Now I'm paranoid

T

Tucker 1371

New member
Ok first off this thread probably isn't going to be what you think it is so don't knock it til you've read it. That out of the way there's something that's been bugging me a lot lately.

Since this Friday my little brother and I have been at home alone while my parents are in Wyoming (should be home in an hour or so actually). Saturday morning at about 5am (stayed up late watching Saving Private Ryan) I was trying to fall asleep in the living room chair when I heard what sounded like the doorknob to the side door wiggling. Then the wiggling turned into a couple of bangs and I was up off of the couch, rifle in hand. My little brother had yelled "hey" a couple of times to make sure I was getting up.

We sat there in the living room for a second listening and, hearing no further entry into the house, had a look around. Our house is pretty open air, 20ft lines of sight in a place or two and the kitchen (where the side door leads to) can be seen from where my brother and I were in the living room so I feel that, given that we were not in a defensible position, checking the house out was the only option (I'm open to criticism, suggestions etc.). The side door where the commotion was was still closed, chained shut. We stepped out onto the back porch and my dog was barking out into the pasture behind our house, but she has been known to bark at a whole lot of nothing.

At first I dismissed it as the dogs banging against the door but the next morning when my brother and I were out taking care of some of the other animals we noticed some tire tracks about 50 ft from the house on the side opposite the door I heard the noise at that definitely hadn't been there before. I hadn't heard or seen a car pull up or any doors ope or shut.

At this point I was genuinely creeped out, and still am. Now any time the dog barks or the house makes a noise I'm reaching for my rifle.

Anyone have to deal with this before? How do you get back to normal? Anything you would have done differently?

After this I am definitely getting the codes to the alarm from my dad so I can keep it set, even if it is just a noisemaker.
 
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Not Paranoid, Prepared.

How far are you from police patrols? Unless you are very close to a patrol, and pretty sure there will be a cop to come when you yell, I'd say that rifle is a great comfort to you. It sure would be to me.

If you do the house clearing thing - and while scary, it may be your only choice, have your little brother with you and him holding the cell phone. Don't split up like in the slasher movies. You want to know it's not him if you feel threatened, AND you don't want him getting taken hostage.

Oh! If you haven't already, call the police and show them the tracks. Let the cops know you may have a problem so they know you're not just pranking or panicking over a cow or something. Plus, the cops may be looking for those shoes in other 'incidents'.

Most of all, stay calm. When it's over, you can wet yourself. It happens, trust me.
 
We are well out of the city limits, not sure what a patrol response time would be but as far as I'm concerned it's not fast enough. I had a bad wreck a few few years ago just a mile down the road and it took the officer about 20mins to get there.

My little brother wasn't calling the police but he did have his 20ga loaded with 00 right beside me. In the past I have wondered whether or not I wanted him to have a gun in this kind of situation because he is 15 and kind of a hot head sometimes; that night I wouldn't have had it any other way.

And stupid me mowed over the tracks today... (Doh!).
 
Nothing more you could have done really. I know the feeling though. Someone did almost the same thing at my buddy's house in AK while I was housesitting. Fortunately, I knew where he kept his Kimber!
 
I wouldn't have an alarm without all in the house tall enuff to reach it knowing the codes.

Next is a question... Where did you find 00 buck in a 20 gauge shell?
Brand? Model? I know I could locate #2 or possibly #1 buck by mail but locally I am stuck with #3...:mad:
Brent
 
At this point I was genuinely creeped out, and still am. Now any time the dog barks or the house makes a noise I'm reaching for my rifle.
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I don't blame you. I've been through that, and it takes a while before you settle back into a "normal" mindset.

Clearing a house is EXTREMELY dangerous, even for professionals. Don't do it if at all possible. If you must, PRACTICE and practice some more until you have the routine down pat. Get a VERY bright tac flashlight. Take a tactical handgun course or two. I'd ditch the rifle, too. A long gun can easily be grabbed by a BG as you round a corner from room to room. You could use a short-barrel shotgun, and a handgun would be even better.

Get those alarm codes and use them! If it's a monitored alarm, so much the better. Anything that gives you a little advance warning is good.

Keep looking around the house. You might find a defensible corner you can bunker down in and wait for the LEOs.

Remember - your first responsibility - STAY ALIVE. Anything in the house can be replaced.
 
tell him what happened and then ask to have access to the weapons in the house. can't really do anything else after that. Set up some walk away deterrents so you can feel some peace of mind
 
Lots of good advice and words of wisdom from the brethren here so far. Take their advice to heart.

Any reason for somebody to want to target you, your family or house? Any disputes with somebody? Did lots of people know your parents were away?
It may have been somebody specifically tageting your hme, but it's more likely that someone was just randomly rattling doorknobs to see if they could find an unlocked door. Here's why that is so in vogue nowadays....Most women keep their purses either on the kitchen table or near the front door, either on the floor or hanging. Burglars can get into an unlocked home quietly, grab something close to the door and get out of Dodge quicklly.

You want a real rush? Watch the movie "Patriot Games" where a group of IRA terrorists storm a secluded house with nightvision and automatic weapons!

Be ready for anything, at school, work or at home. Being aware and vigilant without being paranoid can be a lifestyle. As you get older, you'll see more and more that it pays to follow your instincts.

Next time your parents are away, secure all the doors, keep a couple guns handy, make some popcorn and watch something like "30 Days of Night" or some zombie movie. It'll be kind of fun remembering how you felt when you're a little older.

Good luck my friend and stay safe!
 
hogdogs: Next is a question... Where did you find 00 buck in a 20 gauge shell?
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Wait... maybe it's not 00... my uncle next door gave it to my little brother when he sold his 20ga and that's what I was told it was. Just took a shell out and it appears to be something smaller... can't make out the size but it has 20 pellets.

CWPinSC: Clearing a house is EXTREMELY dangerous, even for professionals. Don't do it if at all possible. If you must, PRACTICE and practice some more until you have the routine down pat. Get a VERY bright tac flashlight. Take a tactical handgun course or two. I'd ditch the rifle, too. A long gun can easily be grabbed by a BG as you round a corner from room to room. You could use a short-barrel shotgun, and a handgun would be even better.
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I'm a year plus a little from getting my first handgun(s) and CCW (thinking about a 686 SSR for kicks and a P7M8 for carry), the only handgun in the house was a Smith 22A... even if it had been something bigger than a .22 I wouldn't have grabbed it because I've seen it jam more than any other gun in my life. I have an AK (16" ish barrel) and I either keep it lowered while rounding a corner or take the corners as wide as I can. I feel fine with it downstairs because as I said it is very open air downstairs in our house. I'm actually very comfortable with this gun, I've practiced quite a bit with it. Not too worried about overpenetration either because my neighbors are cows... literally :D... and I shoot off of my back porch every now and then.

I know clearing isn't ideal but my brother and I were cornered in the living room sitting in front of a 42" Plasma TV... not exactly how you avoid an intruder.

Kyo: tell him what happened and then ask to have access to the weapons in the house. can't really do anything else after that. Set up some walk away deterrents so you can feel some peace of mind
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Actually it's the other way around, my parents have no guns (something I'm trying to change) and my brother and I have them all.

Terry A: Any reason for somebody to want to target you, your family or house? Any disputes with somebody? Did lots of people know your parents were away? It may have been somebody specifically tageting your hme
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Edit: My mom is a realtor which is kind of a cutthroat business but she's usually the one getting screwed over, not the other way around. She probably told most of the people she's showing houses to that she would be out of town but usually when she meets a sketchy buyer I hear something about it. Thanks for the advice, I think I'll pass on the zombie movies for at least a few weeks though.
 
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It sounds like you did all right.

I had some drunks kick in my front door once. I was extra paranoid for about 6 weeks. Just practice clearing your house and put the number of the Sheriff's department on speed dial.

Keep your brother close, watch each other's backs. Don't go looking for a fight, there isn't any thing in your house worth getting shot over but your people.
 
I've had and been present incidents on my own property as well as on acquaintances where someone has either tried to gain entry or has been casing the place.

What I'd do is buy some wireless CCTV cameras, about several hundred dollars and hook them up to a TV. I'd also lock all doors and only unlock them when it's essential, also making sure you lock all doors after unlocking them.

I'd also ask your rents whether they might know anyone who would have been around or wanted access to the house. Hell, you never know they might have had an altercation with someone previously or they might have seen someone lurking around your property.

Good luck.
 
Clearing rooms and houses is certainly dangerous business that is best left to pros, but sometimes you just gotta do it. I've read before that you have designs on entering the Corps, and that's the kind of thing we do a lot of... so at least you know you have the stones for it. As far as the hot-head brother goes, take a back-to-back approach in the future: you take point, he covers the six. That way if he does shoot someone, at least they were "in predation" and he should be legally covered (not sure about 15 year-olds without parental supervision is Georgia, is any 'ol adult good enough? It probably wouldn't fly here, your parents might get cited arrested for allowing a juvenile access to a weapon). Also, as the older brother I imagine you feel a need to protect him and would prefer he not be the 'one-man' (Jarheads take turns with that dubious honor, no one really likes it). In my opinion, it's always best to check out dogs making noise; even though it's almost always nothing, because at least it's good practice.
 
Paranoia is a good thing....mostly. :D

Sleep close to the long guns and stick with your bro.

(You may wish to file a report of tresspasing.)

In the begining of a minnesota winter I heard someone trying to open the front door. Lots of criminals just "give it a try" esp. in areas where doors are not locked on a regular basis ( I'm from VA -8X more dangerous- so you betcha' it was!).

I'd get one of those cheap rechargable million candle-power torches to "light up his life".
 
Been there, know how you feel. Time does help, for me having an electronic safe right next to my bed with a loaded Sig helps as well. Truthfully though, even months later there are just those nights I get a bad feeling and end up not sleeping very well. Good luck with your nights sleep.
 
GSUeagle, I posted a while back about my car being broken into and guys watching our house.....NEEDLESS to say I understand you completely. You are not paranoid, you did what you could. Im glad you and your brother are ok. By the way those handguns you fancy sound pretty sweet. :D
 
Parents home, and I'm better... for now.

But I still am on a little higher alert than a week ago. Also they leave the country Saturday and my little brother is in Florida until they get back.

As always the AK and the 20ga will be within arm's reach 99.9% of the time. I'm a lot more tempted to use the AK as it is much handier, about 6" less overall length. For now that pricey CCTV stuff is out, my parents do not share my paranoia, but I will have the alarm codes before they split.

pacerdude: By the way those handguns you fancy sound pretty sweet.
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Thankyou, now I just gotta find a way to get 'em on a college kid budget :D.
 
It's probly somebody that yall know that know's yall are gone. trying to sneak in and load up a few thing's most likely. anybody who has tires on there truck or car like that that i knew would be my first suspect.
 
How do you get back to normal?
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If you have not alread done so, buy a 12 gauge, learn how to use it, load it with 00 BK.

Install and correctly position security lights around the house. Always have the lighting in the house in such a way as when the security lights outside come on, the person outside cannot see inside any longer, but you can see outside just fine.

Besides that, sounds like you're pretty normal for where I'm from.
 
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