Hurricane looting is not a new problem. Sadly, you can probably not remember a time when looters did not target hurricane-inflicted destinations with their lawless behavior. When a hurricane or another natural disaster threatens your area, you may decide to shelter in place or evacuate to safety. Either way, looting is likely going to be a concern.

Although many looters target businesses with an organized effort to overthrow whatever security measures are still in place and do a little “shopping”, some looters are more intent on stealing from their neighbors. For this reason, your home could easily be targeted and you want to make sure you are prepared to protect yourself, your family and your home.

How to Defend Yourself & Your Home Against Hurricane Looting

1. Make Looters Think There’s Nothing to Gain – It’s more than keeping your valuables out of plain sight. Consider making your home look like looters have already paid a visit and left nothing else to loot. When speaking with neighbors, be careful what you talk about. If they are desperate and know that you have food or supplies they need, it could leave you vulnerable.
2. Make Looters Think There’s a Chance They Will Get Hurt – Install some kind of barrier such as a fence strung with barbed wire. Hang warning signs that indicate that the homeowner is armed and ready to defend the property.
3. Get Advanced Warning that Hurricane Looting is a Looming Threat – The sooner you know of the threat, the more time you will have to prepare yourself. Motion detectors and security cameras can alert you to any kind of activity on your property.
4. Get a Dog and Train it to Protect You, Your Family & Your Property – Dogs have been known to deter hurricane looting. Not only do they bark loudly when they are alerted to an intruder, but they can be trained to attack if they think their family is in trouble.
5. Use Loud Noise & Flashing Lights – Loud noise and flashing lights is an indicator that someone is home and prepared to deal with trespassers. People associate this with danger and it typically scares them off.
6. Make Your Home Appear to be a Place of High Activity – Looters are more prone to strike when they believe they won’t be met with much resistance if any at all. By making it appear that there is a lot going on at your residence, they may be intimidated and move on to the next house.
7. Make it Hard for Looters to Get on Your Property & Into Your Home – Finally, don’t be a ‘sitting duck’. Make it difficult for looters to get onto the property and in you front door by creating obstacles around the property. Obstacles come in all shapes and forms from thorny bushes in the front of your house to professional grade deadbolt locks. Get rid of any hiding spots around your property such as shrubbery and any kind of large debris in your yard.

Hurricane Looters aren’t typically looking for a fight. They are more likely to target homes that give off the appearance of being deserted. By following these measures, you are less likely to come face to face with a looter, but will also be prepared if it should happen.

Learn More

At Universal Safety & Security Solutions, we understand how important it is to protect your home and those you love from hurricane looting. We are well-trained in personal protection and familiar with the different scenarios where someone may approach you with intentions to harm you or your family. We would be happy to schedule a home security vulnerability assessment to survey your residence and train you to defeat a home invasion. Contact Us for more great tips on how to protect yourself and your home from hurricane looting.