Keep Your Garage Doors Closed / Mandarin

Element

Just a quick public service announcement:

My wife was home at 2:30PM with the garage door open and her car half-parked in the doorway. She heard some rustling in the garage, assumed it was me and came out to say hello. As such, she did not have her gun with her. When she walked out she saw some scumbag running down the driveway with one of my surfboards. She yelled and ran at him, when he threw the board in the street, jumped in his 2002 or so dark grey 4Runner and took off. She got a plate number and the police got some prints, but who knows if they can trace the guy. Skinny white boy, short brown hair around 5'9".. maybe 25 or so.

Takes a lack of brains to walk into someone's garage when you know they're home and run the risk of taking one in the chest.

Anyhoo...maybe next time he won't be so lucky.

Mostly just wanted to give everyone the heads up, we've all heard the stories but here's another one to add to the list. Can't be safe at any time of day anymore, in any neighborhood. Keep your stuff close and your family closer.

twirp

Was he wearing a hoodie and did he have skittles and an Arizona tea?

Jizzo

Not trying to start anything but.... If she had a gun and he was running away, she wouldn't have shot him. Don't get me wrong, I would like nothing better that to put his a$$ in the hospital (maybe with a baseball bat) but I wouldn't risk killing some one over a surfboard.

Self defense is a different story...

Seems like anywhere "in town" is not very safe anymore. Mandarin is (or used to be) a nice area.

I hope the cops get the guy.

Cop Out II

Good Advice. I have seen reports recently of lawn equipment, bikes and golf clubs being taken from open garages. Also, if someone knocks on your door that you don't know, don't open it! However, do acknowledge them. Say something, ask them what they want, tell them you are not interested etc... If it is a bad guy, they are likely to break-in if they feel no one is home.

Element

Jizzo wrote: »

Not trying to start anything but.... If she had a gun and he was running away, she wouldn't have shot him. Don't get me wrong, I would like nothing better that to put his a$$ in the hospital (maybe with a baseball bat) but I wouldn't risk killing some one over a surfboard.

Self defense is a different story...

Seems like anywhere "in town" is not very safe anymore. Mandarin is (or used to be) a nice area.

I hope the cops get the guy.

I hear you man. I would never want it to come to that and who knows if it would have. I have a two year old in the house, and if she walked out 60 seconds earlier I'm not sure she'd assume he was after a surfboard. My point is you gotta be an absolute idiot or super high to even put yourself in that position.

I know everyone on here works hard for what they have, whether it's their gear, boat or family and wanna remind everyone to do what they can to keep it all safe, primarily just keep your garage door closed.

I personally don't own a gun and have always debated in my head the pros and cons of ownership.. and still do, but I'm leaning towards getting one. It's making me think pretty hard when I have someone walk in my house with the intention of taking whatever they want.

twirp

They're awful brazen now...Coming up into peoples yards stealing car trailers, boat engines, boats etc. I don't know what goes through peoples heads anymore...Crazy times!

Jizzo

Right... I'm glad he ran away from her and not towards her. Scary stuff.

BTW warning taken...I'm one of those people that leaves my garage open too much. My neighborhood (Argyle) bis a little worse than Mandarin too.

jacqueo

I hear ya. That is the hot topic in our house right now. I want one... Bill is on the fence but I think he's leaning towards getting one. We too have a 3 year old and so that factors hard into the equation. I have a black field lab and he goes ape***** when soemone is at the door. We have one of those glass windows on the top half next to the front door. I always will let him go crazy barking and growling whlie they are knocking then come to the window and say "I'm sorry - but I can't open the door or he will will get past me... and as you can see he's not very friendly". I've had solicitors take two steps back and say "Nevermind" just at that. lol Gotta love a dog. Thank you for the warning though... I am 100% guilty of being home with the garage open most of the time... will be changing that habit now.

twirp

I'm guilty of it too...but I'm always working in or around the garage and I keep a .45 under a shop rag on the bench. I live it what most would consider a "good neighborhood" but they're never all that good, bad stuff can happen anywhere...better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.

pilingjunky

I just looked up in my garage to make sure my poles are in tact.
I leave mine open all the time. I'm baiting them though.

Trapper

We have four cameras around our property. $175 plus $50 for the hard drive. Well worth it. A kid was caught at my neighbors going in cars and some stuff was taken from another neighbor while she was home alone with a baby. I have a gun rack with bird shot in my 12 gauge and rodent shot in my .22 rifle just in case... don't want the shots to go far just stop someone if there is a break in. We have two dogs also that help a ton

Jizzo

Rodent shot in the 22 rifle is a good idea.. . I just got a speedmaster 552 semiauto from my Mom that was my Dad's.

The cameras ain't a bad idea either.

yepuhuh

Element wrote: »

Just a quick public service announcement:

My wife was home at 2:30PM with the garage door open and her car half-parked in the doorway. She heard some rustling in the garage, assumed it was me and came out to say hello. As such, she did not have her gun with her. When she walked out she saw some scumbag running down the driveway with one of my surfboards. She yelled and ran at him, when he threw the board in the street, jumped in his 2002 or so dark grey 4Runner and took off. She got a plate number and the police got some prints, but who knows if they can trace the guy. Skinny white boy, short brown hair around 5'9".. maybe 25 or so.

Takes a lack of brains to walk into someone's garage when you know they're home and run the risk of taking one in the chest.

Anyhoo...maybe next time he won't be so lucky.

Mostly just wanted to give everyone the heads up, we've all heard the stories but here's another one to add to the list. Can't be safe at any time of day anymore, in any neighborhood. Keep your stuff close and your family closer.

Second degree murder charges would be for giving them one in the chest while they are fleeing. Just a passing thought. I live in Mandarin and always am alert to people wanting to borrow stuff out of my garage.

Reel Mullarkey

Trapper wrote: »

We have four cameras around our property. $175 plus $50 for the hard drive. Well worth it. A kid was caught at my neighbors going in cars and some stuff was taken from another neighbor while she was home alone with a baby. I have a gun rack with bird shot in my 12 gauge and rodent shot in my .22 rifle just in case... don't want the shots to go far just stop someone if there is a break in. We have two dogs also that help a ton

Don't wound a intruder. They can sue you, but dead people can't even tell the story. Don't shoot anyone as they flee and don't fire a warning shot either. Deadly force in defense only.

I just shut my garage door.

Element

yepuhuh wrote: »

Second degree murder charges would be for giving them one in the chest while they are fleeing. Just a passing thought. I live in Mandarin and always am alert to people wanting to borrow stuff out of my garage.

That's why I said "run the risk" and "chest" instead of "back". 60 seconds earlier and he wasn't running, he could have been staring down a woman three feet away with a gun protecting a baby, who probably isn't going to want to have a conversation with the guy about what his intentions might be.

I hear your point though and it's not my hope to ever have to even shoot a gun or swing a bat at someone.

I wonder if anyone is familiar with any type of realistic reference for homeowners on what reasonable force they can or can't take when someone breaks into their house.... not in this specific case, but in general.

Having this happen has raised serious questions I just never considered before.

Cop Out II

I wonder if anyone is familiar with any type of realistic reference for homeowners on what reasonable force they can or can't take when someone breaks into their house.... not in this specific case, but in general.

Having this happen has raised serious questions I just never considered before.[/QUOTE]

You have the right to defend yourself and your family (people). You do not have the right to defend property being taken from you ie breaking into your car, stealing something from your garage.

MOJO><>

May want to read this guys: http://www.gunlaws.com/FloridaCastleDoctrine.htm

Bakerman

This has been going on since 1990. It is not new.

If you have an HOA they probably say that the garage door is supposed to be closed all the time except when the cars are going in and out.

overheaddoor

Think about installing a garage door opener, so it opens only as you enter and automatically when you leave, Overhead door of america installed a liftmaster for me, you can see the opener here or call them they give free quote 888-965-3667