It is 2:00 AM. The house is silent, and you are fast asleep. Suddenly, a distinct creak or the sound of shattering glass jolts you awake. Your heart hammers against your ribs, and adrenaline floods your system. In this moment of panic, your instincts kick in. Unfortunately, for most people, those instincts are dead wrong.
Movies and TV shows have conditioned us to react in ways that actually put us in greater danger. We grab a baseball bat and go hunting, or we yell out into the darkness. Law enforcement professionals warn that these actions can turn a frightening situation into a tragedy. Here are nine things’ police say you must absolutely avoid doing if you suspect an intruder.
1. Do Not Yell “Who’s There?”
This is the most common mistake homeowners make. You want to believe it is just the cat or a family member, so you call out to reassure yourself. However, if it is an intruder, you have just given away two critical pieces of information: you are awake, and exactly where you are located.
Silence is your greatest tactical advantage. Most burglars want an easy target and an empty house. By remaining quiet, you retain the element of surprise and make the intruder nervous. Let them wonder if the house is empty while you prepare to take safety measures. If they think no one is home, they might leave; if they know you are there, the situation instantly escalates from a burglary to a confrontation.
2. Do Not Go Downstairs to Investigate
“Clearing” a house is a dangerous task even for trained SWAT teams who work in groups. Doing it alone, in the dark, in your pajamas is a recipe for disaster. You do not know if the intruder is armed, if there is more than one, or where they are hiding.
Stay in your safe zone. Your property is replaceable; your life is not. Leaving the relative safety of your bedroom to confront an unknown threat increases your risk of injury exponentially. The intruder has the advantage because they can hear you coming, whereas you have to scan every corner. Stay put and let the professionals handle the search.
3. Do Not Leave Your Bedroom Door Unlocked
If you are in your bedroom, shut and lock the door immediately. This creates a physical barrier that buys you time. A locked solid-core door can withstand several kicks, giving you precious seconds to call 911 or prepare to defend yourself.
If your door doesn’t have a lock, wedge a chair under the knob or use a heavy piece of furniture like a dresser to block it. The goal is to make it difficult for anyone to get to you. Even a flimsy lock acts as a speed bump, slowing the intruder down and giving you time to mentally prepare or escape through a window if necessary.
4. Do Not Turn On the Lights
Flipping the light switch seems logical because you want to see what is happening. However, turning on the lights illuminates you while the intruder remains in the shadows. It creates a “fishbowl” effect where you are visible, but your surroundings are still dark to your eyes until they adjust.
You know the layout of your home better than they do. Keep the advantage of the dark. Navigating your own hallway in low light is easier for you than for a stranger who might trip over furniture. Don’t spotlight yourself for a potential attacker; let the darkness be your shield.
5. Do Not Grab a Weapon You Can’t Use
If you own a firearm or weapon for home defense, ensure you are trained to use it under stress. Police warn that adrenaline destroys fine motor skills, causing hands to shake and judgment to blur. Fumbling with a safety or holding a bat incorrectly can lead to the weapon being used against you.
If you do arm yourself, take a defensive position behind cover (like the bed) and wait. Do not go hunting. Let the police be the hunters. Your weapon is a tool for the absolute last resort to protect life, not a tool to scare someone off or clear your living room.
6. Do Not Hang Up on 911
Once you call dispatch, stay on the line unless they instruct you otherwise. Even if you can’t speak, keep the line open. Dispatchers are trained to listen to background noise, footsteps, and voices, which can relay critical information to the responding officers.
If you are afraid of being heard, use the “Text-to-911” feature if it is available in your area. Whisper if you must but keep that lifeline open. The dispatcher is your link to the officers outside, and they can tell you exactly when help has arrived, so you don’t mistake a responder for a threat.
7. Do Not Assume It Is a False Alarm
Denial is a powerful coping mechanism known as “normalcy bias.” You might convince yourself it was just the wind, the house settling, or the ice maker dropping cubes. Consequently, you might go back to sleep or walk downstairs casually to check it out.
Treat every noise as a real threat until proven otherwise. It is better to feel silly when the police find nothing than to be unprepared when they find something. Trust your gut instinct; if something felt “wrong” enough to wake you up, it deserves a serious safety response.
8. Do Not Make Noise While Moving
If you absolutely must move to get to a child’s room or a phone, do so tactically. Walk near the walls where the floorboards are supported and less likely to squeak. Control your breathing. Panic causes hyperventilation, which is loud and reveals your position.
Avoid stepping in the center of hallways or rooms. Move slowly and deliberately. If you have a creaky floorboard, you know about, step over it. Your goal is to be a ghost in your own home until you are safely behind a locked door with your loved ones.
9. Do Not Leave Your Safe Room Until Police Clear It
When you see flashing lights outside, the urge to run downstairs and open the door is strong. Don’t do it. The intruder might still be in the house, trapped between you and the exit. Running downstairs could put you directly in their escape path.
Wait for the dispatcher to tell you it is safe or wait for officers to identify themselves at your bedroom door. Additionally, running out to meet police while holding a phone or a weapon can lead to tragic misunderstandings. Let the pros finish the job before you expose yourself.
Safety First, Bravado Last
Surviving a home invasion isn’t about being a hero; it is about being smart. Your priority is to protect yourself and your family by creating barriers and waiting for help. Ignore the Hollywood scripts and listen to the experts.
Do you have a plan in place for a bump in the night, or would you be winging it? Share your strategy in the comments!
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