Awakened

kamagong

kamagong

Gold Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2001
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Last night at about 2:20 a.m. I was aroused out of my slumber by the sound of a car alarm going off. Damn car alarms I thought, since it didn't sound like mine. However, when it didn't go off after a couple of minutes I started to get worried and decided to investigate. So I take my keys, cell phone, Inova X5, and a rattan stick and I head outside. As I head out the front door I see that it is indeed my car that is making all that racket. This realization sobered me up quick, and I scanned my environment to try to assess any dangers. When there didn't seem to be any, I walked over to my car to check things out. It looked fine, until I saw the driver side window. Nothing was taken, but I may have been luck. It looks like whoever did this was some rank amateur who thought that this would be an easy grand theft auto. I think that they were discouraged when the alarm went off and they saw the lock on the brake.

I don't know why I'm rambling on about this, but I guess I find it therapeutic articulating my thoughts. I don't know how I feel right now. I don't exactly feel violated as these things happen and are to be expected in this world we live in. It's probably more a sense of frustration. This situation doesn't leave a man many options. Even had I managed to catch the thief in the act, I wouldn't have been able to do anything except call the police. Even though the people who did this are the criminals, I would have had no right to confront them or protect my belongings because there is no right to defend your property unless your life or someone else's is in danger. This despite the fact that these thugs came into my neighborhood and invaded its sanctity. What's more, I now have to go get my window replaced. That means cleaning out the broken glass from my car (a task I do not relish since unlike the broken glass I have no idea how to get within the crevices located in a car). Also, my insurance policy has a $500 deductible so it would do no good to report this. They won't help me out with a single cent since it's only a window, but they'll raise my policy rates.

There are a couple of things that I can think of that bring a smile to my face though. The people who did this are probably so incompetent that I know they'll get caught someday and get their just deserts. Also, the sherriff's department responded quickly to this situation. Time from 911 call to the sherriffs arriving at my door? Twelve minutes.
 
Gosh, that's terrible. I live in Massachusetts, and here if you have what's called "comprehensive" (yet another piece of the auto insurance pie, which almost everyone has unless the car is a real old beater), glass breakage is automatically covered with no deductible. Have you checked with your insurance agent?
 
I'm sorry that happened to you. :(
Call your insurance company- a lot of policies have a full glass protection policy where you don't have to pay a dime. Sometimes the glass repair shops will come right to your house to do the fix, too.
Good luck.
 
I didn't see a location posted next to your name. I just wonder what State and what its policies on detaining criminals with a weapon. Your sad story has reminded me I need to research Montana and find out just what I can do.


This world really has twisted the truth around. If you'd confronted the punk, had a fistfight and hurt him, quite possibly it would be you up for assault charges.

When I lived in Calif I had a friend, (honest) who had a plan. If someone broke into his house, and out of defense was shot dead, my friend would bag him and dump him somewhere, the mountains or out to sea. This was simpler than facing being sued by the man's relatives or facing a risky Court.


munk
 
Husband of a one-time friend of my wife a dozen years ago
had a shootout in his home with one of three invaders.
Was wounded; and wounded the other worse.
The invaders ran away at that point and
the wounded man fell unconcious in a nearby field.
Policeman told him that if it should ever happen again,
and the person fell outside the house,
to drag the invader back in if possible.
It would make the reporting and prosecution more clear cut.
I thought that was interesting.
The Law vs law/legalities vs justice.
It helps to know the local "system".
 
Thanks guys. I'm not even going to mention this to my insurance company. The cost of replacing the window isn't worth the price of increased insurance premiums.

munk and ddean - There is a legal theory called the "castle doctrine." Basically it says that you are allowed to defend yourself in your dwelling if you have a reasonable belief that you are in danger. All other times you have the duty to retreat, even if you are the victim. What that means though is that you are basically in the clear if a confrontation occurs within the home, but you can't do anything if the guy is merely on your lawn, on the street, wherever else. I think this kind of thinking is kind of dangerous myself, since if a criminal is already in your home you are in a boatload of trouble.

Oh yeah, munk, I'm from CA.
 
That may be more true of California than other States. Only the Brits are forced to retreat, out of their own homes, if need be, to avoid harming the intruder.

That reminds me..there is a poster who is a lawyer from England.


Should you be allowed to shoot if someone is stealing your car and won't stop your verbal commands?
Should you be allowed to shoot someone about to burn your house down, but with no one inside? At some point of value, property can be defended.

I'm going to look up Montana's law.

almost forgot; the Castle clause isn't theory, it is law in most states.

munk
 
I know what I can do at night here. That is why, when my dags are raizing cane at night I go out with a khuk and a .44 Mag. or a shotgun. In the day time I would only use a weapon inside. You can bet he will bleed inside the house.:) :D
 
One is only allowed to use lethal force in defense of one's life.

The subjective nature of a person's thoughts of imminent death allows for some lattitude.

Shouting "please don't kill me !!!" while you are carefully placing your shots is always a good idea.
 
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