Warnings on Confronting Burglars Police Offer Strong Advice

I’ve seen the warnings from law enforcement professionals in jurisdictions all over the US & Canada: do not, under any circumstances, confront a burglar in your home. The big problem is that you don’t always know that an intruder is in your home when you walk through the door – especially if you have no alarm system to alert police, and scare the burglar off. It’s a dangerous situation when you enter your home (or are home in the first place) thinking all is well, and encounter someone in the act of stealing your cash, jewelry, or electronics. When you have no warning, as happened in this story from Snohomish County, Washington, the results can be frightening – happily in this case, without serious injury.

You might be sleeping, doing laundry in the basement, or simply watching TV, and you may accidentally walk into a burglar at work. The burglar may be just as surprised to see you as you are to see him. The Associated Press reports that "Snohomish County sheriff's deputies acting on a tip have arrested a 35-year-old Everett man in connection with a home burglary in which a 70-year-old woman was tied to a toilet.

More Details on the Incident

Snohomish County sheriff's spokeswoman Shari Ireton said the woman interrupted the Tuesday afternoon burglary, leading the intruder to tie her up. The woman was able to free herself after about an hour and then called 911. She was not seriously injured and declined aid. The intruder stole the woman's 2011 silver Ford Escape.

Daytime Burglaries – and No Alarm Systems

Standard operating procedure for many intruders: this was a day-time burglary, when intruders expect that nobody is home. As is usually the case in these situations – and I could cite countless more from daily crime reports – chances are there was no alarm system in the home of the victim. In fact, only about 20% of US homes do have a monitored alarm system that can trigger a police dispatch. Imagine how much safer you would feel when entering your home at any time of day or night, without worrying about who might be there. And with interactive monitoring services, such as those offered by FrontPoint, you can receive a text or email any time a door opens, telling you which door. That’s the kind of protection more people are looking for, as home intrusion statistics continue to get worse across much of the US.

More Great Advice from the Article

The obvious problem with bumping into a burglar in your kitchen is that it can end violently -- or, in this case, tied to a toilet. Burglars case a home and look for activity. If they see none, they simply enter through unlocked doors or break in through a door or window. Many alarms are only installed after a home is broken into, and even then many people don't turn them on when they're at home during the day.

Once a home is burgled, people lose their sense of security and try to gain it back through the installation of an alarm system. A home alarm system can certainly provide security, but people who are victimized in this way often face years of emotional aftershocks. The key to security is thinking proactively and doing things to secure yourself and your family before something bad happens. Don't think "It can't happen to me"; instead, think "Yes, there is a chance this can happen and I'm going to set an example and do something about it."

Here at FrontPoint we agree 100%! A monitored home alarm system can absolutely prevent these confrontations in the first place. And that’s where we can help. We’re the leader in wireless home security, as well as the #1 ranked home alarm company in the US. When you’re ready for a home alarm that’s safer, smarter, simpler, more affordable, and virtually impossible to defeat, you’re ready for FrontPoint: no hidden fees, the best interactive, wireless home alarm technology at the best price, and world-class service. With only one in five homes protected by a monitored alarm system, and a burglary occurring every 14 seconds in the US, there are still lots of homes – and homeowners – left for us to protect.