We had our second burglary attempt within the past three weeks, and it changed our minds about gun ownership

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Growing up, my room was in one end of the house and my parents’ room was in the other, right next to the laundry room, which had a door out to the garage.

One night in high school, my mom had gone to bed while I stayed up late doing homework (my dad worked nights). I realized after I had finished doing homework that I needed something out of the dryer. I thought I was being quiet, but apparently I wasn’t quiet enough because the dryer door shutting woke my mom up who thought it was someone coming in from the garage. She went into protective mode determined to keep the intruder from getting past her to her baby (me). I very nearly got a face full of mace. We were both extremely grateful that she hadn’t had a gun or else I might have been shot.

I think mace/bear spray is actually a pretty great idea. I think I am going to get some.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm 38 and grew up around guns. Break ins and crime rates are still very low where I grew up largely in part because everyone knows that the house they break into very likely has a gun. The break ins that do occur are usually done by people that they know. I used to own guns. I've done many classes and have been certified to teach them. I know you think you'd be ready to kill someone, but I can tell just from your posts that you're too reactionary to have a gun for protection at this time.

Take some classes. Learn about gun safety and self defense. Go to shooting ranges where you can rent a gun to shoot. You need to be very, very comfortable with a gun before you own one for home defense. It isn't just about being prepared to kill someone. You also need to know how to prevent the intruder from getting the gun away from you.

In a home, you don't give warning. You make sure it isn't a family member then you shoot. If an intruder is in a position to get a gun away from you, something has gone very wrong

No way. That is reckless. There have been more than a few cases of a drunk neighbor teen crawling in through a window of the wrong house. You don’t want to kill someone for an accident.

[Anonymous]

If everyone's plan is just "let the burglars take whatever they want; its not worth it," then

- what if they are breaking in to rape your daughter?

[Anonymous]

You need a better security company. This is also one or several reasons we didn’t upgrade to a nicer neighborhood though we could easily afford to.

The gun you buy is statistically more likely to shoot someone you care about than an intruder.

[Anonymous]

You need to keep your cars parked in your driveway so it always looks like someone is home. Hiring your cars in your garage makes it look like your house is empty.

Always keep a light on downstairs.

We keep a tv on overnight in a room and leave the curtains open so it appears we have a night owl.

Honestly, if someone has approached your house twice, I’d be worried too. Did you recently have someone in your home? Perhaps the company that shampooed your rugs? Any outsider could case your home. If you were wearing fancy jewelry, that could make you a target. Or if they saw your car keys and car, they could come back for it (I know a family that happened to; construction workers grabbed their spare keys and took the car overnight).

[Anonymous]

The gun will be used against you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you truly prepared to kill someone? Are you prepared to be someone who shot someone dead? Do you know what that does to a person psychologically? Think about that before buying a gun.

If someone hopped up on crack went towards my kids’ room I’f have no compunction whatsoever in shooting them in the head. I could live with myself if I was such a coward I could not defend my family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you truly prepared to kill someone? Are you prepared to be someone who shot someone dead? Do you know what that does to a person psychologically? Think about that before buying a gun.

If someone hopped up on crack went towards my kids’ room I’f have no compunction whatsoever in shooting them in the head. I could live with myself if I was such a coward I could not defend my family.

How many times have you shot a gun?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The gun will be used against you.

And you know this, . . . how exactly?

What about Kamala’s gun? Will it automatically be taken from her and then used against her too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So you'd rather get into a shootout with the burglars? Sounds like you should move to a better neighborhood or something.

I would. You can take a class. They come in your property and except it to be empty they won’t except a homeowner with a gun. Also op, get a dog.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you truly prepared to kill someone? Are you prepared to be someone who shot someone dead? Do you know what that does to a person psychologically? Think about that before buying a gun.

If someone hopped up on crack went towards my kids’ room I’f have no compunction whatsoever in shooting them in the head. I could live with myself if I was such a coward I could not defend my family.

How many times have you shot a gun?

DP, probably tens of thousands of times, but I grew up in a family where shooting was just something we did

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I call BS.
Where do you live that a security company has armed guards on standby?
This also wasn’t an attempted burglary. It was a suspicious act. Someone walking around your house, while unusual and definitely concerning is not a reason to gosprinting to your attic in fear.
Take it down a notch.
You are the type of person who will accidentally shoot someone in fear.

OP here. We moved from DC a few years ago (but I am still on DCUM). Yes, our large neighborhood has a private security company. I have never seen it in the DC area, but it is common in our new area.

I am certain that it was a burglary attempt. Nobody just walks on our property toward the back yard unannounced.

Many ultra-wealthy people live on our street, many with their own security guards either in a car in front of the house or stationed in their gate-house. Just because this is beyond your experience it does not mean that there aren't places like this in this country.

Nope - not buying all this BS. What does "Ultra-wealthy" mean these days? Do you not have a house alarm that will blare if someone actually does break in? You sound like a huge troll.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You need to keep your cars parked in your driveway so it always looks like someone is home. Hiring your cars in your garage makes it look like your house is empty.

Always keep a light on downstairs.

We keep a tv on overnight in a room and leave the curtains open so it appears we have a night owl.

Honestly, if someone has approached your house twice, I’d be worried too. Did you recently have someone in your home? Perhaps the company that shampooed your rugs? Any outsider could case your home. If you were wearing fancy jewelry, that could make you a target. Or if they saw your car keys and car, they could come back for it (I know a family that happened to; construction workers grabbed their spare keys and took the car overnight).

This is why I always dress down and don’t wear jewelry when I have workers in my house. I also don’t leave any keys out (I put my purse and all keys in a closet upstairs when I have workers present).

I also make a point of saying that I work from home and so do most of my neighbors ever since Covid. And I say that my husband usually works from home but is at a meeting.

You can’t trust anyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You need a better security company. This is also one or several reasons we didn’t upgrade to a nicer neighborhood though we could easily afford to.

The gun you buy is statistically more likely to shoot someone you care about than an intruder.

This .. or a better story. Where is this street with armed guards in every driveway?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A dog will be a lot better deterrent than a gun. A mouthy dog, even better.

I would never have a gun in my house. A childhood friend accidentally killed himself when we were 15 showing his girlfriend his dad's supposedly-unloaded gun.

But, as Bill Burr says, a pitbull is a gun you can pet...

OP here. My husband and I are both busy professionals and do not have the lifestyle that would allow us to spend hours with a guard dog every day. It is not sufficient to walk the dog, it also needs mental challenges.

The gun would be in a safe accessible only with my or DH's fingerprints. Our daughter would most certainly not be showing it to her friends.

Burglaries are common in our area. They are looking for jewelry, watches and designer handbags.
The only place safer compared to our neighborhood is a gated community. There aren't many of those in our particular area.

Then get a dog and a dog walker. Win win. You'll have another set of human eyes on your house every day and a dog as a deterrent.

Also, it doesn't need to be a "guard dog" - is that even a thing? Just a regular old dog from the shelter would likely be thrilled to live in your house and bark at random guys on your walkway.

Who spends hours with a guard dog?