Many of us are told that, when we're attacked, we should let it happen so that the situation doesn't get any worse. In some cases that may be your only option. But some studies have shown that fighting back is a better option. Showing resistance and making it difficult for your attacker to do their job often helps you get to safety.
But what about when it's a robbery?
Robbery as defined in Wikipedia is the crime of seizing property through violence or intimidation. In common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the person of that property, by means of force or fear. Precise definitions of the offence may vary between jurisdictions. Robbery differs from simple theft because of its use of violence and intimidation.
The Washington Post reports "four intruders - two white men and two black men - entered the single-family home about 11 a.m. and used a weapon to hold the family against their will, authorities said. ... No one was hurt during the robbery, Mills said, and no information was immediately available about what type of weapon was displayed."
If violence begins during a robbery, responding to violence with violence might be necessary.
To help protect yourself against robbery, follow these simple tips:
- **Make sure you have an acute awareness of your environment.**
- **Install outdoor lighting that may keep the bad guys away.**
- **Use your cell phone from a closet.**
- **Make sure your home has a lived-in look so that, from the outside, your home looks like a tougher target, and that help is close by.**
- **Install security cameras.**
- **Have a panic button for your home alarm that calls for help and sends a screaming alarm.**
- **The worst thing you can do is nothing. If violence is imminent, decide on an escape route or recognize your options for protecting and defending yourself.**
Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.
