caught a thief in the act, my dog was attacked, perimeter defense

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About 4 years ago, when I first bought my place, I caught 2 jitterbugs trying to steal my car radio. This was before I had a dog. I only stopped them by luck when I went out to get a bag out of my car. I opened my front door and when I did, I saw a bicycle in my driveway. Realizing that there was something wrong, I stepped back inside and grabbed my pistol (keltec 9mm) which was next to my keys on the bookshelf by the door.

I stepped outside again and as I did so I chambered a round and "cut the pie" to round the corner to my carport on the side of my house. I noticed a flash of movement and began clearing the carport, then my car, and then went into my back yard where I was shocked to see two black males that were in the process of jumping my back fence. I instinctively assumed a good firing stance (just in case they turned and fired), but they kept going. I never saw a weapon. I'm certain that they heard my pistol when I chambered a round and that's why they jumped the fence and ran.

I called 911 and brought my bags in. A minute or two later (it was that fast) the police arrived and told me that there had been a rash of car burglaries in the neighborhood and where around the corner investigating one when they were dispatched to my house. The thieves left their bikes in my yard and the cops let me go get them from the station when no one claimed them.

Shortly after that thieves stole my mower from my back yard. a month or two later my girlfriend at the time decided that my $400 bicycle was in her way and she put it out in the carport where it was stolen too. A few months later one of the bicycles I recovered from the thieves was stolen from my back yard.

I got a yellow lab after that I kept on a trolley/runner set up after that. He wasn't quite as athletic or hard headed as my current dog (described in the locked thread below)and didn't he get loose nearly as often. My neighbors behind me had pittbulls and one of their dogs jumped the fence into my yard and attacked my lab. Both dogs were so badly hurt they had to be destroyed. I started thinking about an electric fence then since it would not only keep my dog in and thieves out, it would also keep horny males out when Hershey goes in heat.

Anyhow, it's a real situation that I had to deal with decisively and having a guard dog has prevented any repeat of the incidents described above.
 
Gees, cant you take a hint? MOVE!

Where we use to live it was a lot like your neighborhood. It was a pain, but I packed up and moved to a little community(8 houses) 6 miles from town. We have not had a problem since. ;) knock on wood. Plus I have a big dog out back, and a pixxed off dog in the house

I don't like cities. There are to many people(without any common since). The police have their hands full. They are to busy dealing with domestic violence issues, fender benders, and drunks. Neighborhood watch is a thing of the past, unless your neighbors are nosy( I welcome that)
 
Car burglars are in just about every city. I live in a city with very little violent crime yet, we get hammered with car burglaries. The overwhelming majority of these are committed by boys ages 14 to 19. In Texas, its legal to shoot thieves at nighttime and there have been some young car burglars slain while in the act. Someone ought to explain that to the kids who go prowling at night.

Some neighborhoods get hit harder than others. Based on what you said, I would definitely move. I especially detest neighborhoods where alot of people have pitbulls. These animals pose a danger, especially to children, the elderly and other animals. I have absolutely no use for them.
 
I graduate in a year and will be selling my house and moving then. This was the only place I could afford after my divorce and I'll end up selling it for twice what I paid for it, but when you decide to go back to college in your 30's while you're raising 2 kids some sacrifices have to be made.
 
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If that's an offer to feed and water Hershey when I go away on orders I may take you up on it. I spend so much time on active duty teaching classes that I am beginning to impose too much on my friends to take care of her.

Seriously though, its not that bad of a neighborhood. The nice thing about where I live is that the kids I mostly have to worry about aren't interested in anything beyond a smash and grab. Fortunately, a loud dog and motion activated security light seems to scare them away.

I have an alarm system in my house and signs are posted to that effect. I am considering installing an additional circuit on the alarm strictly for my gun room. If I go with the electric fence I may install a lockable doggy door that will allow my dog to come into the gun room from the outside for shelter and added security for my collection.

I wonder if I'd be better served by having a dog inwith access there or a motion sensor. I couldn't really do both.
 
This may not help but I have to ask if you have a storage building that you can lock for big things like mowers and bikes? Possibly put a heavy duty padlock on as well? Along with good exterior lighting? For a problem like that maybe even some cameras.

Also sounds like your area is BADLY in need of a neighborhood watch program or something. We have a few tweakers and generally worthless human beings around who like to steal, I have seen evidence of them trying to steal my riding mower (tried to pry out the ignition switch), cut the steel cable lock I have on my shed, and just prowling in general.

Other than that I keep my valuables in the house close to me, definitely nothing outside that I want to keep. Lock things up as well as you can. Force them to work or make as much noise as possible to get something.
 
the problem in my neighbor hood is that although most of the residents own their homes, about 2 blocks away is a "apartment complex" where everyone has their rent paid for by the government. My neighbor hood is a decent middle class residential area, but the aprtment/projects down the road is running the entire area down.

I would rather have potential thieves avoid my property entirely than come in my yard and be locked out by security measures. I started this thread and the previous on in hope that a member could offer another idea for a passive defense tactic. I just hope that it doesn't get locked like the other one.

I have a 20 foot conex in my back yard and a motion activated security light. The conex is very secure, but it is a PIA for my kids to get in and out of so I have them bring their bikes inside the house. the mower stays in the conex.
 
Short of booby trapping I'm not sure what else to advise. We also have a block or three of homes down the road a bit, with plenty of junkies and tweakers strolling around looking for something to steal. My son's tricycle was stolen after we forgot to take it in the house one night. I'm not sure what you could legally employ in the way of passive defense, electric fences, surveillance equipment, leave a TV on at all times in the house, leave lights on...there aren't any magic tricks that will de-victimize you.

Secure your possessions, secure your home, develop at least a watchful relationship with neighbors...have a good offense planned out just in case. Also keep a round chambered so next time there will be no noise to alert anyone that you are armed.
 
I chased a pitbull that belongs to the neighbor accross the street out of my yard today. I saw him jump the fence from my next door neighbor's yard into my yard. When I grabbed a stick and ran after him he jumped the fence into my front yard and ran to the his home accross the street. He's a juvenille dog and I think he was just wanting to play with hershey ( I don't know if she might be going into heat, but that might be possible.

I watched him climb the fence both times, and an electric fence would have stopped him.
 
I'd be putting up 12 foot chain link, barbed wire at the top, cameras with constant survey, and, if I could afford it, a home security system with patrols.

Have you given serious thought to a very high fence, and rotts? given a choice between shooting a young dog, and the young dogs owners, guess which one I'd pick...You might be able to reform the dog...
 
Sorry guys. A rottweiler says one thing, and one thing only to me.

It's a guy who can't do his own fighting, so he sends a dog.
 
That's fine with me, I'll let somebody (or something) else do my fighting for me any day. Preferably a whole bunch of somebody (or something) elses.

But as far as the OP goes, damn that sounds like a lousy place to live.
 
C'mon Tourist! Dogs are about as close as you can get to having a sentry gun! I say get a whole pack accompanied by landsharks and bear traps :D

Back on topic though, do you have any motion lights?

http://www.homesecuritystore.com/ezStore123/DTProductZoom.asp?productID=1290

I've heard good things about this wireless security unit, it inconspicuously alerts you in the house when someone approaches it--may provide you with a few more seconds to get the drop on a bg if someone comes within 15ft of the transmitting unit. Works inside of cars too :)
 
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