A veteran police officer appeared a few days ago on NBC’s “The Today Show” to give defense tips against home invasions. A few of the tips contradict one another, one was illegal, and none of them included the use of firearms. The NRA had a better idea.
NBC correspondent Jeff Rossen began the segment by noting some recent reports of home invasions that made the headlines, according to NBC News, including the following:
In June, an intruder broke into Sandra Bullock’s Los Angeles home and got within steps of the star’s bedroom. On Aug. 14, NBA star Ray Allen’s family was hit, waking up to find seven intruders in their Coral Gables, Florida, home. Not even the Kennedys are immune: On July 15, an intruder got into their sprawling compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts.
Rossen also cited FBI statistics indicating that 2011 saw almost 50,000 home invasions, or about 135 per day.
After getting the viewers’ attention, Rossen brought on Wallace Zeins, a 22-year veteran as one of New York’s finest.
Zeins’s first tip was a bit clever, as long as you park your car close to your bedroom. He suggested keeping car keys on a nightstand and pressing the alarm button in case of an invasion.
“Alarm systems are very expensive, and this is a loud one,” the former detective said. “All you have to do is hit the keys. They don’t realize it, but it’s the best alarm system, and doesn’t cost them a penny.”
But then his ideas took an odd turn. Zeins advised keeping a can of hornet and wasp spray next to the car keys beside the bed.
“It’s more powerful than police Mace,” he said. “The great part is, when you spray, it will go 20 to 25 feet.”
Zeins added that the spray will temporarily blind the intruder–emphasis on “temporarily.”
What he didn’t say was that using the product in this manner is actually illegal, according to TheBlaze:
Spraying an intruder with a neurotoxin-laced bug spray is a violation of Federal law. Additionally, Spectracide’s “Wasp & Hornet Killer” tells the consumer, “Never use indoors.” These two warnings are printed at the very top of cans of wasp spray.
Let’s assume you decided to spray the intruder anyway. What happens when he regains his sight? Zeins’ advice was to be nice to him.
“Treat them like royalty,” Zeins instructed, and give them whatever they want.
Two questions: First, isn’t treating the home invader “like royalty” contradictory to plastering him with bug spray? He’s not likely to feel very special with 16 ounces of insecticide dripping from his eyes.
Second, what if the bad guy doesn’t want property? What if he’s a rapist and wants you instead? Do you still give him whatever he wants?
Ginny Simone, from NRA News, interviewed another former police officer last year. His advice was simpler–buy a firearm and get training in its safe and proper use.
West Taylor, the former cop, also gave a real-life example of how effective this method is, in this segment titled, “The Wrong House: Career Criminal Meets His Fate.”
The NBC Today show segment follows:
