There is nothing more frightening than having someone break into your house and attack you. Victims who survive home invasions describe the horrid feeling of helplessness and violation that accompany such an incursion. Though the rest of us may have been lucky enough to never have this happen, we can all attest to the sick feeling of dread that we feel in the pit of our stomachs when we watch movies or news stories about robberies or people being assaulted in their own homes.

After airing a frightening story about a local woman who was a victim of just such a terrible burglary, a Dateline reporter went on a mission to find helpful tips for escaping a robber. She hoped to be able to ease the fears of some of her viewers by providing them with methods to get out of similar situations, should they ever occur. Her search for solutions led her to a former CIA agent who shared a simple but little-known method for freeing oneself after being bound and gagged with duct tape — a common predicament for victims of in-home robberies.

The anonymous CIA agent explained that when your arms are duct-taped tightly in front of you, the tape may seem indestructible, but this is an illusion, and it is actually quite easy to release yourself from your bonds. No matter how firmly-taped your hands are, the simple act of raising your arms above your head, then quickly and forcefully driving them down in front of you, while yanking your arms apart, will create enough opposing force to break the tape.

Take a look at this video, in which the Dateline reporter demonstrates that this little trick actually works. Though we hope you’ll never have to use this technique, in an emergency situation, it is better to be prepared than sorry. This may be a very handy piece of information to share with all of your friends and family, and to keep in the back of your mind just in case.

Please SHARE with others. It may save a life one day…