Mindset: It will never happen here.

Skadoosh, it was pretty common in the Atlanta area.

It had become more common in Orlando, too, but many of those robberies seemed to target illegal immigrants - who were extremely unlikely to call police.
 
By common I mean it seemed like the Atlanta Journal Constitution would report home invasions and/or burglaries of occupied dwellings an average of once to twice a week during the three years I lived in the area.

(Edit: The rate seems about the same since I left, so I had no correlation, thanks.)
 
Skadoosh said:
Yet the idea that a home invasion occurs whether or not anyone is occupying the home at the time of the burglary like the OP implies, is misleading.
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As was your assertion that a burglary meant no one was home.

I've provided the correct terminology. Let's use correct terminology and not quibble about it any more.
 
Now why would crime happen in nice, affluent neighborhoods?

Because the people who live there tend to have the nicest stuff to steal.
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Formerly known as fiddletown
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And the most money in the ATM machine that one home invader will drive you to while the other holds your family hostage---just before you are murdered.

Also, there are a large number of robberies that involve following people home and either robbing them in their driveways or forcing their way into the home. All it takes is a nice looking car to demonstrate your upper level social status, and get the wrong peoples' attention. Don't underestimate the robberies that occur in this manner.:cool:
 
It can't happen here is a shortsighted view nowadays. The flip of this is the guys (& gals!) who know it can happen and carry at all times, even around the house. Count me in that camp. Being armed when you answer the door gives you the best chance for survival if it's trouble knocking on the door. Plus, it makes it real convenient to get in a few minutes of presentations here and there. At home is a good place to build muscle memory.
 
I've commented before that it's actually amusing to hear people being interviewed after some sort of crime takes place because they all say the same things:

I couldn't believe it was happening.
I never thought it would happen here.
I never thought it could happen to me.
It took me awhile to realize it was actually happening.
etc.

People go through their lives expecting NOTHING to happen and, as a result, they're always surprised when something does happen.

You don't have to go through your life always expecting that something's going to happen to you, but you should at least always be open to the idea that something COULD happen so you won't be caught flat-footed, telling yourself that: "I can't believe this is really happening." instead of doing the things you need to do to survive.
 
I had never even heard of that small town in Texas....until the infamous Luby's massacre. Same goes for Littleton, Colorado. Right up until the shooting started, many folks who live in those places were probably of a similar mindset.
 
I've posted this several years ago so in this thread I will give you the Reader's Digest Version:

I lived in a high rise Condo. You need to get through a guard to get through a gate and then need to get through a second guard to gain access to the building. I was alone in my Condo when I heard the door open, knowing there was no scheduled maintenance, I went to investigate. I was met by three armed individuals. They shot me, left me for dead, and cleaned out nearly $200,000 worth of art and other valuables.

It couldn't happen here because of the security around and in the building? Obviously I was wrong. I moved from the Condo after my recovery and into a gated community. However, I have a state of the art security system, a four legged early warning system, and always carry a firearm on my person or right next to where I am sitting or sleeping. I no longer have thoughts of it couldn't happen here and hopefully have planned for every contingency by playing the "what if" game from every area of the house, every window, and every door.
 
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I live in SE Florida and it did happen very often until the Castle Law was approved. There has been a dramatic reduction since this law was adopted and home owners began shooting the bad guys.
 
Funny thing about events "not happening here." For many people in many communities all over the US, it never happens there. This doesn't make the mindset correct, but only notes that the mindset is fully supported with long term support for many people in many communities/locations.

It is a funny thing that we are vigilant because we know it can and does happen, even if it hasn't happened to us...and we have the stats to back up our assertions. At the same time, the naysayers have have the stats to back up their assertions as well. Even if it does happen in their community, it still may be wholly unlikely to happen to them...statistically speaking.

On the down side, those living in remote areas where "it will never happen" may feel confident that it won't and it certainly may not, but if it does, help isn't likely to just be minutes away (which is already too long), but 10s of minutes away.
 
DNS

but if it does, help isn't likely to just be minutes away (which is already too long), but 10s of minutes away
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This is the reason for my intrest in such topics. We are further from society than one would think on many levels.

Regards, Vermonter
 
We are further from society than one would think on many levels.
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Sometimes even in the inner city.

Used to live in rather rough area in south Cols.,Ohio that,due to budget constraints, had 6 LEO's assigned per shift in that precinct. Precinct was fairly large.
Worked with and knew all of them and they were goods cops. But when things got jumpin on a good Friday or Sat. night, response time could be very long. Very long like, you better handle business on your own if you have to and let LEO handle the paperwork when they arrived.

Now, thankfully, I live in the country and don't have to listen to sirens and gunshots 24/7 but would probably still have to take care of business cause response time would most likely be around 20-30mins. on a hot run.
 
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thx for the thread, Vermonter and on a side note, it reminded me of the double homicide in vermont commited towards the beginning of last decade while I was living closeby over the border in new hampshire: two teenagers(one named parker) murdered a college professor and his wife. the home they chose was random.
 
drug mentality

younguns your welcome for the thread.

To me Vermont as a whole is a very safe state and statistically we have very low crime rates. The exception is the resort community mentality. Folks come here thinking they can do whatever they please because they are on vacation. Those folks tend to buy drugs. The folks who tend to sell drugs are folks that tend to have violence and stupidity follow them.

Funny thing is the drug fellas stick out like a sore thumb. They are so obvious here it isnt even funny and yet they get away with it.

Regards, Vermonter
 
Denial is a very powerful human condition. Overcoming it forces people to make decisions they would rather not make. Why prepare to defend yourself when "it will never happen"? :rolleyes:
 
That's right, with knowledge comes responsibility. I believe that some actually prefer the ignorance is bliss philosophy because it allows them to be lazy. Later on, they can say I never thought that would happen...
 
Not necessarily lazy, but as folks here so often have noted, if you think you are some place where something might happen, leave or move, but we can't spend our lives leaving and moving away from places that have become seemingly or apparently unsafe. It isn't that it would be lazy, but totally impractical. I know I can't live my life only going places that are "safe" and my safe neighborhood had a murder in it just a few years after I moved in. It was nice that I had a cop for a neighbor, but he was the one who did the murdering. :(

Also, it would drive some people nuts to continually consider the fact that they are not living in a place that is as safe as they would like.
 
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