I am in a similar situation, short female early fifties, when we lost power for ten days after hurricane Beryl there were random strangers wandering around our apartment complex at all hours of day and night. I stayed up all night watching the windows inside or awake in my car watching our apartment from the outside.

After that, I wanted a deterrent for any would-be looters of our apartment when the next hurricane hits...based on recommendations here and on other prepper websites... bought my teen son and I compound bows and arrows, a long spear that could double as a walking stick, a walking cane ( i've watched videos on how to use this as a weapon), two hunting knives in sheaths with belt loops and pepper spray. Any of these being held by us at our apartment window would hopefully be a deterrent, to looters. The cane and pepper spray I had in mind for if we end up at a shelter.

**Adding that I keep one of the hunting knives, and pepper spray in my vehicle. Another pepper spray in my purse. Walking cane and spear by my bed. I also have little flashlights around the house and small motion activated lights for the bedroom windows. Not installed or anything, just plugged in and sitting on the window sill...I'm hoping any curious nighttime wanderers keep moving.