According to the FBI, home invasions and burglaries top the list of crimes that the average person is most likely to experience. In fact, they estimate there are over 2.5 million burglaries every year in the United States. Furthermore, 66% of these are home invasions, and almost 60% of all burglaries involve a forced entry.
We originally wrote this article years ago, since another site who stole our name also likes to steal our articles, we felt it was worth refreshing. The fact that crime and home invasions have significantly increased over the last year also gave us a reason to dust it off and add some more info.
Home Invasions and Burglaries on the Rise!
Unfortunately, we will likely see these home invasion numbers climb even higher as our economy heads into the gutter. Making things worse, liberal policies in Democrats cities throughout the United States, which allow criminals to get away with most petty crimes and have made bail a thing of the past, have caused crime to skyrocket in most cities.
In New York, The New York Police Department reports a 32.7% increase in burglaries from 2021 to 2022. Other Democrat-run cities like Los Angeles, Denver, Las Vegas, and Chicago reported a similar rise in burglaries. For example, Chicago Police Department (CPD) data shows a 35% increase in burglaries from 2021 to 2022.
While there are several things you can do to lessen your chances of becoming another statistic (check out our articles on Home Invasions & Criminal Attacks: Why the Police Can’t Save You and Home Safety: Security Tips for Staying Protected In Your Home ), there are a couple of cheap, no-thrills pieces of equipment that can help stop these criminals in their tracks — or at least buy you enough time to grab your firearm and fight back.
Home Security Gear: The Door Wedge
One item you might want to consider adding to your stockpile of supplies or taking with you when traveling is a good old-fashioned door wedge.
A door stop is now part of your home security plan?
Hell yes, it is! Listen, Urban Survival isn’t about looking cool or tactical; it’s about being prepared for real-life threats. It’s also about being smart enough to use common everyday items to help protect yourself from these threats.
These cheap little wedges can come in extremely handy during an emergency situation. For example, shoving one of these little bad boys under the door can help give you extra time to react during a home invasion or attack. They’re also a great addition to a bug-out bag because they can be used to provide added security when seeking temporary shelter in a building, public bathroom, or hotel room. They can also be used to wedge doors open during an evacuation.
While any door wedge will help buy you time, many companies now sell door jams made explicitly for security purposes. Jamming one of these wedges under the door can help you keep unwanted people out or buy you the time you need to fight back.
Wedge-It – The Ultimate Door Stop
The Wedge-It is designed to be used on almost any door and is a good option for home defense and a small and easy-to-carry device that you can use to protect yourself while traveling and inside hotel rooms. It is intended to be used either on top of the door, over a hinge pin, or like a classical wedge under the door.
This is one of our favorites. Made of LEXAN plastic, with rubber contact points for added strength and stickiness, the Wedge-It is carried by a lot of first responders because of its solid design. It’s small enough to fit in any bug out bag and has a hole to hook one or more on a carabineer. At only $10 they are a cheap way to add an extra layer of security.
The Super Door Stop Alarm
With the addition of a very loud alarm, this little door wedge not only stops the bad guy from coming in but alerts you to the danger as well. They are great for traveling, and can give you an added layer of security while out on the road.
Find Super Door Stop on Amazon
DoorJammer Portable Door Lock Brace
Designed as a way for travelers to protect themselves in a hotel room, the DoorJammer is a solid steel device that is designed to redirect the invader’s energy downward into the floor and hold the door closed.
CG PLUS Door Stopper
If you are looking for a permanent solution or something you are less likely to lose or misplace, the CG PLUS Door Stopper is something you can attach to your door and put up or down as needed. Then, during an emergency, you can quickly kick it into place in seconds while you make your way to your firearm or safe place.
Find the CG PLUS Door Stopper on Amazon
OnGUARD Security Door Brace
Another Semi-permanent at-home solution is the OnGUARD Security Door Brace. This device was built with security in mind and was created to stop home invasions and looters from being able to kick in your doors. It is designed to prevent door kick-ins and even an attack from a battering ram.
During testing, the designers beat the hell out of this thing with a 40-pound police battering ram and say it is designed to withstand up to 3000 Lbs of Violent Force.
Find the OnGUARD Security Door Brace on Amazon
Further Reading and Resources to Prevent Home Invasions
- Weak Points in Your Home Security: Securing your Garage Doors – Criminals know it, but not many homeowners realize how easy it is to break into a home through a traditional garage door.
- Things you can do right now to prevent a home invasion – Easy tips and resources for securing your home.
- The Ultimate Situational Survival Guide: Self-Reliance Strategies for a Dangerous World – I dedicate an entire section of my book to surviving things like violent attacks, active shooter situations, and home invasions. I did this because these types of crimes are among the most likely threats a person will face in their lifetime.
Great idea! Nice and simple.
That would work great against zombies!
what also would work great is a mini pry/crowbar the one that fit on a keychain or in a pocket
Somehow I thought I was a tad paranoid (even nutty) to bring something like this in my previous travel..
Then I read your post here! :-)
I made one of such door stopper these ways:
1. Buy two hard rubber door wedge stopper (some door have higher gap below, so need two small wedges or one big one).
2. Drill a little hole through the thin ends of the wedges.
3. Put a key ring holder through the hole.
4. Attach a lanyard through the ring.
5. Throw “travel door security stopper” into luggage!
:-)
Basic carpentry tools could prove valuable as well. Not only good to make your own “door” with, but modify materials into equipment,and build better, stronger shelter.
good idea, here are a couple of other ideas as well. If it is your home you are in drill a couple small holes 5/16 or 3/8 into or through floor one about 1 1/2 inches and one aobut 2 1/2 inches. a heavy duty screwdriver can be insrted into hole to keep the door from opening second hole is to check for a friendly if you dont have peep hole. Another is to use a brace at door knob most entrie are made at this point snd even usind a wedge or screwdrive will allow door to be forced if used alone.
a door wedge is a great idea but most doors will break if kicked once or twice i say keep the 9mm close at hand i even have one in the bathroom
@ sherman
humm 2 thing I hope you have good rounds Hydro-shocks for FMJ don’t evan slow some one down and is the 9mm in the bathroom so you can put it to your bum when it dont want to move or need to slow it down?
LOL Desmond can take 2 9mm to the chest followed by 1 to the head and not only keep shooting, but it wont even slow him down.. Me and him should team up, I can hold my breathe for like 3 min lol deuche I use JHP anyways =p
I would tie this to my line that trips the standing floor lamp where I have altered with hollowed it out filling it with gun powder..put this will be only my last resort. I might just use a 2×4 or a chair is a better choice. with persistence in a short span of time someone will get in with a stopper, but we can make up our own minds…just advice.
Why would a “first responder” carry the Wedge-It…false advertising.
For the same reason a furniture mover might – to prop open a self closing door while you maneuver a desk or a stretcher through it.
Very impressive! Thanks for sharing.
That is brilliant! Often wondered why people use chains on the inside. They can’t stop a burglar anyway. The door jammer or door stopper looks a lot more efficient!