what would you do???

[glockjs]

just in theory of course. since today my car got broken into and i no longer have a dvd player or head unit(still got subs and a tv screen woohoo). at work with no good for nothin "security guards". what would u do if you just happen to walk out to your car just in time to find someone helping themselves to your property?

i've had many images of what i would do, and it's not pretty. just wondering who's the type of person to

A) beat the living crap out of that piece of theive
B) call the cops
C) yell 911, or blow your whistle
D) pull a tgpo get naked and run towards the person with all your bits and pieces flyin while the theive runs for his dear life.

[IAIHMB]

I would think that the company would have to cover it, especially since the security guards weren't doing there job. This TGPO seems to be quite the character. :P

[SLICK RICK]

A then B.

SLICK RICK....

[glockjs]

company is gonna do squat. its a leased corporate center. the thing is that car theft and break in's have been bad in this parking lot and they seem to do nothing.

what pisses me off is i know that some crack head is gonna sell the head unit and dvd for 50 bucks, or just gonna wire the money home. and then somebody is gonna turn and sell it for 150. and it's almost $500 worth. maybe i'll hit up the swapmeet this weekend and see if i can get my stuff back

[Capmaster]

A, then A, then A again. When I catch my breath, B

This TGPO seems to be quite the character

We prefer not to talk about him .....

[thecoalman]

a, then B then cops do A...

[adam]

My car was broken into last year. They completely tore up the interior getting it out too. I was parked right outside my window and I was awake while it happened because I was studying for an exam. Needless to say, I have contemplated what I would do if I had just looked out the window that night. I think first I'd break out my camcorder and make sure to get some film of him just in case he managed to get away. Then I would do A then B.

Did you know that in many states, including Texas where I'm at, that you are legally entitled to use deadly force to prevent someone from destroying your property? Might need to add that as option E.

[Capmaster]

Up until not too long ago it was legal to shoot a fleeing felon in New Mexico.

They removed that because I guess they could see everyone carrying their TV set to the car to take it to the shop could be shot at by a suspicious passer-by.

It's still legal here to carry a concealed weapon in your car, without a special permit. They consider your car as an extension of your home.

[SLICK RICK]

It's still legal here to carry a concealed weapon in your car, without a special permit. They consider your car as an extension of your home.

Same here in Louisiana.

SLICK RICK....

[Capmaster]

It's still legal here to carry a concealed weapon in your car, without a special permit. They consider your car as an extension of your home.

Same here in Louisiana.

SLICK RICK....

I'll bet you don't have too many carjackings either

[lordsmurf]

I depends SOLELY on how big the person is, and then how much I think they may be armed.

[sacajaweeda]

Anything but D

Just the thought of it makes me wanna...

[thecoalman]

I saw on a news show where a repo guy who was trying to reposess a car on private property was shot and killed by a homeowner down in Texas. Never brought to trial if I remeber correctly. Is that that still a law down there?

[tgpo]

Anything but D

I rather like that option

[Conquest10]

I rather like that shooting option, but since I live in Chicago, the only thing would be A then B.

[adam]

I saw on a news show where a repo guy who was trying to reposess a car on private property was shot and killed by a homeowner down in Texas. Never brought to trial if I remeber correctly. Is that that still a law down there?

Sort of. Like I mentioned earlier, in Texas you are authorized to use deadly force to prevent imminent destruction of your property...however invaluable it is. My professor used a donut as an example. Its a weird little nuance in the law that applies in alot of jurisdictions.

You aren't genarally authorized to use deadly force to prevent someone from stealing your property, but each case is different and its analyzed from a pretty subjective standpoint. You can't blame the DA for passing on that one, since the owner probably was pretty sure they were shooting at a robber.

[Rookie64]

As much as most would go for the first option, and it's usually acting on impulse, you're much better off just going with B (calling the cops).


A will backfire on you and you'll end up with more problems than you can imagine - believe me, I've seen this happen to people I know well.


True situation - a carful of rowdy drunks run a couple in their car off the road (on a backroad) then decide to make it into a game.

Passenger of the two run off the road has a handgun, waves it out the window just to show the jerks he has a gun and doesn't want to be messed with (the gun is never used or aimed at anyone/anything)

But jerks use a cell phone and call the police and guess who goes to jail for a night - the victim.
Not only that, but victim loses job and has a permanent record making it much harder to get a new job - most people don't want to hear the details surrounding your side of the story.

The police don't want to hear it either - you become the criminal and are scarred with it for life.

Then you're up to your neck in high court fees and worries that jerks are going to cause even more trouble down the road if you attempt getting them convicted.

It all boils down to YOU get into trouble and they completely get away with the crime.


True example number two happens right in your own home - contractors are hired to remodel your home.
People you don't know coming in and out of your home daily...you notice they are doing a sloppy job (I mean a really bad job).
One day only 2 of the home residents are present...a woman and her teenage son (who is in his room sleeping at the time)
Workers think only the woman is there.
Woman tells workers she doesn't like the way they rearranged her cabinets...and if they could fix 'em.
One worker (son of hired contractor - his dad isn't there) snaps and goes psycho on the woman...in a rage pins her to the wall and shouts profanity.

Son is awakened to the yelling, gets up and tells workers to leave - just get out now.
Psycho worker says NO - MAKE ME.
Woman tells son to call police.
Son is afraid to leave his mom with the workers so he reaches into his brothers room, which is right in his pathway...and pulls out his brother's rifle.
Shows gun...and says GET OUT NOW.

Workers leave...and they immediately call the police.

Woman and son are too shacken up by the incident to immediately call police...so the police are now on the workers side and the workers are now the victims.

Woman's son is in big trouble when it is found that gun was loaded.
Gun is taken into police custody...and never given back.

Woman's son has to appear in court and is given a fine, probation and several weeks of community service. Also scarred for life with a permanent criminal record.

Psycho worker gets off free - and his dad happened to know the judge.


Trust me, do not attempt to take the law into your own hands - it'll backfire on you and screw you for life.

[ZAPPER]

Would have could have should have. I would kick the shit out of the mother ****** or get the shit kicked out of me if I couldn't.

A few years back a co-workers 97lb wife caught a theif by slaming his hand in the car door. She called the police and when the police arrived and opened the door the theif jumped out and threatened her. The cops didn't stop beating on him until my co-workers wife was crying for them to please stop. Justice was served!

[Capmaster]

Good points Rookie. I have heard similar stories about homeowners defending their property and getting sued by the burglars for emotional stress at having a gun pointed at them ...and they lost - the burglar became the victim.

But ...if someone has broken into my home and has what could be used as a weapon, I will assume he has entered my house to hurt or kill my family ...and act accordingly. I'll let the courts decide later if I acted properly. At least my family will still be alive and healthy

[ZAPPER]

I saw on a news show where a repo guy who was trying to reposess a car on private property was shot and killed by a homeowner down in Texas. Never brought to trial if I remeber correctly. Is that that still a law down there?

Sort of. Like I mentioned earlier, in Texas you are authorized to use deadly force to prevent imminent destruction of your property...however invaluable it is. My professor used a donut as an example. Its a weird little nuance in the law that applies in alot of jurisdictions.

You aren't genarally authorized to use deadly force to prevent someone from stealing your property, but each case is different and its analyzed from a pretty subjective standpoint. You can't blame the DA for passing on that one, since the owner probably was pretty sure they were shooting at a robber.

My brother does some recovery work and this is the grey-est area of law there is. (Who actually owns the property that payments are made on, who is in control of the property at what time or conditions of physical control and so many other conditions) The case in Texas that I think we are talking about involves the repo man being shot in the back through the back of his towtruck while driving away. The provision in the Texas law goes somthing like this I think: It is reasonable to assume that an uninvited person on you propetry after dark is there to do you harm. This case would have had so many arguements in both directions that it would have never ended. Basicaly some Texas redneck got away with murder because he couldn't pay his bills on time and some bad ass repo man met someone badder than him. Shoot first ask questions later, but you don't get alot of answers that way!

On a side note my brother says that about half of the cars that he has recovered come from cops, firemen and teachers. It seems that they have credit unions that loan money real easy to people that don't make enough to be able to pay it back. And then the same easy going credit unions have the strictest payment rules and send him out to get the property back.

[ZAPPER]

Good points Rookie. I have heard similar stories about homeowners defending their property and getting sued by the burglars for emotional stress at having a gun pointed at them ...and they lost - the burglar became the victim.

But ...if someone has broken into my home and has what could be used as a weapon, I will assume he has entered my house to hurt or kill my family ...and act accordingly. I'll let the courts decide later if I acted properly. At least my family will still be alive and healthy

I work in the construction feild and my wife is a nurse. Because of this arrangement I tend to meet alot of misfits like cops, lawyers and doctors and such. The cop I am thinking of told me to keep a "drop peice" handy. He said don't say that the perp pulled it out on you, say that it is yours and the prep had the chance of getting to it. That changes the need for the perps finger prints to be on places like the back of every round in the gun or none or the preps pocket lint being in the gun and blood spatter paterns and all the other little things that can trip your story up. If you shoot some one make sure that they are dead. This leaves your story v/s the dead mans story. And evidence is the only story that he has, and gathering evidence is work that no one really wants to do since most of it gets thrown out in court anyways.
A lawyer said if you got enough money don't worry.
A doctor said shoot them in the bladder if you want them to suffer, the shock of the pain alone will most likely kill them.

I got to find a differnt crowd to hang out with. I am running out of places to hide the bodies.

[Capmaster]

I have no problem defending my family or home, but I'm not sure I could live with myself afterward if I had killed someone who was no threat to me. They would certainly need to have a weapon, a deadly weapon, and be in the process of attacking.

I don't mean the crowbar they used to get in and still have in their hand ...not intending to attack ...., but a knife, or a club, or a gun they're using to actually try to hurt me with. One of those and he's fair game IMO. But dusting a guy only because he broke in? My male machismo says "hell yes ...he's on my turf" but my human second-guessing later would probably do me in if it turned out he was just a homeless kid looking for food, or money for food.

I think making damn sure he's really a threat first is the best policy. And planting a gun near him to get out of prosecution is just amoral. Just my take on it ...your mileage will vary

[pacmania_2001]

If the glove doesn't fit you can't convict.

Whatever happens just get a damn good lawyer.

[Capmaster]

If the glove doesn't fit you can't convict.

Whatever happens just get a damn good lawyer.

It also helps if you're a sports celebrity :P

[ZAPPER]

It's easy to say what you would like to do in an event like this, but in reality most people would be sick with themselves if they did kill someone and wind up in therapy. In a real situation you probably couldn't even think straight enough to reconstruct a crime to work in your favor. I hope that nobody here has to go through a home invasion, but do keep in mind a couple of things. If someone forces their way into your home knowing that you are there, you are in danger take immeidiate action! Second don't worry about the law. It is hard enough to convict a guilty person and while we do hear about innocent people getting screwed, if you are in the right you have a better chance of hitting the lottery than being convicted of a wrong.
I have stood before a judge chest out shoulders back head high(weak in the knees, voice cracking, nearly soiling myself) and speaking the truth. Guess what. They actually know their stuff and do the right thing. And even thank you for your time and service. But it is a little scary.

[adam]

The provision in the Texas law goes somthing like this I think: It is reasonable to assume that an uninvited person on you propetry after dark is there to do you harm.

Well that's only part of it. Someone invading your property at night, with the intent to do direct physical harm to you still is not grounds to use lethal force in Texas, though it does authorize you to use non-lethal force. Suprisingly, Texas has the most restrictive of the 3 home invasion rules, probably because we own so many guns.

Tx. law basically says that in order to use lethal force you must be in reasonable belief that there is immiment harm to life, limb, or property. As you suggested, a homeowner who kills a robber is going to be looked at much more favorably then someone else who exceeds their authority to defend themselves on a public street for example, but I was just commenting on the strange situation the law creates by its wording, where you can kill your friend because they are about to eat your jelly donut but have to use more restraint regarding the guy crawling through your window with a gun. Technically, you are supposed to wait until he actually begins to raise his gun at you before you fire your own. In alot of other jurisdictions your right to use lethal force exists as soon as you see the gun. Other jurisdictions have passed, "make my day" laws meaning that you can kill them the second you see them climbing through your window.

Anyway, repossessions cause problems in all jurisidictions. Its a tough situation because you have to balance economical vs safety concerns. Legally, the vehicle will usually still belong to the person until the secured creditor gets a judgment lien. But that requires notice to the party in default, and for alot of these people, as soon as they find out their truck is going to be taken away they hide it or sell it. So the creditor doesn't really have the luxury of using traditional methods of collecting on a debt, and physical repossessions without the aid of a police escort can be very dangerous.

[northcat_8]

Rookie - good story. But no part of option A contains a gun.

Personally, I would just beat the shit out of him until someone else called the cops and then I would deal with the ramifications of my actions later.

If for some reason, I get put in jail, I lose my job, etc etc. That basically means that now I have nothing to lose, no where to be, and nothing else to do other than harass that mother ****** who broke into my car.

The man to fear is not the mean, strong, tough looking guy. The man to fear is a man with nothing to lose

[glockjs]

glad im not alone and how i feel about theives....GET A JOB a holes... i think the cops really wouldnt do much because they know.. they deal with these same low lifes everyday, i dont think they would feel too sorry.

[ZAPPER]

About 15years ago I was working on a high rise, my first high rise after about ten years of building single storie warehouses and factories. For as big a job that they are, they are really kind of small and cramped. Everything has to fit in an elevator or go up stairs after they get closed in and there are what seems like a million little rooms everywhere, and you always see the same guys doing the same thing all the time only on differnt floors. Any how this ain't the story, the story goes like this.
One day I am walking along in prusuit of my job and I see a pipe fitter punch a guy in the chest while hooting and hollering something. It looked like good clean fun so I kept on to my task. I walked by later to see a couple of other guys trying to get a good swing at the same kid, a good punch on the shoulder, and another good tag the the chest, it must be some kind of hazing or payback for the kid getting a good crack on someone or something like that. So an hour or two later I walk by a room and see the kid on all four and a guy kick him in the stomach so hard that the kid almost comes off of the floor and another guy kick him in the flank to put him back on the floor. I stopped and yelled for the aggressors to lighten up and give the kid a chance to get up, its only fun, no need to put a man out of work for the rest of the day. Thats when I found out that the kid I thought was just a rookie paying some form of demented dues, was in fact some idiot off of the street that got caught stealing out of the pipe fitters gang box. And the pipe fitters were holding the kid until the cops showed. They didn't mess up his face but I know that that kid had to have some broken ribs. I don't know how long it took the police to get there but that kid (18-25 years old is my guess) got the shit kicked out of him for at least two or more hours before I found out what was going on and no telling how long after I got the hell out of there! So think about it what is the best tool that a pipe fitter has? A damb wrench? A tape measure? A ladder? That's stuff I wouldn't want even if you gave it to me!

[glockjs]

that's awesome. bet that kid never stold one thing again in his life. who would be stupid enough to f* with a bunch of construction workers? thats just bad news right there