4 Security Items You Shouldn’t Waste Your Money On

With so many infomercials and facebook articles online telling you the latest and greatest gadgets, it can be hard to know which ones to invest in and which ones to pass on. Everything promises to be the best and most important item you could own when it comes to your personal safety. But as always, some items are more talk than walk - and some you shouldn’t bother wasting your money on!

Today we’re going to talk about 4 of these items you shouldn’t bother with. These are just our opinions - but we feel that if you’re going to be spending your hard earned money on items you should get good quality stuff that makes a difference!

Read on to see which items we would suggest you pass on, and why.

Safety Whistles

They might seem like a great security device. If someone is attacking you, you blow the whistle loudly which alerts everyone to the scene and the attacker will run away in panic.

But is this true? While whistles do a good job of alerting people to the scene - so can screaming or yelling. And if your attacker panics - are they going to panic and run away or panic and try to get you stop making noise?

Another risk of relying on a safety whistle for your protection is how quick you can get to it. Where do you keep your whistle? If you’re being attacked, do you have the time to dig around in your purse to get to the whistle?

We think the final verdict is that safety whistles CAN be helpful, but aren’t going to be the ultimate security device that will always protect you. It’s more important to be aware of your surroundings and stay with people when out at night.

Gimmick Knives

You’ve seen them before. A knife in a belt buckle! A sword hidden in a cane! A knife hidden in lipstick! These all offer the same gimmick - that they are hidden in plain sight so you can go around unnoticed but be able to fight off an attacker when needed.

However the risk is all the same with these gimmicks. Most of them rely on instant reflexes to get and unsheathe the knife, when most people are shocked and stunned when mugged or attacked.

In addition they still require a skill to be able to use them properly in self defense. Any knife or item for self defense can be used against you and you will have to know how to defend yourself.

Our verdict is you are better served taking that money and investing in a self defense class! Get educated on the best way to escape certain scenarios without the added risk of a weapon that might not be necessary.

Self Defense Umbrella

You might remember these from old spy movies. Often shown to be stronger than steel, and bulletproof. Perfect for self defense against weapons, and as a weapon itself to be used upon your attacker.

They make and sell real versions of these spy umbrellas that they market as self defense items. This is an ordinary looking full length black umbrella that is made of a strong material so it can be used to hit things hard and still be opened and functional.

So what’s the problem with this? Well first, are you going to take a full sized umbrella with you everywhere you go? It’s not very realistic. Secondly, engaging in combat with someone who is trying to mug you will escalate the situation. And if they do engage in combat with you, it’s better for you to have knowledge of what to do - if you just blindly start swinging an item they could try to wrestle it from you and use it on you!

Our verdict? Sure it might look cool and make you feel like James Bond, but it’s probably not going to be useful enough to spend the money on.

Bulletproof Briefcase

Another spy movie item. Put all your important documents into it, lock it up, and you’ll never have to worry about anyone getting into it! Unfortunately these are best served in the movies. In real life they’re just not practical. First of all, how common is it to carry a briefcase in this day and age? Especially since most the the time all you need to protect is your wallet, phone, and keys.

The verdict? Yeah, these are just plain silly - even for James Bond!

Security Items You Shouldnt Waste Money On: Conclusion

They might seem goofy, or maybe they seemed like a great idea. But these self defense items are not going to the be key factor in protecting yourself in a security situation.

A better choice is going to be a self defense class, so you are property trained on the best tactic in any given situation. By taking a class and learning how to defend yourself in certain risk scenarios you give yourself the confidence and strategy that may make a difference if you ever have to use it.

What do you think? Are any of these security items something you recommend? Or are there other self defense devices that you think are less helpful than advertised? Let us know!

3 Things to Do After A Break In

The worst thing has happened. You came home after being out; maybe you were at dinner, maybe you were on a trip. However as soon as you get home immediately know you’ve been broken into. But there are 3 to do after a break in to make sure that everything gets handled okay.

You're in a very emotional place right now and feeling very vulnerable. You don’t know what to do or who to turn to. However as long as you can remeber these things as soon as you’ve been burglarized you will be ok. Acting quickly will be crucial to putting your life back together after such a frightening experience.

1. Call the authorities

Obviously the first thing you need to do is call the police to file a report. The incident needs to be on record for both legal and insurance reasons. However, do note that if you are not in the house when you discover the burglary, do not go inside to make the call. You don’t know if the thieves are still inside and it could be dangerous.

If you see anyone leave your residence, take note of all visual marks you can and tell the police. Any descriptive information such as sex, gender, age, race, clothing, scars, even the direction they left, will all help the police.

Once you’ve notified the police and are waiting for them to arrive, don’t touch anything as they might be valuable clues and evidence to help identify and catch the thiefs.

Once the police arrive make a list of everything that’s been taken with a thorough description and approximate value. If helpful you can draw visuals, show pictures or videos if you have any. This information will help both the investigators when looking for your stolen items and for your insurance company to help recover goods.

2. Call your Insurance Company

Whether you own your home or rent, you should have insurance on the property. If so, notify them quickly of the incident as they might be able to assist you in lost property or damages. Most insurance companies want you to call and report the incident within 24 hours so don’t delay. They will most likely assign you to a claims adjuster to assess the situation, so be prepared to provide all the information they request and have a police report number handy as well if you have it.

It might be helpful to have a running list of all electronic information and product serial numbers to be able to provide in case of an emergency. You could take pictures of valuable items like jewelry or art and keep them on an SD card hidden somewhere in case they take your camera or computer.

3. Clean up all signs of the break in

Once the reports are filed and the police and insurance company are doing their job all you have left to do is pick up the pieces. Clean the floors, pick up anything that was broken, and determine which items are not salvageable. If you have broken doors or windows call a repairman to come fix them as quickly as you can. The sooner you can get your home back to normal the sooner you can move on from the experience. Besides the pain of losing valuables, it will take time to come to terms with the break in’s emotional damage. Burglaries can leave people feeling very violated and afraid of future robberies. Know that it may take you time to feel safe in your home again. But try to stay positive and know that you will move on from the event.

To help you feel safe and secure in your home again after a terrible incident like a break in, try to identify the security weak points in your home in order to strengthen them. Which items did they get? Can you store them in a better location? For example, avoid a traditional jewelry box which draws easy attention from a burglar and instead secure your jewelry in a more subtle location.

Did they get in your windows? Did they kick down your door? Identifying better, more secure options for your home will help you and your family feel safe. Home improvement stores will have a variety of DIY tools to install, or security alarm systems could be installed for added security if the thieves persist (or if the valuables are too great to risk).

The most important thing you can do after a break in is to stay calm and stay smart. By identifying a strategy now, you’ll be more organized and calm when the stress occurs. And most importantly know that you can recover from the incident!

Like this post? Be sure to check out Communication Skills for Security Guards and Critical Situations You Need to Master As A Security Guard.