Over 35 home invasions since end of Oct.

[Keiller TN]

Chattanooga, Tennessee has had over 35 home invasions in the last few months. These are violient robberies. Here is an excerpt of an article in the Times Free Press:

Citizens asked police whether the law would support them if they shot and killed a home invasion intruder.

"We can't answer that," Deputy Chief Cooke said. "A jury of your peers would decide whether you are found guilty or not guilty. But the law strictly says you have the right to protect yourself and your property if someone is in your house."

People on the porch or in the yard cannot be legally shot, however, he cautioned.

"If they're knocking on the door, you cannot shoot them," Deputy Chief Cooke said.

So far, no home invaders have struck a house with an iron security door, Sgt. Lee said. A home security system was bypassed by one group of home invaders who cut the telephone line, he added.

Police recommended motion lights, security doors, and dogs, earlier this week, said Sidney Eberhart, a member of the North Brainerd Community Council.

Deputy Chief Cooke appealed to the community to return to their front porches, where they could scan the area for suspicious visitors.

City Councilman John "Duke" Franklin Jr., along with neighborhood leaders and Mr. Curry urged residents to join or form a neighborhood association.


Source:
http://www.timesfreepress.com/2001/jan/12jan01/webhomeinvasion.html

 

[Kaboom]

Why does it always irritate me when police say to buy more protective measures to defend yourself or your property. What would be wrong with hunting down the perps and dealing with them. Sometimes it makes you wonder who is in charge of the asylum.

 

[Amelia]

This was not encouraging:

"Don't be dismayed, don't be discouraged, and definitely don't be afraid," said Kenardo Curry, the city of Chattanooga's neighborhood services administrator. "Let's make sure we take back our communities."

"35-plus homes have been invaded in Chattanooga" and not one among the residents is armed? I would have thought in Tennessee the percentages of armed folks would be higher. Obviously not.

In this part though...

Citizens asked police whether the law would support them if they shot and killed a home invasion intruder.

"We can't answer that," Deputy Chief Cooke said. "A jury of your peers would decide whether you are found guilty or not guilty. But the law strictly says you have the right to protect yourself and your property if someone is in your house."

People on the porch or in the yard cannot be legally shot, however, he cautioned.

"If they're knocking on the door, you cannot shoot them," Deputy Chief Cooke said.

Deputy Chief Cooke might be thought to be signaling... 'it's ok to shoot them if they are inside... (but be sure they are inside...)' which seems reasonable to me under the circumstances! Thought the thing to do is not answer the door in the first place, perhaps.

 

[Keiller TN]

From what I gather on the news, these homes are in the poor part of town. The robbers bust into the homes and catch the people off-guard and rob them. Recently a man was shot in his door-way when he resisted.
Of course, the police aren't going to give any advice that would later come back to visit them in the form of a law suit. I think I would invest in a couple of good guard dogs if I lived in that area.

 

[Hard Ball]

How about yard signs that say "Beware of the shotgun." That worked well here in a similar situation a few years ago.

 

[eagle-eyes]

It's all about the liberal philosophy of being a passive victim.

I was just talking to a coworker who used to live in San Francisco. One night he heard a loud noise and looked outside and a couple of blacks were in the process of breaking his car window to steal his stereo. He grab a baseball bat while his wife called 911. They immediately advised him to stay inside the house. So, of course the thieves leisurely took what they wanted and were long gone before the cops arrived. Then of course the cops said there was nothing they could do. After they had the car fixed, the same theives came back and broke into the car again! And believe it or not a third time as well.

A clear example of liberal type laws resulting in repeat criminals. Since thise thieves suffered no consequences they considered these people easy pickings and came back again and again. If he had confronted them the first time with a shotgun, that would of put an end to it right then and there.

Our escalating crime and murder rate is a direct result of these socialist, liberal easy on criminal laws.

 

[Oleg Volk]

Here's an appropriate sentiment:

 

[Paul B.]

Eagle eyes. If he did that in San Francisco, he'd probably get more jail time than the perps. I left "Frisco" oover 30 years ago, just because of that mentality. I'll never go back there either.
It's too bad too. Back around 1850/51, they formed a vigilance committee and cleaned house. Nowadays, that would be a violation of the crooks civil rights.
In the movie, FUTURE ZONE, David Carradine plays a C.O.P. (Civilian Operative Police). When confronting the bad guy, he say,"You have the right to die. If you give up that right, you will be placed under arrest and taken to jail." Sounds like a plan to me.
Paul B.

 

[Keiller TN]

They met their match today.

In today's home invasion, one of the robbers threatened an 11-year-old. Someone in the home shot either him or the other robber. The robber that got away, now has some bullet holes in his Camery. I did not hear all the details, so what I have is sketchy. One robber did died, though.
For anyone collecting these stories here is a more accurate description at: http://www.timesfreepress.com/2001/jan/13jan01/webrobberkilled.html

[Edited by Keiller TN on 01-13-2001 at 08:10 AM]

 

[egroeg]

Thanks for the link, Keiller.

One more for the Good Guys!
I find it interesting that Deputy Chief Cooke is quoted above saying that shooting a criminal outside the house is illegal yet, the DA is not charging Mr. Beverly for going out the door and shooting the BG in the driveway after the BG shot at him.

What if the BG could be shot while he was on your property and the DA would not charge you. Would that deter more home invasions? I know it would remove the GG's fear of being prosecuted for defending his life and property.

I would like that as the standard as opposed to usually having to shoot the BG inside your house. Any other pro/con with this?

 

[gitarmac]

I have a friend who has a substantial amount of nice property. A nice pond on one side of the property and two ponds in construction on the other side. LOADS of deer. We have permission to hunt their, the owner and her kids hunt there although not as much as they used to. Anyway we put up a few stands and sat quite a bit this season.

The last week I was sitting in my stand and noticed a couple of ATV's driving around one of the ponds. The owner said to tell her if we see anyone as they have had some equipment stolen. I got off my stand when they got close to me (there were tracks all over where my stand was) I asked him politely if he knew this was private property. He said he'd been coming there for years and he's 38, old enough to go where he wanted, and proceeded to tear around the pond a few times just to make his point. I walked back to where my friend was and we called the owner. Her mom drove by but of course he was gone. I got a name and told her the incident. I just put the whole thing behind me. When my hunting friend went back to get our stands she saw him again. She told the owner and the owner said the guy approached her son who was walking the dog and said he would shoot the dog if he saw it again.
Here's the clincher, the sheriff said they couldn't do anything unless they actually see the guy. But how can they see the guy if they don't come out!!! And of course you can't "take the law into your own hands" or you will get into trouble. I'm almost glad now I don't own any land, it doensn't seem worth the trouble.

 

[JimR]

Here's the text from Keiller's linked-to article:

This story appeared in The Times Free Press on Saturday, January 13, 2001 12:00:00 AM

Home invader shot and killed by robbery victim

By Dick Cook

Staff Writer

Chattanooga police are investigating a Friday fatal shooting in connection with a rash of home invasion robberies that has escalated over several months.

Police identified the man who was shot and killed as Mica Kaba Townsend, 27. The incident took place at 565 Arlington Ave. Police said two intruders entered the home about 1 p.m. and demanded money. After the men fled, a person inside the residence apparently shot and killed one of the fleeing intruders, police said.

Forty-five home invasion robberies have occurred in Chattanooga since Oct. 31, authorities said. Police define a home invasion as a combination robbery and burglary in which the home is occupied.

Police spokesman Ed Buice said it was too early in the investigation to determine if the men who invaded the Arlington Avenue house Friday are linked to other home invasion robberies in the city.

"The problem we've had with the home invasions is that we aren't getting a good description of the suspects," Mr. Buice said. "These men roughly fit the description insofar as they are black males, and they were wearing masks."

Tiffany Bibbs was one of four people -- including her 11-month-old child -- inside the Arlington Avenue house at the time of Friday's robbery. Two armed men wearing masks entered the home and forced Ms. Bibbs' grandmother, Sarah Cousins, and her friend, Gerald Lamar Beverly, to lie down in the living room floor, Ms. Bibbs said. The men then demanded money, she said.

"One man came back into the kitchen and knocked the phone out of my hand," Ms. Bibbs said. "He said, 'I know you're calling the police,' " she said.

Ms. Bibbs said she put a bottle in her baby's mouth to keep him quiet. The child was not hurt during the incident.

The suspected intruders kept shouting that they wanted money, Ms. Bibbs said. "I told them that they had all the money we got," she said.

Ms. Bibbs said one man had already left when there was a knock at the front door. "I told the one that was still in the house to go out the back door," she said. "He took the little boy out with him and laid him on the steps."

Ms. Bibbs said her grandmother and Mr. Beverly got up from the floor in the living room, and her grandmother handed Mr. Beverly a gun.

"I picked up the baby and Gerald went over the back porch,'' Ms. Bibbs said. "I heard shots fired and (Mr. Beverly) shot back."

When police arrived they found Mr. Beverly and a neighbor, Chip Bradford, outside the house with guns, and the body of Mr. Townsend lying in the driveway, police said.

The second man left the scene in a white Toyota or Nissan that may have a bullet hole in the rear window, police said. Mr. Buice said he doesn't expect any charges to be filed against Ms. Bibbs, her grandmother or Mr. Beverly. Asked if police may be concerned about vigilantism ,Mr. Buice said, "Protecting your home is not vigilantism. Check the definition.''

One person who had gathered at the scene said the number of home invasions might be reduced if more occupants acted aggressively.

"This should have happened a long time ago," said Ray Young of Eastdale. "If a man invades my home and I got the ups on him, I'd shoot him."

 

[bookkie]

Asked if police may be concerned about vigilantism ,Mr. Buice said, "Protecting your home is not vigilantism. Check the definition.''

We need more LEO’s like Mr. Buice…… Finally someone who puts the liberal press in their place… Love it.

Back in the late 70’s I was living in Sparks, NV. We had a group of home invaders who would break open a window or sliding glass door. Toss in some tear gas, enter the home, tie up their victims and then rob the place. Funny thing, shotguns still work in the dark with your eyes shut. A good friend of my, one Mr. Blackhawk, woke up to smashing glass and tear gas in his bedroom. Had his shotgun right next to the bed. He picked it up and started firing towards the sliding glass doors. Although he did not kill anyone, the police were able to identify the bad guys, when one of them showed up at a hospital to have some shot removed from his backside.