My home was broken into last night. Did I do the right thing?

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DaveInPA

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I didn't sleep at all last night. . I'll tell ya why and you can tell me if I handled the situation correctly.

I was laying in bed last night around 1:00AM, when I heard my dog start barking downstairs. He never barks unless I'm teasing him with a piece of steak or a strip of bacon, so this raised my suspiscions immediately. I grabbed my .45 and headed down the steps. As I came down the steps, my alarm system sounded. I made my way quickly toward the front door just in time to see two men grab my pool cue rack and run out the front door, I was about 50 feet from them at this point. When I got to the door and brouht my gun up, they were running down my driveway, and one of them had the red dot of my laser sight on his back, but I didn't pull the trigger. I let them get away. I figured shooting a man in the back would land me in a jail cell.

I know you're thinking "pool cues? big deal". But it is a big deal. I'm an avid pool player and that collection was easily worth over $7500. And it's gone. Did I do the correct thing legally letting them get away? I had two opportunities to shoot. Once when they were headed for the door about 50' away from me, and once while they were running down the driveway, their backs to me. I yelled for them to stop the first time, but they ran. They never drew a weapon on me. But would I have been legally justified in Pennsylvania shooting them to protect my property?

Thanks for any input guys. I wasn't sure I wanted to share this story on an internet forum, but I need input from someone to hopefully put my mind at ease to some extent.

Dave
 
I would not have pulled the trigger either.

They are dirtbags for stealing your stuff... but can a price be put on a mans life?

Now if the choice is him or me, then there is no choice... but that is not the case it seems...

I support your actions and though it is crap that someone took $7500 worth of your life/money... but It would have cost you so much more than that in the long run had you fired.


Good job on thinking it thru.
 
I know you're not here, but you did the right thing under Arizona law as well. Can't shoot to defend property, only life.

Congrats on a good decision under stress.

ETA: Congrats to me for making "Senior Member", I'm so happy, I'm not sure what I'll do for the rest of the day!
 
You did the right thing.

My guess is that those guys found out about your expensive cue sticks from someone close to you who has been in your house before. So start thinking about that. How did they know?
 
I would have given chase in my truck and if they didn't stop they would have at least dropped my stuff!
Someone knew their value and let it out to the wrong folks... they would have ignored the pool cues after better loot at least until they were on the way out.
Brent
 
My guess is that those guys found out about your expensive cue sticks from someone close to you who has been in your house before. So start thinking about that. How did they know?
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I think it's more likely they grabbed the closest thing to the door when the alarm went off, but I'll certainly think about that. Thank you.
 
They are dirtbags for stealing your stuff... but can a price be put on a mans life?
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dirtbags' lives are worthless. However, yours isn't. Shooting them would have surely landed you in jail.

I'd still be pissed in loosing the 7500 though, I don't know how to deal with that :mad:
 
pool cues

Hmmmm, custom pool cues stolen, were you scheduled for any tournaments?
Might want to check a list of freinds AND enemies.
 
7500

Killing another man, justified or not, changes you....and not for the better. Not necessarily for worse....just different. It's not something you want to experience if you don't have to........and sure the hell not for 7500.00 dollars worth of cues that should be covered on your home insurance.

You did the right thing.......
 
I say you absolutely did the right thing. It's always easy to say that you wouldn't lose any sleep if scumbags like that were shot and killed, but I suspect my conscious would be haunted if I killed a man over some cue sticks (albeit a nice one).

Having said that, I think that shooting would be justified in some states. Here in Colorado, the way I read the law, it says that if somebody is in your house illegally, and you believe they are going to committ another crime (other than the breaking + entering), you can use lethal force. If I'm interpreting that statute correctly, then I think it'd be a justified shooting, but not a shooting that I would ever want to justify to myself.
 
In the end, that is what insurnace is for. As much as you may disagree now, $7,500 worth of gear is not worth the finacial and emotional strain of a shooting like the one you were forced to decide against.
 
First, you did right. $7,500 is less than the lawyer's fees you would have faced for shooting them.

Someone knew their value and let it out to the wrong folks... they would have ignored the pool cues after better loot at least until they were on the way out.
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Do you have kids? Do they have friends? I would bet one of their more unsavory friends heard them bragging about the expensive cues, or was even once at your house when a child bragged about them. They seem an odd thing to target and try to run off with when pursued by a man with a gun.
 
Do you have kids? Do they have friends? I would bet one of their more unsavory friends heard them bragging about the expensive cues, or was even once at your house when a child bragged about them. They seem an odd thing to target and try to run off with when pursued by a man with a gun
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No kids. Just my fiance and I in the house.
 
Dave, you absolutely did the right thing. You WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN JUSTIFIED in using lethal force in this case.

Are your cues insured on your homeowner's policy? If not and you can eventually replace the investment, I'd talk with your agent about a policy to cover such a loss. You may still be able to file a claim though considering your home was invaded.

Thankfully, they came in, got what they wanted, and left without anybody getting hurt. I know that sounds very condescending, but the important thing is nobody got hurt.

I read something last year or the year before that they're trying to pass a bill in the State Legislature that will allow legally armed citizens to use deadly force to protect their personal property. However, that bill has been sitting untouched and as long as our wonderful (idiot) governor is in office, I doubt it will see itself passed into law anytime soon. Actually, I wouldn't be suprised if it hasn't already fallen out altogether.

I'm just glad that you and your family are safe. I can honestly say an intruder in my home that can make it in and back out without harming anyone or without me getting to him first (highly unlikely - I don't have a big home) can have whatever they want, as long as my family is left unharmed.

Take care and stay safe. Hopefully your luck changes for the better.

-Matt
 
i would've held my fire too. i'm in nj so i can't shoot unless they are in the home causing harm. but i would've definetly shouted to them that they are lowlife cowardly dirtbags and should've never been born.
 
My guess is that those guys found out about your expensive cue sticks from someone close to you who has been in your house before. So start thinking about that. How did they know?
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My thoughts exactly. Also not easy items to fence, you might notify the local pawn shops to be on the lookout.
 
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