Shed broke into

[BigHonu]

Greg,

You think they are coming back or are you just noticing that stuff is missing?

 

[GPowers]

Greg,

You think they are coming back or are you just noticing that stuff is missing?

Just stuff I'm noticing.

Security has been beefed up, and lock have been changed. So The will need to work a lot harder to steal stuff next time.

I still think it was done by someone who knew where the shed was and what was in it. as some one has to go through a side gate, go through the service yard and back toward the house. The door to the shed faces the side of the house and forms a small court yard. We recently had some tree trimming done.

I think it was one of the helpers. The boss is a guy we have used for years at our home and other properties. Do not think he would jeopardize stead, consistent work for a few tools. But then you never know?

 

[NuggyBuggy]

Well, be careful.  Thieves have been known to wait a while until the stuff has likely been replaced, then revisiting.

 

[Kodi Crescent]

I wonder if the Police would respond more quickly if instead of reporting a theft or burglary in process, you reported this:

"911 What's your emergency?"
"A shooting."
"Where did the shooting happen?"
"At my house."
"When did it happen?"
"In about 3 minutes."
"I'm sorry sir, you said in about 3 minutes?"
"Yes."
"So the shooting hasn't happened yet?"
"No, I'm about to shoot these guys robbing my place..."

Then hang up.

It would be interesting to see what the response time is in that situation.

 

[PeterK]

Here in Louisiana you can't trust anyone. I caught the electrical meter reader checking out my sheds and reported him. A fellow Yankee made the mistake of having his mail held at the post office while on vacation and he came back to an empty home. I try to be careful and don't let anyone see inside of anything. Guess I need to move the mountains!

 

[Brice Burrell]

I wonder if the Police would respond more quickly if instead of reporting a theft or burglary in process, you reported this:

"911 What's your emergency?"
"A shooting."
"Where did the shooting happen?"
"At my house."
"When did it happen?"
"In about 3 minutes."
"I'm sorry sir, you said in about 3 minutes?"
"Yes."
"So the shooting hasn't happened yet?"
"No, I'm about to shoot these guys robbing my place..."

Then hang up.

It would be interesting to see what the response time is in that situation.

I remember seeing a news story a few years ago where something like that happened.  A neighborhood was being ravaged by a thieves, the people were feed up that the police weren't doing anything.  An elderly man kept an eye out for them to make to his end of the street.  When they broke into his neighbors house he called grabbed the phone, called 911.  They played the recording of the call on the show, the guys told the police to come quick there are three thieves about to get shot....then he say did, "I've got to go, they're coming out now"...then you hear 3 or 4 shotgun blast.  two of the three thieves were shot dead.  I was very pleased to hear no charges were filled on the guy for shooting these scumbags.

 

[NuggyBuggy]

So the old guy kills two people robbing *his neighbor's* house and he got off ? I can't say that I think that's justice.  If *his* house were being robbed and he were in imminent danger, I could see letting him walk.

 

[Wood_Junkie]

So the old guy kills two people robbing *his neighbor's* house and he got off ? I can't say that I think that's justice.  If *his* house were being robbed and he were in imminent danger, I could see letting him walk.

Yow.  I’m also shocked that he would get away with this.  I’m sure he was a neighborhood hero, but community vigilantism over property isn’t something you want to encourage…

A long while back, just out of college, I lived *juuust* on the wrong side of the tracks in L.A., so I had a firearm.  I had this great book called "How to own a gun in California, and not go to jail."
It detailed a lot of gray situations and some advice on actions.  One of them was burglary and it really stuck in my head.

Here's the gist of the examples:
> If you wake up / come home and scumbag is walking out with your {whatever}, sees you and turns to run.  You are *not* in imminent danger, and if you shoot (and kill) them, you're very, very likely looking at a manslaughter charge and prison.  (Your TV is not justifiable for taking their life)
If you can convince them to stop, lay down, etc to avoid getting shot, then yay.  Make a citizen's arrest and hold them.  Otherwise, remember as much of a description as you can, relax your trigger finger, and accept the feeling of injustice...  If you chase them and give them a beat down, you might be looking at battery charges (you took the fight to them after leaving your property).

> If you wake up / come home and scumbag is walking out with your {whatever}, sees you and charges you.  You are / may-be in imminent danger, and its defensable to argue self-defense actions.  Lots of variables would come into play (Did they have a weapon?  Juvenile?  Day/night?)

Now, slightly different scenario
> If you wake up / come home and scumbag is in your house , you may be in imminent danger, because you don’t know their intentions, and they are within your domicile.  Are they there for burglary?  Rape?  Worse?   No one could likely argue with self-defense actions in this case.

Lesson:  If they’re heading away from you, they’re probably going to harm you…
EDIT:
Lesson:  If they’re heading away from you, they’re probably not going to harm you…

Here was a great tip in that book if you have an intruder in your home (i.e. you wake up and they’re in the house) to avoid/ease the aftermath of investigations and court:
- Call the police, tell them you have an intruder.
- LEAVE THE PHONE ON and set it on the bed or something.
- Loudly announce to the intruder that you are armed.  You have now officially warned them of a deadly force response (and it’s been recorded by the police).
- If they keep coming or go after your family, it is pretty much indisputable self defense.

 

[nickao]

NO ONE can prove what is in your mind AND a trial by jury does not find innocence or guilt through the letter of the law every time.

Always get a jury for something like this because a judge will rule on the letter of the law most of the time, a jury may not.

Always say"I was in fear for my life" and then shut up and get a lawyer.

There is Always more  to the story. Unless you read through the actual transcripts for the trial no on can really give an educated opinion on what happened in this particular case.

 

[GPowers]

Well, be careful.  Thieves have been known to wait a while until the stuff has likely been replaced, then revisiting.

All NEW boxes will be disposed of at work or some place other then my trash cans. I'am not going to hang out a "Welcome Back" sign for them.

 

[NuggyBuggy]

I always think it's a good idea to dispose of boxes for big ticket items somewhere else other than the front of your house.

But boxes or not, thieves know that there's a good likelihood that stolen items will be replaced - with new ones.

 

[GPowers]

I always think it's a good idea to dispose of boxes for big ticket items somewhere else other than the front of your house.

But boxes or not, thieves know that there's a good likelihood that stolen items will be replaced - with new ones.

I will be storing the replacement tools in the Garage NOT the shed. and the garage is alarmed.

 

[BigHonu]

I always think it's a good idea to dispose of boxes for big ticket items somewhere else other than the front of your house.

But boxes or not, thieves know that there's a good likelihood that stolen items will be replaced - with new ones.

Agreed. I always cut up my large cardboard boxes and put them in the recycling bin.

I'm a little paranoid myself. I won't allow the wife to have a garage sale because I don't want strangers around my house.

 

[Corwin]

I always think it's a good idea to dispose of boxes for big ticket items somewhere else other than the front of your house.

But boxes or not, thieves know that there's a good likelihood that stolen items will be replaced - with new ones.

Agreed. I always cut up my large cardboard boxes and put them in the recycling bin.

I'm a little paranoid myself. I won't allow the wife to have a garage sale because I don't want strangers around my house.

... and that's exactly what a thief will be looking for ... at least while they're still outside at the street on pickup day.  [scared]

.

 

[Kodi Crescent]

On the firearm issue, I think that there was a typo in one of the statements.  It was something to the effect of "if they are going away from you, they mean you harm...".  I think you mean if they are coming towards you they mean you harm.

The whole justice thing is very frustrating.  Dealing with the Police is very frustrating.  I haven't had anyone break in to my house, but I have had to deal with the police because of my neighbor.  My next door neighbor has some means of eavesdropping on my house and then leaving little "clues" to rub our noses in it.  If you call the Police they say "I don't know that eavesdropping is illegal if citizens do it to one another."  It is very frustrating.  Following the legal process will yield me nothing but bills.  Following an illegal process will yield me nothing but a criminal record and more bills.  Damned if I do, damned if I don't.

The boxes issue has always puzzled me.  It is kind of interesting to drive around the neighborhood on trash or recycling day and see what goodies the neighbors got.  Its intriguing that they don't realize they are "advertising" to others.

Now with some of the recycling restrictions we have people digging through others trash to catch them in some sort of "crime against the environment" (my crazy enviro-wacko neighbor probably does this to me).  When I get anything of value that comes in an original box I remove the mailing label, and then take the box to the recycling bin of a local apartment complex.  Its a bit of a hassle, but it improves security.

 

[nickao]

I love being in the country. 

 

[Corwin]

About a year or so ago, on a dark and windy night I rolled my recycle cart out to the curb.  It was usual for me and others in my neighborhood to place our trash and recyclables out the night before pickup.  I returned to the house and was hanging up my coat when I though that it might be better to bring it all back in due to the windy conditions outside.  So, on goes my coat and back out I go.  But just as I was approaching the cans, a car suddenly sped by and much to my surprise there was a kid on a skateboard in tow.  Even more surprising was seeing him grab my recycling cart and disappear with it down the street and into the darkness.  Now I take the time to remove my address labels from all mail, paperwork and packages.  So, you need to be concerned that they might be trying to steal your ID as well as what you might have in the house.

 

[Kodi Crescent]

Wow!  People are crazy!

Now I have to admit that I stole someone's trash once.  When I was young a friend and I would go out into the neighborhood and engage in "mischief".  I delivered papers in the neighborhood, and this is back in the days when you would collect, so I knew a little bit about the inhabitants.  We had just done our mischief, and were running down the street when I passed the bachelor guy's house.  His trash was dumped over, and there on the ground were magazines lying face down.  As we ran by I recognized the glossy ads with pictures of cigarettes and booze.  They seemed familiar.  I had seen these before in my dad's stacks of magazines.  Could these be...

Sure enough, they were.  Playboys.  A few on the ground.  Several in the trash.  I told my friend to grab the other handle on the trash so we could abscond with it.  We ran down the street with this guy's trash can.  There was an empty field at the end of the street, so we took it there to dump it out and sift through it.  We recovered over 20 Playboys, all in pristine condition.  I think our haul even had some of the collectors editions featuring Suzanne Sommers, Joan Collins, and Vanessa Williams (or maybe those were in my dad's stash.  I don't remember).  We took the trash can back to its rightful owner and trotted home to inspect our booty.

We were in junior high at the time, and we knew that there was a fairly high street value to them.  We had one really perverted friend who would raid his alcoholic dad's wallet when he was passed out.  He was always flush with cash and paid $4 or $5 per issue for these.  Not too shabby.

 

[Wood_Junkie]

... I think that there was a typo in one of the statements.  It was something to the effect of "if they are going away from you, they mean you harm...".  I think you mean if they are coming towards you they mean you harm.

Good catch!  Fixed and noted.
Thanks

 

[Bob Marino]

Horrible story to hear. At least you are partially covered. Take care.

Bob