[67blackcherry]

What a great post! Ok, my 2cents worth...Dad was an FBI agent in Las Vegas during the '70's-the movie Casino, that was him chasing the bad guys-he always told my Mom, brother and I..."shoot to kill, and tell anybody and everybody 'I felt my life was in danger'. Look at the courts, look at the jails, look at society, what has happened to this great country? A bunch of POS thugs unwilling to work, they would rather steal. I don't advocate taking someone's life; HOWEVER, tough times demand tough people. If the criminal element knew the general population was armed, crime would go down. It's happened in all the states that allow Conceal Carry Permits. BTW, God Bless Texas!!! You folks aren't afraid to execute criminals, and you allow homeowners the opportunity to protect their family and home. I will protect myself, my daughter, and my property with whatever means are at my disposal, including my firearms. A message needs to be sent loud and clear to the criminal element "We have had enough and we will not tolerate this crap anymore." Street gangs much more dangerous than the Mafia ever was, complete disrespect for life or authority, all the old timers in Las Vegas say the same thing, "this town was so much nicer when the Mob ran it." Something has got to give, and it's not going to be me. I hope and pray I'm never faced with that sort of situation, but rest assured I will protect myself, my daughter and my property.

[Wick]

Originally Posted by 67blackcherry

What a great post! Ok, my 2cents worth...Dad was an FBI agent in Las Vegas during the '70's-the movie Casino, that was him chasing the bad guys-he always told my Mom, brother and I..."shoot to kill, and tell anybody and everybody 'I felt my life was in danger'. Look at the courts, look at the jails, look at society, what has happened to this great country? A bunch of POS thugs unwilling to work, they would rather steal. I don't advocate taking someone's life; HOWEVER, tough times demand tough people. If the criminal element knew the general population was armed, crime would go down. It's happened in all the states that allow Conceal Carry Permits. BTW, God Bless Texas!!! You folks aren't afraid to execute criminals, and you allow homeowners the opportunity to protect their family and home. I will protect myself, my daughter, and my property with whatever means are at my disposal, including my firearms. A message needs to be sent loud and clear to the criminal element "We have had enough and we will not tolerate this crap anymore." Street gangs much more dangerous than the Mafia ever was, complete disrespect for life or authority, all the old timers in Las Vegas say the same thing, "this town was so much nicer when the Mob ran it." Something has got to give, and it's not going to be me. I hope and pray I'm never faced with that sort of situation, but rest assured I will protect myself, my daughter and my property.

Amen. And taking pictures of the thief does nothing as some suggest.

[79Redbird]

Goquick and Cliff,
I live in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The laws in the State of Missouri changed recently. You no longer have to retreat when faced with danger before you use deadly force. Also, just entering someones house or car without permission is now justification for deadly force. It's called a Castle Doctrine, and many states are passing them. As far as Civil litigation, under the new law if you use deadly force and it is ruled justified, no one can come after you in civil court.

Great Law isn't it!! It's even better when you take advantage of our Shall Issue concealed carry law.

Hope I'm not stepping on any toes here being a newbie and all. I just got back into Pontiacs after a 10yr firearms obsession. I have to have at least one obsession it seems, and the price of ammo has moved me back to cars.

Take It Easy,
Aaron

[455Grandville]

Redbird - thanks for the update on that Missouri law.

[dreamingmuscle]

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — A burglar in Montgomery chose the wrong family to mess with, literally.

Adrian and Tiffany McKinnon returned to their Centennial Hill home Tuesday after a week away to find that thieves had emptied almost everything the family of five owned, Tiffany McKinnon said through tears.

"Tears just rolled down my face as I walked in and saw everything gone and piles of trash all over my home," she said.

Adrian McKinnon sent his wife to see her sister while he inspected the piles left behind. As he walked back into the sunroom, a man walked through the back door straight into him, Tiffany McKinnon told the Montgomery Advertiser in a story Thursday.

"My husband Adrian caught the thief red-handed in our home," she said. "And what is even crazier, the man even had my husband's hat sitting right on his head."

Adrian McKinnon held the suspect, 33-year-old Tajuan Bullock, at gunpoint and told him to sit on the floor until he decided what to do.

"We made this man clean up all the mess he made, piles of stuff, he had thrown out of my drawers and cabinets onto the floor," Tiffany McKinnon said.

When police arrived, Bullock complained about being forced to clean the home at gunpoint.

"This man had the nerve to raise sand about us making him clean up the mess he made in my house," she said. "The police officer laughed at him when he complained and said anybody else would have shot him dead."

Capt. Huey Thornton, a police spokesman, said police arrested Bullock at 2 p.m. Tuesday on burglary and theft charges. He was being held in the Montgomery County Detention Facility on a $30,000 bond.

"The victims were lucky in this case to be able to catch the suspect in the act and hold him until police arrived," Thornton said.

He said the case was unusual because generally burglars act while the homeowner is away and are in and out fast so they can quickly sell the stolen items.

The couple said they chose to rent the Ross Street home because it was a quiet place for their three young children to play outside. Turns out it was a bit too quiet — most of the homes near theirs are vacant.

"We don't have any neighbors to help watch our house because it's like a ghost town here except when the church is meeting across the street," Tiffany McKinnon told the Advertiser Wednesday.

[Cliff R]

Goquick and Cliff,
I live in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The laws in the State of Missouri changed recently. You no longer have to retreat when faced with danger before you use deadly force. Also, just entering someones house or car without permission is now justification for deadly force. It's called a Castle Doctrine, and many states are passing them. As far as Civil litigation, under the new law if you use deadly force and it is ruled justified, no one can come after you in civil court.

Great Law isn't it!! It's even better when you take advantage of our Shall Issue concealed carry law.

I agree, these laws should be in place across the country.

Still keep in mind that no law will protect anyone, anyplace for using amounts of "force" considered unreasonable for the circumstances.

Consider this: you return home and two 14 year olds have accessed your fenced in back yard and are stealing towels off of your clothes line. You go get your shotgun and blow their guts all over your back yard. You find out that they only wanted the towels to dry themselves off after a quick swim in your pool.

Sure, Texas and Missouri law may have given you the right to use deadly force to protect the theft of your property. However, who could live with themselves after using deadly force to keep a couple of kids from stealing a couple of $4 items from your back yard?

I simply maintain that it really doesn't matter which state you are standing in, the amount of force that you use to protect your property should ALWAYS be reasonable for the circumstances...FWIW.......Cliff

[79Redbird]

Cliff,
You are right about that. As Missouri laws go I do believe they actually have to be in the house, or car. I will agree also that pointing a gun at someone with a great chance that you'd have to use it is no fun. When I was 18, a drunk broke into a hotel room I was in. He informed me he was going to kick my rear. He backed me back to where my .45 was hidden. I pulled it out and backed him out of the room and relocked the door. The adrenaline from this and almost having to kill someone made me sick for two days after. I could have legally shot him, but I didn't. I gave him a chance to leave first. I can say though if he had taken one step closer he would have been shot. So, yeah I definitely agree with the "live with it" part there.

Aaron

[1970GTOs]

I once caught these guys by my kitchen window they were running from a apartment complex security guard well I went out with my 12 GA Defender and it was loaded I held them there till the cops arrived and he said I was within all my right being in TEXAS. Before the law arrived one mouthed off and said theirs five of us and you have only three shells I said make you move because this shot gun carries five shells and there buck shot they didn't move. Also I have my house well lighted up and I have motion lights and a two chows in my back yard. Sorry to hear about your bad luck.

[LeighP]

lol...should have just asked them which three wanted to die first?
For some reason, people just aren't keen to volunteer to be first up for that.....

[mblocker]

Had an old jeep CJ. Got sick of people stealing my stereo (soft top = no locks) so I took some 2-part epoxy and single edge razor blades. Glued a few blades to the back of the stereo head unit. It took about six months, but one bright morning I had a definite blood trail. Took the Jeep to the car wash, hosed it out and went to work. Just goes to show you a little creativity goes a long way.

Now if could just afford a trunk monkey for my '68 bird.

[Danimal]

I would avoid conflict whenever possible, but if my family or I were threatened ......and I would hope it never comes down to this, but .......I would rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6.

[bigchrisgto66]

Originally Posted by matrix

Not to be an a$$ but you do realize that if you shoot someone for stealing you will be the one in lockdown. And if they dont die they will then take you to civil court and most likely win. And if they do die their family will most likely take everything you have... while you are in lockdown. Unless ofcourse you can very precisely articulate how your life was in danger. I dont know, maybe he came after you with the tire iron.

in texas now u have the right to protect ur property

[GT182]

Originally Posted by mblocker

Now if could just afford a trunk monkey for my '68 bird.

MB, I know the Trunk Monkey personally... honest. You don't want one, they're a hand full. Louie lives close by in northeast MD. I drive for Porter Nissan here in DE, and Porter is "Home of the Trunk Monkey". He is one strong chimp even tho he's only about 2 to 3 years old. He sat on my lap at one of the "Trunk Monkey Days" last spring and wouldn't let me leave. LOL His owner had a heck of a time getting him off my lap. He wanted me to stay and play, but seeing he's so strong it's dangerous when he doesn't get his way.

So stick with the razorblade trick. It's cheaper and not as messy as a chimp can be. Monkey poo is nasty.

[73GA]

more fun is shooting into the air and yelling when you catch them, I actually had one play dead in my back yard, AK 7.62 is pretty loud I guess. Stopped shooting and he jumped up and ran. I live in the county in alabama, no city cops to raise hell, or laws against discharging. Last little crime spree around here I wasn't even home but they got both of my neighbors and skipped my house, they learn eventually! best of luck

[TheLastNorell]

Thats why Ive got salt shot in my semi auto 12 ga. If im not in real danger like I find somebody stealing my subwoofers can just bast em with the salt and kindly inform them that the next 5 shells are 00 buckshot

[Stu Norman]

Originally Posted by mblocker

Had an old jeep CJ. Got sick of people stealing my stereo (soft top = no locks) so I took some 2-part epoxy and single edge razor blades. Glued a few blades to the back of the stereo head unit. It took about six months, but one bright morning I had a definite blood trail. Took the Jeep to the car wash, hosed it out and went to work. Just goes to show you a little creativity goes a long way.

When I lived in Olympia, WA. we had a serious problem with scumbag crackheads driving though the neighborhoods at night checking mailboxes. At least once a week you'd come out on the morning to find most of the mailboxes on your street open. They would drive through and quickly feel inside each mailbox for any mail, scooping it up and examining it later for any money or information that could be sold for identity theft.

To cure this problem, I went out every night at dusk and placed a rat trap in my mailbox. Not a little mouse trap, I'm talking those huge "break your fingers" rat trap! Every morning, I would go out to the mailbox and thrust a large stick into it, setting off the rat trap. Well, after about 1 week of doing this I went out to get the rat trap, only to find my mailbox off of the post and the rat trap was gone.

(WARNING: If you want to do this yourself DO NOT FORGET to remove the trap. Your mail carrier will not be ammused with you if you forget)

[bob67firebird428]

I live in Mass where we have no death pennelty and you have to leave your own home if it is being robbed cause the scumbag can sue you if you harm him . Gun permits are a bit hard to get here too .

[abarone300]

Originally Posted by Helluvadriver

Right out in the open like that? Be sure to look the other way if someone is breaking into your neighbors houses.

I feel your pain. Several years ago I restored a set of Rally IIs only to come out to my garage and find my GTO sitting on my jack stands. They took the rims which had brand new trim rings, center caps and Goodyear tires plus my tool chest. It takes a while for the pain and rage to die down and for you to stop looking at every unfamiliar face in the neighborhood scornfully.

Good luck catching the A-holes.

"A thief among us"