“The three [robbers] carried handguns and handheld radios when they kicked in a front door,” cleveland.com reports. “The men forced the resident to open a safe in the bedroom. They then ordered him to stand in the living room while they ransacked the house, police said.” So . . .
The home owner had guns and the home invaders had guns. But the crooks used their guns before the resident could get to his. Maybe that’s because he was stoned?
The resident called 911 after the men left the house. Officers later found a gun, ammunition, marijuana and drug paraphernalia in the house but determined they belonged to the resident, police said. No criminal charges have been filed.
Little confused by that sentence. The cops were OK with the weed and drug paraphernalia because they weren’t stolen? Anyway, our victim may or may not have been a drug dealer, or high at the time of the robbery. But he was certainly was slow on the draw.
Don’t be that guy. He’s lucky to be alive.
When facing an imminent, credible threat of grievous bodily harm or death, when you can’t escape or avoid; speed, surprise and violence of action is almost always your best strategy. Be ready, willing and able to use it.
You have to be situationally aware. A perimeter alarm system is a really good idea. Dogs were born to the job. And not being drunk or high helps. Just sayin’.
I think that it also illustrates the point, that if you’re a drug user(possibly dealer) living in a crappy ‘hood, you’re much more likely to get your door kicked in by armed men(robbers or police).
Not necessarily a majority, but certainly a substantial minority of homicide victims themselves have significant criminal records. Who you hang with, where you, and one’s overall lifestyle all influence your chances of encountering violent crime or even becoming a victim of it.
I’m not don’t botherr being armed so long as you aren’t living the thug lufe, because you random violence exists, too. I’m just saying that there are choices ine can make to self-select out of many potential violent scenarios.
The police probably didn’t charge the guy with anything on the drugs because a) it may not have been enough to justify an arrest (Ohio up to 200 grams is basically a ticket), or b) they may have determined that arresting and charging would be challenged by any half-decent lawyer and they knew they would lose.
As it should be. Arresting a person for user amounts of drugs is just silly. A drug user is just as important as anyone else – people breaking in to his home is the same as someone else’s home.
Maybe they didn’t see the point in revictimizing the guy with charges after he’d been the victim of a violent home invasion or maybe they’re just waiting to file the charges.
The pot is just a civil infraction if it was user amounts but the paraphernalia is still a decent misdemeanor.
paraphernalia is just a pipe to smoke it in. If there is resin or tar from smoking then it is considered a small amount of weed. I don’t see why it would be a higher crime than possession.
I know I’ll be the odd man out again, but you don’t have to have doors that open to common breaching methods. You don’t even have to have windows on the first floor either. PPPPP.
^ This. I touched upon this below.
For starters, most people install their door hinges with short tiny screws that only screw into the door casing … which is almost always 1×6 or 1×8 pine. In other words most door attachments at the hinges are extremely weak. The answer is easy: replace those short tiny screws with BIG LONG screws which attach your door’s hinges to your home’s frame (2x4s or 2x6s).
The lock plate is a somewhat different matter. The answer there is to install a long steel lock plate (preferably at least 24 inches long) — again with BIG LONG screws that screw through the door casing and into your home’s frame (2x4s or 2x6s).
Those two measures will significantly increase the time it takes to breach your door.
I suspect that change along would give one at least tens of seconds more warning, and might even cancel the invasion. If they are determined it still might add a minute or two. Your countering ambush could improve significantly in that time. Police called, long gun(s) made ready and a good position taken up. I had a particularly strong and well installed door resist at least a minute of what sounded like a pretty determined effort to kick it in. In that time I was able to, shake the sleep off, don armor, pick my spot and point a light at the door to make me difficult to see. I choose my Gold Cup over my 226 for some reason. The would be invader(s) quit and left before they got the door open.
Actually, I am not at all sure it was an attempted invasion. It was more likely a drunk at the wrong apartment. The door might have saved his life.
Yeah…. something like that happened to a guy I worked with, electrical engineering student, really good guy. So one night he was at the bar getting drunk (as college students do) and gets invited to an after bar party by some friends. Obviously when you’re drunk your sense of direction suffers and he winds up at the wrong house. He’s knocking (pounding?) on the door and the homeowner shoots him through a closed and secured door, killing him. The police did not bring charges, that pissed me off so bad.
Recently moved into a new rental, first thing I did was change the locks and put in 8″ wood screws in to the door hinges and lock plate for the deadbolts. GF thought I was nuts until I showed her YouTube videos of bad guys kicking open dead bolted doors in one go. I live in a good area, but within easy travel distance of bad areas, and within a target rich environment (lots of retirees/older folks). It’s a 10 minute job that can give you precious seconds to get ready to defend yourself, I’d highly recommend it.
Point of the story – don’t ever have more than two drinks while at home, or the flu, or a turned ankle, etc. Seriously, hyper and perpetual vigilance are not things one can do as an individual. Part of this whole social contract/ society thing is that we just kind of operate on the assumption that dudes are not just going to kick down your door and take your stuff.
I place no “buts” on an individuals right to own weapons however people need to sleep. Sometimes, bad things happen. This guy could have been more prepared as an individual can always be more prepared. Even in wartime ambushes happen even when dudes are armed to the teeth and ready to fight. I guess we should debate proper firearms carry when we go in for surgery.
All your points are valid. To a degree. How does having a j frame or other small pistol on your person prove to be a burden unless you’re naked? Sprained ankle, flu, or any other normal sized problem doesn’t impede you from simple carry of a smallish pistol.
And if you operate on the assumption that dudes ain’t going to kick your door in you haven’t been keeping up with the times. Home invasions in my area are why I started home carrying.
How about the 1/3 of our lives we spend sleeping? A sprained ankle might not impair you but how about a sprained hand? Or yes, naked when you are in the shower. Or shaggin on the kitchen table:) The flu or other illness would slow down your response time even if the gun was available. Yes, I would like to have a drink or ten once in a while and the responsible thing to do at that point is put the guns away before you start.
And is that J-fame going to be enough? Most likely but crooks have been scene on camera numerous times carrying rifles or shotguns. What if, what if, what if . . . Blame the criminals cuz criminals will happen even when armed. How many times in the last year have BG’s gotten the drop on cops while they are on duty?
I’m not really upset just more worried or concerned as pieces like this are right on the border between frequently advocating for vigilance and fear mongering. Some PoG get upset when they see someone OCing cuz it makes us and the cause “look bad” but then fail to realize this article is on the same road heading in the same direction.
How about the 1/3 of our lives we spend sleeping?
Be like Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris doesn’t sleep. He waits.
Sometimes people have to let thier guards down, it just a fact of life.
A few month ago, I had to have a minor, outpatient procedure performed. And I was laid up at the house afterwards by myself completely stoned on pain killers. I choose to not to keep my gun on me or near me, due to the pills.
Could someone have kicked open the door and got the drop on me, yep. But, that’s life, sometimes. Can’t spend your whole life with a stick up your a$$.
Well put. We have to live our lives and that means occasionally not being prepared/equipped to be a badass Operator. I have read defensive firearms instructors advising people not to travel overseas, to avoid cruise ships, avoid movie theaters, sporting events, malls, never go unarmed etc etc. Who wants to live like that?
That’s why you train with painkillers, cocaine, novocaine, morphine, fentanyl, carfentanil, mdma, Meth, marijuana, edibles, resin, and everything else you might encounter.
Practice shooting. Practice failure drills. Practice scenario training. Practice shoot/no shoot drills. Practice your mozambique. Low light drills. Hostage drills. Practice de-escalation, multiple attackers-
all while on each and every intoxicant listed above.
Otherwise, what if someone doses you accidentally??
“Part of this whole social contract/ society thing is that we just kind of operate on the assumption that dudes are not just going to kick down your door and take your stuff.”
Put that in your tombstone.
Crooks, madmen and jihadis don’t follow your social contract.
Note that this scenario is quite possible:
— multiple home home invaders sneak up to your door
— they stage themselves quietly
— they defeat your door with a single hard kick, and
— they pile in
You are at a HUGE disadvantage even if you have a nice handgun on your hip. (Being in another room which would require the home invaders to find you would help a little bit.)
This makes a very strong argument for installing something which virtually guarantees that home invaders cannot defeat your door with a single hard kick. That “something” could be as simple as a locked storm door in addition to your security door. Or you could install a substantial steel peg in the floor which prevents someone from simply swinging your door open after breaking your lock or door frame.
Of course nothing would be better than a moat around your home which has sharks with laser beams on their heads.
Replacing the standard hinge and striker plate screws with three inch wood screws on your outside doors would be a good start.
You run afoul of PETA with that shark idea. And I’ve always wondered. The sharks have frickin’ laser beams. Why wouldn’t they use them against you as quick as anyone else? They’re sharks. I don’t know if they get the concept of chain of command.
Who says the sharks have control of the lasers? Smart move would be to remote control the lasers. Or at least have a kill switch to reduce the likelihood of a shark revolt.
You have to try the new, improved, patented Shark Shocker! The New Shark Shocker will have your sharks suddenly showing submissiveness to thier supreme leader. The New Shark Shocker will not Short out(not available in Ca, New York, or Or) Do not swim with your sharks while using the Shark Shocker. Not for use on mermen or children. Sea monkeys behave badly in the smae bay.
Then obviously you are a poor shark trainer. My sharks only have to be shown a picture of someone once and then that person is on their no-eat list.
Home carry and you don’t have to get to your gun. A j frame in the pocket beats an AR15 upstairs in the bedroom closet.
Stoned or otherwise impaired is a piss poor way to be as we live in violent, unpredictable times.
People have forgotten the difference between happy and sloppy drunk, like wise with drugs. You can have a few beers and still be cognizant of your surroundings(no excuse for dui though). Getting so smashed that you lose your fine motor skills is something else entirely.
“They turned an AR-15’s aiming and firepower into a World War II rifle without the bolt action,” the official said. Dr. Bello had trained at a firing range, the official said, and because he was shooting his victims at close range, he had no need for a gun sight, which is also banned.”
Wow. Just wow.
Violent crime way down in the u.s. since the 80s and 90s, thanks to roe v wade. Number one cause of death for people under 50 is opiods. So no i dont think we are in a new dawning age of ultra violence. U might also want to read better angels of our nature
Or how about there were alot more baby boomers than gen-x’s. Young people tend to commit more crimes and those people either got killed, caught, or grew out of their issues. The crime surge of the 20th century matches well to the baby boom (then bust).
Roe v. Wade may have made a small difference but not because it got rid of the unloved. It may have contributed in the same way that birth control and divorce did. Fewer young people means less crime.
Lots of other issues too but abortion was definitely not the soul or even main cause.
That said i still sleep better in my panic room with a pack of pitbulls inside my underground bunker…
Except, Dan I said my dogs could only have a sleepover at your house last night! 🙂
Can someone tell me what the picture at the top of the article represents?
I don’t get it.
“Little confused by that sentence. The cops were OK with the weed and drug paraphernalia because they weren’t stolen?”
Maybe they were OK with it because they have more pressing issues than a bong or a dime bags which may amount to little more than a ticket…
How many times have you seen a cop shooting radar yet not pulling over every vehicle going 5 over the limit? Same thing in my book. Yeah, it’s speeding, but let’s be real and let people live their lives.
Hmmm….. Should have embraced the paranoia and been on high alert.
Had a decorative steel security door installed a year ago. So much safer to partially open the wooden door with a locked steel door between us and who’s at the door. ALWAYS armed. Usually home carry a S&W M&P 340.
Actually need it last summer. Man came to the door and wanted in. Didn’t know him. Wouldn’t leave. Called 911. Told him repeatedly to leave while on the phone with 911. 911 ask if I had a gun. My answer seemed to get the Police there quicker.
Most of the people in our neighborhood are 60’s and 70’s. Few young families. I suppose they think we are an easier target. Interesting tidbit, the largest number of CCW holders are 55 and older in my county.
With all due respect people think the old are easier targets because they are. Just as women, handicapped, the young, and parents with children are all softer targets.
Case in point my wife had a run in with a homeless man and woman at a local store we both frequent. The woman grabbed ahold of the cart my child was in and would not release it until she was given money. My wife screamed and some good Samaritans came to her rescue. No one has ever tried something like that with me, I am also fairly aware of my surroundings and a halfway in shaped middle aged man. Btw this was the convincing event that encouraged my wife to carry.
Google fu tells me it is supposed to be a bong. I was unsure too. The pic is supposed to reinforce the adage of “don’t get caught flat footed cuz you were stoned” even though people would like to smoke herb in their own homes once in a while.
. . . Even though you can use an actually gun to smoke weed. If Vietnam movies taught me nothing else its shotgun hey
…a bong? Hmmm, I never would have realized that.
Thanks much.
All that siding with the drug user aside, most home takeover burgleries are done by gangs, in houses that they are pretty sure have drugs, cash, or jewerly that many times has been “earned” illegally, or even stolen from the attackers.
In SoCal, these takeovers are usually drug related at much higher levels, or are done by Asian gangs against those that do not pay “insurance” on ligitament business and/or those in under the table or businesses running outside of the law like massage parlors, or “hostess bars”.
This is why I POGO. Paints On Gun On. The only time I’m unarmed is when I sleep in a bed. I carry when at home.
What’s confusing about it? They found drugs and drug paraphernalia but decided not to charge him for having it.
Right a little weed is over looked all the time , especially if your a victim and normal Joe . Had a small fire today , bag of weed on table inside nobody gave a crap about that. Had an OD just before about 5 cops o/s she won’t be charged .
Also the easiest way to open a safe is to put a gun to,owners head , hope,you can L-R-L correctly with a 9 to,your head .
Lesson is dont bring a bong to a gun fight.
Nothing wrong with smoking pot.
Rule number one…..do WHATEVER IT TAKES to make your door difficult to ‘kick in’. Most exterior doors can’t withstand one good kick. This allows vermin to get in to your house so quickly that unless you are armed 24/7
AND awake you have little chance at resisting. Make them work to get in. Make them expend energy and time.
Time allows you to have options.
actually, rule #1: don’t sell drugs or be known to have them in your house. drug dealers make up the majority of home invasion “victims.”
the majority of home invasions are perpetrated by criminals invading homes they know have drug stashes, whether illegal drugs or prescription painkillers.
Not just drugs, money and jewelry that can be sold quickly. When doctors made house calls, they usually kept injectable morphine and other painkillers in thier bag.
I remember a friend from elementry school whose father was a well known doctor and they had home break ins often, so thier house had wrought iron gates to get through after they breached the entry area, the cops were there before they could manage a second breach, because of the silent alarm and the police presence in that neighborhood(pretty much all the time since they were the movers and shakers in our town).
People used to go to estate sales to see if they could buy these doctor bags that might have a lot of morphine(or whatever opiate or liquid cocaine). Doctors were targets and as the late 60s and the start of the 70s, even doctors in small towns did not carry more than a couple of doses with them in thier cars or bags.
Having a plan is the key: six weeks ago I stopped an attempted home invasion at 2:30 a.m. with my perimeter defenses. I was alerted to the three adult perps in hoodies by outdoor motion sensors and night-vision cameras as they attempted to open a basement metal door. Once they saw me with my Ruger AR-556 in hand moving to attack them, they fled quickly into the night. The incident was over in less than twenty seconds.
Be brave, be quick, be prepared!
I have read that a Bar-Ricade make doors kick-proof, and installs in 5 minutes. https://bar-ricade.com/
Three ARMED assailants (with radios, no less!).
You know, that situation that “never, ever happens” (statistically speaking), so we can all carry five- or six-shot revolvers…
That may be true on the street, but home invasion criminals KNOW that some homeowners are armed (especially if said homeowner is a drug dealer), so they go in prepared.
I mean, radios? How far did they expect to have to communicate? 🙂
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