[CJFlorida]

We had the same thing happen when we lived in West Palm beach a few years ago.

But macguy....really, just leave the second you realize something was wrong and call the cops from the cell phone. Guys high on meth keep coming and have crazy drug strength. It is not your deal to search the house for them, gun or no gun. Thats what your taxes pay cops for.

[flburgos]

macguy:i don't mean move to another state just another area.it could very well happen no matter where you move.your problem is you are never going to feel at home.if your wife is home alone you are going to be on the edge,if you ever call her and she doesn't answer you are going to think the worst.it's very unfortunate i really feel your anger and pain but you must put it behind you and move on.

[macguy]

Originally Posted by Wild Style

macguy from the sound of it, you guys were being watched. Probably for a couple of days.

When I lived in a house, our A/C unit mysteriously caught on fire one day. So the fire trucks and all that come, right. Well the fire marshal is like, yah, your neighbor saw someone on the side of your house at 5:00 am this morning. I am thinking to myself "it is now 1 in the afternoon and they didn't stop to think, to come tell me or call the police?". Neighbors suck down here, but, I would say go talk to your neighbors, ask them if they noticed anyone hanging around or any cars parked around your way that shouldn't have been there etc.

Best of luck.

Unless you put bars on the windows you have no defense. Someone willing to just smash their way in locks make no difference, there is nothing you can do. Even an alarm doesn't help because the crime happens so fast. I guess your only defense is the house can't look empty.

[macguy]

Originally Posted by CJFlorida

We had the same thing happen when we lived in West Palm beach a few years ago.

But macguy....really, just leave the second you realize something was wrong and call the cops from the cell phone. Guys high on meth keep coming and have crazy drug strength. It is not your deal to search the house for them, gun or no gun. Thats what your taxes pay cops for.

Thats how that football player got killed a few weeks ago. He would be alive today if he hadn't confronted them. I can't change what I did and I know better.

[Go4It!]

Its hard to say what a persons reaction to this situation would have been. You walk in on someone violating your home and the adrenaline rush must blow your mind. The rush of anger, fear, and frustration would have most likely ended in a call to the coroners office if I would have been in this sitaution and had a weapon in my hands. I fear the day that this happens to me and pity the person that feels that wrath as I will definately make use of that concealed permit I carry. All those emotions will probably make you want to keep that gun close by in the coming weeks.

[kshe95girl]

OMG, so sorry to hear that! I have been broken into myself, when I was young and single. I remember thinking, this gives me just a pale glimmer of what a rape victim must feel like.
That being said, I know I am going to pull a bunch of abuse on my head..... but here goes. This is why I believe we must protect our right to bear arms. we live in a very rural area, we have guns, and crazy things happen around here all the time. By the time the law got here, the damage would be more than done...... ok, go ahead and yell at me, I'm a big girl, I can take it.....

[Tarastomsgirl]

I'm terribly sorry to hear you got robbed, what a stupid thing someone would do to someone else. But know this you are not alone. I got a call from my girl friend 2 days ago saying her house was broken into and the place was totally wiped out, bigscreen tv was even gone. She called the cops , made a report etc. Called me yesterday to say house was broken into AGAIN while she was at work and whatever was left taken. She said they even took the glass top to her dining room table.. So some criminals are just MORONS.. This is a scary thing for home owners to know that these people can be watching you without you even knowing it! I hope you and your wife remain safe and these jerks are caught.. Good luck to you

[ucfjtm]

Originally Posted by INeedAChange

Sorry for what happened, but it's a good thing you didn't have the gun--it would have just gotten a bunch of people killed for no reason

No reason? There is plenty of reason for a solid citizen owning a gun for self defense. Defending your home qualifies for self defense. Read up on Florida's defense laws, especially the Castle Doctrine. There are three main points to the Castle Doctrine, in bold as to how it applies to this case:

One: It establishes, in law, the presumption that a criminal who forcibly enters or intrudes into your home or occupied vehicle is there to cause death or great bodily harm, therefore a person may use any manner of force, including deadly force, against that person.

Two: It removes the "duty to retreat" if you are attacked in any place you have a right to be. You no longer have to turn your back on a criminal and try to run when attacked. Instead, you may stand your ground and fight back, meeting force with force, including deadly force, if you reasonably believe it is necessary to prevent death or great bodily harm to yourself or others. [This is an American right repeatedly recognized in Supreme Court gun cases.]

Three: It provides that persons using force authorized by law shall not be prosecuted for using such force.

It also prohibits criminals and their families from suing victims for injuring or killing the criminals who have attacked them.

In short, it gives rights back to law-abiding people and forces judges and prosecutors who are prone to coddling criminals to instead focus on protecting victims.

The Florida statute allows the use of deadly force when a person reasonably believes it necessary to prevent the commission of a "forcible felony." Under the statute, forcible felonies include "treason; murder; manslaughter; sexual battery; carjacking; home-invasion robbery; robbery; burglary; arson; kidnapping; aggravated assault; aggravated battery; aggravated stalking; aircraft piracy; unlawful throwing, placing, or discharging of a destructive device or bomb; and any other felony which involves the use or threat of physical force or violence against any individual." - Florida Statutes Title XLVI Chapter 776


Note that this law doesn't state the home owner must feel threatened for their life to use deadly force. It states that breaking into a home is a threat and can legally be treated with self defense.

Florida was the first state in 2005 to establish the Castle Doctrine, but 16 other states have come out with their own versions of these laws, and five more are in the process of establishing their own versions as well. Law abiding citizens are tired of having these crimes committed with growing frequency against them, and whether you like it or not, they're allowed to be shot and killed for a home invasion in Florida. Finally, states are recognizing that criminals are smarter than they've been credit for - they knew they could prosecute if injured while committing a crime. Now they know their victims have the power to legally use deadly force to kill for home invasions. If they're still willing to steal with these laws, they accept the permanent consequences of their actions and not just a scolding with a slap on the wrist. The crime has got to stop, and this is the first solid step towards that goal in years. We can't all have police escorts and guards at our homes - that's what Officers Heckler & Koch are for.

I know we'll get a scolding from the 'guns are bad, m'kay?' crowd, but media sure does like to not report events where guns are used to prevent a crime. That crowd likes to believe this world can be a fairy tale where everyone respects each other, but after 5,000+ years of established civilizations, society isn't changing anytime soon. There are thousands of people out there that should not own a gun - I agree with that. But we can't take the most effective means of defense away from people who can properly own them. Criminals are going to use guns even if they're banned - just look at England's attempt at gun control. Criminals are already breaking laws, so why stop at following gun control laws?
A post by (usually) pro-gun control BBC:
BBC News | UK | Handgun crime 'up' despite ban
Another post, this one from 2007, where Tony Blair wants to increase penalties for carrying guns due to the lack of effectiveness current laws have with gun use in committing crimes:
BBC NEWS | UK | UK Politics | Blair wants gun crime age reduced

mac - I'm sorry you've had to go through this. Eventually they'll get what's coming to them. I've had cars broken into and stolen, so I understand the frustration - I just cannot imagine how much more extreme it must be when it's your home.

[Lindsey_Mcfarren]

Even if you have an alarm, it depends on how he breaks the window if it would have even set it off. If you have a motion detector they might have tripped that.

[ucfjtm]

Originally Posted by macguy

Thats how that football player got killed a few weeks ago. He would be alive today if he hadn't confronted them. I can't change what I did and I know better.

How do you figure? They broke into his bedroom when was just jumping up from bed. He had a machete - which is essentially bringing a knife to a gunfight. You're referring to Sean Taylor..
NFL's Sean Taylor dies of gunshot wound - CNN.com

"Sean was awakened with his girlfriend and 18-month-old baby," Sharpstein said. There were "noises, thumps in the living room." Taylor "got up and locked the bedroom door. Before he could do anything, the door was kicked in and two shots were fired -- one hit him in the leg, one went into the wall."


If he had a gun and took defensive position at a bathroom doorway or behind a bed, somewhere to provide some cover, he may have been able to defend his family when the door was kicked in.

And for kshe95girl, like you said, you're a big girl. You've got the support and legal right to defend yourself. Rural area or not, police are rarely going to arrive in time to prevent you from being attacked if the criminal decides that's your fate. If I'm targeted, I'm not going to let them make that choice.

Originally Posted by kshe95girl

That being said, I know I am going to pull a bunch of abuse on my head..... but here goes. This is why I believe we must protect our right to bear arms. we live in a very rural area, we have guns, and crazy things happen around here all the time. By the time the law got here, the damage would be more than done...... ok, go ahead and yell at me, I'm a big girl, I can take it.....