Intruder Surprises Plano Boy Home Alone

[Wildscar]

So when would be a good time to teach defence tactics to young children.

Intruder Surprises Plano Boy Home Alone

http://cbs11tv.com/local/intruder.surpr ... 79473.html

(CBS 11 News) ―
An 11-year-old was home for spring break was awoken by an intruder Monday morning, Plano police report.

According to reports, the boy was home alone when he heard the burglar inside the house in the 4100 block of New Hope Court.

The intruder actually said 'Hello' to the boy and told him he was helping his father move some things around.

When the boy discovered the man was lying, that's when the situation became violent, police said. The boy told CBS 11 the intruder grabbed him around the throat, pulled out a knife and pushed him into a closet.

The boy's mother says the burglar stole all of her jewelry. The family believes the man broke in through a pet door in back of the house.

Police believe two men may be involved. A second suspect may have been waiting outside in a get-away van.

[seamusTX]

To answer your question, I think kids should be taught self-defense techniques appropriate to their age as early as possible. For really little kids, that would be running away, kicking, biting, and screaming. The main principle is that you have the rights to be left alone and to defend yourself when attacked.

This situation could have been avoided with a large dog and a burglar alarm.

A woman I know, when she was a young girl, fended off an intruder with an unloaded wall-hanger shotgun.

- Jim

[Keith B]

This is about a mile from my house and in a supposedly VERY good area with low crime. Just goes to show there is no such thing as a VERY good area any longer.

[seamusTX]

Yup. A crook with half a brain knows he's going to find more and better stuff to steal in a "good neighborhood," and likely residents will be at work or school during the day.

Break-ins happen in gated communities, often pulled off by the kids or shirt-tail relatives of homeowners.

- Jim

[Crossfire]

So when would be a good time to teach defence tactics to young children.

Shortly before you decide they are old enough to be left home alone.

[DoubleJ]

So when would be a good time to teach defence tactics to young children.

Shortly before you decide they are old enough to be left home alone.

agree with that. first evening home alone, our kid had a thing of OC, phone, numbers written down, and a plan.

[Bevotex]

Where the heck was the dog that uses the pet door?? Assuming it wasn't for a cat....

[MrsFosforos]

Where the heck was the dog that uses the pet door?? Assuming it wasn't for a cat....

That's what I was wondering. If the pet door was large enough for a man to crawl through, you'd think it was a made for a BIG dog!

[locknload]

Where the heck was the dog that uses the pet door?? Assuming it wasn't for a cat....

That's what I was wondering. If the pet door was large enough for a man to crawl through, you'd think it was a made for a BIG dog!

Maybe, it was a very small man?

[Glock 23]

i have no children....is it the norm to leave them home alone as young as 11?

[KBCraig]

i have no children....is it the norm to leave them home alone as young as 11?

Not in normal circumstances, no. Perhaps while you run to the corner store in the middle of the afternoon, for a half hour or less. Definitely not left home alone for a full day, to wake himself up, get breakfast, etc., while the parents are gone to work.

[Wildscar]

i have no children....is it the norm to leave them home alone as young as 11?

When I was growing up I would stay home by myself by the time I was 10. However this is a diffrent day any age that we are living now. I dont think I would want my Son staying at home alone untill he is able to knock out the x-ring.

[Venus Pax]

i have no children....is it the norm to leave them home alone as young as 11?

I started staying home alone after school at 12; I don't know that I would do this with my own kid with what I know now.

As for the doggie door, the past owners could have installed it, and the current owners could have simply left it in. Also, if the kid had one of those dogs that seem to perpetually bark, then he would not have been alerted.

This could have been much worse.

ETA: Many people in nicer suburban communities get a false sense of security from their vanilla surroundings. My sister is one of them. You can't convince her that she needs to be vigilant about her safety, because "the area where [she] lives is nice." There is no convincing some people.