4 AM Robbery
- Thread starter JERKY
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Chuck Ames
New member
Tim,
When I lived in Tacoma, we got one of those door jams that fit under the door handle. It'll definitely slow someone down. One thing that concerned me was your question about "identify yourself" or "freeze." Remember the 4 rules of gun safety.
1. Your gun is loaded, always (even when you take the ammunition out
).
2. Never point your weapon at anything you aren't will to destroy.
3. Keep your finger out of the trigger until you are on target.
4. POSITIVELY IDENTIFY YOUR TARGET AND KNOW WHAT IS BEHIND IT!!!
In any home situation that means a flashlight. I have both a sure-fire and a mag-light, but there are multiple brands that do as well. I prefer a push button in the butt cap, so it's always where it belongs, no matter how I pick up the light.
A motion alarm in the hall leading to your bedroom, should do the trick. You can set it when you go to bed, and at least protect the bedroom, at little cost. Plus you can take it with you when you leave or travel. For less than ten bucks, you can sleep peacefully. Who cares if they take the TV/VCR or the toaster? Come to the bedroom, and they're in trouble.
"Jim Grover," the Personal Security editor from Guns and Ammo, gave some good advice if you do think there is an intruder in your home. Announce, "your in my home, I've called the police, I have a gun." He related this should more than fulfill the "reasonable man test." If they keep coming, they're stupid. (Maybe they can win a Darwin Award?) If it's your girlfriend, she'll certainly let you know.
Besides the Alarm has less hair than a dog.
Chuck
When I lived in Tacoma, we got one of those door jams that fit under the door handle. It'll definitely slow someone down. One thing that concerned me was your question about "identify yourself" or "freeze." Remember the 4 rules of gun safety.
1. Your gun is loaded, always (even when you take the ammunition out
).2. Never point your weapon at anything you aren't will to destroy.
3. Keep your finger out of the trigger until you are on target.
4. POSITIVELY IDENTIFY YOUR TARGET AND KNOW WHAT IS BEHIND IT!!!
In any home situation that means a flashlight. I have both a sure-fire and a mag-light, but there are multiple brands that do as well. I prefer a push button in the butt cap, so it's always where it belongs, no matter how I pick up the light.
A motion alarm in the hall leading to your bedroom, should do the trick. You can set it when you go to bed, and at least protect the bedroom, at little cost. Plus you can take it with you when you leave or travel. For less than ten bucks, you can sleep peacefully. Who cares if they take the TV/VCR or the toaster? Come to the bedroom, and they're in trouble.
"Jim Grover," the Personal Security editor from Guns and Ammo, gave some good advice if you do think there is an intruder in your home. Announce, "your in my home, I've called the police, I have a gun." He related this should more than fulfill the "reasonable man test." If they keep coming, they're stupid. (Maybe they can win a Darwin Award?) If it's your girlfriend, she'll certainly let you know.
Besides the Alarm has less hair than a dog.
Chuck
Jerky,
I KNOW how you feel. Let me tell you MY story:
Any small sound and I would find myself in the middle of the night outside my house with my dad's Benelli shotgun. And this was during my college years! Imagine what I looked like in school the next day!
Later on I got married and I thought all my paranoia was for nothing. Just a waste of time.
Then we got robbed.
Only a few things were taken but it was still a big blow to me. I felt so ashamed of letting this happen. Although it did happen when we were out of the house that is still no excuse.
Now my house has security systems up the asstronaut. Higher walls, a security guard, iron grills, dogs, and a security IR sensor all over the place.
I really don't want all these things. It was a real strain on my budget as well.
My advice to you is as follows in chronological order:
Get a gun (check the other posts for info)
Get a flashlight (ditto)
Get an IR system - these are those motion detector systems that emit a loud alarm when someone disturbs its area. I'm sure there are cheap ones at your local Radio Shack. Put one in your hallway or in any major area that is not used at night. Activiate it only when all are asleep. Get the ones which have a remote activator/deactivator, one for you and another for anyone else in the apartment.
Get some training
Get some sleep. You've done all you can.
------------------
RONIN - samurai with no masters
I KNOW how you feel. Let me tell you MY story:
Any small sound and I would find myself in the middle of the night outside my house with my dad's Benelli shotgun. And this was during my college years! Imagine what I looked like in school the next day!
Later on I got married and I thought all my paranoia was for nothing. Just a waste of time.
Then we got robbed.
Only a few things were taken but it was still a big blow to me. I felt so ashamed of letting this happen. Although it did happen when we were out of the house that is still no excuse.
Now my house has security systems up the asstronaut. Higher walls, a security guard, iron grills, dogs, and a security IR sensor all over the place.
I really don't want all these things. It was a real strain on my budget as well.
My advice to you is as follows in chronological order:
Get a gun (check the other posts for info)
Get a flashlight (ditto)
Get an IR system - these are those motion detector systems that emit a loud alarm when someone disturbs its area. I'm sure there are cheap ones at your local Radio Shack. Put one in your hallway or in any major area that is not used at night. Activiate it only when all are asleep. Get the ones which have a remote activator/deactivator, one for you and another for anyone else in the apartment.
Get some training
Get some sleep. You've done all you can.
------------------
RONIN - samurai with no masters
James Montes
New member
I have a BOXER. Not really a guard dog...
However she will bark at anything moving outside not familiar to our home. Especially Jehovahs Witnesses'...
But seriously, A dog is the best investment for home protection I can think of!!! Aside from a firearm...
I once had three BOXERs in my home when I lived in the suburbs of San Antonio, Texas.
At one time I returned home to signs of an attempted break in and one missing dog!!! The Dog came back the next day with a large knot on his head! I concluded that he jumped out the window that the perps where trying to enter my house through. Without the DOGs I could have lost my GUNs!!!
Again BOXERs are not really thought of as guard dogs. They are very social and great family dogs (they love children, and are very patient with them!) However, I think all K9s have the inherent instinct to smell trouble. A sixth sense if you will...
My family now claims residency in and about the rural HILLCOUNTRY of South TEXAS, Between San Antone and Austin. And, in many of these areas house break-ins are non- existent. The people of the HILL COUNTRY are perhaps the finest of any in the U.S. if not the face of the planet. I don't know of anyone here who does not have at least three firearms in there homes. There is an NRA sticker on more than half the cars and trucks down here, "THUNDER RANCH" is about 1/2 an hour from my residence. Crime is almost non existent!!! This place is a verabal UTOPIA. Sorry to rub it in...
Dogs, guns, flashlights...
All good tools...
P.S. Anyone else from the "HILLCOUNTRY" on this forum...
You know where I am coming from.
------------------
SURE SHOT
[This message has been edited by James Montes (edited November 19, 1999).]
However she will bark at anything moving outside not familiar to our home. Especially Jehovahs Witnesses'...
But seriously, A dog is the best investment for home protection I can think of!!! Aside from a firearm...
I once had three BOXERs in my home when I lived in the suburbs of San Antonio, Texas.
At one time I returned home to signs of an attempted break in and one missing dog!!! The Dog came back the next day with a large knot on his head! I concluded that he jumped out the window that the perps where trying to enter my house through. Without the DOGs I could have lost my GUNs!!!
Again BOXERs are not really thought of as guard dogs. They are very social and great family dogs (they love children, and are very patient with them!) However, I think all K9s have the inherent instinct to smell trouble. A sixth sense if you will...
My family now claims residency in and about the rural HILLCOUNTRY of South TEXAS, Between San Antone and Austin. And, in many of these areas house break-ins are non- existent. The people of the HILL COUNTRY are perhaps the finest of any in the U.S. if not the face of the planet. I don't know of anyone here who does not have at least three firearms in there homes. There is an NRA sticker on more than half the cars and trucks down here, "THUNDER RANCH" is about 1/2 an hour from my residence. Crime is almost non existent!!! This place is a verabal UTOPIA. Sorry to rub it in...
Dogs, guns, flashlights...
All good tools...
P.S. Anyone else from the "HILLCOUNTRY" on this forum...
You know where I am coming from.
------------------
SURE SHOT
[This message has been edited by James Montes (edited November 19, 1999).]
A lot of times lo-tech is harder to circumvent than hi-tech. Get a little dangly bell of hang over the exterior doors. So you don't go nuts during the day you can rig a little hook so you can hook the bell up and out of the way. Before you go to bed make the rounds and let the bells dangle. What? Now you have to make rounds!? Well, you already should do a walk-around before bed to make sure the doors are locked, the oven is off, there's no clutter blocking the exits (boots, coats, toys), etc. As for ground-level windows you can rig up a thing with a hook attached to the pane, and a jingly bell and a rubber band. It's hard to explain in type, but you hook the rubber band from the bell on the wall to the hook on the window and it is tensioned. Even if the window is opened really slowly the rubber band will slip off the hook and make the bell go crazy. There is no way to deactivate this silently by the burglar.
-Kframe
-Kframe
WOW !
Great answers from everyone. and i appreciate it. Let me put some more light on the subject.
I cant have a dog. the apartment community wont allow it. Its a very nice community and dogs are forbidden.
I have 3 guns. all loaded all the time. My g/f and i are the only 2 in the apt. she knows how to use them and would if need be.
I am looking into the early warning systems spoke of on this thread. I think bells are a good idea. I also think window alarms are also.
I like on the 2nd floor. A balcony is by the front door with a rail that almost reaches my balcony. so if someone wanted to climb up it wouldnt be hard. The sliding door at the balcony is the point i concentrate on most. My bedroom window has a huge entertainment center in front of it. getting in that way would be difficult. the kitchen window is surrounded by brick and no ledges. the intruded would have to have spiderman-like attributes to climb in that way. the spare bedroom is the same way.
I think if someone wanted to rob an apt. they would choose the bottom floor. since the slider and other windows are at ground level. Yet i am still paranoid.
I took all my guns to my brothers house for a pro-clean and left them there over night. i felt so defenseless. I will never do that again. I will always have at least 1 in the house at all times.
When i move back hme to N.C in 6 months I will have 2 dogs and more guns, YAY !
im taking the advice of the pros here. Im getting a flashlight and early warning systems. and im getting some sleep.
Thanks again for all the info. I will sleep easy now. : )
Great answers from everyone. and i appreciate it. Let me put some more light on the subject.
I cant have a dog. the apartment community wont allow it. Its a very nice community and dogs are forbidden.
I have 3 guns. all loaded all the time. My g/f and i are the only 2 in the apt. she knows how to use them and would if need be.
I am looking into the early warning systems spoke of on this thread. I think bells are a good idea. I also think window alarms are also.
I like on the 2nd floor. A balcony is by the front door with a rail that almost reaches my balcony. so if someone wanted to climb up it wouldnt be hard. The sliding door at the balcony is the point i concentrate on most. My bedroom window has a huge entertainment center in front of it. getting in that way would be difficult. the kitchen window is surrounded by brick and no ledges. the intruded would have to have spiderman-like attributes to climb in that way. the spare bedroom is the same way.
I think if someone wanted to rob an apt. they would choose the bottom floor. since the slider and other windows are at ground level. Yet i am still paranoid.
I took all my guns to my brothers house for a pro-clean and left them there over night. i felt so defenseless. I will never do that again. I will always have at least 1 in the house at all times.
When i move back hme to N.C in 6 months I will have 2 dogs and more guns, YAY !
im taking the advice of the pros here. Im getting a flashlight and early warning systems. and im getting some sleep.
Thanks again for all the info. I will sleep easy now. : )
WOW !
Great answers from everyone. and i appreciate it. Let me put some more light on the subject.
I cant have a dog. the apartment community wont allow it. Its a very nice community and dogs are forbidden.
I have 3 guns. all loaded all the time. My g/f and i are the only 2 in the apt. she knows how to use them and would if need be.
I am looking into the early warning systems spoke of on this thread. I think bells are a good idea. I think window alarms are also.
I live on the 2nd floor. A balcony is by the front door with a rail that almost reaches my balcony. so if someone wanted to climb up it wouldnt be hard. The sliding door at the balcony is the point i concentrate on most. My bedroom window has a huge entertainment center in front of it. getting in that way would be difficult.(and loud) the kitchen window is surrounded by brick and no ledges. the intruded would have to have spiderman-like attributes to climb in that way. the spare bedroom is the same way.
I think if someone wanted to rob an apt. they would choose the bottom floor. since the slider and other windows are at ground level. Yet i am still paranoid.
I took all my guns to my brothers house for a pro-clean and left them there over night. i felt so defenseless. I will never do that again. I will always have at least 1 in the house at all times.
When i move back hme to N.C in 6 months I will have 2 dogs and more guns, YAY !
Living in the south is much safer than up here close to baltimore city. I cant wait to go where the air is fresh and the people respect each other. Not to mention the right to bear arms is excercised. Thumbs up to all the southerners here !
Im taking the advice of the pros here. Im getting a flashlight and early warning systems. and im getting some sleep.
Thanks again for all the info. I will sleep easy now. : )
------------------
TIM : )
Great answers from everyone. and i appreciate it. Let me put some more light on the subject.
I cant have a dog. the apartment community wont allow it. Its a very nice community and dogs are forbidden.
I have 3 guns. all loaded all the time. My g/f and i are the only 2 in the apt. she knows how to use them and would if need be.
I am looking into the early warning systems spoke of on this thread. I think bells are a good idea. I think window alarms are also.
I live on the 2nd floor. A balcony is by the front door with a rail that almost reaches my balcony. so if someone wanted to climb up it wouldnt be hard. The sliding door at the balcony is the point i concentrate on most. My bedroom window has a huge entertainment center in front of it. getting in that way would be difficult.(and loud) the kitchen window is surrounded by brick and no ledges. the intruded would have to have spiderman-like attributes to climb in that way. the spare bedroom is the same way.
I think if someone wanted to rob an apt. they would choose the bottom floor. since the slider and other windows are at ground level. Yet i am still paranoid.
I took all my guns to my brothers house for a pro-clean and left them there over night. i felt so defenseless. I will never do that again. I will always have at least 1 in the house at all times.
When i move back hme to N.C in 6 months I will have 2 dogs and more guns, YAY !
Living in the south is much safer than up here close to baltimore city. I cant wait to go where the air is fresh and the people respect each other. Not to mention the right to bear arms is excercised. Thumbs up to all the southerners here !
Im taking the advice of the pros here. Im getting a flashlight and early warning systems. and im getting some sleep.
Thanks again for all the info. I will sleep easy now. : )
------------------
TIM : )
I believe that boxers were used as guard dogs in the army K-9 corps. A good boxer will make short work of rats, cats, and little yipper dogs. The killer instinct can be cultivated, I'm sure, against human threats. I doubt that they have the intelligence to be a guard dog of the caliber of a german shepherd, though.
James Montes
New member
To B. Shipley,
As a person with a wealth of experience with dogs I have owned BOXERs and Shepards, I can assure you that BOXERs are extremely intelligent dogs! However, they lack the demeanor of the Sheperd. Boxers are very "PLAYFUL" and not very "VIOLENT" in nature. Shepards are not as "PLAYFUL" and can be extremely violent ("LETHAL") if provoked. I do not think intellegence levels are a factor here as the one BOXER I own now will do anything, aside from bringing me coffee in the morning, that I tell her to do! She is extremely loyal and perhaps the most intellegent K9 I have ever owned.
Hate to get side tracked here...
I know, I know this is a GUN forum...
But he started it! Ha! Ha!
------------------
SURE SHOT
As a person with a wealth of experience with dogs I have owned BOXERs and Shepards, I can assure you that BOXERs are extremely intelligent dogs! However, they lack the demeanor of the Sheperd. Boxers are very "PLAYFUL" and not very "VIOLENT" in nature. Shepards are not as "PLAYFUL" and can be extremely violent ("LETHAL") if provoked. I do not think intellegence levels are a factor here as the one BOXER I own now will do anything, aside from bringing me coffee in the morning, that I tell her to do! She is extremely loyal and perhaps the most intellegent K9 I have ever owned.
Hate to get side tracked here...
I know, I know this is a GUN forum...
But he started it! Ha! Ha!
------------------
SURE SHOT
PRACTICE,PRACTICE,PRACTICE! At night, simulate the conditions of waking up at 4AM and what you would do if you heard something.
Make the exercise as realistic as possible:
you're under the sheets, the room is dark...
where is the noise? What was the noise? Where is your weapon? What will you do? Who else is in the house?
Practice shooting in low-light conditions:
go out to the range, woods, backyard, etc when its dark. When there is NO moon, when there is a full moon.
Why are the SEALS so good? Because they practice, practice, practice...
Make the exercise as realistic as possible:
you're under the sheets, the room is dark...
where is the noise? What was the noise? Where is your weapon? What will you do? Who else is in the house?
Practice shooting in low-light conditions:
go out to the range, woods, backyard, etc when its dark. When there is NO moon, when there is a full moon.
Why are the SEALS so good? Because they practice, practice, practice...
PRACTICE,PRACTICE,PRACTICE! At night, simulate the conditions of waking up at 4AM and what you would do if you heard something.
Make the exercise as realistic as possible:
you're under the sheets, the room is dark...
where is the noise? What was the noise? Where is your weapon? What will you do? Who else is in the house?
Practice shooting in low-light conditions:
go out to the range, woods, backyard, etc when its dark. When there is NO moon, when there is a full moon.
Why are the SEALS so good? Because they practice, practice, practice...
------------------
Stand against evil, lest evil have its way...
Make the exercise as realistic as possible:
you're under the sheets, the room is dark...
where is the noise? What was the noise? Where is your weapon? What will you do? Who else is in the house?
Practice shooting in low-light conditions:
go out to the range, woods, backyard, etc when its dark. When there is NO moon, when there is a full moon.
Why are the SEALS so good? Because they practice, practice, practice...
------------------
Stand against evil, lest evil have its way...
sorry about the extra post...
one other thing... read Tsun Tzu... the art of war. Think like an enemy. What would YOU do if YOU wanted to:
break into your apartment,
kill the guy and rape the girl
steal the stuff??
This is what I use EVERYWHERE...
If you know what the enemy will do, then you can STOP it!
------------------
Stand against evil, lest evil have its way...
one other thing... read Tsun Tzu... the art of war. Think like an enemy. What would YOU do if YOU wanted to:
break into your apartment,
kill the guy and rape the girl
steal the stuff??
This is what I use EVERYWHERE...
If you know what the enemy will do, then you can STOP it!
------------------
Stand against evil, lest evil have its way...
You mentioned the sliding glass doors. I have heard these are really easy to break into. You can drill a hole through the frame of the inside door (where the two doors meet in the middle) and almost through the outside door frame. Then putting a pin (or a nail) through both frames locks them together (also works on windows). You can also cut a piece of wood the length of the sliding half and drop it down into the track to block the door closed.
The thing I don't like about having dogs inside is that it seems like any little thing will set them off (especially in an apartment where there are always noises), so you never know what is real and what isn't.
There was a good article in Guns & Ammo a few months back about building a safe room for your home. They said to get a heavy, solid wood door for your bedroom and put on a dead bolt and heavy duty hinges. Then keep your gun, a flashlight and a mobile phone in the bedroom in case the phone and/or power line is cut.
------------------
"God grants liberty only to those who love it, and are always ready to guard and defend it." Daniel Webster
Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. Psalm 127:1
[This message has been edited by Pilgrim (edited November 19, 1999).]
The thing I don't like about having dogs inside is that it seems like any little thing will set them off (especially in an apartment where there are always noises), so you never know what is real and what isn't.
There was a good article in Guns & Ammo a few months back about building a safe room for your home. They said to get a heavy, solid wood door for your bedroom and put on a dead bolt and heavy duty hinges. Then keep your gun, a flashlight and a mobile phone in the bedroom in case the phone and/or power line is cut.
------------------
"God grants liberty only to those who love it, and are always ready to guard and defend it." Daniel Webster
Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. Psalm 127:1
[This message has been edited by Pilgrim (edited November 19, 1999).]
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