Almost home invasion, be careful!

[L.I.N.Y.]

Originally Posted by BigMike50

Great..... you hate state gun control laws but your all for the state controlling where you could reside.

Just be honest you like anything that benefits yourself

This is why a lot of people fail mental health checks

Both issues aren't comparable. One has to do with a constitutional right and one has to do with receiving benefits based on where you live.

Anyways, to get back on topic; you should always be prepared and have a plan on what to do in those sorts of situations - and if possible you should have something (preferably a shotgun or handgun) to defend your family with. Better to be judged by 12 then carried by 6.

[SilverBulletZ06]

Another thing not mentioned: make sure your dead bolts go into the studs no into the trim. There are "armored locks" you can get from Home Depot and Lowes for not too much money. It won't be fool proof, but it'll make the bad guy kick the door in just a few more times before it fails. Extra time to call the police and grab whatever it is you will be using to defend yourself.

[Jason321]

Originally Posted by OhBeeHave

When compared to your extensive posting history of 3 posts?

Ahh but the veracity of my story is not in question. My comment wasn't merely a pissing contest of who has more posts; it was meant to point out that a traumatized person is not likely to rush to the Internet the next morning, create a login and post to a community of people with whom she has no prior relationship. You might have noticed that if your kneejerk reaction wasn't to rush to her defense/point out your 10K posts.

Oh and about the "home invasion" epidemic...those of us who remember the first real home invasions would not confuse them with strong-arm robberies like the apocryphal one in the OP. Home invasions involve careful planning, casing, and multiple armed criminals descending on a purposefully occupied home at once (often because there is a safe). Don't get me wrong, they both sound terrifying, but the stickler in me doesn't want the media to sensationalize every crime just for ratings (to the detriment of all of our home values). If a single man trying to get in someone's door is a home "invasion", then you were sitting really close to the screen during The Longest Day.

[OhBeeHave]

Originally Posted by Jason321

Ahh but the veracity of my story is not in question. My comment wasn't merely a pissing contest of who has more posts; it was meant to point out that a traumatized person is not likely to rush to the Internet the next morning, create a login and post to a community of people with whom she has no prior relationship. You might have noticed that if your kneejerk reaction wasn't to rush to her defense/point out your 10K posts.

Oh and about the "home invasion" epidemic...those of us who remember the first real home invasions would not confuse them with strong-arm robberies like the apocryphal one in the OP. Home invasions involve careful planning, casing, and multiple armed criminals descending on a purposefully occupied home at once (often because there is a safe). Don't get me wrong, they both sound terrifying, but the stickler in me doesn't want the media to sensationalize every crime just for ratings (to the detriment of all of our home values). If a single man trying to get in someone's door is a home "invasion", then you were sitting really close to the screen during The Longest Day.

Guess what? Burglaries -- the type of which might very well have almost happened to the OP, DO happen.

Police: Cable Worker Targeted Homes, Four Arrested For Burglaries - Patchogue, NY Patch

A man working as a subcontractor for Optimum Cable picked out homes to burglarize and he and three other men were arrested Friday morning and charged with a host of home burglaries in the county over the past few months, police said.

The four men were arrested less than 10 minutes after they burglarized an occupied home in East Patchogue around 10:25 a.m., police said.

Mind you this happened prior to the incident the OP posted about, but could have been a copycat. Man #1 appears dressed as a utility person, while men 2-4 lay in wait. 4 people entering one house (while someone is home) with the intent to burglarize it, does sound like a home invasion.

[lubby]

Originally Posted by OhBeeHave

Guess what? Burglaries -- the type of which might very well have almost happened to the OP, DO happen.

Police: Cable Worker Targeted Homes, Four Arrested For Burglaries - Patchogue, NY Patch



Mind you this happened prior to the incident the OP posted about, but could have been a copycat. Man #1 appears dressed as a utility person, while men 2-4 lay in wait. 4 people entering one house (while someone is home) with the intent to burglarize it, does sound like a home invasion.

Totally true.

[Cosmosandmind]

He kept looking back trying to decide if it was worth the trouble or not. Good thing he decided it wasn't. Maybe the dog had something to do with it.

Originally Posted by unctorious

Wow, that's scary. Thank goodness you and your kids are safe.

Have you talked to any neighbors? Did he go to their doors as well? He may have just been looking for a house with an unlocked door for easy pickings, maybe hoping to find an elderly person who keeps their door unlocked because they have difficulty answering it or something. The vest probably helps make him look less suspicious to neighbors too - somebody happens to see him out their window, sees him walk into a house but he's got the vest on so it's ok.

Very strange how he kept looking back when walking away. Maybe he was trying to figure out if somebody was actually home (he may have thought the porch light was a motion light) or maybe he was hoping if he kept his cool you may be tricked into letting your guard down and calling after him? Very odd.

With my luck, a would-be criminal would walk up onto my wooden porch, fall through (it needs to be replaced) and sue me.

[Dregg]

Originally Posted by BigMike50

Lubby dear your missing everyone's point. The discussion has to do with people's 2 amendment rights. They're saying everyone has the right to own a gun for protection or not.

Bottom line there is opposition from both sides of this debate. It is and always been a hot button topic regardless of what your own beliefs are. I do see valid points from both sides.

My point is.....regardless of where you live in this country, you should feel safe enough to go outside and enjoy life without carrying a gun. If you don't ( I don't care if you live on L.I. or Newark,NJ.) It's time to move somewhere you will.

I just don't see Nassau county as a place you need to be packing to survive, but others will tell you otherwise

Why should I be "forced to move"? Do you spend your lifetime moving from place to place hoping to find the safest place? Do you back down and run from every confrontation that comes your way ? C'mon man, you can't be serious.
Lets face it.....guns or not, the human race is not perfect. We've been killing each other since the beginning of time. Take guns away, we'll kill with knives. Take knives away, we'll kill with clubs.....and so on, and so on.

Let's revisit the 2nd Amendment. We ALL know what it say's. Some are confused by what it means....but, the bottom line is, it's a RIGHT. Yes, a RIGHT of mine, and a RIGHT of yours. If you don't like it, I'm ok with that. Just don't take it upon yourself to deny ME that RIGHT !! How dare you !!!
You don't want to own a gun? Fine, don't get one. Just don't tell me that I can't own one !

How would you feel if I lobbied against your 1st Amendment right ? .....ok then, now you know how I feel.

Oh, and here's something for you to chew on. Once you give up a "Right", you'll never get it back. While you may be "anti gun" now in your life......that may change as you get older/wiser.
I know of someone who never cared for guns. But, they recently turned 70 and felt that they were no longer able to physically defend themselves if need be so, they wanted a gun for the home. Well, good thing for them was that their 2nd Amendment right was still in place for them to utilize.

.................think about that for a moment.

[LIGuyandGal]

Was reading through this resurrected thread and, gun laws aside, it may have been possible the guy at the door was one of those teens selling candy. They have come to my house three times in the past year wearing the neon vest, name tag, and carrying a tote full of candy. Once it was daytime, but the other two times it was in the evening.

That being said, I do not think the OP overreacted. She was the only adult in the house and was responsible for the health and well being of her children and pets. It would have been horrible if she did open the door and this guy was really there for a malicious purpose. Better to be safe than sorry.

On a bit of a side note, it is unfortunate that the days of door to door selling/fund raising are over. Either the homeowner risks their life opening the door to a possible thief/rapist/murderer, or the seller is at the same risk by knocking on the door of a possible thief/rapist/murderer. I'll even admit that when a stranger comes to my door for any reason, unless it is a child or a parent in the company of their child, my heart starts pumping faster because I'm anticipating whether or not the person may be a threat.

[unctorious]

Originally Posted by LIGuyandGal

On a bit of a side note, it is unfortunate that the days of door to door selling/fund raising are over. Either the homeowner risks their life opening the door to a possible thief/rapist/murderer, or the seller is at the same risk by knocking on the door of a possible thief/rapist/murderer. I'll even admit that when a stranger comes to my door for any reason, unless it is a child or a parent in the company of their child, my heart starts pumping faster because I'm anticipating whether or not the person may be a threat.

Your post reminds me of a scene from King of the Hill:

Man at Door: Hello is there a Luanne Platter living here?
Hank: Well who wants to know?
Man at Door: Shiny Pines Trailer Park. Miss Platter owes 6 months back rent.
Hank: You must have that wrong mister, Luanne doesn't have any trailer, that's why she lives here.
Man at Door: So she does live here.
Hank: Don't play mind checkers with me man. I'm not in the mood.
Man at Door (pulls wrench out of jacket pocket): Uh we're both reasonable people.
Hank (grabs golf club and holds it behind door): You said it friend.
Man at Door: My records show a trailer at the corner of Shady Oak Lane and Unpaved Access Drive: Luanne Platter - Resident.
Hank: That can't be right. Luanne use to live in a trailer, but her parents had a fight, the trailer tipped over, her momma went to jail and the cops hauled it off.
Man at Door: Sir, if you're calling me a liar, you better be holding something stronger than an umbrella.
Hank (pulls club out from behind door): 9 iron.
Man at Door: Y'all have a nice day.