# Burglary Scare



## Mutatio NOmenis (Jun 22, 2009)

Yesterday, there was a bit of a burglary scare at my house. I was home alone, just me with the cats. Suddenly, I hear Dad's car alarm go off outside. The garage is always open, and there's been a string of burglaries and carjackings in the area. It's Saturday, so everybody's either out somewhere or lounging around in their homes. I hear some pounding outside, so I turn off the T.V., say a little prayer, grab a big 7 inch steak knife from the kitchen, and burst out into the garage yelling :"HEY! HEY! YOU! GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!"

It turns out that no one was there; one of the cats hard taken a hard leap onto Dad's car's hood and set off the alarm. Other poundings were from the cat being startled and knocking stuff over in its panic. When Dad got home, I told him about the burglary scare and how I had gone out there with a knife. He was angry.

"Why the hell did you do something so bloody stupid? It's just going to be a cat; people just don't do things like that here!"

I wanted to yell at him: "What if it was a real burglary? What if I did find something going on? If you don't believe in the right to keep and bear arms and the right to defend yourself and your property, then shut up and be a good little victim!" I was quiet in order to avoid a fight.

I have no doubt that I did the right thing. I knew that I was putting myself in danger by going out there. With the dramatic crime increases in my area, how do i let my parents know that there's a growing likelihood of us experiencing a robbery or some other attack? I am the only one in the family who beleives in the right to keep and bear arms. Mom won't have guns and Dad is a doormat INFJ (no offense to the type; he's a wonderful father), and my brother is the most likely to freak out at the threat of danger. How do I make sure that they're safe and protected without armament or taking defensive action?


----------



## sparkles (Mar 2, 2011)

Well, I think in many cases robbery is more for the property.

If there are women there, then yeah, other issues can occur. But usually it's to take your stuff, so getting violent instead of complying really could do more damage. 

Are the things happening there mostly robberies (people home) or burglaries (happens when people are not home)?


----------



## skycloud86 (Jul 15, 2009)

I think you did the right thing in that particular situation, although I personally do think that life should come before property.



sparkles said:


> If there are women there, then yeah, other issues can occur.


What other issues?


----------



## sparkles (Mar 2, 2011)

Well, it all depends. I don't know the stats for the number of burglaries that include a non-pre-planned sex crime, but it probably happens.

I think staying out of the way is my first choice. One of my partners had a .38 special, police issue, and knew how to use it, and kept it loaded in the house. Made me very uncomfortable.


----------



## skycloud86 (Jul 15, 2009)

sparkles said:


> Well, it all depends. I don't know the stats for the number of burglaries that include a non-pre-planned sex crime, but it probably happens.


Those sort of attacks don't just happen to women, and they are very rarely committed by burglars unless the burglar broke into the house to commit that sort of crime.


----------



## sparkles (Mar 2, 2011)

Yeah, well, it isn't unheard of.

But I was a sexual assault counselor, so you're right that it's not as common. I just think some extra caution might be appropriate if there's women in the house. Most of those sorts of crimes occur with someone who knows the survivor anyway.


----------



## Fizz (Nov 13, 2010)

@sparkles I'm with you. I would have that concern in the back of my mind since some burglars are opportunist and could take the chance if they had it. Any kind of home invasion scares me, I do have a legitimate worry, even if they're uncommon.


----------



## Mutatio NOmenis (Jun 22, 2009)

Update: What Dad actually got angry about was that I went out there with a knife. According to him, I should not have been holding any weapon at all.


----------



## Thrifty Walrus (Jul 8, 2010)

Well first of all, if it was a real burglary, most burglars will just knock on the door to make sure no one's home, since then if you are they might just say it's the wrong house or something then leave, so the fact that they'd go for a car in someone's garage is farfetch'd. Since the car means someone's home, lol. 

And I can see where he's coming about you not having the knife, if you go out with nothing and the burglar has a gun, then he'll just run away, if you come out with a knife, he feels threatened, and acting in the heat of the moment might shoot you. I don't think you should take it upon yourself to "protect the family" either, you're just a kid. If it bothers you that much than you should maybe try and talk with your parents telling them you'd feel safer if they did blahblahblah, but I wouldn't take it upon yourself.


----------



## Mutatio NOmenis (Jun 22, 2009)

^ I'd feel safer if they let me have a gun.


----------



## Fizz (Nov 13, 2010)

^ I'd feel safer if they didn't.


----------



## Mutatio NOmenis (Jun 22, 2009)

^ So it's better to be completely unprotected than it is to be capable of defending oneself? I used to have a weapon, but I sold it because my parents didn't want it in the house. Haven't properly slept right since. I've also been abused by my brother a lot more severely since then.


----------



## TheWaffle (Aug 4, 2010)

Is getting a home alarm system possible? You could also keep your garage closed.


----------



## Mutatio NOmenis (Jun 22, 2009)

^ We have an alarm system, but if someone is trying to steal from the garage or jack the cars, then it's not going to even go off. It only does things for the main house entrances.


----------



## topgun31 (Nov 23, 2010)

I know a little about guns. The problem with using a gun for self-defense is that most rounds can go through walls. You're responsible for each bullet, and the LAST thing that you'd want to do is shoot an innocent bystander or your neighbor (or neighbor's property). If you were to get a gun for self-defense, then it's best to get a shotgun WITH some type of bird shot or something like that, unless your neighbors are a good distance away. A pistol is ok, just be aware of wall penetration. Some sort of protection (like a knife) is better than nothing. Also, it's best not to introduce yourself to the burglar. 

Keep the garage closed. Also, I'd have a cellphone in hand in that situation to call 911, just in case that was a real burglar. To me, that's just as important as grabbing some defense weapon. In addition, my family makes it look like our home is occupied at all times, like leaving a stereo on.


----------

