A criminal with the keys to my home, and I remain unarmed...

[The_Antibubba]

Nightfall,

You're adopted, right?

 

[JohnBT]

If they're halfway decent locks a locksmith can just change out the cylinders - the part the key goes in. It's not as expensive as replacing everything.

If they're not halfway decent locks, then get some.

John

 

[Valkman]

I do believe in following the rules in someone else's house, but this is too much when you're trying to protect yourself and them. At the very least I'd get some shells for that SG and at night it would be loaded.

 

[sm]

JohnBT

Agree.

Just having spares in the event an "immediate action" is warranted is nice.

Like a long holiday weekend,not wanting to pay overtime fees.
Young, broke abused female scared out of her wits.

Ironically , I was about to leave my apt recently, and I heard a "snick" as I opened my door from inside. My lock broke, lucky for me I had a spare, installed and headed to class.

Apt mgr was out of pocket...so at least I could lock up and head out. I would not have felt comfortable leaving my apt unlocked.

Apt mgr gave me a new lock, keyed as needed...still got a backup.

 

[M2HMGHB]

I'm lucky about where i live. I will be 20 on may 21, and I have some bad crud going through me, Lyme Disease, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, arthtic bone spur in each knee and some other things. My parents are great people, my dad's a retired sheriff's officer and my mom's a preschool teacher. I don't have my driver's liscence yet so they drive me around, I had a hearing for disability and they toke me there about 5-6 hours total. I would not change a thing at all, except for not being sick that is. My parents seem to understand that it makes me feel better to shoot firearms, refinish them tinker with them etc.. so they let it be. If something like that happened all the locks would be changed, possibly some other things installed, and the dog would have company in the living room. Would a dog be something your parents would let you get? And I agree with what everyone else said, get some buckshot. There is nothing more worthless then a gun without ammo. However it goes good luck.

 

[larry_minn]

Locks are cheap. As others have said I keep spare locks on hand. sister/her Ex broke up he moved out I changed locks. Locks break/replace. Locks are easy to rekey. Take this chance to key all exterior locks to one key.
Talk to cops and have them tell your parents to rekey doors/car/etc. Mention the Insurance company will likely NOT pay in this case. Most times you are required to take normal procautions. They are not.

 

[Plinkerton]

I'm surprised your mom actually cancelled her credit cards. I would have expected her to say, "well, he PROBABLY won't go around charging things..."

Seriously. I totally agree on every aspect of this. If your parents want to be blind to real life risks, maybe there is nothing you can do to sway them. But, you have every right to at least protect your own life. Go buy some shells, and at the very least, do something about the locks. It's completely INSANE not to.

Seriously, if that happened to me, the locks would be changed, and I would still be paranoid. I would probably tie cans or something noisy to every door, and by every window, and sleep with a loaded gun right next to me for at least a couple weeks.

Good luck.

 

[BluesBear]

Change the locks!

Buy some buckshot!




Not necessarily in that order.

 

[Splat Shot]

Allow me to tell you a brief true story:

15 years ago I was at a party with some of my buddies. A week earlier the girl who lived next door had her purse stolen at the college where she was attending. The college was about 120 miles away so she was home visiting her parents. Her ID and keys to her parents house were taken.

So while we are having a good time at the party, the phone rings at my friends house and its the girl next door who is absolutely screaming into the phone that someone is coming into her house using the keys that were stolen. She was on one side of the door and the robber/rapist was on the other trying to get in. She was holding the lock closed while he was forcing the key. She stopped him at the front door, then he ran around to the back door and tried again. Why she did not call 911 I do not know, but its a good thing she didn't because me and about 3 other guys ran next door immediately. Once he saw us coming he took off down the street, climbed into his car and floored it. We chased him but it was too late, he had too much of a lead.

THIS GUY DROVE 120 MILES TO KIDNAP, RAPE OR ROB THIS GIRL. Get the locks changed and get some ammo NOW.

 

[kcslim]

Ask yourself this,what would upset your parents more finding out that you bought some ammo to protect the home,or having some low life break into your home and possibly kill one of you. get some ammo,and if there is a homeles shelter in your city,you might want to scout it out because you may just find the creep. Good luck

 

[oldfart]

You posted here in hope of getting some advice. You've gotten it... over and over and over again. If for some reason you still haven't followed it then may I offer this little tidbit: GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASS!!! Do not finish reading this. Go directly to the store and get 1) ammo, and 2) new locks. If you feel bad about mommy and daddy being offended by your actions, consider how you'll feel when you have to ID their bodies. Do it NOW!!

 

[Plinkerton]

I gotta agree with OldFart. Sometimes the old farts know better...

 

[B27]

When someone tells me to do something silly, no matter who they are, I simply ignore them.

 

[Kobun]

Nightfall, thank you for loging onto THR.
You will be missed when your computer gets stolen and you can't join us.

Why have you been so quiet lately? Has your house already been burglarized?

 

[BluesBear]

You must stop supressing your emotions oldfart.
Tell us how you really feel.

 

[Roadkill]

A criminal with the keys to my home, and I remain unarmed

Problem most likely won't be the jerk who stole them, he can be identified. It will be the crystal meth freaks who he sold them to with the address who will drive by a few times to check out what cars are/are not there and when, what you and parents look like, maybe follow you/parents to work, school, church, then clean you out when they know no one is there. But then they might not wait until they know.

rk

 

[Nightfall]

Just wanted to give this thread a good final note (somewhat). It took 4 days, but they finally changed the locks. Maybe my repeated comments over the weekend helped.

 

[Plinkerton]

Congrats. Now how bout that buckshot?

 

[RepublicanMan]

No offense, but where'd you get your intelligence from? Obviously not your mother.

Unsavory characters, looking for hand outs, so she leaves her purse alone with one of them? Not real bright.

Unsavory characters, stole her purse which gives him an address AND keys to the address, but she doesn't want anything done to protect herself? Even less bright, if that's possible.

 

[Nightfall]

Unsavory characters, looking for hand outs, so she leaves her purse alone with one of them? Not real bright.

She did leave it inside her desk, but unlocked. Personally, I would have locked it. I'm sure she won't make the same mistake twice.

Unsavory characters, stole her purse which gives him an address AND keys to the address, but she doesn't want anything done to protect herself?

The chances of her voluntarily keeping defensive measures of any type are only slightly higher than me convincing her of the validity of being prepared for violent criminals. To her it's all crazy paranoia propagated by the evil NRA. She's very book smart, but her common sense on this issue leaves a bit to be desired. I've regularly posted work by Oleg on the bulletin board for her to see on her way to work, and recently posted a multi-page argument on the original intent of the Second Amendment. It all goes in one ear, and out the other as they say. She'll nod and listen, but not really hear me. Her mind has been made up for decades, and she really, really doesn't like guns. She doesn't even keep pepper spray. All the logic in the world won't reach her on this subject, as her mind is already made up.

To those dimmer than a 5 watt bulb, she's pretty dang liberal.

 

[Bridger]

I know how that is, with my parents.

Mom still doesn't quite get it, but is improving.

Dad was happy there was a shotgun in his hands when we almost needed it, especially since it took one hour for the police to arrive.

So, how about that buckshot?