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51 Horror Stories of Home Invasion Robberies

Home invasions happen on a far too regular basis all around the world, and usually these types of robberies are vicious and brutal, and can be a victim’s worst nightmare come true. Security is increasingly important for areas where home invasion robberies happen more often, but everyone should do everything they can to ensure the safety of their homes and families.

Here are 51 real life home invasion horror stories

Hopefully these will help people realize the importance of home security and even self defense. Some of these stories do have positive endings after the nightmare ensued, but they all go to show that these types of crimes happen all the time and protecting your home should be a high priority on your must do list.

1. Seattle University District Home Invasion Robberies – In 2009 this area of Seattle was being plagued by home invasion robberies.
2. Newport Beach Home Invasion Story – Five men charged in armed home invasion robbery conspiracy.
3. Home Invasion Story from a Victim – A True Story About Home Invasion: Would You Be Ready?
4. Nashville Victims Nightmare Story – Homeowner Pens Compelling Account of Home Invasion Robbery
5. Cape Town Invasion Horror – A home invasion horror story from South Africa.
6. A Horror Story of Banskhali – In a remote village of Bangladesh called Sadhanpur in Chittagong eleven members of a Hindu family were burnt to death.
7. Would a Gun Have Helped Home Invasion Victims? – This incident shows the horrible extent to which crime can go.
8. Children Witnessed Murder of Parents – Police have said nine of the children were home during the slayings and several were believed to have seen the gunmen.
9. Home Invasion Tips – Not a horror story but some good tips.
10. UCLA Invasion Horror Story – Westwood Home Invasion Robbery Traumatizes UCLA Students
11. Invasion in Mount Vernon – Four young men circled the house on the night of October 4. They shut off the electricity and forced their way inside.
12. A Christmas Eve of Terror in Suriname – As night fell on Christmas Eve, more than one thousand Quilombolas rampaged through a village and took people from their homes with deadly force.
13. Widow Testifies at Chae Murder Trial – The wife of a murdered Korean businessman tearfully recalled the day the sanctity of her Montgomery Township home was invaded by three robbers.
14. 3 Shot During Robbery At Vacant Fulton Home – Police said two electricians were lured to a vacant house in south Fulton County and shot Thursday afternoon, robber also shot in the head.
15. Four Home Invasion Suspects Nabbed – Two of four men charged Monday after a weekend home invasion at an eastside Vancouver apartment building were out on bail when city police nabbed them
16. Medical Marijuana Advocate Shot in Home-Invasion Robbery – I am sure you can understand why someone would rob this home, and luckily the owners had proper protection.
17. Home Invasion Robbery In San Carlos – A 47-year old man was tied up while between two and four individuals ransacked the house.
18. Phoenix Police Stop A Home Invasion Robbery – Luckily the police stopped this one, unfortunately they burned the house down while stopping it, but they did get the job done.
19. Arrests Made in Home Invasion, Assault – This was a home invasion in which an elderly couple was assaulted at their house.
20. Mysterious Home Invasion/Murder – A science professor is dead after an apparent home invasion that ended in a fire early Tuesday morning, the victim’s friend said.
21. Home Invasion Leaves Victims Stunned – FTA: “I said four or five times, ‘Is this real?’, and they said, ‘This is as real as it gets.’”
22. Rapper Pistol Whipped in Home Invasion Robbery – Four thieves, two men and two women managed to get away with $10,000 worth of cash and jewelry taken from a total of eight people.
23. NFL Player Killed in Home Invasion – Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor died early Tuesday from the gunshot wound he suffered during a robbery in his home.
24. Two Arrested After Violent Home Invasion – Two men are under arrest after a violent home invasion which left a Whitby man with facial injuries.
25. Trio Charged in Home Break-in – Three more men have been charged for breaking into a house and robbing the residents who hid in a closet and bathroom from the gun-toting intruders.
26. Man Arrested over Home Invasion – The resident allegedly stabbed a man in the abdomen with a 15-20cm kitchen knife during a scuffle with two intruders.
27. Caught on Tape: Attempted Home Invasion (Video) – A home security camera was rolling as a woman and two men tried to kick in the door of the North Lauderdale home early Friday.
28. Another Home Invasion Gone Wrong – Shotgun preteen vs. Illegal alien Home Invaders
29. Home Invasion at University of Delaware Student Apartment – The victims–four residents of the apartment and two visitors–are all University of Delaware students.
30. Man Gets 30 Years For Assault, Burglary During Home Invasion – Judge sentences a man to 30 years in prison for his role in a home invasion.
31. Family Held at Gunpoint and Robbed – Three  men broke into a family’s apartment around midnight and robbed them at gunpoint.
32. Facts About Home Invasion And Protecting Your Home and Family – Some general facts about home invasions and things you can do to protect your home.
33. Home Invasion Hell – A blog that aggregates hellish home invasion stories.
34. Audrina Patridge’s  Home Invasion (Video) – The actress from TV series The Hills has also been a victim of a home invasion nightmare.
35. Home Invasion Safety Quiz – How much do you know about home invasion robberies?
36. Gun Wielding Burglar Arrested – A man with a gun confronted a woman in her home and luckily this one turned out alright and the burglar was arrested.
37. Police say Robbers using Craigslist to Find Victims – Some criminals are taking advantage of sites like Craigslist and Twitter to find targets.
38. Two Arrested in Mesa Home Invasion Robbery – Male victim says three men entered his apartment and assaulted him before stealing marijuana and cash.
39. Beware Of These Common Home Invasion Scams! – Though it is often said that burglars and other criminals try to target empty homes, some criminals specifically target occupied homes.
40. Dianne Zimmermann’s Home Invasion Survival Story – FTA: “About 10 years ago I was attacked after walking into my home when it was being burglarized by two young men who should have been in school.”
41. Home Invasion: A True Story – FTA: “This was a dreadful experience. I am still suffering from post-traumatic-stress and working on my recovery.”
42. US Home Invasion Robberies Rising at Alarming Rates – Weekend robbing sprees, thugs with nothing to lose, gangsters, drugs. No doubt about it, crime is on the rise.
43. Home Invasion Exposé Pt.1 – FTA: “Home invasion is such a violent, serious, and misunderstood crime that I’ve decided to give it as much attention and exposure as possible.”
44. And Yet Another Home Invasion Nightmare – It was just after 2 a.m. when the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a home where they found 34-year-old Lisa Lynette Whitt-Ulloa dead.
45. Yet ANOTHER Las Vegas Home Invasion – The mother said the two male suspects kicked in the door and were armed with guns.
46. Soulja Boy Speaks On Home Invasion For First Time – At the end of December, Soulja Boy was robbed after masked men stormed his Atlanta home.
47. Home Invasion Robbery in Bartlett, TN – A Bartlett family was bound with zip ties and the house ransacked in a home invasion incident.
48. Protect Yourself from Home Invasion – The home invasion robbery is a profound violation — destroying the security of home and hearth.
49. FBI Impersonator Picks Wrong House for Home Invasion – Police say a man impersonating an FBI agent with a search warrant tried to con his way into a home in the First Ward on Monday — but he picked the police chief’s house.
50. Home Invasions Are Ugly – A couple different scary stories in this post.
51. Cimarron Home Invasion – When the homeowner answered the door, two men armed with handguns dressed in all black forced their way into the home.

Do Home Security Systems Prevent Crime?

Home security systems cannot guarantee the safety of your home. No practical method exists that can provide complete security. However, home security systems are an effective deterrent to crime and, if all the necessary components are in place, they greatly increase the security of your home.

Even just the signs and stickers that warn possible intruders of the presence of a security system are often enough to prevent a crime from occurring. A burglar knows that many systems not only have alarms that will alert the occupants and neighbors, but they also send messages to monitoring centers that can quickly alert local authorities.

Of course, there are different levels of home security available depending on how much money you are willing to spend. Usually, doorways, windows and other entrances are monitored, when the alarm is set, for motion or vibration that indicates someone is trying to break in. A good detector can discriminate between pets or animals and actual intruders. Some advanced types of sensors detect when intruders enter a certain space even when they are not trying to break into a door or window. These sensors may use laser perimeters, heat detectors, sound detectors, or other types of technology to sense when someone has entered into a secured zone.

Some home security systems also include TV monitors that allow you to see who is outside your home during the day or night. If an intruder sees a security camera outside of the home, they will be very wary of going through with the crime because they know that someone may be watching and recording them.

When an intruder hears an alarm, they will in most cases quickly leave the premises. They know that the occupants and possibly also the authorities have been alerted. Advanced home security systems may even have devices that inflict pain or confusion upon the intruder. For example, devices may bombard a burglar with sonic pulses that cause pain and shock. Flashing lasers may be used to temporarily blind the intruder.

Because an intruder does not know what to expect from any home security system, they will usually lose confidence in attempting to break into the home. Even if they do proceed, the alarm and other security measures triggered by their detection will usually be enough to scare them away.

Obviously though, you should only depend on a home security system that is not easily defeated by criminals. Choose proven systems from reputable home security firms. Trying to save money in this area is not advisable.

While one could simply post signs to deter intruders without any actual security system in place, the most reliable type of home security will have both sign deterrence and security hardware. The more layers of security, the more effective the protection of your home and family.

So yes, home security systems do prevent crime when all necessary components are in place, and the system is adequate for the job. The actual level of security needed will depend on individual circumstances.

Hard-wired vs. Wireless Home Security Systems

Homeowners today understand the value of home security. Four burglary attempts happen every minute in the United States, according to statistics released by the FBI, so protecting one’s home has never been more important. When individuals shop for home security systems, they have some choices to make. One of those choices is whether to choose a hard-wired system or a wireless home security system. Each has its advantages, and the choice ultimately comes down to what you value more as a homeowner.

Wireless home security systems

When you look at different wireless systems, you will notice one very important thing about them. They are easy to install and you can put them practically anywhere. This is one of the reasons why these systems are so very appealing. Individuals can purchase a wireless system and install it themselves, cutting down the costs of home security. Additionally, these systems are portable, which means that homeowners can take them to a new home in case of a move. There is no sunk cost when you go with a wireless system.

The issue with wireless systems is that they’re less reliable. Though they tend to work for the vast majority of the time, wireless home security systems can sometimes be held captive to periods of interference. Many homeowners hate the idea that their systems might fail when they are needed the most. Another issue is that these systems require battery changes on occasion, which can become quite expensive. It can be a legitimate hassle in certain instances. The best of wireless systems do have a high degree of technology, though, so they can be linked up to monitoring services in order to provide a great deal of service.

Hard-wired security systems

Those homeowners who seek reliability above all else will want to go with hard-wired systems. These will cost more up-front, since you will likely have to pay a professional to install them. The issue at play here is that there might be points in your home where the wiring just won’t work, which will preclude that area from being covered in your security plan. This is why individuals will need to check their home out first, just to make sure that a hard-wired system would be compatible.

Once these systems are installed, they are locked into place, so there will be no picking them up and taking them to a new home without a great deal of trouble. Despite the lack of portability, they do provide the reliability and peace of mind that homeowners seek when they purchase a home security system. The wired lines are not enslaved to wireless interference, so there will never be a point in time where your home is unprotected. Additionally, you won’t have to do any maintenance or change out any batteries once the system is installed, since it will typically run from a permanent power source. This makes them easier to manage on the whole, though they are more costly in most cases.

The Most Likely Break-In Spots in Your Home

As a homeowner, one of your biggest fears probably involves burglars. Nobody wants their home be broken into, which is why security systems are such hot sellers. Without question, a home security system is an excellent way to keep your home from being broken into; having a basic understanding of how burglars typically gain access to a home can help you be a more informed shopper.

Below, some of the most common entry points for home break-ins are highlighted for your convenience. Familiarize yourself with them and keep them in mind when shopping for a home security system.

Common entry points – Doors

An unlocked door is a burglar’s best friend. Many burglars go around looking for front doors, back doors and other doors that haven’t been properly secured by homeowners. Even if you are conscientious about locking your doors, your locks may not be sufficient enough to keep even an amateur robber from getting in. A few important facts about doors and break-ins include:

• Many burglars gain access to homes through sliding glass doors. Such doors can be easily lifted off of their tracks; a burglar doesn’t even need special tools to do that. The best way to guard against such an occurrence is by having vertical locks installed on all of the sliding glass doors in your home.
• Garage doors are another very popular entry point for home break-ins. Many homeowners don’t realize this, and leave the doors leading into their homes from their garages unsecured. Always lock the door that leads from your garage to your actual home – and always make sure the garage door shuts completely when coming and going.
• Back doors are frequently targeted by burglars because they are less likely to be noticed by neighbors when entering a house that way. It definitely pays to invest extra money in exceptionally strong back doors, and to use floodlights and other deterrents as well.
• If your doors have sidelight panels, make sure that they’re made out of a break-resistant material. Otherwise, burglars can easily smash them open and unlock your doors themselves.

Common entry points – Windows

Windows are another popular entry point for burglars. A couple of important facts concerning windows and break-ins include:

• Screens will generally not keep burglars out, since they can be easily cut through. Always shut windows completely when leaving your home unattended.
• If the ground-level windows in your home use cranks, remove them when leaving the house. Otherwise, burglars can reach through and open your windows with ease.
• Window locks are excellent ways to keep burglars from gaining access to your home through its windows. Remember that double-hung windows must be completely closed in order for their center locks to work properly.
• Louvered windows are not easy to secure. If your home has them, consider replacing them with double-hung windows, which are much safer.
• For maximum security, burglar bars are always an option for the ground-level windows in your home.Above all else, always remember to close, lock and secure the windows and doors of your home anytime you leave – and during the night. It’s one of the best ways to keep burglars at bay.