Burglary Foiled..No guns..no confrontation just quick thinking

[Jeff White]

The old adage that your mind is your weapon, the gun is just a tool is proven once again.

So often here everyone defaults to a firearm as the only thing that can save the day. I guess that's to be expected on a gun forum. But here in S&T we like to think outside the box. We recognize that for whatever reason you may have to solve a problem without your trusty sidearm.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/storie...EVES?SITE=MOSTP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Wash. burglary victim drives off in thieves' van

BELLEVUE, Wash. (AP) -- A man in Washington state made sure a pair of burglars didn't get away with his three flat-screen televisions - he moved their getaway car.

Patrick Rosario was in the basement of his Bellevue home on Tuesday when he heard the burglars upstairs.

The Seattle Times says the 32-year-old Rosario, who had been laid off from his job as a Washington Mutual manager, called 911 while he sneaked out of the house.

He saw a white van sitting in front of his house with the motor running and the keys in the ignition, and he got in and drove it to a friend's house.

Police say the burglars left the televisions, a laptop computer and a jewelry box by the door and took off on foot.

The sheriff's office said no arrests had been made.

Not quite as dramatic as if he'd went upstairs and confronted the burglars....but effective none the less.

 

[Leanwolf]

Considering it's left liberal Washington State, won't Mr. Rosario be arrested for stealing the burglar's van??

L.W.

 

[Prion]

That is so cool!

 

[WardenWolf]

Saw it a few days ago. Love it. He used their own vehicle to escape from danger, and left them high and dry.

 

[TAB]

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

Its the software, not the hardware

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

That's pretty funny right there - I can just see the look on their faces when they look out the window and realize someone is "stealing" THEIR van - "Oh, crap, someone's got the van! Now what?" "Well we can't haul these TVs down the street very well, and the jig is up, so I suggest we flee and scatter to the wind on foot."

Can't wait til someone shows up to claim the van.

Still, blocking the van with his own vehicle, and THEN going in guns a'blazin would have made for a better story (and in a make my day state, most likely a justified shoot). But whatever floats his boat, within the law, so good on him!

 

[glockman19]

LOL.

I bet they contact the police department and report a stolen vehicle. DMV will certianly know who teh vehicle is registered to. It's only a matter of time before a followup story is printed.

 

[Lightninstrike]

OMG LMFAO. Can you see their faces when they get ready to go???

'I thought we left the van here !!! Where the hell is it???"

 

[Duke of Doubt]

To avoid getting my prints and DNA in the van and to avoid being charged with burglary of a motor vehicle, I'd be sorely tempted to put her in drive, wedge a rock or other object against the accelerator, and just let her roll, waving to the Three Stooges as they run after her and into the arms of arriving PD. Traffic and local population density depending, of course. No need to crunch anyone with an unguided missile.

 

[JohnnyOrygun]

That is so funny, "Dude, where's my van?" more like dud ;-)

 

[iiibdsiil]

Wonder if they'll come back and try again? I know I'd be pissed.

 

[WardenWolf]

To avoid getting my prints and DNA in the van and to avoid being charged with burglary of a motor vehicle, I'd be sorely tempted to put her in drive, wedge a rock or other object against the accelerator, and just let her roll,

And justly be charged with reckless endangerment and be required to pay for any loss of life and property when it runs off the road, slams into houses, etc.

 

[conw]

I have this cinematic image of the guy driving off as they walk out of the door...awesome.

 

[conw]

and in a make my day state

Please avoid using loaded anti-gun (there's a phrase you don't hear often) propaganda words. No offense, but the "make my day" phrase is a total Brady Campaign style anti-gun slogan that creeps into peoples usage and then slants the debate against us.

 

[rogerjames]

Probably a stolen Van. Sneaky move, but probably won't assist in the apprehension of the culprits.

 

[sm]

Software, not Hardware.

 

[WardenWolf]

Probably a stolen Van.

Maybe, but the keys were in it. It wasn't hotwired. That greatly reduces the odds of it being stolen.

 

[imprezagm4]

Haha, funny this got posted over here. The guy who actually did this is a well known member of a popular Subaru forum (NASIOC).

 

[WTBguns10kOK]

As far as repercussions, I know if I were those criminals, I'd wanna go to houses where the homeowners weren't better thieves than us. Because if it came to shooting and he were better at that too...

 

[FN5.7shooter]

Should have driven back by and honked and waved.
I wonder did he drive it like he stole it?

 

[Mp7]

should sell the van on ebay and buy a 4th flatscreen

indeed a sharp mind.
No blood, no buckshot holes in his furniture
and TVs.... best solution.

 

[Old Fuff]

When I was a boy, our family doctor’s wife, who had heard someone rummaging around downstairs, awakened him. He listened for a minute and then yelled, "Mildred! Which drawer are the shotgun shells in?" The sounds quickly stopped.

He didn't own a shotgun...

 

[feedthehogs]

The sheriff's office said no arrests had been made

Free to steal again and possibly the next time hurt someone could be viewed as smart by some.

Even though a simple burglary charge may not have netted the thieves much jail time, it would remove them from the public and added to the list of crimes that hopefully some liberal judge would have eventualy sentenced them to life or a homeowner would have saved the taxpayers money.

How many here would still be amused by this story had the same crooks beat an old lady with a tire iron days later to get some money and it turns out they confessed to many burglaries including where someone stole their getaway van?

Yes using your head is the first defense.

But playing candid camera games with the crooks is just plain stupid. When they read this story and how they were made into fools, the homeowner may not get a such a nice visit next time.

 

[Duke of Doubt]

Mike the Wolf: "And justly be charged with reckless endangerment and be required to pay for any loss of life and property when it runs off the road, slams into houses, etc."

There's this little matter of "apprehension" ... not to mention lack of criminal intent, defense of competing harms to offset reckless state of mind, et al. Still, I wouldn't do this in lower Manhattan.

 

[Eyesac]

Throw the keys!!!

I think he should have gone the Rockford way and taken the keys and thrown them as far as he could...