Hotel Door Pushed In

[PacketStorm]

Just got back from a short trip to Pittsburgh, PA. A cousin on my wife's side of the family passed away and we traveled out to the funeral. Stayed at the Comfort Inn - West Mifflin, a bit south of downtown proper. Had a very bad experience and found out other guests had problems also.

My wife is not anti-gun, but hasn't really warmed up to the idea of me carrying. She didn't grow up around guns and doesn't think they are really necessary, but is warming up to the idea - thanks THR (I've found more stories of people being attacked and defending themselves than she knows what to do with). So in traveling down to the funeral - I left the Glock at home. I did have a little can of OC Spray, but that is not much.

Any-who back to the hotel... We were sleeping and I heard a door lock start to open (one of those electronic key locks). Half asleep (it was 6:50am) it seemed to be too loud to be the neighbors door. All of the sudden there was a really loud BANG!! The small metal latch caught our door. Well - I jumped up out of bed in my skivvies and look at our door. It was closed, but the manual door bolt was open. My wife and kids were still in bed and I KNOW that I shut the manual bolt. Someone had opened up my door.

I threw on some pants and a shirt and went out to the front desk to inform them that someone tried to break into my room and that they had a "master key" as the lock had been opened. The clerk at the front desk asked me my room number and said that they thought the room was empty and they had staff double checking all the empty rooms to see which ones had been given out, as they often make mistakes and don't have a record in their system. This clerk was also the owners daughter. She was a 20 something gigantor of a woman. It really made me mad that she didn't even appologize or see there was any type of problem with what they did. Hello... has anyone suggested that you knock on the door first, then see if someone answers it if you don't know if it is occupied. I was really mad and was talking very loudly and starting to lose my cool and had to walk away just flabbergasted.

Couldn't sleep after that so I got some breakfast from the lobby area and was complaining and telling my story to my brother-in-law. The guy at the table next to me overheard our story and said "That's strange. Same thing happened to me last night." Apparently at about 11:30pm he was in bed with his wife and kids and he had forgotten to flip the extra latch over. The door to his room swung wide open and the hallway light spilled in, then someone walked it and then just turned around and walked out. This guy didn't do anything about it.

I'm not sure, but the hotel mgmt may be up to no good. I hate to think what would happen if they walked in on someone like that who was properly armed.

 

[macadore]

I have always carried when I stayed in a motel. You are in a strange room in a strange city with no friends around. I have had people beat on my door in the middle of the night several times. It was always a mistake, but one never knows. I think I would hurt someone who walked into my room in the middle of the night, especially if I was with my family.

 

[wheelgunslinger]

Some of my family had a similar issue at a hotel.
A local criminal (revolving door type) would kick doors in and rob people.
Fortunately, the little cheesy latch held pretty well and after 3 or 4 kicks he gave up.

However, part of the guy's m.o. is to kick once or twice, then wait for the curious and wide eyed occupant to open up and look around.

They were lucky that the guy gave up after 3 or 4 kicks. One more and the door would have been open. He ran when he heard the cops coming and they were hot on his tail, but didn't catch him.

 

[SASD209]

Absolutely....I always carry in a hotel/motel room also, same routine as if I was at home (assuming my vast array of state permits allows me to carry in that location). I also use all the locks they provide. A wrong room knock is one thing, entering my room without permission is an entirely different matter.

 

[HK G3]

Are Hotel/Motel rooms under your name covered by Castle Doctrine?

 

[SASD209]

I don't imagine so....I'd have to go read a random states' law to be sure though.

 

[MedWheeler]

Twice, at the same motel in Richmond, Virginia (during the same ten-day stay), I had incidents worthy of recollection. The first occurred my second night there. A whole crew of traveling paving contractors from Allentown, PA, had taken up residence in the rooms surrounding mine. Loud, wife-beater-wearin', beer-swiggin', gut-sportin', slobs made up the lot of them. My phone rings. Pick it up, and it's one of these guys yelling "hey, @--hole, I saw you checkin' out my wife; I'm gonna kick your @--!" Turns out he was trying to kid around with one of the others, but rang up the wrong room. Later that night, someone begins pounding on my door. I look out the hole, Tauruss 66 in one hand, and see one of these buffoons, about 100 pounds heavier than I am, standing outside. I'd seen him in the lot earlier, and knew he was with this crew. He hits the door again. I moved to the window next to the door, made myself visible, and shouted "you've got the wrong room! If you come through that door, I will fire on you!" He apologized, and moved further down the way to another room.
In the other incident, I think I'd forgotten the door latch. It was late morning, maybe 11AM, midway through my stay. A housekeeper entered (she said she'd knocked, but I didn't hear anything from the back of the room.) She didn't see the Taurus, but she saw everything else! She quickly apologized and backed slowly out the door..

 

[Fred Fuller]

Carry a couple of these in your luggage... they work to keep doors open or closed. Firefighters carry them under a band on helmets, a good many LEOs carry them in bailout bags.

http://www.wedgeit.com/

http://www.thefirestore.com/store/product.cfm/pid_1558_large_rubber_door_wedge/

lpl/nc

 

[rantingredneck]

I was in Atlanta for a conference at Georgia State a couple of years ago. I had just got to the hotel after the flight and subway ride to downtown (Peachtree St). I was heading for the shower and my door opens. A woman with her luggage is standing there. Luckily I was still mostly dressed. The hotel had checked her in to the same room as me. After she said her (very embarrassed) apologies she headed out. I flipped the night latch, that I'd forgotten to flip earlier, and finished my shower. I then headed to the front desk to ensure no additional ladies would be sent to my room.

 

[coyotehitman]

This is pretty common in most hotels. It happened to me last year at a large/expensive hotel; I do not think they were up to no good. Startling, yes, but not a big deal. Latch the night latch and put out the DND sign and most times you wont be bothered. Castle doctrine?? You gonna shoot the maid/hotel clerk for coming into the wrong room?

 

[Sir Aardvark]

As Lee said, use the rubber door stops.

 

[JWarren]

coyotehitman wrote:

Castle doctrine?? You gonna shoot the maid/hotel clerk for coming into the wrong room?

Who said anything about shooting anyone?

It is a perfectly legitimate question regarding this line of discussion.

As exemplified on THIS very thread, the person trying to get in rooms isn't ALWAYS maid service.

It becomes a natural progression of this thread that one may ask what are the statutes regarding SD in such situations.

You will have to let us know where you get that crystal ball....


-- John

 

[DZL HOG]

I know I wouldnt want that job. No telling what ya might barge in on. Why do they have to do it in the middle of the night?
My cousin got married in Wilmington NC last month, so we had to stay at a hotel for a couple nights. The room I was in didnt even have the little safety catch thing on the door jamb. The little piece on the door was there, but the other piece on the jamb was gone.
The hotel also tried to check my sister into a room that was already occupied. Turned out they just put the wrong room number on the envelope the card was in. Luckily the card didnt work when she tried it in the occupied room.
A couple years ago, before I got my CCW, I went to a 2day truck show in Wilson NC. I was traveling alone, so I had my XD with me. Being out of state I had the gun in the case during the drive. But when I hit the hotel, it was loaded and on the nightstand.

 

[hso]

The simple fact of the matter is that any room you sleep in that SOMEONE ELSE has control of the locks is not even nominally under your control.

You'd be amazed by the folks that carry a gun, but won't remember to throw the deadbolt or set the safety latch.

 

[FieroCDSP]

Ohio's recently passed (effective October) castle doctrine applies to any permanent or temporary dwelling, be it home, tent, hotel room, RV, etc. The usual threat determination applies (feel threatened, BG capable of bodily harm, reason to believe had intention).

So you can't zap the cleaning lady, no matter how many of those stupid bars of soap she insists on leaving in place of the too-few towels.

The explaination given to the OP sounds legit, but an apology and adjustment to the proceedure should have been given. The guy could have been shot.

It's difficult at oh-dark-thirty to wake up and be on your game to defend yourself, but remember to check your targets. Surefire G2's are inexspensive, quality, painfully blinding lights that will easily light up a room. Keep one on the nightstand next to your gun to grab at when the door goes bump. Be aware that your night vision will be toast afterwards, but by the time you're dealing with that, you'll have ascertained the threat.

The layered defence is also important. The door wedge, and remembering to utilize the locks can save your life. If you're a heavy sleeper, wedge-style door alarms are availiable at hardware stores, and are LOUD!!!. You won't sleep through that unless you're already dead. The magnetic-type window alarms can also be modified to secure a door temporarily. These are both inexpensive and can alert you to danger.

 

[Jeff White]

A couple years ago, Comfort Inn. Lebanon IN. Day 2 of Pat Rogers Carbine Operators Course.

It's about 5:30 in the evening, I had just started to load magazines for the next day's class. There are two carbines, (my duty R6920 and my back up carbine, M4 clone all Colt parts on a Bushmaster lower) on the bed along my Kimber Warrior and my BUG (SW Model 36). I'm sitting on the floor loading magazines, probably 30 empty and partially loaded magazines stacked around me an open case of XM193 next to me and a trash bag full of empty boxes and plastic separators over by the trash can. I'm dressed in khaki 5.11s and a black Gemtech T shirt with a suppressed M249 on the front of it.

The door opens with the electronic key card and in walks a couple that was obviously stopping for the night on vacation. I don't know who was more startled, me or them. The husband quickly said, we must have the wrong room and the backed out faster then they walked in.

It turned out that the clerk who checked me in, put my checkout date into the computer wrong, the room showed as available and they rented it to the couple that walked in on me.

The lesson I learned, the latch isn't just for when you are sleeping.....

Jeff

 

[Librarian]

Indeed, use those extra locks. I've been looking for bigger door stops, so those $3 things are nice to see. And one of these might be useful for the times where the intruder is quieter.

 

[jashobeam]

Let's not forget Cary Anthony Stayner

In 1999, serial killer Cary Stayner was the handyman at Cedar Lodge in El Portal, CA near Yosemite National Park. On February 15, 1999 Stayner murdered 42-year-old real estate agent Carole Sund, her 15-year-old daughter Juli and their friend, 16-year-old Silvina Pelosso from Cordoba, Argentina.

Stayner had a set of keys but did not actually need them because:

Stayner: "They let me in the room. I knocked on the door, said I was maintenance, had a leak in the room upstairs. They let me in. I went to the bathroom and checked out the fan where I told them the problem would be. When I came out of the bathroom, I pulled my gun out, and I told them I wanted the money and the keys to the car." ---Off the Wall: Death in Yosemite* by Michael P. Ghiglieri and Charles R. "Butch" Farabee, Jr.

He then tied their hands behind their backs, put the girls in the bathroom and strangled the mother on the bed. All three met their demise at his hands that evening. He also murdered Jennifer "Joie" Ruth Armstrong on July 21, 1999 in Foresta, CA.

*Excellent book that describes the various ways 900 people have died in Yosemite since 1849.

 

[anarchris]

even in CA you can defend yourself in a hotel room

the way I feel about it, whereever I lay my hat is my home and I will defend it.
That being said, I'll try not to cap the maid

 

[coyotehitman]

It is a perfectly legitimate question regarding this line of discussion.

As was my question.

Who said anything about shooting anyone?

No one directly. Are we pretending that it was not addressed indirectly?

You will have to let us know where you get that crystal ball....

Pretty nerdy.

 

[Defensory]

Combination door wedge and 120 decibel alarm:

http://www.traveloasis.com/dooralarm.html

 

[coyotehitman]

Defensory, those look useful. I recently purchased a couple of the motion activated alarms from Harbor Freight for 2.00 each. They are small enough to fit in a pocket and loud enough to draw attention.

 

[KD5NRH]

Having worked jobs, including at motels, where I had to walk into supposedly unoccupied rooms and houses, I never had a problem remembering to knock, identify loudly, open the door, and identify again before entering.

Even now, working security at a building that *should* be empty when I'm doing those rounds, I still identify if I'm checking a personal office or a women's restroom or changing area.

 

[Defensory]

Coyotehitman:

I'm pretty sure General Electric makes a similar door stop alarm like the one pictured in my previous post.

If you don't like to order things online, you might want to check at places like Wal-Mart, Home Depot or any decent hardware store.

They should only cost around 12 bucks.

 

[rrruuunnn]

i checked into a motel. when i opened the door there was a suitcase and many clothes hanging. personal effects everywhere. i went back to the front desk. the lady was puzzled that room was supposed to be empty.