Thoughts from the small hours.

[RED-DOG]

The intruder/burglar thing disturbs me.

If I ever woke up in the night to find someone in my home or even in the shed, I really don't know what I'd do. I used to own a shotgun, well two or three actually, but I sold them ages ago and surrendered my license.

Still, lot of my people I know keep their shotgun under the bed for just this occasion. I always used to keep mine locked away. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want to kill someone just for nicking my telly.

Equally though, I don't think I would say to myself "well, it's only property, and it doesn't really matter in the great scheme of things, so I'll pull the blankets over my head and let them get on with it". I would be frightened and angry, and that's a very dangerous combination in anyone.

A policeman once advised me, off the record, to arm myself with something non-lethal. He said a torch, a big, heavy one like the 15" Maglite was the best. After all, if you batter an intruder to death with a set of nunchucks, it starts to look a bit premeditated.

But what jury would ever criticise you for carrying a torch while investigating noises in the dark? Just carry it pointing forward switched off but with a finger on the on/off button. When you find the intruder, switch it on and while he is temporarily blinded by the light, bring the torch down onto his bonce. You probably won't do him permanent harm, but he certainly won't be feeling frisky for a while.

Luckily, I live in a low-crime area, and the likelihood of being burgled is small. But the thought is always there. What if?

As far as I am concerned, human rights are a two-way street. If you break the law, you remove yourself from the protection of the law. If you don't want me to come at you with a heavy implement then don't scare the crap out of me and try to steal my stuff.

It sounds fair to me.

[BorntoBubble]

Shotgun is like the nut worst wepon for under the bed.

Firstly because it would be hard to load aim and shoot quick enough.

Also because I think as part of licensing now it has to be locked away in a gun cabinet with only the licensee holding the keys.

I know a lot of people who have baseball bats, pokers, cricket bats golf clubs etc under the bed BUT having friends that have been broken into and hearing the stories I don't think I would be fighting back I would be sitting quietly trying to beg them to leave.

I've got some quite horrific break in stories which I may share later.

[TightEnd]

Tom, did you not agree with the sentence on Tony Martin?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Martin_%28farmer%29

what do you think of him having to live secretly now?

[cish n fhips]

I am not a violent or angry man and even in situations which would make peoples piss boil i like to step back and gather all the info before i act. In this situation however its my home,my property and my family/freinds. I would grab the nearest thing to me and go mental. I would then have to take everything that comes my way, be it a beating,death, or a stretch. My home is my castle,my belongings are created by my hard work and my family/freinds are even more important again. I know some people will dissagree but thats tuff titty.

[The_nun]

This happened to us when Stacey was 16 and in our old home, it frightened the daylights out of her and as a result she has suffered for years because of it, made worse when she too got burgled twice.

It was 06.10 hrs, Darren awoke and crept to the top of the stairs, he noticed a small light flicking on and off and the front door was ajar ( his get out route, he had come in through the back). He started to head down the stairs when a male shot out of the house. Darren gave chase bare footed, no top on and very little else tbh.  He chased him for roughly 20 mins almost catching him but his disadvantage was his bare feet.

It seemed like an eternity until he returned, I had phoned the police who arrived a while later with dogs etc. The things that went through my mind was awful. Plus the fact that although Darren is a lovely laid back, placid man, he is also ex military and was once trained Tae Kwon-Do, not sure what belt.

Apparently the youth was on a curfew until 6am, where local police had in fact been watching his house until that time as suspected him of early morning burgleries in the close area.

[RED-DOG]

Tom, did you not agree with the sentence on Tony Martin?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Martin_%28farmer%29

what do you think of him having to live secretly now?

I think the entire thing was tragic Rich, one of those lose lose situations.

A case of many wrongs and few rights.

[DungBeetle]

One thing's for sure in my head, I don't trust the CPS and to a lesser extent the police to do the right thing if a burglar gets done over.

Touch wood I've never had the horror of being burgled, but if I was and something happened I'd certainly give the Fred West option some passing consideration.

[AndrewT]

A policeman once advised me, off the record, to arm myself with something non-lethal. He said a torch, a big, heavy one like the 15" Maglite was the best. After all, if you batter an intruder to death with a set of nunchucks, it starts to look a bit premeditated.

But what jury would ever criticise you for carrying a torch while investigating noises in the dark? Just carry it pointing forward switched off but with a finger on the on/off button. When you find the intruder, switch it on and while he is temporarily blinded by the light, bring the torch down onto his bonce. You probably won't do him permanent harm, but he certainly won't be feeling frisky for a while.

This is why you see security guards in the US with these big torches which they hold at the light end, and have the back bit (with all the heavy batteries) resting on their shoulder, like this guy



If you happen upon someone untoward, it's very easy to then swing the torch forward and use it as a cosh.

[Marky147]

When I was living in Brentford, the flat had a baseball bat and a stungun, which looked like a torch.

[vegaslover]

Laws in the UK are a fooking joke for this sort of thing.
If someone chooses to break into anothers property they deserve any beating that comes their way

[bobAlike]

Having been through this a few years ago I can safely say that I would batter the shit out of any burglar even be prepared to kill if I had to. Actually I would prefer that they fought back so I could kill. This is not bravado talking just the desire to protect my family against any scum mother fuckers who wanted to harm my family either mentally or physically.

BTW. You can probably tell I'm still a little raw.

[kukushkin88]

One thing's for sure in my head, I don't trust the CPS and to a lesser extent the police to do the right thing if a burglar gets done over.

Touch wood I've never had the horror of being burgled, but if I was and something happened I'd certainly give the Fred West option some passing consideration.

The Fred West option?

[AndrewT]

One thing's for sure in my head, I don't trust the CPS and to a lesser extent the police to do the right thing if a burglar gets done over.

Touch wood I've never had the horror of being burgled, but if I was and something happened I'd certainly give the Fred West option some passing consideration.

The Fred West option?

A freshly laid patio