Home Invasions: An Increasing Home Security Threat in Florida?

So-called "home invasions" are one of the most terrifying crimes that can occur on your property. While they received a great deal of attention in the 1990s, they seemed to have faded from public attention in recent years, at least until the recent trial of one of the perpetrators of a horrendous home invasion that took place in Connecticut in 2007. Unfortunately, home invasions may once again be on the rise due to a variety of factors, presenting a potentially grave threat to home security in Florida and elsewhere.



Perhaps the best definition of what constitutes a "home invasion" is simply thinking about a burglary that takes place when occupants are inside the home. This therefore necessitates an element of violence to the crime, as presumably the advantage of committing a traditional burglary is that the home is empty and that a potentially bloody struggle can be avoided. The terrifying thing about home invasions is that the criminals in these cases presumably don't care. Many home invasions have included elements of murder, rape, aggravated sexual assault, and even extensive torture sessions—all in a home in which the occupants thought they were safe. Worst of all, these home invasion robberies have happened all over the country, from big city apartments to small rural towns.



Security consultants seem to agree that the main reason for the rise in home invasions is that traditional targets of robberies, such as banks and convenience stores, have been increasingly effective in preventing robberies. Security advancements such as dye packs given to bank robbers and bulletproof glass in convenience stores have meant that private homes, with their many accessible doors and windows, make better targets than ever before. Some people argue that unfortunately, our current economic problems are exacerbating the economic differences between the generally wealthier people that own businesses and many people that do not, meaning that this "security gap" between businesses and private homes will probably increase in the coming years. This means that states like Florida, who have been some of the worst hit in our current economic crisis, may face even more home invasions.



Florida was also the site of a particularly notorious home invasion robbery in 2007 that led to the death of Washington Redskins player Sean Taylor. There is a particularly and obviously controversial point of view that Florida is particularly vulnerable to home invasion robberies because they have been a common practice in Latin America for quite some time, and Florida does, of course, have a high Latino population. In some parts of Latin America, kidnappings and home invasions are a routine practice, along with "secuestros express," or "express kidnappings," in which people are driven to ATM machines to take out cash. An "express kidnapping" may follow or precede a home invasion.



Luckily, a comprehensive home security system provides several options for you and your family to hopefully prevent and combat home invasions. It is important to work with a qualified home security consultant on this and any other security issues you think may impact your home.



Visit www.home-alarm-systems.com for the latest information on security options for your home. At this link you should be able to find a Florida home alarm systems online offer that meets your needs.