Gangs Post-SHTF

In "How Gangs Operate Post-Collapse." J.G. Martinez D, writing at Organic Prepper, describes how gangs in Venezuela, focusing on carjackings, kidnapping, petty crimes, and even forcing property owners to sell their businesses or farms. On the latter point, Martinez writes:

    Haciendas usually hold big loads of cash for the laborers. However, this has been changing a little bit for this very same reason. Nevertheless, the luxury SUVs the owners and their families usually ride, the isolation, and ease of access to the main house without being noticed are points of interest. Add the usual lack of guns for self-defense, and all that makes them confident that a specific hacienda is an easy target.

    Unfortunately, any hacienda owner knows that laborers could talk about the security aspects of their home. It is a weak link in the chain, and the capabilities of the gangs to collect intel should not be minimized. This applies to all countries! They will ask about dogs, weapons, how many people there are, how many cars there are, and everything a criminal needs to know to take control of the hacienda and do as they please. Killing the owners and laborers to avoid later identification is not uncommon.

And some ideas he suggests:

    A way to deal with this would be establishing a security ring around the main house forbidding access to anyone not family-related. First, fencing the mandatory fruits and vegetable garden is necessary. Inside this fencing, two more parallel fences surround the house, with a gravel space between them, like 6 or 7 meters wide.

    Some dogs of the same race, same size, and color kept sleeping and happy inside a cool doghouse during the day. Maybe just one, or even 4, but no one from the farming staff should see them during the day or know their names or even how many dogs are, much less male or female. These are to guard ONLY family and obey JUST them.

    The fence gate should be opened remotely from inside the panic room (a hacienda without a panic room nearby the main room is vulnerable) to allow the dog(s) to get out and face the threats. Anyone working inside the main house (whether maiden, cook, handyman, anyone) should be a very trusted person. Some basic safety precautions like these could make bad guys lose interest, thinking that the job is not worth it at the end of the day due to the difficulties.