The Brief-What Happened
A masked man arrived at a family’s home shortly before 1:00 a.m.
He had already studied the house and made two earlier attempts to kidnap their 13-year-old daughter.
On his third attempt, he came prepared.
He killed both parents, abducted Jayme Closs, and held her captive for 88 days before she escaped.
The attacker had chosen his target, studied the location, and planned his attack.
Tragically, the family never knew he existed.
The Mechanism-How it works.
Attackers look for openings.
You can use that same planning process to close them.
Start by identifying three things:
• Critical assets
• Critical areas
• Critical times
Your critical assets are the people and things you need to protect.
Critical areas are the places where those assets may be exposed.
Critical times are when they are most vulnerable.
These openings are called avenues of attack.
For example, a bathroom may feel secure because the door locks. But most bathroom doors are hollow, with weak hinges and simple privacy locks.
Once you recognize that weakness, you can begin reducing it.
Why It Matters -Why you should care.
Most people do not have a security plan.
They assume:
“It will never happen to me.”
“Nothing happens in this town.”
“I’ll call the police.”
“Everything will work itself out.”
The Closs family lived near a Wisconsin community of roughly 3,700 people. Denise Closs called 911, and police arrived within minutes.
The attack still unfolded faster than help could arrive.
This is not about blaming the family.
It is about studying the openings the attacker exploited so we can identify similar openings before someone uses them against us.
Assuming is not a security plan.
Exposure Points -You may be vulnerable.
Look at the places where you spend the most time:
• Your home
• Your workplace
• Your church
• Your vehicle
• Your regular shopping locations
• Your daily routes
Then ask:
• Where could someone approach without being noticed?
• Which doors or locks could be easily defeated?
• Where would my family go during an emergency?
• How would we call for help?
• What could create more time or another escape option?
Start with the openings that carry the greatest risk.
Countermeasures -What you can do.
Think like an attacker for 15 minutes.
Choose one area of your home and look at it from the outside in.
Identify:
• Who or what needs protection
• Where they may be vulnerable
• When that vulnerability is greatest
• One way an attacker could exploit it
• One change that could reduce the risk
That change might be a stronger door, better lock, exterior light, alarm, communication device, defensive tool, or family response plan.
CAPABILITY CHALLENGE
Choose one room today and identify one weakness you have been assuming will never matter.
Then write down one practical way to reduce it.
Do not attempt to fix everything today.
Find one opening.
Close one opening.
WANT THE COMPLETE WALK-THROUGH?
Listen to this week’s episode of The Fit & Secure Life:
The Attacker Had a Plan. Tragically, the Family Didn’t.
[INSERT PODCAST LINK]
Preparation is not paranoia.
Capability creates confidence.
Stay healthy. Stay capable. Stay secure.
John Bohrer
The Fit & Secure Life