my wouldbe home invasion experience

[prefetch]

first off, hi - i'm a new guy here. i mostly spend on g503.com as i'm a ww2 equipment/weapons collector. i'm not a home defense expert or a gun expert by any means.

anyway, i'm going to post about an experience that i had last summer, and i'd be interested in what you THR folks think about it.

setting:
moonless night, 3am in quasi-rural/suburban utah

background:
my house is a little off the beaten path - my driveway is about 800' long, gravel, and winds down a gully to my house. i live on about 4 acres of fields and scattered trees.

here's what happened:
i'm in the kitchen at 3am, i see headlights coming down the driveway. this happens sometimes - kids out partying looking for a place to stop come down our driveway thinking it's a deadend lot. usually, they just turn around and takeoff when they see my house. this time, the headlights stopped, turned around drove about 50' into my field (front yard) and parked.

at this point i was sort of freaking out. they clearly saw the house and decided to park in my front yard (field) and they turned their vehicle off.

i'm thinking the worst - that these guys are here to rob my house. we're sort of out of the way - no close neighbors, so it's in a lot of ways a perfect target for this sort of thing.

i run to my bedroom closet, get my remington 12 gauge pump and grab 3 shells. i keep the shotgun unloaded, without a trigger lock, with the ammo "hidden" behind some old bedding in the closet shelf.

i didn't bother to put any shoes on, i was in shorts and a loose shirt - my adrenaline was cranking, and i didn't feel the cold air or the painful gravel on my bare feet as i marched at a fast and direct pace towards where i saw the headlights last.

it was pitch black - i mean really, really dark. i couldn't see a thing, but i know my driveway, so when i got to the bend in the field i stopped. i figured they must've been 30 feet in front me.

i shouted "who are you and what are you doing here!?"

silence.

i shoved a shell into the shotgun and racked it in. again, i asked "who are you!? -- come out NOW!"

silence.

by this time, i was getting angry. i knew they were there, but i just couldn't see anything. i was hoping the racking sound of my shotgun would do the trick - but no such luck. i shouted "okay, then. i'm coming up to get you."

i started to walk into the field - again, in bare feet. i took about 4 steps and realized that i couldn't see a thing. pitch black. this wasn't going to work.

i pointed the shotgun into the sky and fired. big flash - loud blast.

then i heard a tiny voice "please don't shoot me..." it was weird - i couldn't figure out what kind of a voice it was. something didn't sound right about it.

i said, not shouting this time, "i'm NOT going to shoot you - just come on out."

then the voice said "okay - but please - don't shoot me. i'm coming out."

i realized it was a woman's voice. it was so weird. what the heck was a woman doing in the field in my yard at 3am??

she came out of the darkness, she had her hands sorta raised up halfway. she was wearing a red hoodie, but i couldn't see her face or really much of anything else about her - it was so dark. the only reason i could see she had a red hoodie on was that at the very moment she approached me, her cell phone rang! it lit up in her hoodie's front pocket and illuminated the scene for just a second.

she asked if she could answer it, and i said go ahead. i could hear it was a man's voice on the other end of line. she said something about being okay, and that she'd be back in a little while. she hung up.

anyway, not to drag out the story, but i asked her a bunch of questions, about who she was, why she was here, where she lived - that sort of thing. she gave a bunch of incoherent answers. i decided that she was probably high on some kind of drugs.

she said she was staying at someone's house just about 1/4 mile from my house across the highway. as it turns out she was on a four-wheeler. i told her to get on here four wheeler, go back up my driveway and told her how to get back to the highway.

i turned around and walked back to the house. this time, my feet hurt from the gravel. at about the time i got to my house, i looked back and her lights were on and i could see her four wheeler turn around and drive off.

i put the shotgun away and by then, my wife was awake asking what was going on. she didn't hear the shotgun blast, but it must've woken her up.

the next day (5 hours later at 8am) i went to the house where i suspected this girl was staying. a girl in a red hoodie was sitting on the front porch smoking weed with some guy. as i approached, i obviously caught them by surprise - they put out their joints and started lighting up regular cigarettes. i said "you must be heidi" (heidi was the name she gave me the night before.)

she stood up and said "hm? heidi? don't know who that is...no one here is named that." okay, i see how it is... i told her that someone wearing clothes like her that said they were staying at this address was at my house last night, and i just came back to say i'm sorry if i scared her. i didn't push it, but it seemed clear that it was her, and she probably had that guy with her at the time in my yard. he was very passive, in the background while i was talking to her, so i figured maybe he was hiding back behind the four wheeler the whole time.

so this lady (probably early 30's) said "no, that wasn't me, or anyone here - but i promise that will never happen again. you don't need to worry about that - it won't happen again, but it wasn't us..."

i just smiled and said "alright, have a good day." i didn't bother calling the police, or pursuing the matter in any way.

post situation analysis:

things i did right:
- not much

things i did wrong:
- i didn't call the police
- i didn't bring a flashlight
- i didn't bring shoes

thing i'm not sure about:
- was it right to confront the intruder?
- was it right to fire my shotgun in the air?

things maybe i could do to improve my situation:
- get floodlights
- install some kind of driveway sensor

so, that's my story - a wouldbe home invasion that wasn't. it could've been real bad news, but it turned out to be a doped up woman. the one thing i've done since then is hang a maglight right on my shotgun barrel in the closet, but aside from that i really haven't changed my setup.

THR folks, if i had to do it over again - what would be the "right way" to handle the situation?

 

[rooter]

Stay in the house, lock the door, arm yourself (I would want more than 3 rounds too), grab a light, wake the wife, take up a safe position that offers you a tactical advantage, call the police, wait.

You ever tried to shoot a shotgun, especially a pump, while holding a maglight? You might invest in a weapon mounted light or the wrist mounted job I see on G&A TV sometimes.

As I was reading your story, I was waiting to read that the girl was distracting you and someone else came out of nowhere to flank you.

 

[Leanwolf]

"Home Invasion???"

Seemed more like some kids just wanting a lonely, dark place to blow some grass.

In my opinion, it is a mistake to go out in the dark like that. If they were some people with real plans to harm you, it would be very easy to ambush you. One distracts, another, or two, flank you. Or, worst case, one just shoots you from the dark.

I'd stay inside, lights off, alert to what was going on outside. If they approached, I'd call the cops. If they tried to break in, well..................

FWIW.

L.W.

 

[go_bang]

Floodlights would be a very good idea. Maybe two or three on each corner of the house, that could all be lit up by one of several switches in the house. You can light up the entire area around you house, while blinding anyone who might be approaching.

Not sure about the driveway sensor idea. I think a good dog would be better.

Having a few more rounds for the shotgun would not hurt.

I think I would have to say that confronting the intruder in the dark was a very bad idea. First, you had no way of knowing whether said intruder would have started shooting in the direction of your voice once you spoke. Second, and most importantly, you had no way to properly identify your target.

I think staying inside, taking up a defensible position, and calling the police would have been the smarter move.

 

[shouldifail]

another thing to think about...how long were you outside questioning the girl?? long enough for her gentleman friend to find his way into your house?? i would suggest picking up one of the million candle power spotlights...light them up, call the police to report a tresspasser, keep doors locked, have shotgun handy just incase.
put up a driveway sensor...20 or so feet from the entrance so if someone is just turning around it doesnt go off.
just my 2 cents.

 

[prefetch]

good points all around. i appreciate the thoughtful feedback.

going outside was a bad move. the fact that it was dark, and i had no light made it even stupider.

i mean, it could've been bad. what kind of punk kids drive right up to a house in the middle of nowhere, park in the yard and go about there business? punk kids don't act that way - their approach appeared to me to be very bold and deliberate and oriented towards my home rather than their own private nighttime affairs. that's what triggered my "something isn't right here" reaction.

of course, we're talking about a stoned 30 something year old woman and some guy (which doesn't fit my idea of the demographic that would 'park' out in the woods to get high at night) and so i guess their approach wasn't normal either.

and heck, for all i know, they actually did plan to break-in and steal stuff, or do who knows what. they certainly could've gotten high in their own house down the street - why come to mine? i'll never know what they really had planned and why they left there home 1/4 mile away and came to my house at 3am.

i hope there isn't a "next time" (people almost always turn around pronto once they see that there is a house down here) but if there is - call the cops and hunker down sounds like the best move.

what's interesting is that after reading these replies and thinking about it (even after so many months have past) this now seems obvious, but at the time i just reacted the way i reacted. i guess you really don't know how you will react unless you've really thought this stuff through before hand.

also, i think a dog and/or floodlights would be a good addition.

 

[The Unknown User]

1. The darkness is an advantage for an attacker--not a defender. Don't go outside without (a) a flashlight, and (b) lights on around your house.

2. I wouldn't rack the slide unless you really want to shoot someone. You couldn't see anything, so you have no idea if the people on the vehicle were armed or not. The moment you rack the slide, you give away your position, whether you're visible or not. Now they know where you are, and you still have no idea where they are.

3. I'd wake up the wife next time. Two heads are better than one.

4. A call to the police would be a good idea, and for numerous reasons. It's incredibly odd that someone would come down your driveway, and then park on your front lawn. They have no business there, at that time of night, nor do they have any reason to park on your lawn like that. I'd only assume the worst and call the police.

I'm glad everything turned out, but I hope that thinking through the situation will put you in a better mindset the next time this happens. Hopefully it never does, but you never know.

 

[TexasSkyhawk]

Rob,

I agree with all of your points except for the first one. My approach to that is from a "special" military background. Darkness always gives a strong tactical advantage to the defender. It's their turf. They know what's out there, what belongs, what makes what sounds, etc.

Having a flashlight or spotlight simply gives the would-be bad people a superb aim point

A good friend of mine and old team mate has fifty-some-odd acres in deep east Texas. He has enough land cleared to have a 2500' grass landing strip. My wife and I love going out to visit him and his wife.

He has flood lights set up that form a perimeter around his home, barn, corral and airplane hangar. The lights are all facing outward and are controlled by both an on/off switch on his front porch, as well as by remote control.

Being that he too is also just off the highway by less than a couple of hundred meters, he gets drunks, lost motorists, etc., stumbling around in the wee hours. The outward facing floodlights destroy his "visitor(s)'" night vision and give him an instant advantage.

And where he's at, the local sheriff's deputies are SLOW to arrive.

He also keeps a pair of soft-soled moccasins by the front door--if he needs shoes, he can slip those on easily and quietly and not make any noise while checking things out.

Jeff

 

[bogie]

Parachute flares. Lots and lots of parachute flares.

And bird bombs. Pop those suckers into the treeline.

And a video camera with a good low-light lens.

Can you say "America's Stupidest Four Wheelers?" I'm sure there's a show, and I'm sure it pays well for the videos...

You probably interrupted her, and someone other than front porch dude, attempting to sneak a little nookie.

 

[rrruuunnn]

i have night vision monocular as a gift. although, i might be timid about standing close to the window.

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Seemed more like some kids just wanting a lonely, dark place to blow some grass.

That still sounds like someone committing a crime and breaking and entering into a private residence in the process to me. Home invasion? You bet.

 

[Fred Fuller]

prefetch,

Either take the Personal Protection In The Home class from an NRA certified instuctor near you ( http://www.nrahq.org/education/training/basictraining.asp ), or order the DVD ( http://materials.nrahq.org/go/product.aspx?productid=ES 26840 ). No need for me to review the POI (program of instruction) here when either the class or the DVD will do a better job of teaching you what you need to do. BTW, the text is available at http://www.nrastore.com/nra/Product.aspx?productid=PB+01781 .

If you don't care for any of those suggestions, give Louis Awerbuck's Safe At Home video a look ( http://www.paladin-press.com/detail.aspx?ID=1500 ).

Don't make it easy for anyone looking for trouble to find you, and remember that if you go looking for trouble you're likely to find it. A cell phone at hand is always a good idea, any working cell phone can diall 911 even with no contract for service. A gate across your road will work better than a driveway sensor, though the sensors can be handy to let you know someone is lurking about- I use 'The Reporter' brand wireless alert myself. I also believe good fences make good neighbors. I am definitely in favor of dogs too, but again they are no substitute for good tactics on your part. Lighting can be a big plus in your favor if used to your advantage.

You got a cheap lesson this time around, hope you learn from it...

Stay Safe,

lpl/nc

 

[TallPine]

Just let the dogs out ...

 

[USMC 1975]

Your first priority should be your wife. Stay with her.

Second priority is your life. Stay inside where you have a tactical advantage.

Third priority is your home. Defend it from the inside.

Fourth priority - backup. Call the cops and let them do their jobs.

You are a very lucky man. You could have easily walked right into an ambush.

Chris

 

[Bob F.]

Welcome to THR!! Don't do that again!!

Bob

 

[Sans Authoritas]

Bob F.,

A very good summary!

-Sans Authoritas

 

[Cmdr. Gravez0r]

- i didn't bring shoes

I call that a tactical error. Not something I have covered now but I will fix it. Having a good footing or not being afraid to run over rough territory could save you life. A pair of tennis shoes losly tied should do the trick to slip on easily.

 

[neviander]

Having a flashlight or spotlight simply gives the would-be bad people a superb aim point

Good point, flood lights sound like a better option.

Parachute flares. Lots and lots of parachute flares.

And bird bombs. Pop those suckers into the treeline.

Also a good point, but not terribly practical.

I would also add, it's not ALWAYS necessary to call the cops, especially on your own property. Is it not here, on THR, that I often read "when seconds count, police will be there in minutes"? or "police do not protect"? If you've established that it's just stupid kids....or adults that picked the wrong driveway to find privacy, there is no threat of future re-occurrence and you've let the wayward stoners know not to do it again, let it be.

 

[retgarr]

The one thing I'm seeing that I'm surprised everyone is missing is to load the shotgun. Loading a shotgun in the dark is clumsy and time consuming. Put as many shells in your gun as the mag holds and then do your thing.
Personally I keep my shotgun loaded, 4 in the mag, empty chamber.

 

[mnrivrat]

Lets see - barefoot in the dark with no light, gun not loaded, making noise to give away your position . (shooting in air - bad idea !)

I think you got some good advise and I have little to add other than good for you to post and reflect on what could have been done better. Stay safe !

 

[spyder1911]

Might want to look into a security system since your house is so secluded and also some motion activated flood lights to illuminate the area in front of your house.

 

[Browning]

You learn more about yourself through mistakes then you do from success.

prefetch : things i did wrong:
- i didn't call the police
- i didn't bring a flashlight
- i didn't bring shoes

thing i'm not sure about:
- was it right to confront the intruder?
- was it right to fire my shotgun in the air?

Well at least you have the sense to realize that you made some mistakes in handling the situation, next time you'll remember the mistakes you made this time and you won't repeat them again if you end up in a situation like this again.

Some people would just think that they did great and they'd be all proud of themselves for racking the shotgun and shooting a round in the air. I've heard a few other guys tell similar stories and to hear them tell it they were John Wayne or Lee Marvin re-incarnated just because they "got over" on someone.

 

[rbernie]

things maybe i could do to improve my situation:
- get floodlights
- install some kind of driveway sensor

A gate and dog are a must. A dog on the front porch will alert to anyone coming down the drive, and most miscreants will skedaddle when they realize that there's a hound about. Outdoor lighting is also very useful. I'll usually light the external floods and go to a second-story window that's oblique to the possible threat.

thing i'm not sure about:
- was it right to confront the intruder?
- was it right to fire my shotgun in the air?

Not so much. 'Recon by fire' may work for the DoD in certain circumstances, but it's frowned upon in real life.

 

[Dksimon]

My friends live in the country in a situation alot like yours and they have had a handfull of similar incidents, though more sinister.

It would begin by hearing a car park on the road an then they would see flashlight beams moving through the trees. At first the were only mildly concerned but one night the same thing happened and there were also red lasers pointed into the windows.
Needless to say large flood lights were installed an alarm system was installed and they also now keep a shotgun by the bed.

Scarry situation and I can only hope it doesnt happen again to you or them.

 

[mgregg85]

At least load the shotgun as soon as you can. Don't go wandering around with an unloaded gun in the dark, nothing more worthless than an unloaded gun. I'd stay inside and call the cops next time.