Your thoughts on this event.

[V4Vendetta]

I live in the backwoods. My mother had a dentist appointment so we got home earlier than we usually did. I drove home from the dentist yesterday & when I pulled into our driveway, there was a strange young guy walking down our driveway with no car around. He looked like a punk thug. He looked to be in his early to late 20's with a buzzcut hair style & blue jean jacket. I could not tell if he was armed or not.

As soon as he saw us he bolted into the woods. I parked the car & went in the house with my mom behind me. The door to the house was locked & nothing was stolen. Mom called the sherrifs department & told them what happened. They said that they would send a guy out to look around. He never showed up but in their defense we told them on the phone that nothing was stolen & we were alright.

My older brother recently moved in with us & has his own little trailer that he lives in. I got my sword*, gave my mother my bat & went to check his place in case it had been burgled. The door was locked & he had his dog inside so that wasn't touched either. When he got home, he said that his place hadn't been touched. I asked him if he knew anybody fitting that description & he said no.

We called our neighbors & let them know what happened in case they had a problem with prowlers. Sure enough, our closest neighbor has had someone knock on her door late at night. She lives alone with her daughter & I don't know if they have any guns for HD or what.

Here are my questions.

1. Should I talk to my neighbor about getting a nice shotgun for HD?

2. Did we do right things?

3. Think that he'll be back?

4. He had no car so how was he planning to carry any loot? This question in particular has been on my mind.

*It was a free gift & looks menacing.

[Samurai]

V... Dude!...

CCW or not, it is NEVER legal (in my neck-o-D-woods) to carry a sword with the intent to go armed! Did you do the right thing? No. If you're gonna arm yourself, do it with a gun (and a permit for the gun), or don't do it. If you aren't old enough for a permit, then you'd better stay home, where waving a loaded gun around IS legal.

What would you have done if you'd gotten to your brother's house and the guy had been there, broken glass and all, armed, high, and ready to make a harsh getaway? Would you have cut him down? How would that have looked when the cops arrived? (Hint: Sword cuts bleed a LOT. Trust me, I know... They'd label you the next Jeffrey Dahmer!)

Until you have a permit, call the cops if you're freaked, and hole up in your own house. After you have a permit, don't be a "V-for-Vigilante"! Going looking for trouble is NOT self-defense.

Now, that's my rant. And, that much said, nobody got hurt, nobody got in trouble, so you did fine. Learn from your mistakes this time, and be better prepared next time.

[sanson]

we had the same problem. chased him off like the neighbor's dog, talked to the neighbors, they had seen him or chased him also. called the cops who knew of him and said to keep an eye on him. petty thief. the cops want to catch him with stolen goods

[V4Vendetta]

Unfourtunately, my state requires you to be 21 to own a hand gun. I'm 19 so I still have a ways to go. As for the legality of owning the sword, that's legal.

I didn't take my gun because I figured that since juries usually consist of folks who don't know a thing about guns except that they are loud, taking my AK would look worse. Trust me, I'd prefer a nice shottie over the sword but I don't have one yet. It's next on my purchase list though.

[DesertShooter]

Glad that nothing bad happened! I'm sure that you'll get several responses with suggestions and advice, but here is what I have for starters.

1: You saw only ONE suspect, but you had NO idea if he had an accomplice or two. That suspect outside COULD have been a "look-out", and others COULD have been inside your home.

2: Did you have a cell phone? It might have been better to notify the police IMMEDIATELY. The police MAY have wanted you to stay in your car, where you were still relatively safe, and wait for the arrival of a police unit.

3: While you probably felt safe enough to check your home, it would probably have been better to have your mom stay in the car with the engine running. Neither of you were armed, right? No reason to jeopardize BOTH of you! Add to that, if you had been accosted, your mom could have given the police a description of the suspect....which wouldn't be possible if BOTH of you were accosted.

4: Having a home defense firearm might come in VERY handy if you're inside your home when an intruder breaks in. In the scenario you posed, however, it would have done you NO good, and it could even be stolen by the suspect if it isn't secured properly.

5: Will that suspect return? Probably not, but he DID "case" your home at least somewhat, so he already knows the layout. Let ALL of your neighbors know of this incident, and give them a good description of the suspect.

6: Most burglars are "opportunists", and they don't plan on removing any large items. They look for money, jewelry, illegal drugs, firearms, and anything of value that can fit into their pockets or carried easily.

Whenever everyone in your family is going to be gone, make sure that all of your windows and doors are locked before leaving. Turn on a light that will be visible through the window shades. You might want to turn on a radio, so that it sounds like someone is at home. Perhaps a residential alarm system of some sort? If possible, always have a car parked on the driveway. If you're going to be away from home for any extended period, let your neighbors know AND ask them to pick up the mail and newspapers. Make your home appear as if someone is inside!

[V4Vendetta]

6: Most burglars are "opportunists", and they don't plan on removing any large items. They look for money, jewelry, illegal drugs, firearms, and anything of value that can fit into their pockets or carried easily.

We don't keep large amounts of cash here, have no concealable firearms, drugs & my mom has only Dollar General jewelry.

1: You saw only ONE suspect, but you had NO idea if he had an accomplice or two. That suspect outside COULD have been a "look-out", and others COULD have been inside your home.

All the doors were locked & the windows undamaged which they would have had to be in order to break in.

2: Did you have a cell phone? It might have been better to notify the police IMMEDIATELY. The police MAY have wanted you to stay in your car, where you were still relatively safe, and wait for the arrival of a police unit.

In hindsight that was a better idea.

[Prophet]

You have a AK and you took a sword with you? Not sure where your from but in Texas if anyone is on your property without permission they are kinda screwed because leagally you can shoot them not that you would shoot someone for just being in the wrong place but hey it is legal. Always carry a gun if it is an option who knows there could have been 3 of them in your bro's trailer and all had guns you jump through the door with a sword what do you think is going to happen? You jump through the door with an AK you have a better chance of surviving.

[lockedcj7]

The latest copy of American Rifleman has a story about a 17-year-old who was home when 4 armed Bad-Guys broke in and started shooting. The kid retrieved a shotgun, killed two of the attackers and sent the other two running. No charges were filed. If you're forced to defend yourself on your own property, your young age will only help you. Besides that, if you're old enough to own a shotgun, you're old enough to own an AK.

The guy was probably hoping to find a door unlocked so he could steal something like an i-pod, gun, camera or something small he could carry. He's not trying to retire off one big heist, he just wants to make $20 so he can buy crack or meth.

Odds are, he won't be back but you might want to be sure that your house is locked up, alarm set (if you have one), etc. Whatever you do, don't make it easy for him. When I leave the house, I try to leave some lights on (not the same ones every time) and the TV or radio. I also have motion-sensing flood lights near the doors. Bad guys know about all those tricks but it might make a young, inexperienced one think twice.

In hindsight, you could have (and probably should have) hung back, called the sheriff from a cell phone and had them clear the house for you. Don't beat yourself up. My best friend got burgled and missed walking in on them by minutes. He knows better but he was in such shock that he just walked right in.

[Tbag]

All the doors locked? How do you know for sure, ever hear of lock bumping or bumping a lock. Scumbag enters house with a trick key designed to open all sorts of locks, house looks locked doesn't really mean that was locked 5 minutes before you arrived. With this method of entry there is no sign of forced entry, you just ASSumed the house was safe. This could of gotten ugly real quick.

[Doug.38PR]

1. Should I talk to my neighbor about getting a nice shotgun for HD?

Yes. But if it was for HOME defense then he would have gotten that if he was indeed a burglar (be sure and keep the SG in your car too or your mom's car when you are out if you fear burglary)

2. Did we do right things?

Yes
Called the sheriff. Secured your property.

3. Think that he'll be back?

Couldn't say. Have no idea what he was up to, but since he ran when he saw you it's fair to say he was up to no good.

4. He had no car so how was he planning to carry any loot? This question in particular has been on my mind.

You don't know that he was a burglar. He could have been a lot of thing.

*It was a free gift & looks menacing.

This business about not carrying a sword at the top is just silly. Now you don't want to walk around outside your property down mainstreet carrying a Scottish Claymore, that is illegal in Texas too, but to check and secure your life, property and structures on your property (such as a trailer house) is fine. Good idea to improvise with whatever weapon you can find.
As far as not looking politically correct to the police if you had to do a William Wallace and relieve a prowler of his head I'd worry about that bridge when I crossed it. Don't worry about being politically correct...especially when it puts your life at risk. What if your mom had to beat the guy to death with the bat? How would that look? What if you shot him with 00 buckshot? How would that look? Anything you do resisting an intruder is not going to be attactive to say the least.

[V4Vendetta]

Tbag, when I approached our door, I had to use my key to unlock it. And no I have not heard of lock-bumping.


I do agree that next time*, I'll take the AK & leave the sword alone.



*If there is a next time.

[Tbag]

Well if you want to get sick, just get on the internet and type in lock bumping and you will soon see how easy it is to get into someones home with out leaving a single clue as to who you may encounter once inside. After watching this bumping done, I went out and spent a few hundred bucks replacing locks on my house.

[Trip20]

Here are my questions.

1. Should I talk to my neighbor about getting a nice shotgun for HD?

Only you can determine your obligation to your neighbor. Only you can speculate as to how your neighbor will receive such a discussion based on your relationship with them.

2. Did we do right things?

If you had reason to believe armed burglars were in your home, having Mom follow you in probably wasn't the smoothest move. Calling the cops would have been the best first move, and then entering the home at all is debatable.

3. Think that he'll be back?

4. He had no car so how was he planning to carry any loot? This question in particular has been on my mind.

If you're only plan is to murder or rape, well then you don't even need a backpack much less a vehicle.

If your intensions are much less sinister, and you don’t plan on taking bulk items such as large televisions and such, vehicles aren’t necessary to score some lucrative loot.

Also, if you’re just ‘casing the joint’ you do not need a mode of transport other than your legs.

Keep your ears, eyes, and brain on alert for awhile. Check on your Mother often when you're not home. Good time to check all locks (window & door), outside lighting, and any other deterrent/preventative measures.

[V4Vendetta]

If you're only plan is to murder or rape, well then you don't even need a backpack much less a vehicle.

I never thought of that. I'm going to check the house defenses when I get home today. I can't figure why anyone would want to murder us. We keep to ourselves a lot. Though the way people are today they probably don't need a reason to murder somebody:barf: .

I have 2 dogs but they would probably just want to play with the guy after he butchers us.

[DeathRodent]

OK here is what happened ... dumb punk heard from a friend of a friend that there is a dude who lives out in the country with no one around and this Dude has an AK47 --- it would be so easy to steal it since there are no neighbors to hear when you kick in his door.

But dumb punk is smart enough to NOT to park his car in the driveway when he cases the joint so he parks a little way away and walks the last mile thru the woods.

See you do have something of value to be stolen.

I was being a bit faceatious (sic) but the chances of someone checking out your property when you live out in the country and when they don't have a car is pretty slim - unless they heard something or know something.

I would bet there is some connection in some way to this guy. WHy else would he just happen to be walking out in the country?

When you are not home you may want to lock the AK so the BG doesn't get it.

[EJJR]

A couple of mistakes were made and those have been addressed. No need to harp on you about that.

Count your blessings, you can learn from this without having to regret anything. No ones life was in jeopardy and that is the most important thing.

IMO, you may think that living in the "boonies" offers safety and security. Dismiss that notion immediately, it is merely an illusion. Sure the odds might be in your favor, but when your/and your loved ones life may depend on being prepared or not, it is better to err on the side of being cautious.

Invest in some form, or if you can, multiple forms of home security beyond weapons. IMO, weapons should be your last line of defense. A well trained dog('s) would likely be your best first line.

Also consider that a perp doesnt need a reason to commit any crime. No logic or reasoning may apply. They may be tweaked out on something and or just plain crazy as well.

What vexes me is that the sherrifs did not show. Thats messed up. You still could have been in danger. IMO, they were negligent in their duty.