning of the attack. Terror and fear are used to convince people to give up quickly and with minimal risk to the criminal. Without proper training to evade, or better yet avoid, an incident, the criminals will target the easiest victim for the attack and quickly control the situation. This puts the victim at a very high risk for injury or death. Proper training and a detailed family security plan can put the odds in favor of the law-abiding citizen to spot the attack before it happens and then control the situation instead of having the criminals control it.
Kendall says, "Shooting it out with the attacking criminal is a last-resort option. In the heat of the adrenalin-filled first few moments of the attack, anything can happen. All effort should be directed towards avoiding the confrontation in the first place. Get your home properly protected and a plan in place now." |
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