Surviving Suburban - A real close-call

I live in a "nice town" in the hills and until very recent years it was generally a safe and nice place to live.

Now it looks just as nice but there are strings of break-ins and other felony activity no doubt driven by not just the economy but the meth problem that has been brewing for about a decade.

Today I got a reminder of how little things I do protect me and allow me to survive this suburban environment, which used to be a very safe place.

I had my brother over and we played some video games. After a while he left to go home I was alone. I decided to take a shower it was about 8:30pm. I instinctively checked the front door and locked the deadbolt as I always do when ever someone comes or goes.

During the shower the phone started to ring. After about 15 rings I figured it might be important and I turned off the shower to go get the phone. As soon as I did the phone stopped ringing but I left the shower off anyways and started to dry myself.

Less than 5 seconds later I hear my front screen door followed by the sound of someone wiggling my front door handle. The deadbolt was locked but the bottom was not so it made a very distinct noise of a complete turn and I could even hear whoever it was try to push in.

One of my dogs let out one bark and it fell to a growl. About 9 seconds later a old car was driving away, in the dark, without headlights on.

Who knows what would have happened if whoever that was got in while I was still putting on my robe. I'm happy not to find out.

This makes me think I should mount some pepper spray in my bathroom. It's a room in-between all of the bedrooms and at the end of the hall. It may buy me enough time to get my gun or help someone (maybe a visitor) who can't get to my gun. (I still lock them up, I know some people want one available without any effort at all times but I think that can be bad too, unless it's on your person.)