Turning a killer on himself...

[Boerseun]

I live in the most dangerous society on planet Earth, or, as the media will have it, the Murder Capital of the World - South Africa.

Around here, people sit in bars and listen to each others' stories of being attacked, having your family killed, having your wife raped next to you while you're tied up in bed, being hijacked, basically the worst Hollywood can throw at you. It's so rife that those that haven't been victims of this are merely waiting their turn, like sheep.

And you don't have to be rich to be a victim - people are killed here for a handful of change or an old, cracked cellphone.

And even if you really don't have anything, you can still be raped or killed as gang members have to earn their stripes with initiation killings.

My question in this thread is the following:

The housebreaker cum robber cum rapist cum killer will scout out your house for a few days and make his move. The fact remains that once he's inside your house or yard, he's in unfamiliar territory. You have the advantage in that regard, at least. But what can be done to turn this even more in your favour? You are disadvantaged from the get-go in that you're most likely still asleep, and when you wake up from a broken window, you're brain is still struggling to wake up by the time you get the AK47 or stolen 9mm against the temple. How can your familiarity of the surrounds be turned against this guy (or guys)? What other disadvantages would these sods have? Keep in mind that they have absolutely no fear of the police and/or being jailed. People here get a R1,000 fine for not paying their TV licences, but they get off on R500 bail for murder. I kid you not. The joke is doing the rounds that if the TV licence inspector shows up you should kill him - you'll save R500.

From a psychological viewpoint - how can you spin the situation in your favour? Any ideas? In the last week, there's been two murders and five housebreakings on the farms immediately surrounding ours. Our turn is coming up, and I'm not going to sit like a docile sheep and wait to have my throat slit for a DVD player.

Any ideas?

[freeztar]

Wow, that sucks!

I can't advise on specific strategies as I have no idea of anything related to your property. But, I'll try to help with some general recommendations.

Preventative measures:
-Install better border security (barb wire etc.)
-Buy a dog to keep watch and alert of intruders
-Put bars on the windows
-Install motion sensor lights around the outside of the house (even better, you could have IR floodlights with cheap IR cameras. You could have these be triggered by motion and set off a "silent" alarm near the bed.)

Defensive measures:
-Set snares - Not kidding.
-Buy a gun if you don't already own one
-Designate a safe room. This room should be the go to place if someone breaks in. Of course, you'll want a gun in there.

I don't know what's like in SA, but here, we can shoot trespassers (in some states at least). How does it work there?

You could always put a sign out front that says something like "Congratulations to my neighbor Bob on his new purchase of 2 laptops and a home entertainment center".

[lawcat]

I think your question goes to notice and response time.
In essence, if you have no notice and little response time to intrusion, there is no time to use your familiarity with surroundings in a defense. The key is then to increase your response time, since you will likely never receive a heads up notice.
House alarms are designed for this purpose. Double doors are also intended for this purpose. You can also compartmentalize your house with multiple locks. In some inner city areas I have seen window bars. All those measures increase your response time, and in some instance may completely deter crime by shifting response time completely in your favor.

[InfiniteNow]

Move.
After that, early detection seems the best strategy to sway the odds in your favor.

Seriously man... It's time for you to check out Texas, and get the hell out of SA (you can't even get your kid a decent education w/o religiot influence there). Here, people will only cut your throat for a DVD player in El Paso or Houston, so the odds are much better.

[Mercedes Benzene]

Whoa. I say, "Get the hell out of there!" Sounds like east-side Detroit.

Short of packing up and shipping out, I would say, listen to Freezy.
Get bars for windows. Buy deadbolts and sliders for your doors. Motion lights would be a great idea. Have it wired to trigger an alarm in your bedroom.

Buy weapons. Are you allowed to purchase guns? If so, get a gun and keep it near you.
Make a panic room. Make a secret door that leads to a closet-like space that can lock from the inside.
Move your circuit breakers to a central location. Be able to cut the master power to your property in one go.
Do run-throughs of your house. Know exactly where everything is, even in the dark. Be able to move around, get to someplace to hide, or leave the property if you can do it without being noticed.

It's not entirely the same, but it reminds me of the movie "Enough." Basically, guy and girl get married, have kid. The guy becomes abusive. She tries to leave. He beats her. She eventually runs away, but he keeps tracking her down using corrupt connections in the police. Eventually she's had enough. She takes intense self defense classes, and plans to set him up in his own home. If she can make it look like she was attacked, she can say she acted in self defense.
Now, I know it's a different situation. She makes sure he doesn't have access to weapons, etc. But it's still an interesting watch.

YouTube - Enough part 10

YouTube - Enough part 11

[lemit]

I would think you were paranoid if I hadn't heard the same thing from my physical therapist about her relatives in rural SA.

I was surprised when you mentioned going to bars, since my therapist said her relatives had turned their farms into fortresses they never left. I would think that if you have a large enough farm, you could use lights, alarms, electric fences, barbed wire--kind of reverse prison security.

From what I've heard, it's just going to be rough there for a while. If you have somewhere else to go, it might be a good time to go, at least for a while.

--lemit

[Galapagos]

Here a re my recommendations in order:

1. Get the hell out of there. I'm guessing this one is easier said than done.

2. Do what Freezy said, and install a bunch of booby traps and intimidating security.

3. Pull some Scooby Doo magic and trick all the crazies over there into thinking your property is haunted or something. Find a way to project apparitions, or create something that would scare ignorant supernaturalist thieves, but not harm anyone if they got frightened and shot at it(ie use a scarecrow, and not your buddy in a scary mask or something).

Okay, ,that last one is probably not entirely realistic, but hey, a lot of creepy, dusty old men would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for that dog and those meddling kids!

[Jway]

Originally Posted by Boerseun

I live in the most dangerous society on planet Earth

It's so rife that those that haven't been victims of this are merely waiting their turn, like sheep.

But what can be done to turn this even more in your favour? You are disadvantaged from the get-go in that you're most likely still asleep, and when you wake up from a broken window, you're brain is still struggling to wake up by the time you get the AK47 or stolen 9mm against the temple. How can your familiarity of the surrounds be turned against this guy (or guys)? What other disadvantages would these sods have? Keep in mind that they have absolutely no fear of the police and/or being jailed.

From a psychological viewpoint - how can you spin the situation in your favour? Any ideas?

I selected passages from your OP to help make points I wish to bring up.

#1 thing is you got to get rid of fear. I'm not saying that's easy, but then again, it may not be as hard as one might make it. You emphasized "they have absolutely no fear" and if you desire to have a remote chance in hell, you'd be wise to rid fear in yourself and even the playing field. My suggestion, and I do mean this sincerely, learn the TRUE nature of forgiveness. Hint: it ain't about forgiving the other person, it's about forgiving yourself. That's the positive spin on how to rid fear. The false positive is to stop seeing yourself as only a body. Seeing self as (only) a body is direct path to victimhood. IMO, this idea of getting rid of fear is, without a doubt, #1 way to gain full advantage. But if this is deemed too lofty or illogical or whatever, then move onto other ideas.

#2 is pray. What would you possibly have to lose by praying? Pretend like there is something at work that is bigger than criminal minds involved in this situation. Pray for that to help you. Stop pretending that this 'entity' is outside of you, and realize you won't be asked to do anything extraordinary, but will be met with precisely where you're at. If prayer doesn't work for you, even before trying it (aka you are prejudice against prayer), then move onto other ideas.

#3 is what others have said. Get the hell out of Dodge. I could see this being #1, though the real issue isn't outside of you, so wherever you go, chances are the actual problem will follow. But stepping away from the proverbial battleground can help buy (valuable) time while more sensible approaches are considered.

#4 - in the vein of what I think you are asking, I'd suggest you "become one of us." I don't know what that means exactly for your neighborhood, given what you've presented, but I would suggest you not dress your abode, your body, your lifestyle in the adornments of - I'm a victim looking to protect myself - aka putting bars up. IMO, you are in a war zone. And you either do suggestions 1 through 3, or you become a little more active on the side of warrior. If it means becoming a local (war) criminal yourself, then so be it. You can always re-invent yourself down the road. If seen as "one of us" by local gangs, you stand better chance of (short term) survival than if you are seen as "one of them." Especially if seen as "one of them who is incredibly easy target."

#5 - put bars up, get alarms, carry a gun that you hope to never use, and use hope for survival against overwhelming odds. Don't pray, don't forgive, don't believe in miracles. Plan on staying where you are at for as long as possible. Pretend like things could get better if you stay the course you are on. Hope this is the case. Consider each day you make it through alive, as a matter of luck and your own sense of morals. Realize that some fear is maybe a good thing. Look at it as an us and them issue and be as happy as you can that you are not one of them. And live the life the best way you know how and/or desire.

[InfiniteNow]

Originally Posted by Jway

#2 is pray.

Yeah, Boerseun. You should pray. The only thing you've got to lose is your life and the life and dignity of those you love.

Pray... You kill me, Jway!


Why Won't God Heal Amputees?

[Moontanman]

Yeah, pray, on your knees, makes the "Turkish" rape easier, maybe they won't get pissed if you're cooperative and kill you after.... I credit my loud ass obnoxious dogs as keeping me from be robbed far more than once. Not to mention the knowledge that I am more than willing to kill anyone who trespasses. My dogs, basset hounds, are very territorial, they bark at intruders, all intruders, nothing you can do can make them stop short of killing them. My last adult basset was named Elvis, he would wake up out a dead sleep when someone walked down the street on the opposite side of the street. He would walk to the door and put his nose under the door and i could tell by his reaction is the person was a stranger or not. have a good dog or preferably dogs, learn to read their moods, they have an uncanny way of knowing if a human has something bad on their minds. I can tell by their barks what they are barking at. Get good locks and security lights and cameras if possible. Get a shot gun, short barrel, pump, magnum, with 000 buck shot. practice using it so if you pull it out you know what to do automatically. I keep mine loaded nearby the bed. Most importanttly.... use it! If confronted.... shoot! don't argue with the perps, anyone who breaks in your house has murder on his mind is my motto. If possible move to the southern USA, we don't put up with that shit here.....