I’ve been having a security fixation lately. To me, moving into Trenton meant that I would, eventually, be burglarized. No ifs, ands, or buts about it; it will just be matter of time. Our house is fairly close to a high school and that’s just what kids in this area do with their free time…
The house came with a security system installed, but the company behind it seemed to be a fly-by-night operation, so I had Sloamins come and install their stuff instead. Neither company, however, felt that it was necessary to put sensors on the windows, relying instead on the two door sensors and a few interior motion sensors. My biggest fear is that the break-in will happen while one or both of us in the house, i.e., when the interior motion sensors will most likely be turned off (we only turn them on when we are either not in the house or going to sleep). If someone were to come in through the window while one of us was at home, we would have no defense. Also, even if the alarm does go off, they are going to call US before they call the police, to make sure it isn’t a false alarm. It could be 20 minutes before the police arrive; we could too easily be dead by then. It really makes me wonder about getting a gun, but they say that more times than not, the intruder will end up using your own gun against you.
I’m starting to think that a safe alternative might be to obtain a stun gun, maybe even two, since they are only good for one shot at a time, and burglars often work in pairs. Not cheap, but safe and effective. Since they say that the worst thing you can do when you hear intruders in your house is to argue with your spouse about what to do, I discussed it with my husband, who said that I should take my cell phone and hide in the attic, while leaving him to activate the panic button on the security panel in the upstairs hallway, since that would give us both the best chance of getting help in time. The stun gun would be a good last-ditch effort, if shot well in the first moment of discovery.
Probably I am psyching myself out. Most burglars are not going to want to get into an altercation with the occupants. Most burglars are not going to enter a home that clearly has people inside. It’s just those few true psychopaths who will proceed through a house when the alarm is blaring and the cops are on the way. There are so many scenarios and it’s really impossible to prepare for them all. I just can’t stop thinking, okay, the homeowners insurance will replace my stuff, but NOTHING will stop someone from coming in and killing us if they really want to. …Maybe I am just not cut out for Trenton living…
Hey there! It's always cool to discover a new local blogger. I'm guessing based on the description of your neighborhood, and the details about the ice cream truck, you're not too far from me!
ReplyDeleteIt's good to be prepared, but I don't think it's terribly healthy to expect the worst! We've been here 6 years, and there are many, many days we know we're not cut out of this, but (knock wood) we haven't had a break-in; we haven't been victims of any crimes. Mostly, we experience a diminished quality of life because of the thoughtlessness of some of our neighbors (related primarily to their ability to make noise). But we're working on that, and are seeing some results (hopefully enduring results). In the meantime, we try to get to CPAC meetings periodically, and we check out the crime reports (often available on the city's website); and you can also check out spotcrime.com and plug in your zip, and you'll get a fair idea of what's happening near you. All the info can also stress you out, but it can also be incredibly reassuring.
This is a generalization, since bad things happen to good people from time to time, but if you hang out with drug dealers and gang members, you are far more likely to become a victim. If you hang out with people who don't have addiction issues or a desire to hurt others, you definitely have a leg up!
There are a lot of good people here. Welcome to Trenton!
I hope that cheeseburger truck is broken down, or out of business!
Best to you!
Dear Ms. Tracy,
ReplyDeleteI like you; you come to Trenton already pre-cynicaled. Yes, I made up a word. Whatever. You will fit in well here.
I agree with Chrissy, in that the victims of the vast majority of home invasion robberies have been carefully selected by the perpetrators...which is why I boarded up my front window immediately upon accepting delivery of my 46" LCD TV. OK, I made up that last part.
Just don't let anyone see you downtown, toting around a new Timberland box. They just might follow you home and jack you for your boots.
Best of luck to you - keep it real!
Hugz n Kissez,
Mr. Clean
Tracy, I also installed an alarm in my house after being here for a couple of years, though honestly it was more for the fire alarm than anything else. What Chrissy and Mr. C said about break-ins seems true to me too--home invasions around here tend to be targeted (i.e., drug-related), not random. And if it's kids you're worried about I'm guessing they're likely to be scared off by the alarm whether you're in the house or not. Just get to know your neighbors (even the racist ones) and try not to let your imagination run away with you!
ReplyDeleteAnd welcome to the neighborhood!