Re: OT: I just caught some punk
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">It's still assault, and illegal. You better have damn good reason, and preferably a witness or two. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">'They were skulking about my property at night' seems to me a perfectly good reason for bodily harm. And as for proof, that's what the camera's are for. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Try to explain that to the jury. You'll probably get sentenced to more time than the guy slinking around in the shadows.

Re: OT: I just caught some punk
 

Yes, well, that's one of the problems with jury's. Anyone skulking about is a) up to no good. b) A potential killer.

I'd move to Texas, but I don't like sweat.

Re: OT: I just caught some punk
 

About ten years ago, the house next door to me was taken over by some druggies and hobos. The place got trashed and there were little petty thefts (food, penny jars, and stuff).

The lady on the corner tried to use her leverage on the city council to force them out to no avail, but the problem solved itself eventually.

The tree behind the house was dead and lightening hit it during one storm. The tree then collapsed on to thier propane tank triggering an explosion that blew out nearly every wall in the house.

Then to top it off, the property owner tried to collect insurance on it. The insurance company somehow, magically, stupendously learned about it's prior condition to the explosion and promptly terminated the insurance policy citing that it was "Preventable". By the time the notice for that arrived, City Code Enforcement fined him 50,000 dollars and placed a lien against his holdings.

As for security, I always found broken glass sprinkled on top of my wall effective. Sometimes mixed in with the cement too.

Naturally, if they get over that, the rose bush is waiting for them.

Re: OT: I just caught some punk
 

I can't believe how scary some state's gun laws are...

I don't think Portland and I would mix very well...

Yes I have used a gun to defend my apt, as well as my parents house when I still lived there 4 years ago. The amazing thing about Texas is that the thieves KNOW you can legally shoot and kill them without legal repercussion if they're on your property (mortgaged or not). I have had the satisfaction of watching the thief who was trying to steal my truck with a crowbar get cuffed and carted away from my house. Because my truck was parked behind my house and with nowhere to run... he accepted the fact that he was going to sit on his hands in the middle of my drive way until the cops showed up... the thieves also know that the "he shot me in the back" excuse doesn't work as long as the body falls on your property in a Texas court.

I've never pulled the trigger but I do know when it comes to my family and property and the possiblity of harm to either...

I know many people think us Texans are crazy... but i beg to differ. Threat of force is an important concept that most of ya'll should understand just from playing this game. Taking guns away from law abiding citizens has to be one of the worst possible moves for the integrity individual freedom this country claims to love so dearly.

Numerous times all its taken when a prowler is around is a simple "clack clack" of my good ol remington 12 chambering a cartridge that sends the prowler hauling butt to get off your property.

I don't cary a concealed weapon. I don't keep one in my truck. But there is one in my safe and there is one in the closet with a trigger lock...

Re: OT: I just caught some punk
 

I think the law in Florida is that they have to be physically in your house and there is a fear of imminent damage to you or your loved ones before you can pull the trigger. So if the perp is leaving the house you can't shoot him in the back, especially if his body would fall outside of your house. Also, IIRC, you can't booby-trap your house like MacCauly Culken (?) did in those movies. I think most states have laws against that, even if someone is breaking into your house with guns and knives. Which is a shame, because it would be funny to seem some of these scumbags tarred and feathered like Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern were http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: OT: I just caught some punk
 

In ancient isreal, you could only kill them if it was at night.

Which is logical, because medieval cities would be incredibly dark and you would have no idea if their armed and about to kill you or not. In the daytime, it had to be self-defence.

Re: OT: I just caught some punk
 

Fascinating topic -

I used to live in Detroit, with several independent pharmaceutical entrepeneurs living in the neighborhood. Our home was broken into 4 times, twice while we were home. Sometime after the first, but before the Last, we put up bars on the doors and windows. The Last time, some clown with a crowbar and a BMFH was trying to break down the door. I grabbed my shotgun and ran down to the door. My wife was screaming like crazy and the guy ran off, leaving his implements on our porch. Although it was after midnight, there were some people sitting in the garage across the street (they said they were getting their smoker set up for the church barbeque the next day).

The one good thing about all of this, is that we were not broken into after I appeared with the gun.

we left the neighborhood after my wife got preggers - wasn't where we could bring up a child - and we discovered another aspect of the life of crime. I always though that they would steal anything that wasn't nailed down, but they stole the vanity and toilet out of the batchroom (along with all of the appliances and the hot water heater) while we were waiting for the sale of the house to be completed. At least they turned off the water before doing that.

With all of that, I eventually ended up in Portland, where for the first time, my car was stolen. We got it back, but it made my new wife vary nervous.

Re: OT: I just caught some punk
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Ya, these aren't very good for home defense unless you are prepared to hightail it out of the house and leave it to the badguy. They aren't designed to really stop someone, only slow them down long enough that you can get away.

Re: OT: I just caught some punk
 

I will just use my paint ball gun next time I catch one of these SOB's lurking around the property. I have it set to 400 ft per seoond with stain balls. When they get hit its non leathal but will hurt like a son of a gun. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: OT: I just caught some punk
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">And you can just tell the authorities that the offender will be covered in green paint splotches. Even better if you can find some glow-in-the-dark varieties.