POM SAFETY GUIDE

A safer home starts with a plan.

Lock up, check who's at the door before you open it, and make sure everyone at home knows what to do in an emergency. These steps work in houses and apartments, whether you live alone or with family.

If someone breaks in, focus on getting yourself and your family to safety. Your things can be replaced.

BURGLARY
10.5
burglary or trespassing victimizations per 1,000 US households in 2025 (preliminary)
VIOLENCE
7.2%
of US household burglaries in 2003–2007 involved violence against someone at home
WAYS OUT
2
exits from your home where possible, plus a place to meet outside

National averages, not a prediction for your home. Sources are listed below.

THE NUMBERS

What the numbers say.

National numbers can't tell you what will happen at your home. They do point to a few habits worth building.

How often someone was home, and how often violence happened

Share of all US household burglaries, 2003–2007.

72.4% no one home20.4% someone home, no violence7.2% someone home and harmed or threatened

Bureau of Justice Statistics, Victimization During Household Burglary (2010). US burglaries 2003–2007, including attempts. Shares of burglaries, not of all homes.

Often it's someone they knew

When someone at home was harmed during a burglary, the offender was someone they knew 65% of the time. So keep track of who has your keys and codes, not just how strong your locks are.

Burglary is down, but not gone

The federal estimate for 2025 is 10.5 burglaries or trespasses per 1,000 households, down from 14.0 in 2024 (2025 is preliminary). Fewer break-ins doesn't mean you can skip the basics.

When to lock up.

There's no single dangerous hour. But federal burglary data points to three moments that matter.

WHEN SOMEONE WAS HOME
6 in 10

break-ins happened at night.

Lock up before bed.

WHEN SOMEONE WAS HOME
1 in 3

break-ins happened during the day.

Keep doors locked while you're home.

WHEN NO ONE WAS HOME
43%

happened during the day, more than at night (26%).

Lock up every time you leave.

US household burglaries, 2003–2007, including attempts. Bureau of Justice Statistics, Victimization During Household Burglary (2010), table 9. Some times weren't recorded.

SECURE ENTRANCES

Find the weak spots.

Walk around your home and look for easy ways in. It's the starting point for a more secure home. Here's where to look.

1

Front and back doors

Do they close, latch and lock every time? A deadbolt is only as strong as the door frame around it.

2

Windows and sliding doors

Check the ones you can reach from outside. Locks should catch, and sliders shouldn't lift out of their track.

3

Garage and side doors

They're easy to forget. Include the door from the garage into the house when you lock up at night.

4

Lights and bushes

Keep entry lights working, and trim plants that hide doors and windows.

5

Keys and codes

Know who has a key or code. Rekey after you move in, and skip the spare under the mat.

6

Apartment buildings

Report broken lobby doors or intercoms, and lock your own door even if the building has a front desk.

Anything you add, like a bar or extra lock, should still open quickly from inside so you can get out in a fire.

WARNING SIGNS

Watch what people do, and verify before you open.

The warning sign is what someone does: trying to get in, or refusing to take no for an answer. Here's how to respond.

What to notice at home and how to respond
WHAT YOU NOTICEWHAT YOU CAN DO
Someone tries your door handle or a window.Stay back, get to a room you can lock and call 911.
A visitor pushes to come in and won't let you check who they are.Keep the door closed. Call the company yourself, using a number you look up.
Someone tries to slip in behind you at the building door.Don't confront them. Get somewhere safe and tell building staff.
You come home to an open door or broken glass.Stay outside and call police from somewhere safe.
Someone you know threatens you or won't leave you alone.Treat it as a real threat. Save the messages and make a safety plan.
POM Home Defense pistol-grip pepper spray unit

Keep protection where your plan takes you.

If you can't get out, you'll head to a room you can lock. If you keep pepper spray at home, store it there, out of children's reach, so it's ready without searching for it.

See the Home Defense Unit

Verify through a closed door

Ask for the visitor's name, company and reason without opening up. Check with the number on your bill, the company's official website or your building manager. A badge, uniform, logo or a phone number the visitor gives you isn't proof.

Try saying: "Please wait outside while I confirm the appointment with the office."

If they won't wait

Keep the door closed. Pressure to skip the check is a reason to pause, not to hurry. If you feel threatened, move away from the door and call 911.

Pause when you get home

Have your key ready and look at the door before you go in. If you think someone is following you, go to a staffed or busy place instead of leading them to your home.

HOUSEHOLD PLAN

Make a plan everyone in the home can use.

A plan only works if everyone in the home knows it. Talk it through and walk it once. Don't make a test 911 call or stage a surprise break-in.

1

Agree on exits and a meeting spot

Pick a safe place to meet outside, and talk about more than one way out. Choose a room you can secure if you can't leave safely, and keep a phone there. A room that works during a break-in may not be safe in a fire.

2

Decide who helps whom

Think about kids, older relatives, guests and anyone who needs help getting out. Only give someone a job they can do safely. Teach kids to get out and call for help, not to approach an intruder.

3

Set a daily routine

Check the doors you actually use before you leave or go to bed. Keep a charged phone near where you sleep, and know how to call 911 from the lock screen. When you travel, have someone collect mail and packages, and consider timed lights.

Alarms and cameras need a plan too

Know what's monitored, what sets off an alert, who gets it and whether anyone calls for help. Test the system and find out what happens if power or internet goes out.

Lock down camera accounts

Use unique passwords, turn on two-step sign-in, keep software and your router updated, and review who can view recordings or change settings, especially after someone moves out.

IF SOMEONE BREAKS IN

Get out if you can. If you can't, separate and call.

Your first job is to protect yourself and your family. Don't search the house or go toward a noise to see what it is.

1

Coming home to a break-in

Stay outside. Move somewhere safe and call police. If you think someone is still inside, call 911.

2

Inside and you hear someone

Leave by an exit you can reach without moving toward the person. Leave your things behind. If leaving isn't safe, go to a room you can secure and call 911.

3

Others are in the home

Don't move through danger to gather people. Tell the 911 call-taker where everyone is, and follow their instructions as things change.

If you're trained to stand your ground

Some people with advanced self-defense training and certification choose to hold their position instead of leaving. If that's you, know your state's laws before you ever need them. Most states let you defend yourself and others in your home, but how much force is allowed differs from state to state, and many states limit the force you can use to protect property alone. Good training covers both the law and your own limits.

POM training · Coming soon
WHAT TO SAY TO 911

"My address is [street address], apartment [number]. Someone may be breaking in. I'm in [room]. [Number] people are here. I [can / can't] safely leave. My callback number is [number]."

Say what you actually saw or heard, including whether you saw a weapon. Stay on the line. If talking would put you at risk, text 911 where it's available and include your location.

After the danger has passed

Wait for police to say it's safe before going back in. Get medical care for any injury. Keep recordings and threatening messages, and avoid touching anything you don't need to. When it's safe, photograph damage, update your home inventory, and arrange repairs and a rekey.

WHEN THE THREAT IS SOMEONE YOU KNOW

Take threats from people you know seriously.

Not every threat comes through a broken door. If a partner, ex, relative or anyone you know threatens you, save the messages, know your exits, keep a phone handy and tell someone you trust.

The hotline can help you make a plan, including how to change shared accounts or locks without tipping the person off.

NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE

800-799-7233

Or text START to 88788. Free and confidential. Call 911 if you're in immediate danger.

FIRE AND CARBON MONOXIDE

Make sure you can always get out.

Every lock and bar on this page should open quickly from inside. Keep exits clear so everyone can get out fast in a fire.

Smoke alarms

Put working smoke alarms on every level, in each bedroom and outside sleeping areas. Test them monthly and replace them as the instructions say. Use alarms with strobes or bed shakers for anyone who needs them.

Fire escape plan

Plan two ways out where possible and practice meeting outside. In a fire, get out, close doors behind you and stay out. If smoke or heat blocks your way, keep the door closed, call 911 and give your exact location.

Carbon monoxide alarms

Install CO alarms outside sleeping areas and on each level, following the maker's guidance and local rules. If one sounds, go outside to fresh air, call 911 and wait for responders before going back in. Don't stay to look for the source.

POM Fire Spray and POM Lithium-Ion Battery Fire Suppressant cans
FROM POM FIRE SAFETY

Be ready for small fires at home.

Fire Spray for wood, paper, fabric, flammable liquids and trash fires, a Lithium Ion Battery Fire Suppressant for phones, laptops and e-bikes, and a High Temperature Fire Blanket for kitchen fires. All made in the USA. For small fires only; they don't replace a fire extinguisher. Fire Spray isn't for grease fires.

Visit POM Fire Safety
IF YOU KEEP PEPPER SPRAY AT HOME

Know your tool before you need it.

You're responsible for where it's stored and how it's used. Getting out and calling 911 come first. Spray is for when you can't leave. Know how it works and the rules where you live.

Store it safely

Keep it where adults can reach it quickly and children can't. Decide where it lives as part of your household plan.

Know the indoor effects

Pepper spray irritates the eyes and airways, and indoors it can affect everyone in the room, including you, kids and pets. Plan your exit route before you ever need it.

Follow the label and the law

Read the instructions, check the expiration date and know your state's rules. A training class helps you act with confidence under stress.

POM Home Defense pistol-grip pepper spray on a garage workbench
FROM POM

The POM Home Defense Unit.

Our largest unit at 9.2 oz, with a pistol-grip handle, a safety pin that prevents misfires and a range of 20+ feet. The same formula as every POM pepper spray.

See the Home Defense Unit
HOME CHECKLIST

Check your home this week.

Go through this list with the people you live with. Revisit it after a move, a lost key, a new roommate or new equipment.

  • DoorsMain and side doors close, latch and lock every time.
  • Windows and slidersReachable ones lock, and still open from inside for escape.
  • Keys, codes and camerasYou know who has access, and camera permissions are up to date.
  • Lights and house numberEntry lights work and responders can read your address.
  • Visitor ruleEveryone knows to verify visitors without opening the door.
  • Phone and planA charged phone is near the bed, and everyone can say the full address.
  • Exits and meeting spotTwo ways out where possible, and a place to meet outside.
  • Smoke and CO alarmsTested this month, and escape routes are clear.
HOME SAFETY GEAR

Tools that fit a home plan.

Start with good locks, working alarms and a charged phone. Then add what fits your home and the people in it.

POM Home Defense pistol-grip pepper spray unit

Home Defense Unit

9.2 oz pistol-grip pepper spray with a 20+ ft range.

Shop Home Defense
POM Family Defense Bundle: Home Defense unit, 2 MK-3s, 2 POM Clips and 2 POM Keys

Family Defense Bundle

A Home Defense Unit, 2 MK-3s, 2 Keys and 2 Clips, plus 2 free inert units.

Shop the bundle
POM Fire Spray and POM Lithium-Ion Battery Fire Suppressant cans

POM Fire Safety

Fire Spray, a Lithium Ion Battery Fire Suppressant and a Fire Blanket for small fires at home.

Visit POMFireSafety.com

Common questions.

When are home break-ins most likely?

There's no single most dangerous hour. Federal data found more break-ins at night when people were home, and during the day when no one was. Lock up before bed, when you leave and while you're home during the day.

Should I open the door to check a worker's ID?

No. Ask for their name and company through the closed door, then call the company using a number from your bill or its official website. A badge or a number they hand you isn't proof.

What should I do if I come home and the door is open?

Stay outside, go somewhere safe and call police. Call 911 if you think someone may still be inside. Don't go in to check.

Is it safe to use pepper spray indoors?

It can affect everyone in the room, including you, kids and pets. Know your way out, store it away from children and follow the label.

Can I keep pepper spray at home in my state?

Rules vary by state and city. Check our Pepper Spray Laws by State page and your local rules.

How often should I test smoke and CO alarms?

Test smoke alarms monthly and replace them as the instructions say. Maintain CO alarms according to the manufacturer.

Peace of mind starts at your front door.

Make your plan, then choose the tools that fit it.

Shop Home Defense