Hot Prowler

[eytonxav]

We have several layers of defense of our home, but I think the *best* deterrent we have is our neighbors as they NEVER close their garage doors. Day, night, weekend...doesn't matter, they are ALWAYS open and it's quite obvious as you drive by that they are open. Thanks dumb neighbors!

I've seen some of this occurring in my neighborhood as well. Makes me wonder if these people have been living on another planet for the whole lives.

 

[Mulligan]

Absolutely agree that "stuff" isn't worth shooting even a dirtbag for. If you want to help yourself to my TV and leave, fine by me. That said, I rather doubt I would have much remorse after shooting an intruder I felt frightened enough of to pull the trigger. Perhaps I am a sociopath, or perhaps being a hunter makes me a bit more comfortable with taking life in circumstances that require it. Hopefully I never find out.

I hope I never have to. But I am ready. I do not have any compassion for intruders, so my feelings reflect the attitude of this old school man.
http://articles.latimes.com/2012/sep/05/nation/la-na-nn-92-year-old-kills-intruder-20120905

 

[ronin]

Installed motion sensor lights front and back. Possums must love it as they swing by every night around 7:30 and give us a thrill. Motion sensor alarm in the pantry/enclosed porch. One false alarm so far sent me screaming out of bed early in the morning, so much for my plan to turn on lights get my jeans, shirt and shoes and pistola. Getting security screendoors for the doors leading in from outside and double cylinder deadbolts on all doors to the inside. Getting windows to replace the flimsy screens in the patio to the pantry. Bad guy will need to break a window to get in, which maybe we'll hear. Getting a good shed to lock up my bikes. At least hope to slow them down or send them elsewhere for easier pickings. Looking into higher tech security system to monitor doors and windows but that's a tough call. It'll take a while to narrow down the potential options to what will serve us best. Still ptsd'ed over the whole thing, sleep is hard to come by, every creak in the settling house or noise outside is a potential threat, worried more about keeping my wife safe and having her feel secure, so have been working on it every day.

 

[joesxm3]

All of the comments seem very sensible, but reading this book might be helpful.

https://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Force-Understanding-Right-Defense/dp/1440240612

Some of the comments make me suspect that the posters may have been to some training with Massad Ayoob.

 

[Mulligan]

All of the comments seem very sensible, but reading this book might be helpful.

https://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Force-Understanding-Right-Defense/dp/1440240612

Some of the comments make me suspect that the posters may have been to some training with Massad Ayoob.

I went to conceal and carry class and was surprised its impact flipped me 180 degrees. Instead of learning how to legally protect myself, all that resonated with me was all the things that could go wrong that would legally be my fault. Eye opener....

 

[Blueskies123]

Absolutely agree that "stuff" isn't worth shooting even a dirtbag for. If you want to help yourself to my TV and leave, fine by me. That said, I rather doubt I would have much remorse after shooting an intruder I felt frightened enough of to pull the trigger. Perhaps I am a sociopath, or perhaps being a hunter makes me a bit more comfortable with taking life in circumstances that require it. Hopefully I never find out.

Would you have remorse if you shot you neighbor's 14 year old kid? Yes, he or she should not be in your house but a lot of break ins where only cash is taken is neighborhood kids doing stupid things.

 

[MRG]

Would you have remorse if you shot you neighbor's 14 year old kid? Yes, he or she should not be in your house but a lot of break ins where only cash is taken is neighborhood kids doing stupid things.

Here's the thing. At least in the state I had training in(MO) you can't use deadly force just for a break-in or robbery. You will go to prison!

There were 7 situations in the state that allowed the use of deadly force. They were basically about the fear of loss of life or serious felony(rape, arson..). You really can't legally shoot someone just for theft. If a person of any age poses a real or perceived threat is another matter.

There's a lot more about liability if the shooting was legal or not. Probably good to really understand what you're allowed to do in your state they're not all the same.

None of that answers your question. At one time DW and I were in a Deliverance type situation. We escaped unharmed other than vehicle damage. Had I been armed in this situation I would have used any means to get out of it. As it was I did use my car as a weapon! The look on the guys face as he flew off the hood was priceless.

I'm of the belief most can't answer the question till they're in it.

 

[Mulligan]

Would you have remorse if you shot you neighbor's 14 year old kid? Yes, he or she should not be in your house but a lot of break ins where only cash is taken is neighborhood kids doing stupid things.

I did stupid things as a teen, but breaking into someones house never entered my mind, because I knew it was wrong and also because I knew I may get shot. Since it is my home being invaded, I dont feel I should risk my life my assuming its just a 14 year old kid in my house stealing cash, is unarmed, and I can physically scare them off or whip his arse and kick it back to his house.
If they are doing the unthinkable, I have to assume that includes them endangering my life.
Local paper just released today this noon house break in Wednesday caught on tape. "Little Johnny" breaks window and jumps in and pulls his "heat" out instantly. Fortunately tenants were not at home.

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/...tent=092720C794C5657DF9B21972958E8C4D10CC8CE7

 

[calmloki]

In my late teens my folks had broken up and I was living and working with my Dad. One night I was to do a run of parts on a screw machine he had in a shop in the home town 60 miles from where he was then working and living. Finished the run in the early morning and rather than try and drive back to his place that night decided to crash at home.

Drove out to the ranch, opened the door and banged around a bit, then figured no one was going to wake up, so climbed the stairs in the dark to go to bed. Reached for the light at the head of the stairs and before I could flip it heard a very serious "you stop right where you are". Froze my blood. I said "can I turn on the light?", heard a whew, flipped the switch and turned to see my Mom with a pistol leveled on me.

For unknown reasons she had decided not to sleep in their bedroom downstairs and was instead upstairs sleeping near my younger brother and sister. with a little revolver under the pillow. I didn't die that night - my Mom was a better shot with a pistol than my Dad and as an ex-Alaska homesteader she was ready to take care of business if she had too.

Nowadays I figure the sight of a tall skinny naked guy rushing toward an intruder should be so unnerving that any evil-doers will depart. Haven't had to put that theory to the test and hope not to do so.


BTW - is it just me or did anyone else get misled by the thread title?
http://halloweencostumesct.com/cat-burglar-halloween-costume/

 

[Sunset]

......
Local paper just released today this noon house break in Wednesday caught on tape. "Little Johnny" breaks window and jumps in and pulls his "heat" out instantly. Fortunately tenants were not at home.

Crystal-clear security video shows two burglars breaking into St. Louis home | Law and order | stltoday.com

I notice a few things from this great video.
The smarter, aggressive first in the window kid had a gun, so maybe he would shoot someone ?
The dogs were useless, wanted petting.
The kids ran as soon as the house siren went off, didn't wait to see if police show up.
Double deadbolts would have stopped the smarter kid from going out the door.

Double deadbolts are a fun thought, I would always keep the inside key in the lock at night in case of having to run out from a fire. But when I left the house/apt, I would take the inside key with me.
Anybody who broke in a window, had to go out a window, couldn't use a door, which would make carrying out a lot of stuff pretty hard.

 

[Sunset]

Here is a scary thought that happened in my neighborhood decades ago (I've moved since).

Some "kids" broke into a house, stole some stuff, and before leaving poured something in the first floor that burned, and then set the house on fire as they left.

The family got out, but the house was pretty destroyed, the working theory was it was done to destroy evidence and distract everyone from the theft.

 

[Mulligan]

I notice a few things from this great video.
The smarter, aggressive first in the window kid had a gun, so maybe he would shoot someone ?
The dogs were useless, wanted petting.
The kids ran as soon as the house siren went off, didn't wait to see if police show up.
Double deadbolts would have stopped the smarter kid from going out the door.

Double deadbolts are a fun thought, I would always keep the inside key in the lock at night in case of having to run out from a fire. But when I left the house/apt, I would take the inside key with me.
Anybody who broke in a window, had to go out a window, couldn't use a door, which would make carrying out a lot of stuff pretty hard.

That too was my observation with the dogs... The robbers totally ignored them. I think the dogs would have left with them if they had petted them. My favorite part was the idiot who jumped back over the sink through the window to leave when all he had to do was go out the door 2 feet away like the other robber did.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Looking into higher tech security system to monitor doors and windows but that's a tough call...

This is why I like Simplisafe as it's easy to install and relatively inexpensive. The "base station" is movable and has an adjustable chime for the door/window sensors...and I have a sensor on EVERY SINGLE entry point in the home including a couple of large plate glass windows (if you break the window, the magnet of the sensor will fall away triggering the alarm). I don't turn the alarm on at night, but the base station is in our bedroom, so if someone opens a door, I *WILL* know about it.

I would also caution folks about "dead bolts"...they really offer very little protection and it's not a bad idea spending a little time and $$$ fortifying the easy entry points. Here is a good example of a product I have installed on all 5 of our exterior doors:

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

And what would *your* dog do? We have one that would probably bark like a mad-dog, but not sure if he would attack or not.

Here's a somewhat interesting story on several dogs reactions to an intruder:

 

[sengsational]

We have several layers of defense of our home, but I think the *best* deterrent we have is our neighbors as they NEVER close their garage doors. Day, night, weekend...doesn't matter, they are ALWAYS open and it's quite obvious as you drive by that they are open. Thanks dumb neighbors!

Yeah, that on one side, and the neighbors with the with "protected by Smith & Wesson" signs on the other side. By that I mean that if your neighborhood has a few of those signs, then you've got the criminals thinking twice about all of the houses.

If someone is out to do me physical harm, there's not much I can do. But that seems like the very, very rare case. The more common (and still rare situation around here), is that they're after "stuff". They can leave with whatever "stuff" they want, I really don't care! Yes, it's unfair and wrong that they're in your house, but it's something I can get over in short order (as opposed to killing someone). The biggest risk that I see is their actions intended to limit their own culpability in the crime. Thus, I don't want to see them; my strategy is to grab the phone, dive under the covers, call 911, shout "I'm on the phone with 911". They know they've got 15 minutes before the cops arrive. I just wait for them to leave.

 

[braumeister]

Alternative:

 

[Lsbcal]

... my strategy is to grab the phone, dive under the covers, call 911, shout "I'm on the phone with 911". They know they've got 15 minutes before the cops arrive. I just wait for them to leave.

I like that strategy with just one little addition. I'd have the S&W out just in case they didn't take the hint.

For us, if it happened while we were asleep the alarm would be going off full blast. I've told DW not to jump up and immediately turn it off. We need to see where the issue is before assuming it is a false alarm. And there is a panic button too just in case.

P.S. I'm still using your idea to scratch off the 3 digit code on the back of my credit cards. Thanks again.

 

[Lsbcal]

I think I'm going to get in the habit of doing a perimeter check before going off to bed. Last night I found one internal door (to garage) unlocked. DW had gone to bed first and usually locks this. We lock it for extra safety and because if it swung open with a breeze it would set off the alarm. This happened once a long time ago.

 

[Mulligan]

I think I'm going to get in the habit of doing a perimeter check before going off to bed. Last night I found one internal door (to garage) unlocked. DW had gone to bed first and usually locks this. We lock it for extra safety and because if it swung open with a breeze it would set off the alarm. This happened once a long time ago.

Sometimes, I do it twice as my memory dims occasionally to where I have convinced myself I didn't complete the mission the first time.

 

[Ronstar]

We have a lockable driveway gate, exterior IP cameras with email notification on motion detection, and a monitored alarm system. Hopefully that's enough of a deterrent. If someone gets inside, I'll be ready and waiting for them, but I won't shoot if all they want is stuff. Only if personal safety is threatened.

 

[Letj]

We have a lockable driveway gate, exterior IP cameras with email notification on motion detection, and a monitored alarm system. Hopefully that's enough of a deterrent. If someone gets inside, I'll be ready and waiting for them, but I won't shoot if all they want is stuff. Only if personal safety is threatened.

You definitely don't want to shoot unless your life or safety is threatened. The ramifications are too great and you'll find out real quick how "important" they were to their family who wouldn't hesitate to tie you up in court proceedings.

 

[brewer12345]

Would you have remorse if you shot you neighbor's 14 year old kid? Yes, he or she should not be in your house but a lot of break ins where only cash is taken is neighborhood kids doing stupid things.

If I were frightened enough to pull the trigger, nope. That would someone who ignored two barking dogs (one of whom was bred for bear hunting and sounds like a 100 pound German Shepherd), possibly being bit by the larger dog, and the sound of me getting up and poking around with a flashlight and firearm. That would mean we are talking an armed robber who isn't taking several strong hints in my house after dark. If that is the case, I really do not care who they are. "Dindunuffins" come in all ages...

 

[RetireAge50]

We lock our doors and windows but that is all of our security measures. This thread makes me think about what I hope is a very rare event, perfect for the news and movies.

 

[dixonge]

I have found that the amount of time I spend thinking about/worrying about self-defense has gone down exponentially in direct correlation to the amount of guns I own. I don't worry about it at all any more now that I own none. YMMV

 

[Lsbcal]

I have found that the amount of time I spend thinking about/worrying about self-defense has gone down exponentially in direct correlation to the amount of guns I own. I don't worry about it at all any more now that I own none. YMMV

I don't think Walt would approve.