Someone with a badge please give advice

[ORGNDNR]

I was taking trash out tonight and this car drives by real slow looking in my garage at all MY stuff. The main items they could see are obviously the Busa, 4-wheeler, and my old truck that I have been building. So we make eye contact at least I tried (It was dark) and I decide to proceed out into my alley to let him know I was not born yesterday and that I am now suspicious. After this I decide I will spen a little time in the garage. I let my Buddy out of the kennel (78 lbs of American Pitbull Terrier and yes his name is Buddy) open the garage back up shut the lights out and wait, baiting them if you will. Roughly 1 hour has elapsed and geuss what the same car comes down the alley even stops not long enough though I come flying out of the garage in an attempt to get the liscense plate at least if not a little more. Well no plate or nothing. After this I decide to just stay in the garage all night ,well it is now nearly 5:30 and I am going to bed.

My question is what can you do legally if you catch someone ATTEMPTING to steal or break into your garage? I know what ran through my head but however it is probably not legal.

 

[fstbusa]

nothing really..... you can't set a trap or anything

 

[thrasherfox]

It is amazing on how many people just "vanish" in this world without a trace.

 

[BusaBill]

My advice would be to install a garage door alarm or motion sensor, maybe buy a set of those two-way baby monitors...one in the garage and one next to your bed, allow your dog to sleep in the garage for a while or maybe even set up a camera hidden in a box or something to video tape them if they happen to show up when you're not around to catch them.

 

[MET]

If you live in the country where it is legal to shoot, like it is in my yard, bring out the fully automatics. just a little target practice. You would be amazed how peple sta away. Also put up a electric eye or lazer eye at the garage door and hook it up to a screech horn.

 

[Mikey D]

If he/she is in your house and you feel your life or your family's life is in jepordy, fire away.

 

[ORGNDNR]

Well I moved some of the high dollar items from my garage to my fathers, don't really want to deal with the ins co. but I will continue my attempt to catch these jerks who would rather steal than earn anything!
About all I can say is if I catch them it just won't be good. I have heard too many stories bout people stealing bikes on here,(Don't know what they really want)

Sorry for the rant I was pretty tired as well as mad that I almost had them atleast in my opinion.

 

[Ride_or_Fish]

Report it to the police, giving the best description you can of the vehicle and who's inside of it. They can keep an eye out for them county wide.

 

[Revlis]

Umm,   Prolly just some dude that's lost...  you know we aren't asking for directions...

 

Seriously though, installing some motion detecting spot lights is a good start.  If it's so dark you cannot see the car... it's too damn dark.  Shed some light on your property.  Just like the cockroach, thieves hate light...  Also, calling the police and at least getting a report on record is a good idea, just don't get too frustrated...  The responding Officer is going to seem pretty disinterested but will at least take your report...  Maybe have a game on or a NASCAR race when the officer responds give him/her something to look at while listening to you...

Oh and buy one of these... (Surefire) They are trully amazing lights. Next time, you'll be able to dazzle the hell outta them while you ask them what the hell they are doing...



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[STUNNAH]

There are some good suggestions that have already been mentioned...Lighting, security alarms, etc...Yeah you do need to make a police report and maybe they can special patrol your neighborhood...They don't know what to look for if you don't tell them...Laying in wait, I really can't respond to that...Don't want to mislead you...But you do have the right to protect yourself and any person in your home from the threat of an intruder...This same right also extents to protection of property...So in essense if an intruder breaks into your home and you defend the home from the invasion then your OK...You simply do not know what the intruders intent is...Your defense is an action to stop the threat...Hope this helps...Also warn your neighbors...

 

[Thor]

I ran into a similar situation. I live in the country, I made it a point to clean my 10 gauge shot gun on the front porch every night for a week, no more problems. A thief doesn't like a house where a gun lives. The thought of a 10 gauge slug scares the pi$$ out of me. Looks like it might hurt.

J

 

[ORGNDNR]

Thanks for all the info. I spoke with an officer last night and informed him of the situation and asked what I could do. His response was, "As long as they are not having to eat through a straw and I could justify it I was in the clear."
So I am currently trying to figure out how to wire a motion light to a loud obnoxious noise making siren,(Being color blind and electrically challenged really in not helping my situation) for the times when I am not around.

If I don't catch them I will sure scare them into a different lifestyle hopefully.

lol, my neighbors already think I am nuts so the cleaning of the firearms will surely push them over the edge. I really need to get out into the country.

 

[gcal]

im not a cop but i know this much if you shoot the dude you better make sure you say you were shooting to put him down and not wound him

"yes i shot at him i had to put him down and make sure he didnt get up...I was scared for my families safty.."


get the pic
you pull a weapon
you better use the weapon and you dont pull it to scare him
you pull it to stop him

DEAD

 

[jbusa]

They need to go and buy it at the store like the rest of us!!!

 

[TAZEONE]

yup yup,
as soon as they enter your property, they are tresspassing.
SHOOT AND KEEP SHOOTING.
IF I WOULDA CAUGHT THOSE FAGS WHO BROKE INTO MY GARAGE......
ON MY DAUGHTERS LIFE, THEY WOULDA BEEN SHOT UP WITH 40CAL UNTIL THE CLIPS WERE EMPTY (4 CLIPS THAT IS)

 

[STUNNAH]

im not a cop but i know this much if you shoot the dude you better make sure you say you were shooting to put him down and not wound him

"yes i shot at him i had to put him down and make sure he didnt get up...I was scared for my families safty.."


get the pic
you pull a weapon
you better use the weapon and you dont pull it to scare him
you pull it to stop him

DEAD

Your kind of right...Just didn't say it right...Deadly force the application of: Shoot to stop the threat, no more no less...It's is unfortunate that one of the shots was fatal but that was not the intent...

 

[STUNNAH]

yup yup,
as soon as they enter your property, they are tresspassing.
SHOOT AND KEEP SHOOTING.
IF I WOULDA CAUGHT THOSE FAGS WHO BROKE INTO MY GARAGE......
ON MY DAUGHTERS LIFE, THEY WOULDA BEEN SHOT UP WITH 40CAL UNTIL THE CLIPS WERE EMPTY (4 CLIPS THAT IS)

The suspect doesn't actually have to be in the house...The attempt to gain entry is enough...

 

[Fireman_on_a_Busa]

I would love to voice in on this one, since now is 1 week with no riding.  If I could have stepped out of my house when I saw those SOB's breaking into my busa house, to steel it, I would have emptied everything that I have in the house.  I know it is not nice to say, but the poeple that make comments about taking someones life for something that could be replaced, obviously have not had anything taken.  I miss my bike, I will have another one, but the thought of them knowing that I was an easy target and the boldness of them to do that while I was at home.  What is to stop them from trying again later for something more valuable like the life of my child, or something else.  My best advice, now that I'm living the life of the victim, Lights, lights and more Lights, security system, and some really advanced locking methods.  Granted if they want something bad enough they will get it, but don't make it to easy for them.

 

[Thor]

Just another thought, what about cameras? I have some stuff that shoots clearly, almost to the point of pitch black. Night vision is fun stuff.

J

 

[ORGNDNR]

I have finally installed a motion sensor above the only way they could possibly get in without me knowing as well as putting some 1" thick plywood over the window with 3" screws into the studs.
In order for them to enter through the other window they would have my dog hanging off their rear since they would be in his fence. Also the small door is right next to his fence and he very rarely lets anything go without making alot of noise.
I also have started parking the wifes car in front of the garage door so basically nothing is going out of my garage (You can't even squeeze a bicycle by)
I actually tried my camera but unfortunately it didn't work very well in the darkness.

If nothing else I hope I scared the crap out of them badly enough the other night that they decided it would be in their best interest to find someone else for a victim!!! Probably wishfull thinking.