The place we’re often at our most vulnerable is the place that we often feel safest: our home. We are all potentially at risk from attack or robbery from an intruder in our home. Actually this is a lot more common than people think. Few girls seem to realise that they are more likely to be raped or sexually assaulted by an intruder in her home, than by a stranger in the street, a car park or an elevator. Lots of other girls I talk to think they’re perfectly safe as long as they’ve got good locks on the doors and the guys tend to be even more blasé about home security. Apart from the fact that locked doors and windows aren’t much of an obstacle for most burglars. It’s unrealistic to think that we will lock every door and window. I know I don’t. I work from home a lot and when it’s a hot day, I’ll open up the balcony doors and my bedroom window for air, and I’ll often go on to my roof top. How hard would it be for an intruder to break into my house when I’m alone? Not very.
So what can we do about home defence?
If you’re going to keep weapons for home defence, they need to be kept ready to use and where they’re immediately accessible. Each of us has 3 handguns. I have a Beretta Px4 storm, Beretta Px4 storm subcompact and Beretta 21 A Bobcat; Amica has a Glock 17, Glock 26, and Beretta Px4 storm subcompact; and Rob has Beretta Px4 storm SD, Beretta Px4 storm compact and Beretta 3032 Tomcat. So if Rob and Amica take their firearms to the range and leave me in the house alone (they do that they’re mean 
) I’m down to 3 handguns. I keep my Beretta Px4 storm in a fixed place, where I know it will be if I need it and walk about with either the the Beretta Px4 storm subcompact or Beretta 21 A Bobcat.
Why do I do that? Because I might be on the roof or balcony, in my bedroom, taking a shower or relaxing in the bath when someone breaks in, and the intruder might be between me and my main handgun. So carrying a firearm or keeping one with me within reaching distance just makes sense. It’s no more difficult than carrying a mobile phone.
Rob and Amica do the same, although they usually both carry 2 handguns and several knives. Amica has 2 shotguns, 4 tactical folding knives and a decorative knuckle duster in her collection of weapons, and Rob has 3 shotguns, 14 tactical folding knives, 11 combat knives, 5 traditional Italian fighting knives, 3 machetes, 5 sticks, 4 maces,1 stun baton, and Christ knows what else in his weapon collection. But it never hurts to be prepared. We’ve also got a big mastino napoletano who guards the house at night.
One of Rob’s shotguns the Franchi SPAS-15 is designated for house protection, and never leaves the house unless he leaves his Benelli M4 Super 90 at home as a substitute. Why do we need a combat shotgun if we’ve got handguns? Good question, a shotgun has more stopping power and is hard to miss with even in the dark.
But where we’re most vulnerable is the the first point of entry into our homes: the front door. How many people get attacked on their doorstep or in their house by someone they’ve pissed off, like the angry ex-boyfriend or neighbour? I never answer the door to strangers when I’m home alone, and I’ll know if it’s a stranger because I have a concealed CCTV camera and an intercom at the door. But we’re also vulnerable to attack entering our homes. Rapists will often try to force their way into the house when a girl has just opened the door.
You walk around your house with a gun even when you’re in the bath or shower?
@ Stefi. “Amica has 2 shotguns, 4 tactical folding knives and a decorative knuckle duster in her collection of weapons, and Rob has 3 shotguns, 14 tactical folding knives, 11 combat knives, 5 traditional Italian fighting knives, 3 machetes, 5 sticks, 4 maces,1 stun baton, and Christ knows what else in his weapon collection.”
Are they planning on starting a war? When they have sex it must be like a scene from Mr and Mrs Smith. 4 maces? Is that mace spray?
Ok, ragazzi, vi avviso: in caso di attacco zombie, vengo a stare da voi!
@ DS
Noi ti chiameremo e tu puoi decapitarli col tuo spadone. Io preferisco spade anche.
Stefi…
Good to be Stefi, huh?
@ Heather
Yeah it is.
You have a balcony and roof?
@ heather
Most houses tend to have a roof
We have a balcony and a flat rooftop.
“carrying a firearm or keeping one with me within reaching distance just makes sense. It’s no more difficult than carrying a mobile phone.”
If only more girls were as sensible. You have a good home security plan.
Brass knuckles and MACE are a good on the UOFC but with unlawful entry I would use a lethal force.
@ Ian — I’m not keen on pepper spray or CS gas but I agree with you on intruders once kill em, then you you don’t have to worry about what they’re going to say in court. “I gave him a ten clear warnings before I decapitated and dismembered him”. I’m not keen on UOFC .
I think a loyal indoor dog is the best home protection. If I had to choose between a gun and a dog, I would take the dog. A weapon doesn’t do you any good if you don’t realize that you have an intruder. A dog is also a good deterrent. I would be worried about having too many weapons because to be effective they have to be accessible and to be accessible means they can be used against you? Though I do have a weapon designated for protection I have not once felt threatened enough to go for it. The closest scenario I’ve had at home was a dream that somebody was standing over me and my natural instinct was to grab the lamp at my bed side – thankfully I realized I was dreaming before I ripped the cord out of the wall.
Kev
Indoor dog? I’m not so sure about that, they’ll deter most people, but don’t domesticate a dog too much. A family pet is not a good attack dog ans vice versa. I’ve got three at the moment two cani corso, Valerio and Primo, and a mastino, Coraggio. I’m want to get a fourth dog soon because Valerio too old to be a bodyguard now. I want to keep him at home but I don’t think he would like retirement. Coraggio comes home with me at the moment because I’m still training him but he doesn’t stay in the house. You casn never have too many weapons but you have to have designated weapons in the right places or a weapon on you. I got weapons everywhere, even concealed on the roof.
@ Kevin
I want a bitch but if Rob has Valerio as a yard dog that could be a problem. 
I want to get a cirneco dell’Etna as a house pet, don’t think it would be a good guard dog though.
@ Amica
Rob wants to get us a Fila Brasileiro or Dogo Argentino next. If you’re going to get a cirneco dell’Etna, that’s 5 dogs.
@ Kevin
If you carry weapons around the house they’re always accessible. But having well positioned weapons makes sense too. When we lived in London, there were several occasions when my Dad, uncle and Rob had fights on the doorstep or street. I doubt that likely to happen where we live now but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared. There are two Lamborghini’s outside our house, they might tempt someone. Sometimes Rob has one of his dogs outside the house or on the roof. Some people aren’t allowed pets and guard dogs and attack dogs have to be trained.
i thought that you couldnt own guns in england?
@ Tony
We live in Sicily, I got three antique handguns which I could own in England, I just couldn’t legally own any handgun I could use.
@ tony
I know England’s gun laws are so stupid. We go back ever couple of weeks.
Good plan. My wife doesnt understand why I go about the house armed but as a criminal prosecutor, I’ve sent lots of nasties to prison for life and less, and many left family members behind.
Agree on the shotgun as well. My 870 is my good friend and has been for years. I have a flashlight mounted on it, in case power is cut by bad guys. The pellets go where the light goes, within any reasonable distance in my home.
I have guns and mags or speedloaders or bianchi 6 shot speed strips (as appropriate with the gun) in several locales, but always have a gun on me, except when sleeping.
Also agree about dogs being excellent home defense friends. My dogs will hear or smell something outside long before I do and long before an alarm goes off. Nonetheless, I won’t be choosing between guns or dogs, I’ll take both please.
Hope all is well and it’s hella hot here in Texas. Mostly carrying my GLock 36 and my Smith bodyguard as they are light and easy to conceal under light clothing.
Oh and Jenny…I think the far better “shootin’ and sex” scene from the cinema is the movie SHOOT ‘EM UP with Monica Belluci and Clive Owen. Talk about a climax!
@ fish
I saw that scene that was cool. Monica Bellucci could have done more though. I like it when he says “talk about shooting your load”. lol
@ El Fish
Thanks. When I was a defence lawyer (I don’t practice now) I used to be around obvious targets. Rob used to bodyguard me personally, when I was going or coming out of court or eating with prosecutors or judges. In Italy lots of judges and prosecutors have bodyguards. So I completely understand why you would be security conscious. The risk is real. Also, as I keep saying, it never hurts to be prepared. I was reading your post on revolvers. That makes sense. In Italy revolvers aren’t popular and we’re required to be proficient with the firearm. We don’t have to train regularly but you get permits off the local police which are renewable every six years. To get a carry permit, realistically you have to be shooting regularly at a club.
@ Rob.”Valerio too old to be a bodyguard now. I want to keep him at home but I don’t think he would like retirement.”
WTF he’s a guard dog!!!!
@ Rob.”I got weapons everywhere, even concealed on the roof.”
That’s officially crazy.
@ Ian “UOFC”???
@ Kevin. Stefi’s ready to take on a SWAT team.
@ Ian. “You have a good home security plan.”
I’ve got a better one.. lock the door and call 911.
@ Stefi.”I might be on the roof or balcony, in my bedroom, taking a shower or relaxing in the bath”
Working hard. Which Lamborghini should I drive today? Pressure, pressure, pressure.
@ Jen
One of our businesses is renting out Lamborghini, so driving one is a perk of the job. And I can just as easily close a deal on the end of the phone when I’m in the bath, sunbathing naked on the roof or topless on the beach, or shopping for clothes in Palermu, as I can wearing a skirt and blouse and sitting in an office.
@Stefi
Uno dei miei sogni segreti. Gente che spara e che dà di spadone a degli zombie. Siamo d’accordo allora! *_*
Doppio Soldo — Io penso c’è più chiamata per un spadone contro zingari. Tu sai che Stei è un maestra della scherma?
Any time your outfit wants to visit Texas and shoot some revolvers (and other guns too) let me know. My boss has a ranch, we can shoot all we want to out there. We like law abiding people from all over the world who love guns and freedom as we do.
@Amica-Yes, Monica’s character could have done more in the gunfight, but personally, if I was Clive’s character, I’d be appreciating her attention to detail and determination to stick with one job at a time. LOL.
El Fish —
Cheers, if we’re in Texas we’ll meet up. I’ve shot dead two people in one incident and an attack dog in another incident. Those two incident are a few minutes in eight years as a bodyguard. Most the time I didn’t need a firearm but when I did, I glad I was holding more than my dick in my hand. The way I see it is that you won’t ever need to carry a firearm until the day you do, and not being bestowed with the gift of precognition, I’d rather be carrying and not have to use it than be not carrying when I did.
@ El Fish
Thanks. She could multi-task.
We have a saying here in Texas: Better to be tried by 12 than carried by 6.
@ Amica
Most dogs will at least bark at strangers/intruders. That gives you the advantage of being alerted to potential trouble.In fact, I think it’s really hard to break into a home with an indoor dog unnoticed. I don’t know what a cirneco dell’Etna is but it can’t hurt.
@Steph
You don’t feel that revealing so much is a weakness? I am still waiting for one of you to write a post on combat psychology.
Kevin —
A cirneco dell’Etna is a Sicilian sight hound, it’s one of the oldest breeds in Italy. They come from mount Etna hence the name. A watchdog is fine in principle because they will alert you to an intruder, although that depends how many points of entry there are and how big your gaff, and a tied dog will only protect the area they tied too, but unless it’s a guardian breed don’t expect it to to stop an intruder. I train dogs to be bodyguards and attack dogs. What’s better a firearm or a cane corso? I don’t envisage any situation where someone could draw a firearm before the cane corso attacked. But what happens if I’m talking him for a walk and Stefi and Amica are on their own?
The other problem with an attack dog as an indoor dog is they’re dangerous. Valerio will do what I say when I say but he won’t listen to Stefi or Amica, he would protect them but they can’t control him. He’s maimed people in the line of duty, he’s never killed a human before but only because I called him off before he did. A house dog knows he’s a house dog, and an attack dog knows he’s an attack dog, it’s humans who get confused.
Kev — Mastino don’t bark, they bite. They’re huge but they’re silent assassins, they creep up on you.
@ Kevin
No, not at all. Knowing I’m armed and that a dog sometimes protects the house doesn’t assist anyone trying to break in. Did I say I would do a post on combat psychology?
Stefi … Ha! Ha!! I kinda’ suspect that there’s nobody in the whole world who’s going to attack your house. At least – not while you’re there. You’ve got 3 people who are armed to the teeth. Who wants to wind up as a piece of hamburger meat?? Someone may try to break in to steal your weapons … but that’s a different issue.
@ P
I hope not anyway, but if they do we going to fight back. I doubt anyone could break into house when we’re out without tripping an alarm which will send a message to my phone. They would have to be in and out fast or they would probably end up as dog meat.
Stefi…
I keep a S&W Model 642CT Centennial in my apartment, it’s got a red dot laser, makes me feel safe. My supervisor won’t allow any dogs.
@ heather
Point the red dot at an intruders nuts and see how quickly he backs off. Obviously you’re not licensed to carry but do you anyway?
Rob…
Okay, your dogs sound way too dangerous to be pets. I thought attack dogs were just supposed to pin the attacker? Why do you only like dangerous breeds?
Heather —
The dogs you’re talking about is demonstration dogs. I train attack dogs and protection dogs. The three basic functions of an attack dog are to attack strangers on the property, attack anyone who threatens their handler or attack on command, and to come away when called. My dogs are much more capable than that. I train both attack and protection dogs to react to and disarm armed attackers. The tactical differences between the two is that I train an attack dog to pursue and takeout a target — My mastino likes to bite his target in the groin and drag them to the ground — and I train the protection dog to stay close to and defend the handler, and drag him to safety if he’s downed. You can train a dog to fetch your paper or a person but it’s no fun be dragged across the floor by a cane corso. But I’ll be honest, these are war dogs they were bred to kill. They come away at command — if I can be bothered to give it — but they won’t hold back.
@Rob
Well you’re a different breed, I expect you to have attack dogs. Nevertheless, your typical medium sized housedog/pet is going to let you know if you have an intruder. My dog can hear when the neighbors have visitors 60 meters away. I think it would be nearly impossible for an intruder to enter my home without alerting my dog—thereby alerting me. That is not a substitute for a weapon but a weapon does me no good if I I am asleep and don’t know there is an intruder in the house.
Kev
I agree with that but I want more than that. My dogs could kill an armed intruder. I use my cani corso to train bodyguards. Primo my attack dog can takeout two people before they have a chance to react; he’s so athletic, strong and ferocious, and that’s what he’s trained to do — it was what he was bred to do — he was sired by my bodyguard dog Valerio. I’m all for using guardian breed dogs if they’re trained and not treated like family pets.
Thanks for this article. It is one that is highly recommended especially in the world we live in. I will be applying it to my daily life here in America.
@ Roberto
Thanks, hope you’re keeping well.
@ Rob. “I use my cani corso to train bodyguards”
WTF! They pay you to set your dog on them?
@ jenny
In a nutshell – yes! My other brother runs a security consultancy.
Rob…
Are your dogs really aggressive do you have to keep them muzzled?
@ heather
No, they’re not snarly or growly dogs at all.
Are your dogs trained not to eat meat thrown to them by strangers?
@ Kevin
They won’t eat without permission. They’re highly trained dogs and they eat very well.
This is really an excellent topic you have here, thanks for bringing this to the internet for everyone to share and I hope there will be more topics like this in the future. Thanks for sharing again. With the increasing number of crimes all over it is so alarming to know that even our home is no longer safe for the whole family. It is nice to be always prepared to be able to have a safe living.
@ Keith
Thanks, I agree.
Hello everyone, Im enjoying your site . Stefi you are a beautiful and wise woman. I am curious as to Sicilian gun laws, are they more gun freindly than the Italian mainland laws, I ask because I have been doing a bit of reading about Sicily and have learned it is an autonomous region with its own government and policies. Grazie