Neighborhood crime

[wart57]

The way these people are talking, they are hoping somebody tries them, so they get the chance to shoot them and be the hero of the neighborhood for stopping the "stupid punk asses!"

I have no problem with protecting your house and family, but some of the comments were just way too blood thirsty for me.

Everybody thinks they are John McClain, I would bet half of them wold be yelling yippee ki-yay Mr. falcon as they pulled the trigger.

[wart57]

I am aware of a guy, basically met him a couple times but we're not really friends, whose house was broken into. He is a gun owner, not a fanatic, but he doesn't have to be to illustrate this point.

He and his wife had just remodeled a house. They lived there and had a couple guns. In the middle of the night, five guys in body armor and carrying AR or AK type weapons broke in through a glass door and just started taking stuff. Basically said they wouldn't bother them (the owners) unless provoked and if that happened, they had 5 guys and like 10 guns. The guys were in and out in a couple minutes, took all their TVs and expensive [expletive], never went to the bedroom, and gtfo.

You can say you'd have started a gun battle, but that'd be stupid basically ensuring your own death. Doesn't really seem worth it. The people I knew basically called the cops, locked their door and got in a corner each with a gun....but nothing happened...other than they lost their TVs and some stuff.

Holy crap! That is insane.

He must have had one heel of a nice T.V.....

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

I am aware of a guy, basically met him a couple times but we're not really friends, whose house was broken into. He is a gun owner, not a fanatic, but he doesn't have to be to illustrate this point.

He and his wife had just remodeled a house. They lived there and had a couple guns. In the middle of the night, five guys in body armor and carrying AR or AK type weapons broke in through a glass door and just started taking stuff. Basically said they wouldn't bother them (the owners) unless provoked and if that happened, they had 5 guys and like 10 guns. The guys were in and out in a couple minutes, took all their TVs and expensive [expletive], never went to the bedroom, and gtfo.

You can say you'd have started a gun battle, but that'd be stupid basically ensuring your own death. Doesn't really seem worth it. The people I knew basically called the cops, locked their door and got in a corner each with a gun....but nothing happened...other than they lost their TVs and some stuff.

Holy crap! That is insane.

He must have had one heel of a nice T.V.....

I think he had 4 HD flat screens taken. Yeah.

[tlombard]

I know I've told the story around here somewhere a few years ago but I was scared to death just going home a fair number of times when I lived in Kirkwood and my roommate had a gun in the townhouse. He would keep it by his bed (loaded) where it would easily be found if someone broken in and we weren't there.

I would always get home before him since he worked a really late shift and every so often when I would open the door to the apartment and close it, the change in air pressure would cause the cover over the kitchen light to fall because it wasn't fit quite right (just one of those plastic sheet deals covering flourescent lights in an office or whatever). And every time that happened I would just walk into the townhouse and hear that noise and then have to decide if it was just the light cover or if someone was in there. Of course if someone was inside, I was screwed. Best case would be that they hadn't found the gun but they would still be between me and the gun and I would be between them and their exit. Worst case, they had the gun and I was between them and their safe exit.

I used to hate that gun being in the apartment. Of course it wouldn't have bothered me so much if he at least kept a lock on it or would be the first person home but I couldn't convince him to put any type of lock on it. He definitely pictured himself as some type of cowboy. He also couldn't wait until it was legal to carry it in his car. You know, in case someone wanted to jack him in his grandma mobile. He seemed to believe that anyone who was going to car jack him would just run down the street waiving their gun as they approached him and that he would have time to shoot them first.

He wouldn't believe that anyone could sneak up on him and that he would have time to get his gun out when most likely what would happen is that someone would sneak up on him and he would get shot at point blank range as soon as he tried to make a move for his gun at which point he's dead and bad guy has double the guns and the car. Even with a gun touching his temple, I doubt he would accept the fact that he isn't quick enough to pull his weapon and shoot the car jacker.

[Arthur Dent]

In the middle of the night, five guys in body armor and carrying AR or AK type weapons broke in through a glass door and just started taking stuff. Basically said they wouldn't bother them (the owners) unless provoked and if that happened, they had 5 guys and like 10 guns.

I'm surprised someone would go to the trouble of assembling a five man team with expensive guns and armor just to steal TVs. If you're going to that much trouble and expense, wouldn't you at least hit a bank or somewhere there is real money? That's such an ostentatious crime, invading occupied homes with essentially a military squad, that I can't imagine you could repeat it without drawing a huge law enforcement response.

[lukethedrifter]

I am aware of a guy, basically met him a couple times but we're not really friends, whose house was broken into. He is a gun owner, not a fanatic, but he doesn't have to be to illustrate this point.

He and his wife had just remodeled a house. They lived there and had a couple guns. In the middle of the night, five guys in body armor and carrying AR or AK type weapons broke in through a glass door and just started taking stuff. Basically said they wouldn't bother them (the owners) unless provoked and if that happened, they had 5 guys and like 10 guns. The guys were in and out in a couple minutes, took all their TVs and expensive [expletive], never went to the bedroom, and gtfo.

You can say you'd have started a gun battle, but that'd be stupid basically ensuring your own death. Doesn't really seem worth it. The people I knew basically called the cops, locked their door and got in a corner each with a gun....but nothing happened...other than they lost their TVs and some stuff.

Something kind of crazy about that story. Is he leaving out the part where he's a drug dealer?



heard this one from one of the friendly guntoters at work the other morning: nearly 15 years ago a SLMPD officer was shot and killed by a suspect he had searched, handcuffed and detained in the back of the squad car. Apparently the officer missed a weapon the perp was hiding, and paid with his life.
While perp was awaiting trial, his wife was shot and killed while sitting in her vehicle. The one telling the story said that a police officer implied that they (officers) had evened the score by killing her. Mr Gun Toter said, 'Good, that'll show em'.

Way too many people are bloodthirsty [expletive] who just can't wait for an opportunity to take a life. Good Christians, the ones I know anyway.

[IMADreamer]

In the middle of the night, five guys in body armor and carrying AR or AK type weapons broke in through a glass door and just started taking stuff. Basically said they wouldn't bother them (the owners) unless provoked and if that happened, they had 5 guys and like 10 guns.

I'm surprised someone would go to the trouble of assembling a five man team with expensive guns and armor just to steal TVs. If you're going to that much trouble and expense, wouldn't you at least hit a bank or somewhere there is real money? That's such an ostentatious crime, invading occupied homes with essentially a military squad, that I can't imagine you could repeat it without drawing a huge law enforcement response.

You hit a half dozen or so nice suburban houses and you'll be able to get a pretty good sum of money and stuff. Not to mention almost no risk, especially if you are heavily armed. Robbing a bank almost guarantees you get caught.

Anyway Wart, these people in your neighborhood they want to kill someone. It's a sick fantasy a lot of gun people have. They get to be a hero in their eyes, take out a "lowlife" who is probably just someones kid in the subdivision, and they can even make it on TV. Sure they might get arrested but probably not and eventually it leads to a book deal and everything.

Since I'm a terrible person it gives me great solace knowing they are about 300 times more likely to kill a family member then an intruder. In a way it's a little bit of justice in an unjust world.

My advice, when your girls start selling girl scout cookies or fundraising for school don't send them to the known gun owners homes. They will probably try to shoot your kids.

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

In the middle of the night, five guys in body armor and carrying AR or AK type weapons broke in through a glass door and just started taking stuff. Basically said they wouldn't bother them (the owners) unless provoked and if that happened, they had 5 guys and like 10 guns.

I'm surprised someone would go to the trouble of assembling a five man team with expensive guns and armor just to steal TVs. If you're going to that much trouble and expense, wouldn't you at least hit a bank or somewhere there is real money? That's such an ostentatious crime, invading occupied homes with essentially a military squad, that I can't imagine you could repeat it without drawing a huge law enforcement response.

From what I remember it was a spree moreso than an ongoing thing. The people were wealthy. Daughter of a car dealer and son of a prominent lawyer. Had more in their house than just TVs that were taken. Like I said the house had just been remodeled, so whatever rich people put in their homes that attract attention. Hit a couple houses over the span of a night like that, and you'd be sitting in pretty good shape, I'd have to think. Not that I really care or think about it, I don't question the authenticity of the story...

[cardsfantx]

In the middle of the night, five guys in body armor and carrying AR or AK type weapons broke in through a glass door and just started taking stuff. Basically said they wouldn't bother them (the owners) unless provoked and if that happened, they had 5 guys and like 10 guns.

I'm surprised someone would go to the trouble of assembling a five man team with expensive guns and armor just to steal TVs. If you're going to that much trouble and expense, wouldn't you at least hit a bank or somewhere there is real money? That's such an ostentatious crime, invading occupied homes with essentially a military squad, that I can't imagine you could repeat it without drawing a huge law enforcement response.

You hit a half dozen or so nice suburban houses and you'll be able to get a pretty good sum of money and stuff. Not to mention almost no risk, especially if you are heavily armed. Robbing a bank almost guarantees you get caught.

If the homeowner is armed, there's at least some risk.

And it'd be pretty odd seeing a tractor trailer in front of all of these houses, as that is what you'd need to carry 4 tv's from 6 houses...24 big screens talk up quite a bit of space. Even 4 is a lot. The 65" I just bought obv wouldn't fit anywhere in my truck and took up damn near the entire bed of my truck.

And to AD's point, something seems...off.

All of the tv's prob aren't the latest 4k technology, so even on the high side, let's average $1000 per TV. For 4 tvs in one house it's $4,000 and robbing a half dozen would get you $24,000 in tvs....but no one would pay full price for a used/stolen tv that you could just go buy at the store....So you'd prob get half, and that's a [expletive] load of work for only $12,000....something doesn't add up.

But to the point I the story, if 5 men dressed in body armor and AK47s broke into your home, you're pretty much [expletive].

[wart57]

In the middle of the night, five guys in body armor and carrying AR or AK type weapons broke in through a glass door and just started taking stuff. Basically said they wouldn't bother them (the owners) unless provoked and if that happened, they had 5 guys and like 10 guns.

I'm surprised someone would go to the trouble of assembling a five man team with expensive guns and armor just to steal TVs. If you're going to that much trouble and expense, wouldn't you at least hit a bank or somewhere there is real money? That's such an ostentatious crime, invading occupied homes with essentially a military squad, that I can't imagine you could repeat it without drawing a huge law enforcement response.

You hit a half dozen or so nice suburban houses and you'll be able to get a pretty good sum of money and stuff. Not to mention almost no risk, especially if you are heavily armed. Robbing a bank almost guarantees you get caught.

Anyway Wart, these people in your neighborhood they want to kill someone. It's a sick fantasy a lot of gun people have. They get to be a hero in their eyes, take out a "lowlife" who is probably just someones kid in the subdivision, and they can even make it on TV. Sure they might get arrested but probably not and eventually it leads to a book deal and everything.

Since I'm a terrible person it gives me great solace knowing they are about 300 times more likely to kill a family member then an intruder. In a way it's a little bit of justice in an unjust world.

My advice, when your girls start selling girl scout cookies or fundraising for school don't send them to the known gun owners homes. They will probably try to shoot your kids.

Dreamer, what scares me is the fact that bullets, when they don't hit the intended target, can go a long way. If you are shooting at someone, say running toward your door, if you miss, that bullet could go right across the street or several streets and kill an innocent child asleep in his or her bed.

Scary [expletive].