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My town has had a problem with burglaries in the past few years, and our neighborhood watch group often gets into arguments online and in-person, with the pro-2nd Amendment people (myself included) on one side and the anti-gun people on the other. I'm getting tired of hearing from them that having guns in the house, and letting people know you own guns is an "invitation to burglary."
Some neighbors might have an NRA sticker in a window, or a humorous sticker saying something like "This house protected by my Mossberg 500 security system." I own guns, and so far, I have no such stickers, but I view them as a deterrent to criminals. If I'm a burglar looking for a house to break into, I'm definitely NOT going to try the house where the people clearly own guns. Of course, I'm not a burglar, but to me it's just common sense. You post a sign saying "gun free zone" and you're inviting criminals to come in and prey on honest people. You post something stating or even hinting that "the people here own guns" and you should get the opposite.
But these neighbors claim that having an NRA sticker on your car or home, having anything displayed that shows you're a gun owner, or even mentioning online that you own guns is "advertising" to criminals and "inviting" them to break into your home to steal your guns.
Most of us who are firearm owners have our guns safely hidden and/or locked up when we aren't home, and might have them handy overnight if we are home. It's not like a burglar would break into my house to steal my jewelry or TV and snatch up a pistol lying on a coffee table.
I'm quite certain these people are full of crap, but I like to have evidence to back up my position, the next time it comes up. Does anyone have any links to resources on how letting people know you have guns in the house actually DETERS would-be burglars?
Of course, I'm searching for these resources myself, but I thought some more active 2nd amendment advocates would have some articles or studies on-hand. I'm in PA, but info from anywhere would be useful.
You might try contacting the NRA. If anyone would have stats like that, it would be them. It's not an original idea but, if you and your neighbors want to do your own empirical research, make up some signs that say "My house is protected by a firearm" and "My house is not protected by a firearm". Post them as appropriate and track the results....unless your neighbors are worried that the results might not be in their favor.
Burglars are looking for valuables; guns are valuable. If you're not home and if they believe you have guns or anything else of value your home will be a target. Why is it necessary to tell anyone what you have? Enjoy your guns in privacy. Even "friends" can have big mouths. Stickers on houses and cars are an invitation. Not only that, they notify any antigun cop who will look for a way to search your house.
A criminal who knows you have a gun ready to use is less likely to invade an occupied home. But burglaries are far more common than home invasions. If you wish to make your home less appealing to burglars have an alarm company sign on the outside and a dog on the inside. Keep quiet about your guns just as you would (I hope) about your coin collection or whatever else is both valuable and portable. Bragging can be very expensive. And what you're talking about is bragging, nothing more.
In case you wonder about my position on guns let me make it clear that I am a Second Amendment absolutist and I always carry a gun.
The problem is you start quoting statistics and studies, and the other guys start quoting statistics from the Brady Campaign website (and some of their "facts" are so distorted as to be laughable, but people still swear by them) and other sites. Statistics can lie...more accurately they can be distorted to serve a purpose. So you have to be careful. And also, you will never, ever, convince them otherwise. It's a losing battle. But I have provided some links below.
However - why are you concerned about what your community thinks about your 2nd amendment rights? Unless they are attempting to change your laws - your rights are guaranteed and they have no say over it. For the record however, and this is a matter of opinion, I would not advertise I carry a gun. I keep my firearm concealed, even when I go out with friends, they don't know I am armed. I do indeed think some sort of firearms sticker on an automobile is an invitation to a break in because a thief can obviously see a car unoccupied. For a home it's different but still, I prefer to keep gun ownership as my personal business.
Burglars are looking for valuables; guns are valuable. If you're not home and if they believe you have guns or anything else of value your home will be a target. Why is it necessary to tell anyone what you have? Enjoy your guns in privacy. Even "friends" can have big mouths. Stickers on houses and cars are an invitation. Not only that, they notify any antigun cop who will look for a way to search your house.
A criminal who knows you have a gun ready to use is less likely to invade an occupied home. But burglaries are far more common than home invasions. If you wish to make your home less appealing to burglars have an alarm company sign on the outside and a dog on the inside. Keep quiet about your guns just as you would (I hope) about your coin collection or whatever else is both valuable and portable. Bragging can be very expensive. And what you're talking about is bragging, nothing more.
In case you wonder about my position on guns let me make it clear that I am a Second Amendment absolutist and I always carry a gun.
The most recent break-ins in my town have been burglaries when the homeowners were home. Not a "home invasion" in terms of force/violence being used against the occupants, but stealthy burglaries when the people were sleeping, or awake but on a different floor. It's those break-ins that prompted our last discussion/argument about making it known you have guns.
I never "brag" about having guns, but I find that often, anti-gun people interpret simply mentioning you have a gun as "bragging." I may have misunderstood your post, but it sounds like you're saying that as well. It's not about bragging at all, it's about giving the message "My home might be too dangerous for you to try to break into, so move along to someone else."
I use other forms of deterrent as well. I have locks, an alarm, and loud dogs. But I would still think that having a little NRA sticker on the bumper of my car is not an "invitation."
I also don't think guns (at least not mine) are as valuable as other valuables people have in their homes. A bunch of jewelry could be worth tens of thousands, and a gun only a couple hundred.
Last edited by Tracysherm; 03-13-2014 at 01:52 PM..
My town has had a problem with burglaries in the past few years, and our neighborhood watch group often gets into arguments online and in-person, with the pro-2nd Amendment people (myself included) on one side and the anti-gun people on the other. I'm getting tired of hearing from them that having guns in the house, and letting people know you own guns is an "invitation to burglary."
Some neighbors might have an NRA sticker in a window, or a humorous sticker saying something like "This house protected by my Mossberg 500 security system." I own guns, and so far, I have no such stickers, but I view them as a deterrent to criminals. If I'm a burglar looking for a house to break into, I'm definitely NOT going to try the house where the people clearly own guns. Of course, I'm not a burglar, but to me it's just common sense. You post a sign saying "gun free zone" and you're inviting criminals to come in and prey on honest people. You post something stating or even hinting that "the people here own guns" and you should get the opposite.
But these neighbors claim that having an NRA sticker on your car or home, having anything displayed that shows you're a gun owner, or even mentioning online that you own guns is "advertising" to criminals and "inviting" them to break into your home to steal your guns.
Most of us who are firearm owners have our guns safely hidden and/or locked up when we aren't home, and might have them handy overnight if we are home. It's not like a burglar would break into my house to steal my jewelry or TV and snatch up a pistol lying on a coffee table.
I'm quite certain these people are full of crap, but I like to have evidence to back up my position, the next time it comes up. Does anyone have any links to resources on how letting people know you have guns in the house actually DETERS would-be burglars?
Of course, I'm searching for these resources myself, but I thought some more active 2nd amendment advocates would have some articles or studies on-hand. I'm in PA, but info from anywhere would be useful.
Thanks.
Just be a safe, responsible ... ARMED gun owner and IGNORE your neighbors, watch monkeys and live your life.
I also don't think guns (at least not mine) are as valuable as other valuables people have in their homes. A bunch of jewelry could be worth tens of thousands, and a gun only a couple hundred.
Don't underestimate it - Guns are valuable in terms of there being a huge black market for them, and they are easy to sell in that market. In that market a stolen gun is more valuable then the retail price of a new gun since it's difficult for criminals to obtain them. Stolen jewelry, in contrast, just gets pennies on the dollar.
Don't underestimate it - Guns are valuable in terms of there being a huge black market for them, and they are easy to sell in that market. In that market a stolen gun is more valuable then the retail price of a new gun since it's difficult for criminals to obtain them. Stolen jewelry, in contrast, just gets pennies on the dollar.
ANY gun, if it fires then it can save your life therefore it's VALUABLE because someone else do NOT have one!
But these neighbors claim that having an NRA sticker on your car or home, having anything displayed that shows you're a gun owner, or even mentioning online that you own guns is "advertising" to criminals and "inviting" them to break into your home to steal your guns.
.
not to dispute your post or opinions, only to add for the point above:
The area we live in is perhaps middle-upper class and the past few years has had a couple waves of car break-ins (punks eventually caught each time). One thing our neighborhood officer would tell us, is that trucks with the various gun stickers on them were routine targets by thieves. And often they'd smash and grab the guns inside, sometimes not even needing to smash as trucks were left unlocked.
Now to me that's not a responsible owner, frankly one shouldnt leave anything of value in a car overnight outside let alone a firearm that can be accessed and taken. So maybe the victims were just area kids in their monster trucks who didnt know any better (a terrible excuse) but it did happen.
I cant say by putting a sticker on a home that it would invite a thief, but i can say at least in these cases it did invite them into some autos.....
not to dispute your post or opinions, only to add for the point above:
The area we live in is perhaps middle-upper class and the past few years has had a couple waves of car break-ins (punks eventually caught each time). One thing our neighborhood officer would tell us, is that trucks with the various gun stickers on them were routine targets by thieves. And often they'd smash and grab the guns inside, sometimes not even needing to smash as trucks were left unlocked.
Now to me that's not a responsible owner, frankly one shouldnt leave anything of value in a car overnight outside let alone a firearm that can be accessed and taken. So maybe the victims were just area kids in their monster trucks who didnt know any better (a terrible excuse) but it did happen.
I cant say by putting a sticker on a home that it would invite a thief, but i can say at least in these cases it did invite them into some autos.....
I would never put a sticker on my home (not because of any fear of "invitation" but because it would look tacky). But I could see putting a nice little NRA sticker on my car (I haven't, but would consider it, as I'm a member). I guess these neighbors were saying that if you have a sticker on your car, in your driveway, that would invite them to break into your house, not your car. Other people did say they put stickers or signs on their houses though.
I don't live in a place where gun owners would leave a gun in their car. I don't leave anything of any value in my car. But I still think that if I were considering burgling any homes, I'd avoid the houses with NRA stickers on their cars. To me that signals that the person in the house has a gun and knows their legal rights about using it on me. I've never think the gun might be in their glove compartment. I guess in other areas, people might leave weapons in their vehicles, like hunters.
Don't even get me started on leaving cars unlocked! I've had numerous arguments with people on town watch who've had stuff stolen from their unlocked cars! Talk about "invitation"!
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