What would you have done?

Good question. I live in a small town and know many of the cops on our (small) force. I think that I would have called in a report of someone outside my house and asked for an officer to come out.

Did you ever find anything suspicious other than the car doors? Do you think that maybe you left them open? I know that I am almost religious in closing and locking my car doors when I go inside so if I saw them open I could pretty much assume enemy action.

Would have calld 911, waited in the house observing the car untill police got there, but while in the house would have made sure I was armed, turned on all exterior lights.
If I saw someone doing something to the car then I would have yelled "The police are the way scumbag!" Not sure if Va, has the castle doctrine law.......but still would wait for the police.
I agree with your wife, could have been a rouse to get you outside....

the cops in stafford are pretty good about response time. and if the doors were open and you didn't seeanybody out there what is it thats so valuable in the car?

So what would you guys have done differently?

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Call 911, stay in the house, and watch.

Nothing in my car is worth my life. Not even the car itself. I've got $1,000 deductible. That won't get me more than a few hours with an attorney, and a self defense shooting will cost a whole heck of a lot more than that.

Any noise in or around the house sufficiently loud to wake one of us would send the Brittany into hysterics. Since the little dog once alerted to a mouse, I don't think an intruder would have much of a chance of sneaking past her.

In turn, the hysterical screaming Brittany would wake up/set off the two Filas.

The Filas would find anyone in the house who didn't belong... if there was no one in the house, I'd turn them and the Brittany loose in the (fenced) yard around the house.

And once all the stentorian Fila barking finally died down, everyone would go back to bed.

lpl/nc (use enough dog...)

Dog up.

So much Monday morning quarterbacking here. I bet everyone would have done exactly the same thing that you did. We see something that is wrong and we react; we do not sit in front of a computer and think about what we should do. Although what you did was dangerous at least you had a gun. I'm not sure that I would have had even thought to take a gun.

I'd be willing to bet that you were being watched by someone out of sight. When they saw the gun, they had other ideas. Very few people entertain the thought of being shot as a pleasant experience - no matter what the caliber.

Actually, I did leave a car door open once. The next morning there wasn't enough juice in the battery to start the car.

So much Monday morning quarterbacking here. I bet everyone would have done exactly the same thing that you did.

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You would lose that bet. Many people here do think about different scenarios and formulate plans. Just because you might react without thinking does not mean everyone else would.

Could not happen

Not sure I should even post, but my take on this situation, Jeep reversed into Garage, locked, door leads in to kitchen, two locks.

In my HO having a covered in Garage, button to open, and to close, plus a wireless button for the monitored alarm covers it.

The exact situation as posted, call 911, "robbery happening" trigger alarm for a couple of minutes, turn it off answer alarm call, await Police.

Sheriffs Dept; around here, ten minutes response time normally.

Keep SAFE.

Won't know 'til it actually happens to me, but the rehearsal in my mind has always been that if I go outside to investigate something while my wife is at home, she remains locked inside. Our cars are very close to the door, and she could even just close the glass storm door and lock it, allowing her to still see me, me to still see her, and both to see anyone who gets between us.
A couple of times, I've gone out at night to check noises when she was not at home (she's gone for two months at a time each year), and have always locked the door behind me. Each time, I've carried a shotgun, pistol, 4-cell Maglight, cellphone, and keys.

My first reaction to crime, violence, danger, aggression, drunks and any other societal problem is always the same (as an older man).

"How best can I save my butt?"

My truck is insured, we have numerous qualified sworn officers in my town--I know a lot of them--and I'm not bulletproof.

Other than being the wrong man for the job to begin with, I'm just too pretty to die young.

Hmm... when you went outside, was your gun visible by any concealed observer? could it be a BG fishing to see if a firearm is in the house so he might return for the gun when occupants aren't home?

i know... not the most likely scenario but within the realm of possibility.

Exmasonite wrote: >>>Hmm... when you went outside, was your gun visible by any concealed observer? could it be a BG fishing to see if a firearm is in the house so he might return for the gun when occupants aren't home?
i know... not the most likely scenario but within the realm of possibility.<<<

Pretty much anything is within the realm of possibilty, huh? No, I cannot actually answer that, since I never located any concealed observers. However, in this southern locale, one can pretty much bet on at least one firearm in better than one of three homes. The BGs know this; they're not staking out homes looking for guns. A lot of cops live in my neighborhood, and I haven't heard of any of their homes being burglarized for weapons (one did have a marked cruiser unlawfully entered in 2001 and a Colt Mustang stolen - the 19 year-old suspect then killed his best friend with it during horseplay, not knowing enough about guns to realize that removing an autoloader's magazine does not entirely unload the weapon.)
Since we own more vehicles than there are people living here, it is hard for the casual burglar to determine if anyone is home. I do not hide that I am armed at home (NRA stickers on my trucks are a hint.) Any BGs that know I am will have that to consider, and the vast majority are not looking for a gunfight.

So much Monday morning quarterbacking here. I bet everyone would have done exactly the same thing that you did.

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Not me. Wander around outside, at night, by myself, when I think miscreants might be there, all the while leaving the Mrs. alone inside by herself?

No thanks. I'll dial 911.

No need to go outside. If you were certain that you did not leave all the doors of the car, then you know someone had been there. Or was still there.
Grab the gun. Check the family first. Call the 911 guys. Clear the rest of the house. Wait for officers to arrive.

Thanks for posting that situation Navy87Guy. It's a good one.

I live in the Ghetto. First sign of noise or the dog alerts, the dog goes out the back door and eats whatever is in the yard, be it man, beast, or woodchuck.

Meanwhile, I am sitting armed behind cover watching on the cameras.

I suggest 4 of the Harbor Freight Color CCD cameras. With even streetlighting they can give video clear enough to make an ID.

If that does not work, 4 500 watt Halogen lights make my property look like a landing strip. No problem ID'ing a threat in that case.

they've got cheap wireless cams also have some that look like a floodlight bulb no wires transmit over the house wire get em at smarthome.com holler if you need help i live in south stafford behind geico

What they ^ said, particularly the dogs and cameras!!

My lab/GSD mix was closed in the basement when someone came to the back door. Nobody home. Wife returned to find her upstairs and the whole bottom half of the cheap interior luaun door, complete with cat door, strewn about the hall. This happened over a 30 minute period.


Oil man left invoice in back door. Later told wife "Don't worry about burglars: old bitch (lab/GSD) has a helleva bark, kid just looks like 'come on, dude, try it'". Both Black, all teeth, and go #90.

Above scenario: if no screaming or gunshots, nobody in house, Open door, clear neighborhood!

Bob

You would lose that bet. Many people here do think about different scenarios and formulate plans

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Really? How many people here have thought through the scenario that when something wakes them up in the night that they might look outside and see all their car doors open?

I remember the first night we were hit by mortar rounds in Vietnam when I was there. The air base had been hit before and I'd been shown where the bunkers were - down by the flightline. So you had to grab your stuff (paraphrased), and head down between the huts to the bunkers.

It was several weeks between my arrival and the first night that we got hit and my locker had gotten a little messy. Alright, alright, it was in quite a state of disarray with books and junk. So when we got hit exactly at midnight, I was already asleep, but jumped up, got my stuff - except I couldn't find my two loaded magazines. I pulled out the underwear drawer at the bottom and a big rat jumped out. At this point I got completely in touch with my feminine side and screamed like a woman. Forget the magazines - I got to the bunkers just as the attack was over. Lack of detailed planning on my part could have gotten me killed - that would never happen again. (I never saw the rat again either - I may have shattered his ear drums).

Several months later: it was Sunday morning and quiet. I woke up and looked at my watch. It was after 8AM. I was in deep trouble because I was supposed to be in the command post by 8AM. As I started to get out of the bunk there was an enormous explosion and the florescent lights came crashing to the pavement. It was followed by more explosions. We thought we were being bombed by the North. The explosions were coming from the flightline, which is where the bunkers were. It turned out that it was an 'accidental' explosion of one of the bombs, which set off a chain reaction. No one knew what was going on nor what to do. We hunkered down in the hut, and no one ever said anything about me being late for work.

What scenario could we possibly have thought of that would have prepared us for the base blowing up? The Air Force later published a safety film about all that went wrong at Bien Hoa that morning, and I was able to get a copy of it, but how could we as the troops ever envisioned what might go wrong where we wouldn't be safe going to the bunker?

My point in all of this is that you may be able to think of certain scenarios, but when suddenly in a deep sleep something happens, you don't always think as clearly as you do sitting in front of a computer screen.

Bob F. said:

Above scenario: if no screaming or gunshots, nobody in house, Open door, clear neighborhood!

Bob

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I'm hoping you meant "clear property". While it can be debated as to whether to go outside or not (to each their own), the last thing i'd want to do is be walking around the neighborhood with a firearm. Probably draw more attention than whatever happened to my car.

I must confirm that I would not go, either. And where I will not go, neither does my dog. If I fear being shot, then I do not want my dog to take a bullet meant for me.

You call sworn officers, period. I called them last month on exactly the reasons in this story and scenario.

Yes, it could have been a ruse.

When I was a boy, Milwukee had a burglar who would slip into a home's basement and start their washing machine. Thinking nothing was serious, the home owner would go downstairs to investigate.

Once the owner was neutralized, the burglar could toss the house in relative safety, and at his leisure.