Home invasion, lessons learned
 

Ten years ago tonight our family were subject to a home invasion. In the middle of the night 2 assultants wearing ski masks broke into our home in Port St Lucie, Florida. Our front door ramed open. Debbie and I were confronted by a black masked man standing at the base of our bed pointing a gun at us no more the 5 feet away demanding money. He grabbed Debbie handbag. Next my son in law tackled the other one and we heard gunshots. Luckily they missed him and wound up with 3 bullets in our entry way! Back then I had all my guns locked up so they were useless! My young Grandson lived with us. Lessons learned now to those who live alone. Now I have two 9mm one in bedroom, one in the other end of the house. I can't describe how helpless you feel while in bed accousted my a masked thug pointing his gun at you and your wife in the middle of the night! Learn from our mistakes. Eric & Debbie.

I'm with you!
 

I also have grand kids, I use to keep all my guns unloaded and locked up. I kept a 9mm next to the bed in a small gun safe that could be opened by pressing the correct buttons. One night I heard a noise downstairs and tried to push the buttons on the safe to get to my gun, but it's dark and I still was not real awake, I couldn't get it open. I went downstairs to find two hooded men cutting my sreen door and window, one guy had one leg in the house. They took off and the police caught them and both were armed. A gun does no good if you can't get to it fast and easy. Now I keep a 410 single shot shotgun next to the bed with shells for it on the top of my door frame. I also have a loaded pistol in three other rooms of the house, hidden and high enough that no kid can reach. It's a lesson learned.

Its just like a fire drill. See how long it take to get your hands on a weapon. Once a #$%^& bag is in your room its already too late! Eric

Ps The Port St. Lucie Police Department Police Department were Useless! We found a woolen mast accross the street. It took them 2 weeks to pick it up!!! It never went anywhere!

The shotgun is evan a better idea!!!!Tks

talk about a horror story ,sheesh.

I like the 410 shot gun for close defense. The one I use is a single shot. Its easy to load, just push the button to break open, load in one shell, close and pull back the hammer. Easy and safe. I dont want to kill them just get their full attention!

If you don't kill 'em, they'll do a couple months in county lockup on the taxpayers dime, get out and do it to someone else.

None of us felt safe in that house. We let it go into forclosure!!! Now safe and sound. Since then Florida issued a protection to any owner or resident can use Deadly force against anyone who breaks in or is breaking in! Finally!

If you are going to point a loaded gun at them shoot to kill or you may not live past the 1st or 2nd shot and that lesson will be tha last one you ever learn..

Hopefully he is not wearing a vest! Head shots are a little harder!!

We are 3 middle to late age women living out in the middle of nowhere. We keep 2 mossberg 500 20ga pistol grips located around the house and a 9mm by each bed in the 3 bedrooms. Even mom practices semi regularly and she is in her 80's. I have lived all around the country and even a few years over seas. I have been broken into 3 times and each time the invaders have left immediately when confronted with the sound of a shotgun racking. All our firearms are loaded and available. We warn friends that if they see a gun in the house then it IS loaded. We do lock them up ONLY if there are small children over and only until they leave. Dad was a career cold war officer and he trained us to shoot starting around age 10. The only time I have been helpless was in a county that had very strict gun laws and I will never live in those areas again.

I commend You and your family, Our safety first!!

I commend You and you family
 

Various firms give a false sence of security. A former bad guy I represented told me they only broke into home the had a security sign in the yard as they were protecting something worth pretecting. Usually they had 10-15 minutes. A firearm gives me peace of mind. Don't hesitate to shoot the scum!! Open game!! Eric, Esq.

Just in case anyone might breach the alarm system and the renforced doors , at that point they encounter my second line of defense and it will go down hill from there.

Now thats an option!!!

A very good option, the boston terrier is pete, he is the thinker , he will stand on the back of the doberman , Deigo, to observe things. If you are looking in one of the windows you see pete and his pontie ears, and would think how cute, untill his 100 pound buddy pops up and pete tells him sicem.

I have been broken into a couple of times. Fortunately, no one was home. But we could have been. Other houses nearby have been broken into during the night and the day. So I keep loaded guns around - usually pistols.

When my kids were small, we kept them in places where it would be hard for the kids to get to the pistols. Plus training of the kids. Now days, when the kids come into town to visit, the first things they do is look for and move all of the pistols. Basically this is for the younger grandchildren as the older ones are proficient. One grandson took his first deer when he was 11. He is now 12. His older brother was as proficient. The ones 7 years old and under are the reason why the pistols are moved higher.

You trained them well!!

closed security cameras are inexpensive as all get out nowadays too.

I have some "hand grenukes" posted. My good neighbors are in the "loop", safe fall out zone. What is the this Land of our Fathers coming to?

I feel for anyone that's had a home invasion - I only hope that if I ever experience it that I can react swiftly and come out ahead. I've only had 1 break in and it happened when I wasn't home.
I did catch a guy coming up our back steps once, he said he was looking for a friend - :\ - Do not know if he was actually going to try a break in or not. I live on 2nd floor above an old bar, and we get a random crackhead looking for a place to smoke, or an alcoholic sleeping on the steps in the back sometimes. Sounds gnarlier than it is. I don't live in the ghetto, but we get a little spillover from time to time.

Glock 23 and a couple extended mags stowed between the headboard and the mattress, and an AK in between the bed and the wall if it ever gets extreme. If I go on vacation or travel for work I have multiple hiding spots - I break down all of my stuff and hide the parts. I just have field stripped stocks and receivers left in the safe. Come to my house, where you can find a K98 bolt in a box of Wheaties. :)

I Was Told This From A Former Thug!
 

He told me they would break in to home with secruity signs. They usually have more valuables and take the police at least 5 minutes to respond!

The houses on my street including mine with ADT signs have never been bothered. Several without them have been hit.

:rockon:Texas has the "Castle Doctrine", if you are in the house illegally, then you are dead! :nono: I have a gun in every room of the house, call me paranoid, but we live in a rural area, and the police won't get here quickly. The paramedics won't get here in time to save the unlucky bas***ds life either! If they are lucky enough to get past the alligators and Daisy (1/2 Pit Bull & 1/2 Lab) then they face a loaded 12 GA pump!:cool:

This is Daisy on guard:
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x...y3-18-06-2.jpg

If you are going to arm yourself for home invasion, have a plan and practice it.

Family members have been shot and even killed by over enthusiastic home defenders.

Racking a shotgun lets someone know where you are and that you are not truly set.

Not a science, but a lot of factors need considering to be serious about this.

I agree with Mike. Have a plan and practice it. Purchase sintered or safety ammo like Glazers that will not penetratre walls. Have a cellphone and flashlight besides your primary gun. Have a corner or area you can move to that has good fire coverage and provides not only concealment but cover. Above all, have reliable locks on all doors and windows, as well as motion detectors that advise of movement in the house, whether the alarm is on or not. When the perp is standing over your bed it is basically too late to do anything.

While I don't doubt what the thug told Eric about alarm signs, my experience has been that houses with alarm signs are basically left alone, (people who install alarms and have signs out also have safes inside for their valuables. No 10-15 minute window is going to allow anybody to get to items in a safe or safely concealed. They will end up stealing low end crap and risk a lot for the effort). 99% of thieves are lazy and will go for the low hanging fruit. They will steal from homes that leave garage doors open, have items left in the driveway or patio. They look for slider doors they can lift off tracks, doors with thin windows they can place a coat over and smash.
Home invasions of occupied dwellings are almost always done after casing a place. The thieves most likely believe that there will be a huge payout that is worth the risk. Avoid showing expensive jewelry, keep your possesions low profile and above all else, don't tell everybody you meet about your fabulous gun, coin, stamp or whatever collection!
I live on a busy corner near a school in Miami and my home has a converted garage. To this day I wait until there is absolutely nobody in sight either walking or driving by before I walk a guncase out to my car. Neighbors gossip and sooner or later, the wrong person will take an interest in you. Although I was broken into some 20+ years ago. I have never had a problem since the prominent display of alarm signs on my property.

Yes - The society we inhabit often teaches us harsh lessons. Hopefully we survive and live those lessons. The last time I ever hitchiked (in 1971?), I was robbed with a hunting-knife held against my throat. I can relate to that helpless feeling.

Glad you all came out of that invasion physically unharmed. Cheers.

You are right, We thought living miles from Dade county but instilled a false sence of security. The next town north of Port St. Lucie is Ft Piece was called the crack rock capital. My good friend for over 20 years is our Sheriff who took a bold stance! His feelings were 'Let them eat balogna" He busted most our crime wave, recognising crack being the enemy. Today theres no place for leniency... Tough Justice! No more slaps on the wrist. Good education with values is essential. Now we are not fully over it and learned just how vulernable we were.. No More Nice Victims!!Yes we have an alarm system! Thanks for all the helpfull input! Eric & Debbie PS I love the picture of Max Schell!! 'Three Days Of The Condor! et al. We installed an alarm to be safe and a blue ADT sine in the front!

Max Von Sydow......

Home invasion?
 

Hello to all of you!

It seems to me that it is quite dangerous to live in the USA.

We do have our own share of thugs here in Finland too, but we don´t need to watch out all the time with guns.

Is this more of a problem in the cities or in the country? TV shows a lot of news about shootings.

When I´m at the cottage, I have some hardware close for the wolfs or something. And even that is no big problem. I have a very good friend, a good dog. Scares most of the wildlife away.
And in the town, neighbours usually are watching for burglars and other things like that, if you are not there.

In Finland it is not allowed to carry guns , unless you are a police or something like that. Of course you can own them and shoot them, but not carry them around in public.
The finns kill with a kitchen knife. And we too have the Hells Angels and other motorcycle gangs here. Can´t imagine why someone would like to join them...

But we are quite safe most of the time.

Just wondering about the life and how it is so different in other places.

jussi

Florida allows you defend entry or attempts to enter your home if you have reasonalble that you, your family or goods are in danger. No longer have to wait for actual entry. It definitly has helped. I suggest a 9mm with laser! They usually run when the see the little red dot!!! Eric

Unless they fire in the direction of the dot.

Great Point. Ill have to rethink that one!

I have lived in several places around the world. I don't think if the US as more dangerous. I think it appears that it is more dangerous because of the media and because we have, generally speaking, more centers of high concentrated people. Any time you put millions of people in a small area you will find crazies. And I don't think that you can blame it on guns. Take the UK and Canada as examples.. they outlawed handguns (or make the laws extreamly prohibitive) and the rates of murder and violent crime with a weapon did not lower.. they just changed weapons. Last I heard there was a movement in the UK to outlaw all knives longer then 2 or 3 inches. I could go on and get into the same-old rhetoric that has been tossed about a hundred times but I will leave it at this.. I have been a legal card-carrying concealed pistol holder and have rarely been without a sidearm. I have yet to pull a gun on a person. But, I am prepared to do as upon threat to myself or my family. Does that make me a violent criminal?

Are your gun laws the same in all the provinces. Florida determines who can be issued a concealed weapons permit determines if one one can carry concealed weapons. If you want a concealed weapons permit and don't have a criminal record gunshows offers the 3 hour course, fingerprinting and paper work. A state agency, Florida Deptment of Agriculture & Consumer Services issues the Concealed Weapon Or Firearms Liscense! It does the background check and 2-3 weeks you have your permit which is good for 7 years. It allows you to purchase a firearm on the spot. The dealer check with the state for validity and its yours. I luv this state! If you don't have one then you have a waiting or cooling off period! I think its 3 days! Eric

I want to briefly amplify something that Gary said earlier that caused me concern.

I am certified to teach NC Concealed Carry Handgun under our state department of justice.

In the 10th post here, Gary said:

"If you are going to point a loaded gun at them shoot to kill or you may not live past..."

Unfortunately, that state of mind constitutes felony manslaughter in most states.

Sometimes, people suggest that you should "shoot to wound"... that constitutes felony assault with a deadly weapon in most states.

Deadly force laws in North Carolina are statutory law, written by the legislature (as opposed to common law, inherited from our forefathers; which covers force up to but not including deadly force).

In this state, we are only authorized to stop an immediate, proximate deadly attack or sexual assault.

The key word here is "stop". Your intent must be to shoot to stop the attack. If you happen to kill them in the process, that's unfortunate for your attacker.

This may seem like a fine point, but if you say anything about any other intent to the investigating officers that arrive on the scene, you are sure to perk the interest of a district attorney that has the authority to introduce it to a grand jury.

Marc

Correct..
 

Mr. McQueen.

I'm surprised it didnt get tested in the courts. I hope it includes definitions. It appears totally ambigious. Do you have to call a lawyer before you shoot. How could you possible know his or her intent. What happened to your Constution right to defend your family and home? In Florida an invasion of you kingdom, its his ass! Clear and Concise! Its consistant with our Constitution! Your right to bear arms is guarenteed in our US constitution but you have no right to use them? Eric, JD

Shoot to stop; never to kill; never to wound. Whatever else happens is an unfortunate coincidence as long as the shoot is rightous.

Charlie