Someone's breaking into your car! Your response?

[8200 rpm]

You are awakened at night by your car alarm pager. The theives have disabled the siren and are in the process of stealing your wheels, radio, seats, etc.

How would you respond?

I would:

1) call 911
2) put on some clothes
3) grab a camera and pistol (concealed for back up)
4) sneak outside
5) take a couple shots (with the camera) of the getaway car (plates, especially)
6) take a couple shots (with the camera) of the punks in action
7) retreat or defend myself
8) wait for the black and whites

[bastiat]

My car stereo is factory am/fm. my wheels are stock and probably should have been rotated a few thousand miles ago, so maybe:

9) Hope the car is never recovered and use the insurance money as a down payment on a new car???

I'd have the wife call 911 while I grabbed the camcorder - it has a basic night vision feature so I can tape them without knowing. If they're still their after I've thrown on clothes and picked out a gun (I'm saying an 'assault rifle' for maximum "we really screwed this up" type reaction on their part.)

The camcorder would be given to the wife, then I'd exit the house from the opposite door, coming up behind them and being able to check for any waiting accomplices.

That's the ideal, anyway. Maybe I'll have to make a practice run next time I hear the raccoons trying to get into the garbage cart.

[KPS]

I'd open the door and let my Staffordshire Terrier out to play with them while I got dressed and had my wife call 911.

[LASur5r+P]

Sorry, soCal laws doesn't want us citizens to scare those criminals...after all they are pursuing a career and trying to make a living...I don't think we get to protect property outside of our home with our gun.
Camera sounds good if you have good hard cover and they don't see you...got a good long range lense?

Funny story, on eof my coworkers had his truck broken into and the BG's lit the truck up to destroy any evidence they might have left behind...so he walked out to the street where his truck was starting to get a nice blaze and a good Samaritan came driving down the street right at that moment, jumped out of his vehicle and used his fire extinguisher to put the fire out.
The coworker said that he cussed out the good Samaritan because with the insurance money, he could have purchased a new vehicle...instead he had to try to renovate the old beat up one.

Oh, well.

Anyway, in soCal, if you went outside your house with your gun and there was any shooting, I believe the law would probably invite you to spend some time in their recreational facilities for stalking and instigating a gun fight (at the least...disturbing the peace and discharging a firearm in public, public endangerment, etc., etc...)

Welcome to the Republic of California, comrade.

[KSFreeman]

Roll over and go back to sleep (and tell the supermodel not to hog the covers).

[Big Lou]

Here in Texas, between dusk and dawn (night-time), you are allowed to use deadly force to protect your home and property.

A few years ago, a guy (working for a repossession service) was in the process of repossessing a pickup truck from another man. This was at night and the owner of the truck heard someone starting up his truck and assumed someone was stealing his truck. He grabbed his deer rifle and shot the "thief" as he drove away. The repossessor died a few blocks away. The truck owner was no-billed. It was a sad situation, but the respossessor took a big risk when he did this at night.

I don't know that I would (or could) kill anyone over a vehicle, but I might. Car thieves beware!

[8200 rpm]

Roll over and go back to sleep

It's kind of hard to do after they've already hit twice taking over... $2500 in car parts
$700 in repair labor
$1000 ($500/incident) in insurance deductibles
$320 in lost wages

And the inconvenience of...
calling insurance claims adjusters
repair shops
towing companies
car rental places
police departments
driving down to get the car dusted for prints
that's priceless.

Rolling over and going to sleep is akin to bending over and grabbing the ankles. Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to run out guns blazing, but I'm going to catch these punks red-handed (with photo documentation). And I'll have to protect myself if it comes to it.

LAsur5r is absolutely correct about the SoCal (in)justice system. But what do we do? Let the criminals have it THEIR way? That's why this crap always happens around here.

I know I run a risk of confrontation, but why else would we own firearms? Oh yeah, because the 2nd Amendment protects the right to hunt ducks and target shoot; I forgot.

[oneshot1251]

Loudly racking the slide on my 8rd pump shotgun with tactical light assy..... If that doesn't get their attention. 2 rds of 00buck then 1 sabot slug then 00buck then slug then 00buck then slug then 00buck..... RELOAD!!!!.... (6rd shell holder on receiver & speedfeed stock with 2rd's in stock each side)........ Repeat from the top but with feeling........

Someone who attempts reassigning ownership of my new truck without my knowledge will die violently or bleed profusely or BOTH!!!

[KPS]

Here in Texas, between dusk and dawn (night-time), you are allowed to use deadly force to protect your home and property.

Ahh Texas...the only place I think I could get a good nights sleep

[CWL]

Call 911, grab your gun, light up the house lights, light them up with your streamlight/flashlight/weapon light system.

They're probably moving by the time the house lights come on.

If they stay around after the lights come on in the house, they're probably beligerent and may need to be shot ("officer, they came at me with the screwdriver & wrench").

Shame on you for not putting motion-detection floodlights around your garage & driveway.

[8200 rpm]

Shame on you for not putting motion-detection floodlights around your garage & driveway.

My apartment garage is lit up with 4 48" dual fluorescent lamp assemblies AND one dual motion-detector floodlight assembly.

The bastards simply unthreaded the bulbs for cover.

[WilderBill]

Try hard to blind them with my 5 cell Maglight...while I empty my SKS into them.
If that doesn't work do something serious.

[Wheelgun]

Interesting post, seeing as this just recently happened to me for the fourth time.
The first time, they got my brand new radio and a mountain bike. I heard them, but thought it was the usual drunken fratboys in front of my house. they tend to stumble home drunk at about 2-3:00 in the morning. It is sad, but I have learned to tune these noises out. The second time, I was out of town and my wife didn't hear them. The third, I was heading out for a 3am inventory shift and caught the guy between the house. He ran and I did not give chase (there have been a number of people assaulted in my "historic" neighborhood). One in my front yard the night after this last break in. The last one a few nights ago. Until now, I had chalked it up to owning a convertable (people seem to think they are not real cars and are acceptable/easy). I don't keep anything of value in the car, the first time was a mistake. Nothing was stolen the other times, just general vandalism like tearing out my center console and squirting my wifes hand lotion all over the interior. We rent out house, and the bank won't allow upgrades, so we had relied on the standard side light. after the last incident and the guy getting assaulted in the front yard we threatened to move and the bank sprung for a motion detector. the car has an alarm, and I have the camera ready.

My view is it is only a car, I won't put my life in danger for it. Calling the black and whites here is useless. It took them over to hours to respond to what was a robbery in progress at a friends house, and over 45 min to respond to the assault. Just don't walk home drunk or park wrong, they'll get you for that.

-wheelgun

[Cheapo]

Firearm and other potentially lethal force items are for self-defense in the event that suspected FELONS choose to turn violent.

Camera, document, and call a neighbor to witness if you have such agreed upon in advance. Watch your six, three and nine, and CHOOSE places to stand and observe which will allow you reasonable and plausible retreat of at least a few feet before you light 'em up for attacking you.

If they get in and start to drive away, slash tires

[nbk2000]

I was staying at an associates house for a while, and one night he's knocking on my door (2 A.M.) real hard saying "Someones breaking into my car!".

I had my million CP spotlight ($20, Wal-Mart) with me and went to the window and lit the punks up. They were frozen like deers in headlights for a few seconds before they took off running, leaving behind the stereo they'd pulled out.

Another time a neighbor was in an argument with his wifes brother about something and the brother got the husband in a choke hold on the ground.

After a bit of time the husband went limp but the brother wasn't letting go. So I lit him up too. He let go and walked away and the husband came to. For all I know, the brother was going to choke the husband to death till the spotlight let him know that someone was watching. Verbal shouts didn't deter him, but the light did.

There's been other times too when the REALLY bright light has sent various scum scurrying like roaches in the kitchen when the lights turned on. So I'd suggest getting a powerful, rechargeable spotlight, and keeping it handy.

Hear anything funny outside, send a beam of light instead of a bullet. Never heard of anyone sueing because they got "shot" with light. Keeps punk kids away, animals, etc.

And if it turns out to be something serious enough to require a bullet, you've got the advantage that you can see them quite clearly, but they can't see you because they're blinded by the glare.

[marley]

I would let them meet the dog. Blind them with light. While prepared to draw a .45. Hey it's has worked before.
Patrick
I wish I could spell.

[Nozler]

If they were to get to my truck then they would be in my house. Our garage is a level of our house. Besides the two large garage doors, one door on the left and one door on the back side. All exits from the garage can be covered from high ground. To get into house from the garage they have to go up a confined stairwell that has high coverage.

If they are in and have started/about to start your truck and you don't have a limited-slip differential you could one of your drive wheels. The differential will send all power to that wheel and go nowhere.

Would insurance pay for it if you shot the tire/rim? You did save them the cost of a new car?

[JB-man]

if you have a garage, park your car in it. Here in Ohio, almost nobody parks their cars in their garages, even 2-3 car garages.
Then, you might keep your car and its contents a little more safe, and less accessable to the BG's.
Those noisy aluminum garage doors, make a good wakeup call for your spotlight.

[boogerbawb]

Can one order a car security system equipped with Claymores?

[coz]

Here we are, blessed to live in the Republic of Texas.

Bride calls 911, put on the pants, shove the p90 in the waist band, pick up the 12 gauge pump, go out, and rack the slide so they can hear the 00 buck round chambered. lights on and a "Stop or die " shou from cover of course!

Then if they run, which they probably will, all is cool. If they don't or attempt to throw down. They get meet Federals 9 balls of lead from the shot gun.

But, the worry is, you don't want to hit the car or truck, cause the jury is gonna say, Hey, if you loved the truck so much why did you shoot it?

I think I'd try to stope em without deadly force, and just hope I get em before they drive off.....

AND if they get it, hope they total the mother......might as well get a "new" out of the hassle...

[coz]

I cannot type this morning...sorry if y'all got headaches trying to interpret my last post.....

[slick slidestop]

1. Call 911
2. Put on shorts and go out
3. Take up a Barricade position in case BG's are armed
4. Shout a FREEZE, HALT, etc command (probably followed by MF for maximum scare effect )
5. wait for their response. (a.) If they stop, hold them at gunpoint until cops arrive (b) if they show aggression or present weapon shoot center of mass until threat is gone or (c) if they flee, try to get LP on vehicle or good clothing description and direction of travel.


8200 RPM,

I would only grab the camera and take photos if the theives were both beautiful and naked while bent over rummaging through my car

[Navy joe]

Its just a car! At most I would arm myself and give verbal warning from the door. Get descriptions for the ever-late evidence collectors.
8200, either you need to move to a better neighborhood or honestly assess what you're driving or maybe both. I get the feeling your ride is slightly customized and therefore slightly desirable to thieves. Garage?? How about a happy-go-psycho Rottweiller in the garage? I know my car's right, I've fallen asleep on the couch before, wake up the next morning and there's my car sitting on the street, windows down, keys in it because I meant to go somewhere right before I sat down on the couch.... Nobody wants my junk! Anything nicer, I find a garage.

Oneshot, easy killer! I'd hate to be jogging in your neighborhood. I might ever so un-tactically :barf: decide to bend over and tie my shoe and never get back up again because I looked suspicious when I knelt down beside a bush. (good hard cover ya know). All the EMT's would find would be two jogging shoes, a bloody pulp, and several hundred .30 calibre lead pellets.

Seriously, re-assigning ownership of your truck, new or not, is a matter for the po-po and your insurance agent. When you head out the door with your TacticalCQBbackinblacksuperduperurbanoperator shotgun nothing good for you is going to happen. Perhaps they shoot you and the family is Oneshot-less. Perhaps you shoot them and it is rightly ruled to not be a "good" shooting. You go lock-up, again the family is deprived of your prescence. Somebody will replace your truck. its too easy. Welcome to TFL.

[ninenot]

The real answer is not to have the problem. NOBODY wants ANYTHING from my Buick 4 dor sedan, 8 years old, or my Dodge 12-passenger van, 10 years old, or my Chevy pickemup truck, now 23 years old. Funny thing is, the Chevy has about a $1K sound system and a VERY hot 350 cid engine. But rustbuckets just don't attract the 'right sort' of people....

[Hemicuda]

on the Ram - PRAY the police never recover it, so I can get a new one...

The Jeep is a family member - shoot the bastards with a shotgun, and go back to sleep... leaving them as a speedbump in the driveway... (nobody'd ACTUALLY bother with this rustbucket)

the Saturn - PLPD, but who cares... they can even HAVE the in-dash sony CD player... I grab an armful of GF, and go back to sleep...

Now the 'Cuda... I run out there, and rip them limb from limb, with my bare hands, and feed them to the local dog population... AFTER ****ting down their still warm necks, and removing their still-beating hearts with my bare hands... (NOBODY touches that car... NOBODY... I built it myself... not even my family drives it, without MY permission)