First break in experience

Beer Baron wrote:

wbjones wrote: but you don't know that when someone is beating on your door

Why would a home invader be beating on your door? Wouldn't they be trying to *not* attract attention to themselves?

Drugs can make people do weird E36 M3.

Kenny_McCormic wrote:

Beer Baron wrote:

wbjones wrote: but you don't know that when someone is beating on your door

Why would a home invader be beating on your door? Wouldn't they be trying to *not* attract attention to themselves?

Drugs can make people do weird E36 M3.

QFT

Joshua, sorry about the scary situation, sounds like a drunk idiot, which can be very dangerous, instead of a home invasion.

As far as the firearm, I am pro home protection but if someone isn't comfortable with a firearm it is just adding a very dangerous variable to the equation.

A person I know once said "an intelligent person should never own a firearm as they will think about the finality of the situation and that will cause them to pause and get themselves in very dangerous situations." Although I don't agree with them there is something there. A person not ready to take someone else's life doesn't need to have a gun, there are other "get me away from this situation" alternatives out there.

Good luck finding alternative solutions that will give you comfort your wife can protect herself and make you feel she is secure.

In reply to Flight Service: Well said, kudos

Beer Baron wrote:

wbjones wrote: but you don't know that when someone is beating on your door

Why would a home invader be beating on your door? Wouldn't they be trying to *not* attract attention to themselves?

that's the distinction I was trying to make w/ my story, the actual break in was a very sneaky thought out job

Flight Service wrote: Joshua, sorry about the scary situation, sounds like a drunk idiot, which can be very dangerous, instead of a home invasion. As far as the firearm, I am pro home protection but if someone isn't comfortable with a firearm it is just adding a very dangerous variable to the equation. A person I know once said "an intelligent person should never own a firearm as they will think about the finality of the situation and that will cause them to pause and get themselves in very dangerous situations." Although I don't agree with them there is something there. A person not ready to take someone else's life doesn't need to have a gun, there are other "get me away from this situation" alternatives out there. Good luck finding alternative solutions that will give you comfort your wife can protect herself and make you feel she is secure.

I agree with this. Well put.

step one: posted, no tresspassing.

step two: shoot all those who can't read.

-J0N

even drunk neighbor kids trying to get into the wrong house don't always end well, for the drunk at least: http://www.guns.com/2013/08/14/florida-homeowner-shoots-intruder-who-turns-out-to-be-his-neighbor-video/

with a good dose of derp: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/03/18/1195154/-Drunk-Teen-Fatally-Shot-For-Entering-His-Neighbor-s-Home-Thinking-It-Was-His-Home#

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/19/caleb-gordley-killed-neighbor_n_2908442.html

In each of these, the drunk kid made it into the house before the residents knew that they were "just a drunk kid in the wrong house" what happens when the drunk gets into the wrong house and then thinks the resident is in their house, and starts attacking? when someone is so drunk that they're breaking into what they think is their own house, their actions are not going to be what anyone would call "predictable"

Maybe people should learn that getting that stupid drunk is a bad idea, even if you are a "college kid".

That's a scary situation. Glad it turned out to be a drunk idiot rather than a drug fueled criminal.

Occaisionally, when he's not E36 M3ing on the floor, my dog Bud will bark at strange sounds. He's barked about four times in the last six months. Last night was one of them. A neighbor kid decided to jump through my back yard rather than walk around the block.

I've taken a few precautions concerning home defense. I always leave my blinds closed, always. I have good exterior lighting with motion sensors. I have stops in all the windows, to keep them from being opened easily. Window locks themselves are not adequate. All exterior doors have deadbolts. I will likely install cameras in the near future.

If they make it past this stuff, God rest their soul.

Flight Service wrote: there are other "get me away from this situation" alternatives out there.

Yes, but I find that the crossbow is difficult to reload quickly if there is more than one intruder :)

foxtrapper wrote: Wasn't a break in, was a drunk college kid demanding to be let in.

We know that now, or think we do. At the moment, I doubt that it was clear.

I don't use my fire extinguisher every time I see wisps of something rising from my stovetop. It might be the beginnings of a fatal fire, smoke from a too-hot pan, or more likely just be a little steam. Either way, I'm glad to know where the extinguisher is, and how and when to use it.

Two things. First, if I ever feel I need to have a gun to protect me, it really means it’s time to move. I just can’t imagine the need.

Second, drunk people going into the wrong house, I don’t believe it. I was in my twenties once and did dumb things and got massively drunk. Trying to get into my own house by climbing up a drain pipe and falling off the window ledge drunk. Falling down and passing out where I was drunk. I don’t for a minute buy trying to get into the wrong house drunk ‘by mistake’. I cannot imagine still being awake yet being so drunk you can’t tell your house from your neighbors. Sorry, I just don’t buy it. So while some of these stories the kids were undoubtable drunk, and they may not have broken in while sober I don’t accept they made a mistake on which house it was. I never tried to do anything drunk that I wouldn’t have considered sober, it just removed the inhibition. I think they were drunk enough to actually try and break in, which they wouldn’t have dared to do while sober. IT’s the same as people using the excuse of being drunk to try and get out of being unfaithful, or gambling, or or or. I see excess alcohol as an excuse, nothing more. Now, in all these cases I feel very sorry for them, their families and their shooters, It's horrible for all involved, it shouldn't have happened, but they shouldn't have tried it.

what he said

People do stupid E36 M3 when their drunk. People do stupid E36 M3 when their on drugs. People do stupid E36 M3 because they are stupid. A gun isn't always the first thing to jump to. Anywhere I live, I will have a gun and be ready to use it. It is how I am.

With that set aside, I always pack a good temper, proper reasoning skills even when under pressure, and a .45 with jacketed hollow-points for when the E36 M3 hits the fan.

I've had a drunk pounding on my door, for a long time. It took a lot of yelling at him, and eventually the most sinister sounding "Wrong House" comment I've ever managed to make, before he stumbled backwards off my porch, and figured out the party he had stepped out from was at the house next door. Despite my objections, he seemed about ready to try to break the door down.

So, yes, some people can get drunk or drugged up enough to get the wrong house...

Geez with this attitude in this thread, it's no wonder the cops feel justified in shooting first and asking questions later.

/flounder

A firearm is always a LAST line of defense.

First line is the door, if they get through that, you retreat. If they are still coming, its them or me (& mine).

Drunk, Drugged, Crazy, or Homicidal... If them assualting me is emminient, THAT is when it becomes a factor.

Adrian_Thompson wrote: Two things. First, if I ever feel I need to have a gun to protect me, it really means it’s time to move. I just can’t imagine the need.

Would a criminal find better stuff in a nice house or a ghetto house??? Just a thought...

After my car got stolen from my driveway a few years ago, the thought of a gun for home protection entered my mind for the first time. The ghetto came to me for that one.

BTW--I see this thread going rapidly downhill in the near future.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

Flight Service wrote: there are other "get me away from this situation" alternatives out there.

Yes, but I find that the crossbow is difficult to reload quickly if there is more than one intruder :)

It was good enough for the drug addict that killed his parents and stole my neighbors car at gun point in rural TN.

Would have been my wife and kid if not for the dog.

I love my dog, she is a good fat dog. Part Pit Part Husky.

You need to work on your reload skills!

Louisville Slugger by the door, "BATTER UP"

In this thread there were 5 stories of either drunk people trying to get in the house or "thieves" being chased away as soon as the owner's presence is made. So with the logic being argued here, that would be five dead people, innocent or not, that did not need to die.

Then the story of a house being broken in to when the owner wasn't home. Now this owner has a rifle within reach. So the next time the house is broken in to without the owner being home, the thief now has a free rifle.

Then there is someone who bought a gun after their car was stolen. How is the gun helping now? You weren't awake for the first theft, how does the gun deter the next car theft? Do you camp out in the driveway with a 12 pack of Monster and gun in your lap? I think the same scenario without the gun still deters the thief.

I'm not generally against gun ownership, I just don't understand the logic in this thread.

Cone_Junkie wrote: Then there is someone who bought a gun after their car was stolen.

Just to clarify--I didn't buy a gun yet. That was the first time I considered it. The logic was--"if they're going to steal my car will they invade my home in the future?"

RI has pretty decent castle doctrine. We aren't "we never lock our doors" people. If a stranger is in my home in the middle of the night, that is a major problem/threat. I think I'd want a gun in my bedroom under those circumstances.

Again--I see this thread going downhill rapidly.

I had kind of hoped to hear what others were doing to make their homes more secure or other sorts of useful things. How did this turn into a gun debate? I mean, we kind of got that out there, that you could have a gun and then there's a lot of heavy decisions to make.

What else, anyone have some cool door security ideas? Maybe some other methods to deter people? Is there anything, you know, useful going to be shared?

Three dogs in the house, one a 90lb loing haired German Shephard. You come into my house with that barking and growling at you at some wee hour of the morning, you are NOT there by accident or to play Mass Effect with me.

but then again, we live AWAY from everything. You have to make a concerted effort to get to my house to start with. My weapons are more for pest control than actual home defense, but make no mistake they do a bang up job if need be.