More Tragic Stories of Homeowners Confronting Burglars: Indianapolis, Indiana & Parma, Ohio

DO NOT confront a burglar in your home. Police all over the US have said it, I’ve posted it, and common sense would dictate it’s the only prudent course of action – and yet homeowners still do it. As if we needed more concrete evidence of why coming face-to-face with a burglar in your home is a very bad idea, here are two more stories of what can happen when intruder meets resident. The first is from Parma, Ohio.

A recent attack has left residents in one neighborhood on edge. Some are so shaken up, they didn’t want to go on camera to talk about what happened. “The neighborhood is getting to the point where people are coming in and out at all hours of the night and roaming the streets, and you just got to watch your house more,” said one resident, who didn’t want to be identified.

Details on the Confrontation

Police say the attack happened on Wednesday inside a home on Grovewood Avenue. A 60-year-old man heard noises in another room. When he went to see what was going on, he spotted two teen boys. The owner then decided to confront them, but that didn’t end well. He was stabbed and left unconscious. “He did sustain some lacerations to his hands, so I’m presuming those were defensive wounds from fending off the suspects,” said Sgt. Kevin Riley with the Parma Police Department. He said the suspects were able to get away.

Still on the Streets

Police were able to recover some evidence from the home, including a knife they say the suspects used to attack the victim. They also found blood. Both will be tested by the crime lab. Neighbors are hopeful that evidence will lead them to the suspects. They said the boys need to be off the streets and behind bars. “Whether it’s teenagers, 20-year-olds or 25-year-olds. It doesn’t matter what age. They’re just rotten to the core and they need to be caught,” said the unidentified resident. Police believe the suspects got in through an unlocked door.

Great – another unlocked door, and another home (presumably) without a monitored alarm system. The next story, from Indianapolis, Indiana, has an even worse ending.

A man who was severely beaten by burglary suspects at his home last week has died from his injuries, police said Monday. Kenneth Haskins, 54, had been hospitalized at Wishard Memorial Hospital since the Sept. 4 attack in the 1500 block of North Hawthorne Lane. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Sgt. Linda Jackson said today that Haskins had died.

What Happened

Kyle Mitchell and Dechel Dossett, both 18 of Indianapolis, were arrested shortly after the assault on attempted murder charges. They are now facing murder charges, as well as charges of robbery, burglary, auto theft and theft. Police said Haskins was bludgeoned with pieces of furniture and other objects from his home when he walked in while the suspects were burglarizing it. He was found lying on the ground next to a truck.

As I've written before, one 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.

Why No Alarm System?

The more stories like this I read, the more I wonder why 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.

A monitored home alarm system can absolutely prevent these confrontations in the first place. And that’s where FrontPoint 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.