Mobile Phone Ransom Scam

I received this email today concerning a hand-phone ransom scam that I thought was worthwhile posting. I have heard of similar episodes before, though I cannot verify the authenticity of this email. Even then, it sounds plausible that something of this nature could actually happen and I figure it may be good to let you guys know of such a scam.

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It all started when I received a call from someone who claimed that he was

from Maxis, asking me to shutdown my phone for 2 to 3 hours for 3G update to

take place.

As I was rushing for a meeting, I did not question about the shutdown of my

cell phone.

After 45 minutes, I felt very suspicious since the caller did not even

introduce his name. I quickly turned my cell phone back on and I received

several numbers of missed calls; few from my family members and the other

numbers was from the number that called me earlier : 3954380.

I called my parents and I was shocked that they sounded very worried, asking

me whether I am safe. My parents told me that they received a call from

someone who claimed that they have me with them and asking for money to set

me free. The call was so real and my parents even heard my voice crying out

loud asking for help. My parents was at the bank waiting for the next call

to proceed with the money transfer. I told my parents that I am safe and

asked them to lodge a police report.

Right after that I received again, a call from the same guy asking me to

shutdown my cell phone for another 1 hour, which this time I refused to do

so and hung up.. They kept calling my cell phone until my battery went dead.

I lodged a police report and was informed by the police officer that this

kind of scam has always been reported.  In most cases, the victim’s family

have already transferred the money! And it is impossible to get back the

money. Banks can only return back the money if the owner of the account agreed to

do so or there is a court order.

So guys, be careful of this kind of scam!!! Those guys are so professional

and very convincing during the calls. If you were asked to shutdown your

cell phone for any updates by the service provider, ASK AROUND! Your friends

should receive the same call too.

Any Customer Service would introduce their NAME AT THE BEGINNING of the

call. Ignore them if you don’t get a name at the beginning of the call. If

you received instructions from unrecognized number/person that you are not

sure, make your own judgment. The BEST is DO NOT RESPOND.

If you cannot pickup your loved one’s call, DO GIVE A CALLBACK immediately!

Update your loved one with ALTERNATE CONTACTS.

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These lowlifes are becoming more and more ‘creative’, aren’t they? I guess if you receive calls from an unknown source and feel that ‘intuition’ that something is amiss, ignore them. It seems that the person above was already marked from the beginning, as the perpetrators knew to call her parents for the ransom.

For that reason also, it is good to keep your social networking profile (myspace, facebook, etc) private and only accept friends whom you know.  The latest I’ve heard is that even loan-sharks (or ‘ah-long’, as we call them over here) have gone on-line to track down and antagonize their non-paying ‘clients’!

Stay Safe Always!

It all started when I received a call from someone who claimed that he was

from Maxis, asking me to shutdown my phone for 2 to 3 hours for 3G update to

take place.

As I was rushing for a meeting, I did not question about the shutdown of my

cell phone.

After 45 minutes, I felt very suspicious since the caller did not even

introduce his name. I quickly turned my cell phone back on and I received

several numbers of missed calls; few from my family members and the other

numbers was from the number that called me earlier : 3954380.

I called my parents and I was shocked that they sounded very worried, asking

me whether I am safe. My parents told me that they received a call from

someone who claimed that they have me with them and asking for money to set

me free. The call was so real and my parents even heard my voice crying out

loud asking for help. My parents was at the bank waiting for the next call

to proceed with the money transfer. I told my parents that I am safe and

asked them to lodge a police report.

Right after that I received again, a call from the same guy asking me to

shutdown my cell phone for another 1 hour, which this time I refused to do

so and hung up.. They kept calling my cell phone until my battery went dead.

I lodged a police report and was informed by the police officer that this

kind of scam has always been reported.  In most cases, the victim’s family

have already transferred the money! And it is impossible to get back the

money.

Banks can only return back the money if the owner of the account agreed to

do so or there is a court order.

So guys, be careful of this kind of scam!!! Those guys are so professional

and very convincing during the calls. If you were asked to shutdown your

cell phone for any updates by the service provider, ASK AROUND! Your friends

should receive the same call too.

Any Customer Service would introduce their NAME AT THE BEGINNING of the

call. Ignore them if you don’t get a name at the beginning of the call. If

you received instructions from unrecognized number/person that you are not

sure, make your own judgment. The BEST is DO NOT RESPOND.

If you cannot pickup your loved one’s call, DO GIVE A CALLBACK immediately!

Update your loved one with ALTERNATE CONTACTS.

NEW TECHNIQUE TO STEALING A CAR?

The following article came to me via my neighborhood security watch e-group email through someone called “Mozatty”. I don’t know how true or real this method of car thievery is, but I figure its worth spreading the word around so that extra precaution can be taken.

Stay safe and beware!

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I locked my car. As I walked away I heard my car door unlock. I went back and locked my car again three times. Each time, as soon as I started to walk away, I would hear it unlock again!! Naturally alarmed, I looked around and there were two guys sitting in a car in the fire lane next to the store. They were obviously watching me intently, and there was no doubt they were somehow involved in this very weird situation.. I quickly chucked the errand I was on, jumped in my car and sped away. I went straight to the police station, told them what had happened, and found out I was part of a new, and very successful, scheme being used to gain entry into cars.

Two weeks later, my friend’s son had a similar happening… While travelling, my friend’s son stopped at a roadside rest to use the bathroom.. When he came out to his car less than 4-5 minutes later, someone had gotten into his car and stolen his cell phone, laptop computer, GPS navigator, briefcase… ..you name it. He called the police and since there were no signs of his car being broken into, the police told him he had been a victim of the latest robbery tactic — there is a device that robbers are using now to clone your security code when you lock your doors on your car using your key-chain locking device..

They sit a distance away and watch for their next victim. They know you are going inside of the store, restaurant, or bathroom and that they now have a few minutes to steal and run.

The police officer’s advice is to manually lock your car door-by hitting the lock button inside the car — that way if there is someone sitting in a parking lot watching for their next victim, it will not be you..

When you hit the lock button on your car upon exiting, it does not send the security code, but if you walk away and use the door lock on your key chain, it sends the code through the airwaves where it can be instantly stolen. This is very real.

Be wisely aware of what you just read and please pass this note on. Look how many times we all lock our doors with our remote just to be sure we remembered to lock them — and bingo, someone has our code and whatever was in our car.
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Kick-Ass Women!

Here are 3 true-life  inspirational stories of women who fought back when attacked.

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Story No. 1

Oklahoma — A 75-year-old woman told police she fought off an attacker using tactics she saw on the “Dr. Phil” show, police said.

Moore Police said a 35-year-old man, of Oklahoma City, is wanted in Cleveland County on a complaint of attempted rape in connection with the attack on the woman.

The woman told police the man stopped by her home Thursday to visit. She had gone into her bedroom to retrieve an antiseptic to doctor a wound he had, but when she turned around, the man was standing close to her with his pants open.

The woman told police the man wrestled her to the bed and tore off her clothing. She fought back, kicking her attacker in the groin, poking him in the eyes and hitting him on the head with a cordless telephone, a police spokesman said.

“She said she saw how to fight off an attacker on the ‘Dr. Phil’ show and it stuck with her,” the spokesman said. “After that, he ran off.”

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Story No. 2

Colorado — A maintenance worker who was working a vacuum sweeper in a Fort Collins alley was able to successfully fend off a man who tried to sexually assault her, Fort Collins police said.

The 27-year-old woman, was in the alleyway at approximately 6:30 a.m. Wednesday when she was attacked by the man who tried to remove her clothing, a police spokeswoman said.

The woman fought off her attacker by hitting him with a portable vacuum nozzle.

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Story No. 3

Indiana — Police are looking for two southern Indiana men suspected of breaking into several homes. They think the men have taken jewelry, laptops and guns from rural homes in four counties.

During one of those home break-ins the real danger may have been to the criminal himself when a Washington County woman fought back.

Detectives think it was one of the named suspects who broke into the home of Carol K. recently – but police say he picked the wrong woman to mess with.

She’s a retired Marine, and she wasn’t going to let anyone get away with taking her stuff. “Before, all I had to do is listen to the birds and watch the animals,” said the woman of her quiet, rural home.

But a couple of weeks ago while gardening, the woman’s watchful eye caught an unusual sight – a movement in her bedroom window. “I saw the shears just being thrown all over the place and then when I heard a thump,” she said.

A strange car in her driveway confirmed it – someone was inside her house. The woman said, “A man just walked from my dining room into my living room.”

But when most of us would have gotten scared, the woman got angry.

Then she got even. “I was so mad that somebody was in my house taking my things,” she said. “So I took the hoe, came back through the garage and started to beat the windshield out of his car. You can swing this thing, you can’t imagine and I got his window, probably at least, 20-30 times.”

The woman says she kept swinging even when the thief came outside.

“His eyes got real big,” she said. “I don’t think he thought anybody would really do anything to him.”

But the woman did, and now the sight of the car has even police amazed. “I love this lady,” the Floyd County Police Chief said.

“Look at what she did: picked up that garden hoe and went to work on them.”

Now the woman is counting the days until she comes face to face with the thief again. “I wish they would just bring them to my house just one more time,” she said. Until then, she hopes the would-be thief will remember this: Be careful who you mess with, because looks can be deceiving.

The woman says she has gotten a little bit scared now that she’s had time to think about what happened, and she now answers the door with her garden hoe in hand. She also says she wants a picture of the car – framed – just so she can remember.

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So what’s the point of these 3 stories, you may ask? Well, for one, it shows that women who fought back had a fairly good chance of escaping an attack (I especially enjoyed the 3^rd story! ) What a great source of inspiration!

Secondly, they made use of whatever weapon they could get their hands on to fend off their attackers, from bare-handed eye pokes, vacuum nozzle to a garden hoe! There are so many ‘everyday’ items that we never anticipate can be used as ‘weapons’, but they are available right under our noses.

Here’s an example of some… hot coffee, bottles, lighted cigarettes, ashtrays, cleaners, brooms, sticks, stones, bags, knives, scissors, garden tools, cutlery, furniture, sprays, keys, fire extinguishers, shoes … the list goes on and on.

Take a good look inside your purse, car or home… chances are you’ll find something handy to use in an emergency. Make a mental note of where the items are and how, when and where you can use them!

In our ARM self defense classes in Petaling Jaya, we teach our students to use items like car-keys, hair-brushes and umbrellas as ‘weapons’ to good effect. Used properly, no thief would ever suspect you have a ‘deadly’ weapon on hand!

Stay Safe!

Multiple Attacker Scenario

You are hanging out in a pub or disco, and you notice a group of guys glaring at you for no apparent reason. They wait till you make your way to the car park before ganging up on you. All of a sudden, you find yourself in a multiple assailant scenario.

Pre-Fight
Whatever the reasons for such an attack, these are the initial thoughts that should come to mind..

1. De-escalate the situation.
Find out what these guys want from you. If its just money, give it to them. Your attackers may be pissed drunk and only want an ego-boosting trip by taking it out on you. On the other hand, it could be a sexual attack or a gang initiation ritual with the intention to rip you to shreds. Whatever the case, if you cannot talk your way out to safety, your only other decision left is to fight your way out. Mentally tell yourself that you will be in for a hell of a confrontation, and you will get hit, but you will hit back with a greater ferocity of ‘one hit, one kill’.

2. Check you exit strategy
Talk to stall and buy some time while checking out your ‘exits’. Are you close enough to a place of safety (a public area, etc) where someone can come to your aid? Is it possible to make a dash for it without fighting?

3. Identify an ‘equalizer’
Are there ‘weapons’ within your reach and can you make a beeline to them during a fight? Such weapons can include a trashcan lid, a metal pole or stick, a loose chain or even a chunk of rock. Sand can also be helpful as you can throw them at on-coming attackers to blind them temporarily while you make your move. If you can’t get your hands on a weapon, see what you have on you.. a belt, a bunch of keys or a hairbrush can work as well.

4. What your objectives are
The primary goal in a multiple assailant confrontation is not to “win” but to escape. Adopt a ‘bash and dash’ mentality and when the opportunity arises in the midst of the fight, run! Research has indicated that if the subject can gain a 20 yard head start on his pursuers, he’ll probably get away. So when the window of opportunity arises, run like the wind!

5. Above all, keep calm
Easier said than done, especially when you are in confrontation with a group of guys hell-bent in beating you to a pulp! Adrenaline will kick in and you’ll lose cognitive thinking, your vision will start to narrow and your breathing will be shallow. Take long silent deep breaths to clear your head. Think calmly and logically as you try to control the adrenal rush and take stock of the situation at hand.

So there you are, surrounded by a bunch of guys aiming to take your head off, while you are trying to talk your way out. As there appears to be no way out of the situation, a fight will eventually ensue.

Pre-emptive strike
With the advantage of surprise, take the first strike. The person with the easiest access to should be your target. The leader of the bunch will make a good first target as well. A fight may end before it even begins if a member of the group (better yet, the leader) is taken down in a flurry of blows. This will destroy the ‘Pack Mentality’ of safety in numbers and seeing a member down and bloodied, may cause the group to lose confidence in the fight

Stacking And Moving
It is impossible to fight everyone in the group at the same time. So this is where ‘stacking’ comes in.. move in to attack one member of the group while ‘adjusting’ to make him a ‘shield’ between you and the rest. Take him down and go for the next person. Or grab that person and push him into someone else. You get the picture.. It is not always that simple and you will be blindsided with blows from other attackers from time to time. Therefore, in the midst of the fight, you must keep moving constantly.

‘One Hit, One Kill’
Every successful strike must count in bring the opponent to his knees, be it a strike to the eyes, nose, throat, groin, kneecap, etc (Remember the 4 ‘N’s… nose, neck, nuts and knees?). You will not have the time to waste multiple hits (especially if they are not effective) on a single person while the rest of the gang converges on to you. One, or at the most two, solid strikes must disable your adversary before moving on to the next. If you have a weapon in hand, that will provide you a great advantage to end the fight quickly.

Battle Cry
Shout out with every strike in the midst of battle. This will not only intimidate your attackers but also help you break the adrenal rush that is going through your body. Shouting will also help you break the tunnel vision and suppressed cognitive thinking, and help you breathe. It will also help you build up your confidence and will-power. You’ll need all the help you can get in a fight!

Run and Stun
A run and stun strategy is based on the fact that all members of a group will not chase you at the same pace. Many might not even bother and might leave the task of pursuing you to the other members. By bolting from a group of attackers, you’ll find that you can separate them from each other or “string them out” enough to reduce their superior numbers. If one of them begins to overtake you, consider stopping long enough, perhaps waiting around a corner and dropping him before taking off again. Now the remaining pursuers have the decision to tend to their fallen comrade or continue to chase you. Either way, its one less assailant to worry about..

Some ‘Don’t’s When In A Multiple Attacker Scenario

Don’t go to ground.
If it is at all possible, do not bring the fight to the ground. Ground fighting might look pretty good in Brazilian Jujitsu, but even if you’ve got one guy pinned down with an arm-bar, you will need to contend with the rest of the pack who’ll be raining down blows on you! If you’re taken to the ground, get up as quick as possible!

No high kicks, locks and throws.
They may look cool in the movies but when everything moves in a violent, chaotic blur, such moves may not be possible. Kicks, especially when they are aimed high, are easily caught in a street fight.. Applying a lock to an opponent is not a good idea as well as you can only apply it on one person at a time. Remember.. you have other attackers to contend with as well?

Conclusion
I heard a story of an incident which happened last year in KL. A woman, walking to her car after a late night at work along the river near the high court was set upon by four men for no apparent reason. Presumably, it was a sexual attack as they refused to take the woman’s handbag when she surrendered it. Instead, they proceeded to attack the victim with the intention of ripping her clothes off. Apparently, she fought back with some ferocity and manage to hold them off for some time, even though she suffered injuries. Fortunately, a group of Malay men who were walking by heard the commotion and managed to rescue the woman.

I think it speaks volumes of the courage of this woman to fight off four men. She must have figured that surrendering would have been a fate worse than death and she had no other choice but to fight.

When faced with a multiple attacker scenario (whether it be 2 or 20), it starts with the mindset. Of course, some training in self defense techniques goes a long, long way as well. We train such scenarios in our classes on Monday nights in Petaling Jaya. If you wish to check out the class or attend a free trial, please feel free to go to http://traditionaltaekwondo.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=41

Stay Safe!

Single-Sided Shoulder Grab

Consider this scenario… you are walking minding your own business when a low-life approaches you on the opposite direction. He confronts you by placing his left hand on your right shoulder, gesturing at you with his right hand, and starts intimidating you by demanding for your purse a loud voice as he proceeds to shake your shoulder ever so violently.

This is possibly one of the most common intimidation tactics by low-life types. Coupled with the verbal and physical, it can instill fear in the intended victim. Furthermore, the perpetrator’s free right hand could also be wielding a knife.

In life-threatening situations, it is always best to apply the safest logical way out… surrender your valuables. However, if his demands are beyond that and your life is really at stake, you will then need to be the predator and make him the victim instead.

So, here goes.. its the further adventures of dirtbag and pretty lady!

Picture 1 – Pretty Lady is grabbed on your right shoulder by Dirtbag’s left hand.

Picture 2 – In one swift move, Pretty Lady uses her left hand to grab Dirtbag’s left hand. This is meant to secure the left hand and not let Dirtbag pull his hand away.

Picture 3 – As Dirtbag’s hand is grabbed, Pretty Lady moves her right leg to the back and to the left. Her left forearm goes to Dirtbag’s elbow joint to execute an elbow lock.

Picture 4 – With the elbow and Dirtbag’s hand secured, Pretty Lady twists her torso towards Dirtbag’s elbow downwards, bending the perpetrator’s body down

Picture 2, 3 & 4 is done in one single motion in a swift movement.

Picture 5 – Pretty Lady immediately applies a low kick with her right foot to Dirtbag’s knee joint. Ouch! Double ‘ouch’ if its done with a woman’s heeled shoe!

From her on, Dirtbag should be on the ground in pain and Pretty Lady should be dashing off in the opposite direction.

However, if Dirtbag is still able to threaten, further variations of strikes, stomps or locks can be applied to bring him into submission.

Actually, all these are best learned in a self defense class where techniques such as the above are taught clearly and correctly within the controlled confines of a classroom. Possibly more important than this, knowing the psychology of an attack can even prevent and diffuse a possible life threatening situation.

Self defense classes are available in Petaling Jaya every Monday night, so if you’re interested, please feel free to drop me a line at eric@traditionaltaekwondo.net or call me at 017-888 7878.

Peace be with you and stay safe always!

Ladies, Don’t Work Too Late At The Office

Here’s an email i came across lately that i thought was sickeningly shocking and it proves evermore that ladies should learn some skills in protecting themselves.

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Let me tell you a true story. There was a girl who went back to work on a public holiday with another girl. When the girls wanted to go home, the car couldn’t start and the other girl’s boyfriend who came to pick her up didn’t wait coz the girl told them to go off first and there was a security guard helping her. She didn’t come home that night and they found her body in a burnt car abandoned in a rubber estate in Dengkil on the 3rd day.

The guard reported to work and acted normal during the police investigation but when the Police questioned him again, he remembered the colour of her clothes in detail and they noticed that the hair on his hands were seared although there was no burnt marks. He finally admitted to killing her. There was no cover up but the case was not in the papers.

Don’t ever trust the security guards. Be sure to keep the office door lock.  Girls, be forewarned and please be doubly, even triply cautious  if there is a need to stay back late at work. If at all possible, leave the office early when there are still people around. Better yet, if there is work that must absolutely be completed, bring it home!

Just heard about a rape case at a multinational company which happened recently. The victim is married with kids. She worked till 11pm. A security guard raped her in the toilet. She managed to escape and drove herself to the hospital. Next day, the other employees were shocked to see the condition of the toilet. Blood and hair everywhere, and all the brooms and mops were broken. The police later came and arrested the security guard, who still reported for work the next day.

However, they managed to cover it up, didn’ t come up in the news or anything. I can ‘t imagine how many such cases have been covered up in Malaysia. (This is a sad reality) . Please girls, don’t put your life in danger by working late or being negligent. You can never be too careful nowadays.

Malaysia ranks number 2 in crimes against women.
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In a seperate incident, i personally heard recently of another another lady who worked late one night and as she was leaving to get to her car along the old KL High Court near Dataran Merdeka, she was pounced  on by 4 men. Though she surrendered her handbag to them, they still proceeded to attack her in mercilessly. She tried desperately to hold them off and sustained much injuries. Thankfully, another group of men who happened to walk by, immediately came to her rescue.

It doesn’t look as if attacks against women will ever abate. These are sick times we are living in.  Women do need to arm themselves with some knowledge of self defense.

By the way, here are some very useful telephone numbers for emergencies. Key in these hotline numbers (03-22627555/03-22626555) into your mobile phone. They may save your life.

These are the numbers for Bukit Aman’s Malaysia Control Centre (MCC), the call centre for all police emergencies. The police are urging Malaysians to have these numbers in their mobile phones. Bukit Aman Public Relations Superintendent Mohamad Daud said motorists may help prevent cases like the recent murder of assistant computer engineer Mohamad Nazri Ismail. Police have been known to within minutes to the crime scene from calls made through this hotline.

The public from all parts of Malaysia can call the centre to report an emergency anytime. Calls will be directed to the nearest police station for the officers there to handle the matter.

Keep well and stay safe always…

WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE STOPPED BY POLICEMEN

I saw this article recently and thought it’d be very important information, especially with so much news on bogus policemen prepertrating criminal activities.  Please feel free to share…

The next time you are stopped by persons who claimed they are plain clothes police, you are under no obligation to answer their questions or follow their orders, lawyers told Malaysiakini today.

“Policeman who is not wearing his uniform does not have the authority to stop anyone,” lawyer and human rights activist Sivarasa Rasiah said.

Sivarasa was commenting on the alleged gang-rape of an 18-year-old university student by four men claiming to be police officers on New Year’s Eve. The girl said that her car was stopped in Taman Tun Dr Ismail in Kuala Lumpur and were asked by the men to open the car bonnet. She was then told that she had committed an offence and ordered to follow the men to a police station. The girl was driven in her car along the North-South expressway to the Tapah-Cameron Highlands road before she was raped in an oil palm estate.

This incident, and many others, have sparked confusion over the procedures which motorists must follow when flagged down by the police. The most common problem is that most people take instructions without determining if the other person is really a cop,” lawyer Annie Santiago said.

However, if you are stopped by a uniformed policeman, then you are required to stop. But you need not get out of the car because you are not expected to do so, Santiago said. The other rule to follow is to provide your identity card only when you are asked to do so. “Even then, you should get his ID first to confirm if he is a cop. There is no harm in calling the relevant police station to verify if he is supposed to be on duty that day,” Sivarasa said.

Both lawyers said that motorists should never follow an officer to the police station unless one is under arrest . “If you are not sure, and your instincts tell you that something is wrong, then drive off to the nearest police station and lodge a report,” Sivarasa said.

In response to the alleged gang-rape of the 18-year-old, Women’s Aid Organisation executive-secretary Ivy Josiah called on the police to launch an education program to teach the public about their rights to prevent them from being victimised by bogus police officers.

Procedures to follow in the event you are stopped by uniformed police officers while driving:

• Stop the car and wind down your window.
• If the police officers ask for your documents, request to see their IDs first.
• If you are satisfied about their identity, ask them if you are being summoned, and for what offence.
• Produce your identity card and driver’s license and wait to collect your summon ticket.

In the event that the police officers ask you to follow them to the police station:

• Ask if you are under arrest and for what offence.
• If you are not under arrest, you have the right to leave.

In the event you are flagged down by persons you believe could be plain clothes police:

• Do not stop because plain clothes police officers do not have the authority to stop you.
• Drive to the nearest police station and lodge a report. (The same procedure applies to pedestrians)

In the event the police come to your house:

• Do not let them in before checking their IDs.
• If you are not satisfied, phone the nearest police station and confirm if they had been sent to your house.
• You are under no obligation to allow them into the house if they don’t have a search warrant.
• Do not go with them if you are not under arrest.

In the event persons who claimed to be plain clothes police come to your house:

• Do not let him in because they do not have the authority to do so.
• Lodge a report at the nearest police station.

Defending Your Castle

”They broke in through a window grille and were even in my room. They ransacked my home and took my valuables but thank God we slept through it and nothing happened to us..” said Pete with a shudder. I could tell my friend was really shaken as he related the burglary of his home. One of the worse things I can think of is a stranger actually invading my “castle”, my home, with the power of not only stealing my valuables, but harming my loved ones.. *shudder*….

The truth is that there is no such thing as a burglar-proof home, even if you house resembles Fort Knox! What there is, however, are homes that are too difficult or troublesome to break in to. The enemies of the burglar are time and attention. The longer it takes to break-in and the more noise he makes increase his chances of being seen and caught. Homes not easily and quickly broken into are most often bypassed for easier targets.

Here are some tips to help make your home a “fortress” of sorts.. at least to a burglar and make your home a less likely target.

Build layers of security in your home
”Layering” is a good deterrent, and the best defense against break-ins. It is easy for a criminal to bypass a single line of defense (e.g.; a single padlock on your kitchen door leading into your house). Multiple layers not only slow him, but serve as a means to alert you or your neighbors that someone is trying to break in.

A good example of a layered defense is a secure perimeter of fencing or brick walls making it difficult to climb over. Next, rose-bushes or heavy-potted cactus plants outside the windows, iron grilles on windows, double-locked, barred and wired with a security alarm, topped up with a pieces of furniture on the inside makes it a chore to climb over. And what about having bells or wind chimes strategically hung over windows or doorways? The slightest touch can have them ‘chiming’ an alarm.

This makes it more difficult for a criminal to meet his criteria of quick and unobserved entry. If enough of these deterrents are visible, most of the time, the would-be intruder will simply choose not to even try. If he does try, then the layers he did not see will impede him.

Be a ‘burglar’ yourself
No.. I don’t mean breaking into your neighbors or anything like that but simulate a ‘burglary’ on your own home. Walk around your property and ask yourself: How would I break in? Examine your house from the street, where are the blind spots?  What are the most vulnerable areas and, therefore, likely to be attacked? Stand outside the windows and look in, make sure no valuables, like expensive electronics or artwork, are visible. If you can see your belongings doing this, so can criminals.

Find where “blind spots” are (areas where a criminal can work without being seen or would be screened from view of a neighbor looking to see what that loud noise they just heard). Also look for “weaknesses” in easy access points (for example, sliding glass doors, unsecured or shaky doors or louvered windows). These are the areas that will be “attacked” by the criminal. That is also where you must focus your defenses.

Secure sliding doors and windows
Lay poles or track-stops along the rails of your sliding doors and windows. This is better than any lock available because it prevents your door or window frame from sliding open.

Have a ‘lived in’ look
This may be more applicable to someone living in an apartment like me (where your corridor is public domain) but it works for landed properties too. I have pairs and pairs of slippers outside my front door to give an appearance that a few people reside here. Plus, I have the lights automatically turned on and off (using a cheap timer) when I come home late or when I am not around. Sometimes I even set the TV or radio to turn on. The idea is to give an impression that someone is at home and awake. I find it makes a good deterrent especially when I am away for days at a time. Don’t give you home an ‘vacant’ feel.

Another thing, if you have newspapers delivered to your home, make sure you stop delivery when you are away. Stacks of uncollected newspapers sitting on your porch will give any would-be burglar an indication that your house is empty.

Be a good neighbor
You hardly experience this in the big city, but in small towns, neighbors actually know each other! In this instance, its not only a matter of cultivating friendliness, it is also asking your neighbor to be your ‘eyes’ and ‘ears’ when you are away from home. No one is closer to your home than them, so they are your best ‘security system’.

For condo dwellers, befriend your local security guards and get to know some of them. When you are out of town, you can always inform them to keep an eye on your place for you.

Better yet, initiate a neighborhood watch for your street!

Keep emergency phone numbers on hand
Have you neighborhood police phone number on hand. You’ll never know when it’ll come in handy.

Make sure your gates are always locked
Gone are the good ol’ days when the gates of your home were always unlocked so that your friends could pop in whenever they liked! Can’t do that anymore because you’d be inviting trouble!

Nowadays, even back lanes are gated and locked to avoid break-ins from the rear entrances of homes

Get an alarm system.
This is another layer of the onion. You can go anywhere from a basic system to an incredibly high tech system. A would-be intruder, noticing your ‘Chubb’ alarm unit, will think twice of breaking in. Alarm systems that are linked to security companies are great because you’ll bring the cavalry running if you home is being broken into. It’ll cost you for sure, but you’ll have piece of mind if anything happens. A couple of months ago, I met this person running a security company at a party. He related to me that you can now install a ‘pepper spray’ system in your home. If an intruder breaks in and triggers the motion detection releasing the ‘gas’, he will be ‘immobilized’ through the tearing of the eyes and breathing difficulties. The gas will take a few minutes to clear the room, but by then, your intruder will already be down for the count.

Get a dog.
My friend, Pete, got himself a rottweiler after his burglary ordeal. A barking dog, in the yard of his home has proven to be the best deterrent to burglars. The barking itself (which would attract much attention) would put a burglar off, never mind the possibility of being mauled by the animal! Getting bit is no fun at all for anybody!

I’m not sure how much of this is truth or myth, but I am told that some burglars use ‘black magic’ when they break in to lull the inhabitants into a deep sleep. Apparently, this ‘black magic’ can be neutralized by having living breathing pets in the house, be it dogs, cats, hamsters, fish, etc. As I said, I don’t know how much of that is true but its no harm to keep a goldfish or two, just in case!

Learn some martial arts

Ok.. this sounds like blatant self advertising on my part.. hehe.. but its not. Some form of self defense knowledge is always helpful under any situation, whether it be during a break-in of your home of otherwise. If a burglary turns ugly and the threat turns to you and your loved ones, you have no choice but to do something.

Be safe! Cheers!

Everyday Items As Weapons

When faced with a physical confrontation (an extortion, for example), the possibility will be that you’ll be faced with an assailant with a weapon. Of course, if there’s a way to diffuse the situation (by surrendering your wallet, for example), you’d be well advised to do it. But if there’s no other way out of it, having a weapon of your own would be a good way of leveling the playing field.

Unless you carry a vicious-looking Rambo knife in your handbag, where on earth are you going to get a weapon?

1. Car / House Keys

Use your car or house key, grab it tightly with your fist and let the sharp end of the key (the sharper the better lah..) stick out between your fingers.

Hiding the key-clenched fist away from the attacker’s vision will give you the element of surprise. When he makes his move, a jab to the head or body can cause a fair amount of pain.

In fact, even a jab to an attacking hand or leg can be effective! If your key has serrated edges, ‘slicing’ the key against bare skin can be a blast also!

2. Mobile Phone

Yup.. no kidding! Ramming it into someone’s throat or nose can cause a world of hurt. The cool thing about it is your phone may be one of your possessions he wants so taking it out of your pocket will not raise suspicions. What he won’t expect will be having it jammed up his nose!

3. Coins

Throwing a handful of coins (dollar notes won’t work, ok..) at someone’s face, especially if he is charging in on you, makes for a great distraction. The coins won’t really hurt him, but it’s a good way to cause disorientation, just enough for you to escape, or set up your own attack! Sand would do the trick as well if its available and you’re able to grab a quick handful and throw them at your attacker’s face. Sand and dirt in his eyes will blind him temporarily.

4. Pen or pencil

You’ll find one of these in your handbag for sure. For guys, you may have one in your shirt pocket. It makes a great stabbing tool, and can be debilitating when aimed at the throat, eyes or any other weak spot.

5. Credit Cards!

You’ll always have these in your wallet. No.. you’re not going to ‘charge’ your way out of a situation…   Using the edges, you can use them by slashing into soft skin on the face or even the eye.

Women might have small tubes of lotion in their handbags. The ends of these plastic tubes are normally quite sharp and can cause cuts.

6. Pepper Spray

Not a very common item locally, I realize, but if you can get your hands on one, having it handy in your handbag is a good form of protection.

There are other items that make good weapons that you may not necessary carry on yourself. However, they may be found littered around the environment you are in. There are pipes, sticks, bricks, ashtrays, sand, dustbin covers, and lots of other stuff that can come in pretty handy. Being aware of your surroundings at any time is good practice. You’ll notice things around you that you normally do not realize.

However, try to stay away from bottles or glasses. Glass breaks very easily and you might cut yourself in the process.

The key in deciding what is a good weapon really depends on the situation. You might be in a dangerous situation where you are fighting to save your life. If that is the case, take whatever you can find.

By the way, one of the biggest mistakes in self defense is using a real weapon to protect yourself, such as a knife or a gun!

Your weapon may be taken away from you during a fight and used against you. It may actually increase the risk of getting stabbed or shot yourself!

It also puts you in a legal bind if you actually had to use a knife or a gun against your assailant. Your attacker may decide to plead ‘victim’ and accuse you of making the attack.

But there are certain items you can use that are just as lethal as a real weapon. You won’t even have to look very far for them because you are already carrying them in your handbag!

By the way, guys and gals, if you’re available on Monday, the 22nd of September 2008, do come and join us for a free self defense class in Petaling Jaya lah. It’ll be fun and you’ll get a good 1-hour workout as well. Do contact me however (sms or call Eric at 017-888 7878) so that I can book you a place. All are welcome! For more info, you can check out http://traditionaltaekwondo.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=35

Hope to see you there! Cheers!

Defending A Handbag Grab

You walk through the park hurriedly, adjusting your handbag over your shoulder. “Just enough time to catch the bus”, you think to yourself, as you give a quick glance at your watch. You notice a fairly well-dressed man approaching you on the opposite direction. “He must be headed for work as well”, you figure. He gives you a little nod and smile as he passes you. “What a nice young ma..” With your thought in mid-sentence, you suddenly feel a forceful tug on your handbag strap that almost pulls you over! You spin around to see that ‘nice young man’ frantically trying to rip your handbag right off your shoulder. In a state of shock, you begin to scream.. In a barrage of swear words and curses, the creep pushes you over and makes off with your bag. You sit on the ground dazed, shaking in shock and confusion..  ?

That’s exactly what happened to a friend of mine a couple of years ago in SS2 as she walked to the bus stand. That incident still makes her quiver till this day.

Handbag snatches are a very common occurrence in our neighborhoods in Petaling Jaya.. unfortunately.

One thing you must remember in situations like this though.. if your life is threatened (e.g.; the assailant draws a knife or a gun, for instance), and your life is in danger, surrender your belongings. After all, your money, handphone or credit cards can be replaced. Not your life, however.

If you really have to fight back (assuming that the creep will still hurt you no matter what..), decide there and then in your mind to act without giving your assailant any quarter. Determine in your mind that he will become the victim.. not you!

Note : The step-by-step self defense technique below is meant for someone without prior martial arts training.

1. Picture 1 shows Dirtbag making an attempt to snatch Pretty Lady’s handbag
2. Dirtbag pull on the handbag strap, but Pretty Lady reacts.
3. Pretty Lady anchors herself and pulls on the strap in Picture 3. Dirtbag pulls even harder.
4. In Picture 4, Pretty Lady uses the momentum generated by the Dirtbag’s pull and lands a low sidekick into the knee joint of the assailant. If Pretty Lady had solid heeled shoes at the time, Dirtbag would be in a world of hurt!
5. If Dirtbag isn’t already on the ground by now, Pretty Lady follows up with an elbow to his neck or head in Picture 5. If Dirtbag still hasn’t hit the dirt yet (pardon the pun..), she can continue to strike until he goes down. Pretty Lady should then be making tracks in the other direction while poor ol’ Dirtbag nurses his bruise and battered ego.

The above techniques may seem simplistic but for someone not trained in self defense, ’simple’ is ‘efficient’. The idea is to end the conflict as soon as possible (the attack above would probably end in 10 or 15 seconds) with you as the winner.

Still, taking up a self defense class  will better prepare you for such eventualities, and offer you many other options in defending yourself and gaining you self confidence.

I hope the above has been of some help to you. Feel free to drop me a comment or two if you have any questions on this post.

Keep safe!