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Just had someone enter my house at 1:00 AM. Wife said she heard the front door open. I called the labrador back to the bedroom (he sleeps in the living room with the front door) and picked up the 9mm and walk to the front of the house. Don't see anything, but the front door is unlocked - I could have swore I locked it when I went to bed. Locked the door and headed back to bed. Laid down for two minutes and wife says I heard the front door again. I get up, grab the 9mm and head back down the hall toward the living room. I send the dog down the hall in front of me. Dog stops at the end of the hall and turns around and looks at me. I get up to the end of the hall, at the kitchen and living room, and I am 6 feet from a guy going through my wifes purse. He sees me and takes off across living room and out the front door. I chase him across front yard (fast SOB). Go back to house and call the cops. They are there in 5 minutes (impressive). Worthless dog acted like the guy lived in the house. Don't know how he entered - my hidden key was still in place. We are gone every weekend to my cabin, and my wife and I work every day during the week. What the hell is a guy doing entering the house at night, when we are there, when he could have come about any other time and we would be gone. He had to have heard me talking to the dog while I was coming down the hall. THis is the kind of guy that really worries me - one that just does not care. He turned away from me, and I never saw his face. Had the sights between his shoulder blades the whole time. Wife is scared $hitle$$ and I am a little shook up, also. If he had a weapon, it would have turned out a lot different for one of us. You never know!
I think he probably was still in the house after the first time. The first time, I locked the door. The front door will not open from the inside when locked. When he ran, he did not have take time to unlock the door when he left. I think when my wife heard the door open the second time, he was unlocking it from the inside and making sure it was ready to open in case he had to leave in a hurry.
cudacat - 3/25/2008 3:07 AM
Had the sights between his shoulder blades the whole time.
What made you not shoot him? I'm not saying you should have, just curious. I've wondered what I would do in a situation like that. First thing, like you, is that I would reach over and grab my 9mm. And I would grab it with the intent to use it I'd think, but I've never been in that situation so there's no way for me to know exactly how I would react.
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In my house at night where my wife and kids (and I) are, I've never been in that situation but I'm fairly certain I would have put at least 1 .357 caliber hole in him. I hope at some point in the future you don't regret not shooting him. I believe it's time for an alarm system, and a female Lab/Chow mix. We used to have the best dog, 90#'s of the most gentle, loving, loyal companion you could ask for. My buddy walked in the house unannounced once (he knew the dog) but was trying to surprise us, she unleased he!! on him. After a visit to the hospital and 5 stiches, he never tried that again.
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That probably would have not worked out very well. Especially if the guy was unarmed and made no attempt to attack you.
Forgot to type the rest.....
We had our house broken into about one year ago. Neither me or my wife were home. It's still a creepy situation whether your there or not. We had an ADT alarm system installed the next day. While it's not break-in proof it certainly added a certain level of comfort to our security. We had two control panels installed, one in the kitchen and one in our bedroom. This way at night when we are sleeping the alarm will beep when someone enters the house and at least give us a better chance to prepare ourselves.
Congratulations on your restraint. Had you shot him or even killed him, especially with his back turned fleeing the scene, you would have a problem. You're right about if he had a weapon. Things would probably played out a lot different.
Scary stuff, change your locks, maybe somehow he had a key, and I would get an alarm with monitoring installed asap.
Good for you to have the restraint not to shoot, no matter what, shooting someone in the back when they are fleeing is never justified, especially where there was no confrontation.
Elmo the Boat Dog does better than your lab. He might not be able to strike the fear of God into a thief, but he is all heart and if a roach pisses on cotton 100 yards away, he will sound the alarm.
I go along with change the locks, maybe even upgrade the locks. If it would have been my wife we would probably be looking for a new house today.
Also I kind of agree and disagree with the shoot don't shoot. Heck I don't know what I would have done, I have never been in that situation. So no way should I be able to judge what you done.
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That probably would have not worked out very well. Especially if the guy was unarmed and made no attempt to attack you.
WTF???!!!
If someone breaks into MY house at 1:00 A.M. while my family is home asleep that person will leave my house in a body bag.
And you will leave your house in hand cuffs.
Just because someone is in your house does not give you the legal right to kill them. If you shoot an unarmed man in your house and kill him your gonna have a hell of a time talking your way out of it.
I don't care what you do it's your house. But, you don't need to give people on here the idea that it's legal to kill just because they are in your house.
That probably would have not worked out very well. Especially if the guy was unarmed and made no attempt to attack you.
WTF???!!!
If someone breaks into MY house at 1:00 A.M. while my family is home asleep that person will leave my house in a body bag.
And you will leave your house in hand cuffs.
Just because someone is in your house does not give you the legal right to kill them. If you shoot an unarmed man in your house and kill him your gonna have a hell of a time talking your way out of it.
I don't care what you do it's your house. But, you don't need to give people on here the idea that it's legal to kill just because they are in your house.
Depends on what state you live in.... In Florida the rules are pretty favorable for the homeowner (castle doctrine) although there must be some perception of immediate danger. I have young children in rooms all over the house and an intruder would be perceived by me to be a threat if they were between me and my kids. I would not relish the idea of shooting someone but I would pull the trigger if necessary. I prefer not to expose my kids to that scene though.....
Thank God you and your wife are safe & sound! My suggestion is to take steps to ensure that your home is less of a target going forward, and possibly put your wife thru some sort of training; either firearms or self-defense.
God help the prosecutor who tries to charge you with defending yourself in your home at 1:00AM. Just be sure of one thing, there is no witness to challenge you.....meaning you double tap and put down the perp. Better to be judged by a jury of 12 than carried by 6 any day.......!!
This was likely a drug addict, and his desperation was fuled by his addiction to drugs. He cares not about your family, only about getting enough money or valuables to fuel his next buy. He could have very easily carried a gun or knife and threatened or done bodily harm to you.
This could have turned out very differently!! Thank God you're alive.
Burglar in My House
