Knock, Knock.
The days of leaving the doors unlocked and a bug zapper in the middle of the threshold at night are long behind us. There are much bigger threats than mosquitoes - even in Texas where everything is bigger. It is time to talk about answering our doors safely. We don’t usually put a lot of thought into doors, windows, and peepholes, but they are an integral part of our home security system that is only effective when used properly.
Statistically, a mother with a small child is most likely to be trusting due to her sensitive, kind, caring, and nurturing nature. Please be on alert ladies, as you are the group who is the easiest target because of these attributes. If someone comes to the door, you are the most likely to answer. You are not only potentially endangering yourselves and your family - you are modeling poor habits for your children who will frequently answer in your absence.
Most robberies occur during the day between 10am and 3pm when it is warm outside in July and August. According to the FBI, the time range they are in your home can vary greatly, especially if it is dependent upon a specifically targeted item of interest; however, typical commission time is between eight and ten minutes. I can tell you from my personal experience that if you are at home alone during a home invasion, seconds seem like hours. If a stranger knocks on your door, make sure they know you’re home. Be loud, even if you do not answer the door. You want to make your presence known. You don’t need to hide or cower. Thieves prefer empty homes. You are safely locked inside. Let them know you are there!
If you choose to answer the door, do so while on the phone with a friend (or at least pretend you’re on the phone). This will key a potential burglar or attacker in that someone else will know if a home invasion occurs. It is an added layer of protection when you are vulnerable.
An effective way that burglars case homes is to go to the door pretending to be from a legitimate business, government agency, charity, utility company, or some other excuse to connect with you that seems reasonable. This way they can get a better sense of your home, gain information, possibly even build trust, and find out if you have a security system or anything that might make a quick getaway difficult. They may even attempt to sell you a security system or internet which makes you potentially vulnerable due to the information requested.
After robberies, some homeowners point out a stranger that pretended to be a Handyman, Workman, Repairman, Salesperson, or someone who did work on their property and they “needed to inspect it”. Ordinarily, all of that is done prior to the close of your sale. If not, you should know the actual workers (if applicable) because they would be there while you have possession of your home, but in all of my years of construction I haven’t ever heard of a legitimate Contractor doing this.
Once someone is inside, they can scope out windows, doors, security, and valuables. They can come back later with a team of friends. While you may have visitors that legitimately are selling products or services, you should always have your guard up when an unsolicited person knocks on your door. As a general rule, they should meet the following criteria in order to gain a baseline of credibility (although anything can be faked and nothing is a guarantee):
Dress in logo’d company attire/apparel
Provide logo’d, professional print material from their organization (e.g., business card, flyer, door hanger)
Preferably arrive in a logo’d vehicle that is parked in sight and has a contractor ID number
Stand away from the door at all times, respecting your personal space
Never make an attempt to open your door (this is on the rise and a BIG red flag - there is zero reason for someone to touch your door, especially during a pandemic, flu season, etc)
Should not attempt to knock unless you have a sign asking people not to ring the bell (respect the private space)
Comply with your personally posted “no solicitation” signs, all HOA policies, and local laws as applicable
Prominently display organization’s photo ID that matches the company name or an approved vendor
Have a solicitation permit visible if they are selling something
