My neighbor had a home invasion last night

I live in the country now, but when I lived in apartments that were adjacent to a rougher neighborhood, I always had my pistol when answering the door when I wasn't expecting company.

I'm not beyond doing it now. I've had a couple of salesmen (mainly those that sell steaks from the back of a truck) that on first glance looked kinda shady knock on my door out here. I don't have a problem putting one in the chamber right before I crack the door with my foot and body weight against it as mentioned above. I smilingly tell them I'm not interested while my weapon is held outside their line of sight "indexed" but ready to fire.

I agree, that anyone who lacks skill(to chamber and/or fire/clear a weapon) or will (to protect oneself)when it comes to firearms should not have one at all.

reply to post by Xtrozero


Xtrozero, please accept my apologies for unjustifiably doubting the credibility of your OP - lesson learnt on my part.

This post

Cheers.

reply to post by vampira309


Thanks for the info'.

reply to post by Xtrozero


Perhaps it would be a good idea to have the first line of defense a CCTV camera at the door rather than a gun, second line of defense a grilled hatch with a small door that can open where she can speak face to face but still have the door locked. That way she can decide if she trusts them enough to open the door, where her third line of defense could be a weapon for just in case and of which she could inform them before opening the door.

Hope she manages to make a speedy recovery.

reply to post by Xtrozero


The question is, would your neighbor have answered the door armed if she did have a gun in the house? Sounds like the thugs jumped her as soon as she opened the door. Granted, if someone else was in the house they might have had time to run and get a gun, but what if they got to them before they reached the place where the gun is stored?

Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything wrong with someone arming their home with a gun, but in this instance, it doesn't seem like she would have been able to get to it. Than what happens if the thugs found the gun and than uses it on her? There's always that possibility.

If gun owners are supposed to secure their guns and lock them up, how are they supposed to get to them when they don't have the time to get the key and open their gun cabinet. Doesn't that defeat the purpose of protecting your life and home from intruders?

Originally posted by Perhaps
reply to post by Xtrozero

 

Well guess what fella??... I have major doubts about the validity of your OP.

...They beat her up, she is in her late 60s, duck tape her, dragged her around by her hair, and robbed her. After they left she was able to slip out of her coat that had all the duck tape on it, and go next store... She was beat up pretty good.

While the above is more than possible and I wish for her wellness if so, is there any chance of providing an article/link to confirm this??

edit on 24-1-2013 by Perhaps because: (no reason given)

Does it really matter if it actually happened? It happens ALL THE TIME!!
%99.9 crimes just as this one do not end up on the news. Most of the time they are not even reported to the news.
You do realize EVERY THING posted in main stream news sources is posted to manipulate the public right? If it does not fall within their public manipulation plans at the moment then why would they waist their time posting it?

You can all ready see most people on this thread are talking about fire arms including you. If this was posted on the news what would the public's reaction be? Only if she had a gun.

Like I said, even if this particular story did not happen their are hundreds exactly like it every year.

Originally posted by sonnny1
reply to post by Xtrozero

 

That sucks X.

So I take it, your neighbor wasn't armed? I also take it shes not cautious to strangers knocking at the door late at night? I only ask. Not that everyone with a weapon, should have it locked and loaded, only that even those who are armed can have this happen to them. Personally, if someone is knocking at the door late, I would be wary. Maybe wary enough to grab my gun first, and ask who is it, last.......


S&F

edit on 24-1-2013 by sonnny1 because: (no reason given)

Not armed in any way. She was the HOA president a few years and the guy said he lost his dog. When she unlocked the door another guy jump out of the bushes and knocked her down getting access to her house.

My family are not allowed to open the door to a stranger. My wife has access to a gun in the kitchen and bedroom. I do talk about that if someone knocks on the door and then when you don't open it breaks in she should shoot and not talk at all.

Originally posted by LadyGreenEyes
reply to post by Xtrozero

 

Wow......any updates on how she's doing? That's a lady that needs to get herself a gun, and learn how to use it! Those things tend to go in waves, so be very careful.

You are right; this is a very good reason for people to own guns!

Her son is staying with her for now. Her face is beat up and she is missing some hair as they pulled her around the house by her hair, but physically she will recover. It's a shame, she is/was a very out going older lady....not sure now though.

Originally posted by JibbyJedi
Hi... I have a great offer for you!

Just let me know your address and I can set up an appointment for a comprehensive diagnostic of the vulnerability of your residence.

I assure you, you can trust my firm to be precise and discrete in our evaluation.

By all means, please do not have firearms in the residence, as this may prevent me & my associates from committing larceny of your residence.

Hehe thanks, but I think how fast my wife can get a gun point it at you and pull the trigger is a big part of your evaluation. We do have a good alarm system too.

Its a good thing the robbers were not armed

She could be dead...

Thanks OP this story is a good example of why all fire arms should be strictly kept from the public.

Originally posted by txinfidel

OP: Dont be so naive. 90% of home invasions happen in upscale neighborhoods.Criminals want your stuff. Im glad you and your neighbor are ok though.

No I agree, but there is more crime in poor areas...

I was living in a bubble until last summer my car was broken into in my own driveway and 5k in Audio and 4k in repairs popped that bubble. This truly reinforced my awareness.

Sorry to hear about your neighbor hope she is ok. She learned a hard lesson. I have to wonder what the hell is wrong with people opening the door to not one but two strangers later in the evening...

Originally posted by ~widowmaker~
yah but they didnt kill her? so why shoot them geez are you crazy? so what if she will be terrified for the rest of her life to open a door. so what if she has gotten some wounds. so what if she feared for her life for an hour or more, so what if she might have been raped at 60 in her own home.

SO WHAT, thats no reason to shoot someone.


thats what the morons against gun control think,

It was too bad that the weather was poor, 40 knot winds and cold, but typically about that time I sit on my upper baloney and smoke a cigar and drink some scotch. I would have seen and heard it all, compared to being in a big house unable to hear nothing. So in that case she would not have needed a gun at all, I would have brought all the party favorites.

reply to post by Xtrozero


5K in audio, damn, you are loaded eh

Originally posted by Manhater
Sorry to hear about your neighbor.

Officers didn't do any forensics?

Is it possible she knew her attackers? Like a grandson shooting off at the mouth about what she owns?

I have a Ninja sword and mean dog that I sleep with.

Which reminds me. I need to go get some sleep. I have a long day tomorrow.

Ugh.

Everyday is a long day.

Hope she feels better soon. Poor gal.

edit on 24-1-2013 by Manhater because: (no reason given)

They were actually Russian and about 18 to 22 in ages. Cops were there for 3 or 4 hours with dogs and all. I'm sure they did finger prints, all that duck tape in here would have a lot of them, but even if they wore gloves I'm sure they could be picked out of a line up photos.

We do think they must have known she was a lone older woman. Either they cased the house or found information online in some way.

Originally posted by Happy1
reply to post by Manhater

 

I'm wondering how the dog adoption thing is doing? A dog is a very valuable thing to have - besides they're cute and good companions. And - THEY BARK loudly when a stranger is approaching, if they're trained right. Not attack dogs, but know family and friends, and know that it's

This is what our country has become.

No dog, but we have a Husky. I think I read that people with dogs have about an 80 present less chance of being robbed

reply to post by Xtrozero


Husky is a good choice, great dogs. I got a husky and a mastiff
Almost as good as a wolf and a bear

Very odd odd to hear Russians robbing old ladies.

Must be a new trend that their starting.

Originally posted by Perhaps

...They beat her up, she is in her late 60s, duck tape her, dragged her around by her hair, and robbed her. After they left she was able to slip out of her coat that had all the duck tape on it, and go next store... She was beat up pretty good.

While the above is more than possible and I wish for her wellness if so, is there any chance of providing an article/link to confirm this??

Please give me some credit...

Duck Tape

Now, I'm guessing that you're a competent owner and user of firearms - yes/no??

I don't know...28 years of military service and I still go to Afghanistan now as a contractor....I think the term competent doesn't fully tell how good I am with firearms.

Because if the answer is yes, you would well know that your wife isn't going to develop "pretty good skill" within the evening...??
While you being an owner of firearms, it never occured to you previously that your partner may have a need to protect herself and at least be familiar with the use of your firearms??

No, she knows how to shoot, but I never really practiced home evasion scenarios with her. Now I practice getting out of bed in the middle of the night, pitch black, and get my gun extremely fast. For her it was get the gun from the kitchen, take it out of the small gun case, turn on the laser and point it at the front door....after about 30 times she got rather quick, but I know it is something to continue to practice...this was a part of in my face reality that I realized I never worked with my wife on.

You are already armed - if the content of your OP was the convincer, what were your reasons for being armed in the first place??

...again, I have my doubts about the OP.

Look at my ATS history... enough said...I got a little more integrity than to make up some story for stars, or whatever...

My point is we debate this and I am armed, but it is nothing like a reality check to basically take all the armchair constitutional lawyers we seem to have on ATS and see that they are full of it...

Originally posted by violet
I always tell the ADT guys I don't need it, I have nothing of value worth taking.
I don't think its wise to have ADT and have their stupid sign on your lawn like an advert this home has stuff that needs guarding. We're wimps.

Well, if you looked at my house you would think I had a lot...I also put camera signed out front too...