Mom-in-Law Gets Robbed and I'm having a Ball!

S

Scott Free

Joined
Sep 15, 1999
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I'll get to why I put this in Gadgets & Gear in a moment. For now, here's the story about my mother-in-law:

First, know that my mother-in-law lives across the road—which could be awful. It's not, though. She's the best mom-in-law a person could have. She minds her own business, she's a good person, helpful, and I very much like having her for a neighbor. Everyone has a fault, though, and hers is that she's been mildly anti-gun. Until last Friday. On that day, she went grocery shopping in town. About 2:30 PM or so, she's knocking hurriedly and loudly on my door. As soon as I open it, she yells, "Get you gun, and come on! Somebody broke into my house while I was shopping!"

So I grab a gun, put another in my jacket pocket, and give a third (a revolver) to my mother-in-law and we head across the road to her house. She stays outside. I go in. Yes, I know I should have waited for the cops to clear the house. The thing is, it was cold outside. A big patio window was completely glassless, and two exotic birds were just inside. Also, the police are 45 minutes away. And besides, I just wasn't going to wait, gosh darnit, I was going inside! So I did. They got jewelry, and took nothing else. Her laptop was sitting open on her bed. They only took jewelry. The police came, and dusted for prints.

So- they got some stuff. She's alive and physically, mentally and emotionally fine.

(Here comes the Gadgets & Gear and the "I'm having a Ball part.")

After the police leave, and after cleaning up all the glass and boarding up the patio door, Mom-in-law turns to me and says, "It's amazing how quickly people can change. I want a gun for the house, and I think I want something smaller to carry." I just grinned. :D

She went from mildly anti-gun to very pro-gun in just moments. (I'm even smiling as I write this.)

Yesterday, we came home with a new Smith & Wesson 64 (38+P 4" revolver.) It's in the teens here now. Next week we might hit the low 40's. Hopefully I can get her shooting, and to let try some of my carry guns. I'm getting to talk about all kind of Gadget & Gear stuff with my mother-in-law. Better still, it's guns, holsters and ammo stuff—with my MOTHER-IN-LAW! :D

In the end, yes, she lost some expensive silly stuff and she got a scare, but the scare quickly turned into a wake-up-call, and this whole unpleasant experience may just save her life some day—and I get to talk Gadgets & Gear and guns with mom-in-law! :)
 
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Sorry about her bad experience and I hope they catch the thief.

It sounds like you're on the right track with taking her out for some range time as opposed to handing her a shotgun and saying "here, use this". Good on ya for being there and for caring enough to work with her.
 
This is a great story. Its a shame that it takes a reality check for others to understand why pro-gun supporters are pro-gun supporters. I wish my own mother would have this change of opinion.
 
I have been burglarized three times in my life. Nobody was home any of these times. Thank God there were no guns in the house for the burglar to steal.
 
Cardiackid said:
I have been burglarized three times in my life. Nobody was home any of these times. Thank God there were no guns in the house for the burglar to steal.
Click to expand...

I'm hoping there are not political implications to your post, because I'd rather this thread not be closed or moved. I hope others will not take this down that road. My only comment is—when I leave my home, the guns that are not on my person are either secured or extremely well hidden.
 
glad she's okay man! we've been broken into twice here, im 23 still at home with my Mom.. first time nobody was home, i cleared the house then called the cops, nothing wrong with that that i see. last time was a few months ago we were all home, my mom hears someone coming in the back door, she yelled "Pat get your gun!!!" the guys ran there asses off.

needless to say my Mom feels VERY comfortable that i have guns now! she used to not like them.. :)
 
sebaldus said:
. I wish my own mother would have this change of opinion.
Click to expand...

My mothers "around the house" gun is a darn near mint condition Colt Detective Special in a gorgeous light tan leather basket weave printed holster. I've tried to low-ball her and get her into a stainless Ruger or S&W and to turn that Colt over to me but she see's right through my ruse. :p Someday, it will be mine... oh yes. It will be mine.
 
Hopefully you also got her a quick-access pistol box and appropriately bolted it down.

How are the birds? Cold can get to them quickly.
 
Gollnick said:
Hopefully you also got her a quick-access pistol box and appropriately bolted it down.

How are the birds? Cold can get to them quickly.
Click to expand...

No pistol box yet, but we're planning to do something quickly. We just haven't decided exactly what yet.

The birds are fine. Those noisy birds are always fine. Their lifespan will extend to exactly one day past my mother-in-law's lifespan. :)
(I'm just kidding. I like the birds well enough. Shooting them is just an occasional fantasy. :))
 
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Excellent choice on the S&W model 64 4". If she gets skittish about the recoil, there are plenty of non +P rounds that will do well in that gun for home defense.

JT
 
This is the absolute worst time to be shopping for guns or ammo. I was afraid we wouldn't find anything. In fact, we didn't find much, at least for her needs. We hit three gun stores. We found two 38+P revolvers with 4" barrels, this one, and a used Model 67 (same gun but with adjustable sights.) It had to be made by S&W or Ruger, and it had to have a 4" barrel. 38+P is the most she'd ever want or need. For now, until she actually shoots it, it is loaded with mild wadcutters. My father found a box of Critical Defense +P. So far, we've not found anything except cheap practice ammo. I'm sure the Critical Defense is better than the wadcutters (assuming she can handle +P.) In any case, the Critical Defense is it by default. I could give her a cylinder full of Corbon DPX, but I don't have much to spare, and it may be a while before I do.

The mother-in-law will do very well at this. She takes things like this very seriously. She's meticulous about everything and is extremely safety conscious. She told me that she will know her gun. And I know she will.

She said the next time she came frantically knocking at the door, she might be shouting "Get your shovel and come on..." :)

In case anyone missed the smiley :) she was joking.
 
Check out the little Smith (I think its a 642) that's hammerless and comes with CT laser grips installed for her carry gun. Hec, if she can afford it, get her a laser for her house gun, too- a really great addition to a defensive gun, especially for someone new to shooting. It will even help her learn to shoot better.
 
Yes, the 642 is my primary carry gun (in a pocket.) I'm hoping she can handle it, and that she's willing to carry something this big. Also, it's not an easy gun to shoot. She likes the way it feels in her hand, and she does NOT like holding the tiny .380s that are available. Hopefully we'll know next week. (The LGS did have a few airweights and I saw at least one 642.)
 
Good to see she woke up.

Insurance should cover the loss.

Get her trained quick, The thieves will in all likelihood return within 1-3 months. If they got good stuff from her house, they will be after other houses in the neighborhood as well. Institute some kind of neighborhood watch, and have a call list for all your neighbors. Document strange vehicles in the area as well.
 
Scott Free said:
I'll get to why I put this in Gadgets & Gear in a moment. For now, here's the story about my mother-in-law:

First, know that my mother-in-law lives across the road—which could be awful. It's not, though. She's the best mom-in-law a person could have. She minds her own business, she's a good person, helpful, and I very much like having her for a neighbor. Everyone has a fault, though, and hers is that she's been mildly anti-gun. Until last Friday. On that day, she went grocery shopping in town. About 2:30 PM or so, she's knocking hurriedly and loudly on my door. As soon as I open it, she yells, "Get you gun, and come on! Somebody broke into my house while I was shopping!"

So I grab a gun, put another in my jacket pocket, and give a third (a revolver) to my mother-in-law and we head across the road to her house. She stays outside. I go in. Yes, I know I should have waited for the cops to clear the house. The thing is, it was cold outside. A big patio window was completely glassless, and two exotic birds were just inside. Also, the police are 45 minutes away. And besides, I just wasn't going to wait, gosh darnit, I was going inside! So I did. They got jewelry, and took nothing else. Her laptop was sitting open on her bed. They only took jewelry. The police came, and dusted for prints.

So- they got some stuff. She's alive and physically, mentally and emotionally fine.

(Here comes the Gadgets & Gear and the "I'm having a Ball part.")

After the police leave, and after cleaning up all the glass and boarding up the patio door, Mom-in-law turns to me and says, "It's amazing how quickly people can change. I want a gun for the house, and I think I want something smaller to carry." I just grinned. :D

She went from mildly anti-gun to very pro-gun in just moments. (I'm even smiling as I write this.)

Yesterday, we came home with a new Smith & Wesson 64 (38+P 4" revolver.) It's in the teens here now. Next week we might hit the low 40's. Hopefully I can get her shooting, and to let try some of my carry guns. I'm getting to talk about all kind of Gadget & Gear stuff with my mother-in-law. Better still, it's guns, holsters and ammo stuff—with my MOTHER-IN-LAW! :D

In the end, yes, she lost some expensive silly stuff and she got a scare, but the scare quickly turned into a wake-up-call, and this whole unpleasant experience may just save her life some day—and I get to talk Gadgets & Gear and guns with mom-in-law! :)
Click to expand...

A very similar thing happened to my mother-in-law, only she was in the house when they broke in. She locked herself in her room and dialed the cops on her landline while she called us on her mobile. We live less than 5 minutes away, but the cops got there before I did. That incident is how I got spousal approval for an AR.
 
The mother-in-law is almost 70, but for her age she is fit, trim, attractive and sophisticated. I don't think of her as a little old lady at all. She has a lot of little old lady friends, though. Now that she's talking to them about her burglary and her new gun, she's discovering that ALL of her little old lady friends have guns. :)

This has sure opened her eyes.

All in all, this is still a very safe and crime-free area—probably because it's semi-rural, everyone owns guns, lots of people carry, and most know it.
 
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Its sad that a sitution like this happens to change a persons mind about guns. But the debate goes on about gun control. I have only one word that speaks volumes.
Responsibilty
 
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