Bump in the yard 0545hrs

[Big D]

Hey yall. Unfortunately, I came close to actually using my home defense shotgun (just a KISS 870 with riot barrel and wood stocks) on two would-be theives. My brother woke me up and said he had noticed our dogs barking outside (his room is on the back side of the house where the commotion was going on), and had looked out window and had seen a couple of shadows in the yard. So in all my glorious splendor (just my boxers) I jump out of bed, grad my HDS and head toward the door. With my vision still clouded, I opened the door and racked a shell in the chamber (still with the safety on grant you) and proceded to try and assess the situation. I couldn't see much, but right after racking the slide, I saw two subjects haul ass toward the gate, hollering DON'T SHOOT MAN, DON'T SHOOT!!

And they proceeded to run faster than they probably have in their entire lives. To rap up, I learned that they were actually breaking and entering on my brothers truck and attempting to do the same with his wife's car. Well, I prevented them from actually taking anything from us, but on they had actually broken into 4 other vehicles on my street and have stolen a miter saw and had taken apart one of the car stereos but left it. So unfortunately I did not get a good look or description of the perps or the vehicle they left in (they ran down the road to a car that was waiting for them). Hopefully, they know better than to come onto our property again.
Note: It took the local Sheriff's Office 15-20 minutes to get a deputy onscene.

 

[ScramasaxDurango]

Well I'm glad to hear that nobody got blasted. Hopefully they won't come around anymore.

 

[hso]

Motion sensor lights covering the cars and back yard would have given you the opportunity for you and your family to see what was going on and would have probably driven off the bottom feeding night jackals.

Going out without being able to see isn't going to earn any support around here. We don't advocate opening the last barrier between you and potential trouble or leaving the house with a weapon unless you're doing it to rescue someone. We can't see doing it when you can't even see what's going on to decide whether you're about to be fired on or who's out there.

Good thing you were lucky.

 

[Shadow 7D]

A fenced yard where the dogs can be loose, park the cars inside the fence and then the dogs get to do the paroling. Yard lights, and maybe a decent video system with night vision.

 

[Big D]

We've got all that minus the video system.....for some reason our yard dog failed to bite the perps in the ass when they came on the property.

 

[foolsgold80z]

Seems to me you were lucky they had no intent to fight or when your vision cleared you might just have seen your killers fire the fatal shots.

 

[Boris bush]

I did the same thing once about 15 or so years ago when I lived in the city for a minute.

Nothing wrong with protecting what is yours at all. Doing the hide inside thing would have only informed the robbers they have 20 minutes to do it again to you in the future.

When I was in a rural apt. in transition back to country livin I held a kid at the muzzle of 12 gauge until the sheriff got there. He thanked me and told me to go back to bed. He came by the next day and filled me in on what was going on.

Some people dont have the option to wait for an insurance claim to go through. Guarding what is yours might be somes only option....

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Motion sensor lights covering the cars and back yard would have given you the opportunity for you and your family to see what was going on and would have probably driven off the bottom feeding night jackals.

Going out without being able to see isn't going to earn any support around here. We don't advocate opening the last barrier between you and potential trouble or leaving the house with a weapon unless you're doing it to rescue someone. We can't see doing it when you can't even see what's going on to decide whether you're about to be fired on or who's out there.

Good thing you were lucky.

I concure with HSO on the lights My parents have extra large flood lights mounted on the peak of the Roof that allows them to light up the whole acre like a football field on Friday nite with the flip of a switch on top of the motion lights.

I would get the dog trained better to deal with unknown guest at night.

 

[Jbabbler]

Going out without being able to see isn't going to earn any support around here. We don't advocate opening the last barrier between you and potential trouble or leaving the house with a weapon unless you're doing it to rescue someone.

I agree with the "not being able to see" part, that was a huge mistake and could have been a fatal error. I disagree completely with allowing someone to destroy my property while I sit idly by and wait for the police. The last time my car was broken in to it cost me over $1000.00.

 

[Tilos]

The cops should have gone to walmart and looked in the underware dept. for those guys.

 

[hso]

The dog did its job, it sounded the alarm. There's no need for an attack dog and the liability is usually too high since owners don't train with the dogs to control them. Easy to buy a dog or buy training for a dog, but most people just don't have the desire to train themselves with the dog.

If you have lights, are they motion sensor or manual (both is preferred)? Were they turned on or left off? If they were turned on did they throw pools of deep shadow or did they evenly illuminate the area?

 

[rocky branch]

One more vote on dumb luck.
You made a pretty good target of yourself.
Statistics in your favor in terms of being shot yourself, but I vote for some outside lighting that can be switched on or off.

 

[Mp7]

would it not have been smart to shoot in the air ( not with slugs of course)??

(This way neigbours would have woken up .... more chance for someone
to see a livcense plate)

 

[Sam1911]

Nothing wrong with protecting what is yours at all.

But there's EVERYTHING wrong with dying over a $500 miter saw or a $1,000 car repair bill.

Giving up the safety of your home to confront criminals is very foolish. Turn the lights on them. If they don't leave, be as good a witness as you can, from the safety of your locked home.

Even if your state allows you to kill someone over property theft, chances are you will pay 10-20 times what that stereo was worth by the time you're done in court. That is, of course, if you are acquitted of wrong-doing.

Oh, but your state has the ultimate "Kill-em-all" version of the castle doctrine and you cannot be sued? (...better read that law again to be sure...)

Then you've shot someone over a consumer product. Sounds macho, on the surface. However, the people who have killed another human for whatever (justifiable) reason tell us that the act haunts you forever, and most would do nearly anything to be able to un-do that situation.

It IS just a car/stereo/saw/whatever, and it can be replaced. No reason to have your life ended -- or changed irrevocably -- if lethal force was not absolutely required.

 

[Sam1911]

would it not have been smart to shoot in the air ( not with slugs of course)??

Warning shots are an EXTREMELY bad idea. For one thing, that bullet will land somewhere. (Or did you mean birdshot? Surely we aren't going to make this horrible decision WORSE by suggesting that he load his defensive guns with birdshot?) Second, discharging that firearm is a crime in most places. You have to have a situation in which you are justified in using lethal force in order to fire your weapon. That ISN'T because you want to scare someone away. That is only if you are in immediate fear for your life.

 

[hso]

would it not have been smart to shoot in the air

Not

Hearing damage

Wasting a round

Possible violation of the law

It's never smart to shoot into the air unless your shooting skeet or birds.

 

[Armored farmer]

Sam1911 is right. no need to die or kill over a miter saw etc.

kinda like landing a plane...anytime you walk away it's a "good" landing. Sounds to me like you did everything right.

I'm a believer in "racking the slide" in such a situation as yours. I posted something about that a while back, and was quickly deconstructed by some experts. I think it says loud and clear that you have a loaded shotgun and all he** is about to rain down on your poor souls.

 

[beeenbag]

absolutely great job in my book! Don't let the thugs have a single thing if you can help it.

 

[Yo Mama]

beeenbag, please read what was done wrong before you congratulate. Do you know why in other contries thieves are punished with their arms being cut off and not death? It's because they are not equal punishments for the crime.

You want to live with that the rest of your life? Killing someone for stealing from you. Yes, you blew them away, but now what. You're high and mighty for keeping your stereo, wow.

You're 23 beeenbag, as is the OP, if you both don't want to end up in jail for the rest of your life wake up. 23 is old enough to know better.

I'm constently disheartened with more freedom from gun cases and laws lately, and then seeing comments like yours. This type of thinking ends with us disarmed due to a distrusting public.

Get some training on laws in your area and for God sake stay away from any weapon until you understand the ramifications of your actions.

 

[hso]

We've had several discussions about what is moral and what is legally justified in a shooting. Taking all the days of someone's life from them is the "punishment" being doled out when you're shooting someone over property. Be very sure that you understand that the use of deadly force is a grave responsibility and exactly what it means before you find yourself acting out of anger.

 

[Boris bush]

beeenbag, please read what was done wrong before you congratulate. Do you know why in other contries thieves are punished with their arms being cut off and not death? It's because they are not equal punishments for the crime.

You want to live with that the rest of your life? Killing someone for stealing from you. Yes, you blew them away, but now what. You're high and mighty for keeping your stereo, wow.

You're 23 beeenbag, as is the OP, if you both don't want to end up in jail for the rest of your life wake up. 23 is old enough to know better.

I'm constently disheartened with more freedom from gun cases and laws lately, and then seeing comments like yours. This type of thinking ends with us disarmed due to a distrusting public.

Get some training on laws in your area and for God sake stay away from any weapon until you understand the ramifications of your actions.

Its his property, his firearm, and in some states lethal force is a go to defend property. Like you said, he is 23. Life is for him to live his own way.

Holier than thou posts help no one. He defended his freedom and liberty from tyrany. He deserves a high five!

 

[beeenbag]

yo mama,

maybe you should re-read the op's post. I don't think he shot anyone. Therefor no deadly force was used. I think some people on this forum need to stop trying to be some high and mighty tactical god and come to face with reality. The op ended the threat and the crime with no damage. That deserves an atta-boy in my book.

I bet if a moderator would come on here and say good job, people just like you would follow up with a pat on the back right behind them. We have a word for that where I come from.

As far as the laws go... You are allowed to use Physical force to stop a burglary. If you are armed and the perp pushes the limits that qualify for deadly force then by all means.

Deal with some pill head no good piece of trash thieves like I have in my area and you will be singing the same tune.

 

[KodiakBeer]

Put me down on the list of "protect your property" instead of "hide in your house and wait for the police".

Yeah, the OP might have done it better, but I'm sure he learned a few things in the process and all turned out well. I'm sure he's already shopping for some exterior lighting and thinking about how to illuminate the yard while he can remain in shadow... Well done!

One doesn't have to kill to protect property. Engaging a thief with a firearm is not a death sentence, it's a "stop robbing me NOW" sentence. If he runs, he runs. If he drops to the ground and waits for the police, that's fine too. If he wants to engage you with a firearm, then you'd better have a plan in place to put him at a severe disadvantage, which I'm sure the OP is already doing. Of course, if he points a gun you're no longer killing to "protect property" you're killing to preserve your life. It's a clean shoot in most zip codes.

Note that the police didn't show up for 20 minutes, that's plenty of time to do several thousand dollars more damage.

My stuff is my stuff. Steal it and you risk facing the muzzle of a gun. I (and I'm sure most civilized people) have no intention of shooting a thief, but I'm sure as hell not going to allow you to continue for one moment after I become aware of the activity.

 

[beeenbag]

well spoken Kodiakbeer!

 

[Shadow 7D]

BTW, all the laws vary according to city, county, state and country....
but I agree with Kodiak, a thief isn't going to be happy to discover me, or my discovery of him.