Neighbor w/Gun Stops Burglary

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Got this from WSOC-TV in Charlotte NC:

Neighbor Helps Police Catch Break-In Suspect

POSTED: 5:17 pm EDT September 9, 2008
UPDATED: 6:45 pm EDT September 9, 2008


CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A man's quick thinking in south Charlotte helped police arrest a suspected burglar.

Theodore Fuller is a 17-year-old who's already been arrested five other times, twice for breaking and entering.

A man, who doesn’t want to release his name, said just after 9 a.m. Monday that he got a call from a neighbor who saw an unknown car back into a driveway on Turnberry Lane. That neighbor called police then called another neighbor, who went to check things out with a gun in one hand and a cell phone in the other.

The neighbor said he saw the car idling. He went to take the key out of the ignition but noticed the ignition was popped. Police say that is a sign of a stolen car. The man said a police officer arrived on scene.

Detective Ole Swenson said, "The witness told us he was armed. He went to front door and the officer went to back door."

Then, the neighbor said, "I had the gun at his face. I said, ‘Freeze.’ He slammed the door, ran back, and that's where the officer told him to get on ground right there."

Detective Swenson said he does not recommend having a gun in this situation. He said just being a noisy neighbor, willing to call 911, is the start they needed in finding a suspect like Theodore Fuller.
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Another burglar goes to jail. Maybe they'll keep him a bit longer this time.
 
Theodore Fuller is a 17-year-old who's already been arrested five other times, twice for breaking and entering.
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Prison is a place where people go to hopefully become rehabilitated. If not they are pointless to society and will only do harm. What were the other 3 times? he needs to be removed from society and I dont mean by being placed in jail

joe
 
Neighbor w/Gun Stops Burglary
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No, he didn't. The newspaper title was more accurate. He helped catch the burglar, but he neither stopped the burglary or actually caught the burglar. He just caused the burglar to not be able to egress the front door and change directions which resulted in him being confronted by the officer.

The neighbor did well, no doubt, but when the door was slammed in his face, the burglary was still in progress.
 
Detective Swenson said he does not recommend having a gun in this situation.

Well golly gee! How about the "child" you know he is not an adult yet! How about this child ramming a screwdriver through the good neighbors sternum, and stealing his Cell phone!

Old American proverb, "Gun in hand, beats screwdriver in heart" the Uniform on scene had no trouble recruiting a willing 2nd amendment officiator to the cause did he? But the detective said "he does not recommend having a gun in this situation" what then a whistle?

Next time this criminal will have a gun. And there will be a next time.
 
17 years old and his 3rd time he's been "caught"....I hate to say it, but this kid will never change......Good on the neighbor who exercised his second ammendment right and went out of his way save his fellow neighbors property from some thug who thinks a 9 to 5 is too hard.
 
The point of my posting this story is that we have yet another POSITIVE story about firearms being used for good, as opposed to evil.

The more these kind of stories happen and are broadcast/published, the more the public will accept the defensive use of firearms, instead of the constant barrage of negative stories involving guns.
 
I really like the fact that it was covered in the news. But you can bet that it will not be shown on CNN or MSNBC as they only show guns as evil tools of the crime business, however I did see a bit this morning of a chase that ended in the officer taking fire, and then returning fire killing the suspect. This was MSNBC. 2008 the year that left wing journalism dies!!!
 
The point of my posting this story is that we have yet another POSITIVE story about firearms being used for good, as opposed to evil.

The more these kind of stories happen and are broadcast/published, the more the public will accept the defensive use of firearms, instead of the constant barrage of negative stories involving guns.
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I make a habit of emailing the local media when I see the typical bias in gun-related stories, and a few stories have actually been reworded because of it. I think it's important that we say something whenever we see it. Overall I've noticed less bias in local coverage lately. Who knows, maybe they're sick of my emails. :)
 
Look guys, put yourself in the detective's (or any law enforcement officer's) position. What is your incentive to say, "Job well done, gun-owning citizen."

The possible drawback: Some other private citizen gun owner gets in a questionable-use-of-force situation. When confronted with legal action he says, "...but Officer So-and-so said in the paper..." Whether the repercussions are big or small it's a headache you don't need.

The possible benefit: A bunch of strangers applaud your words in an internet forum somewhere.

I am glad this homeowner was able to use a firearm to defend property, without anybody having to die.
 
Detective Ole Swenson said, "The witness told us he was armed. He went to front door and the officer went to back door."
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What the heck was the civilian doing as point man on the front door? From the detective's comment it sounds like there were at least two LEOs on the scene.

I wouldn't want want to volunteer for that job - with or without the firearm that was not recommended by the detective.
 
Point man?

Working Patrol in a gated community, the gatehouse got a phone call from a resident... 4 men sat in a car, been there for 40 minutes. Lots of cigarette stubs.

I told our Gatehouse Lady, call Orange County, 10 minutes response time, "Can you show me where this street is?" Sure said I, stopping 50m short of the little dead end street, I pointed it out to the deputy, he pulled along side "You go in first I will follow" he said, "You have to be joking" said I, "you get the big bucks" mind you I did follow him in!

Turned out to be one individual, waiting for his Wife, but he did have a record. Wife came out of residence they left, we talked Glocks for a while he left. You go first might be taught in the Academy?
 
I'm sure Theodore is really just a fine young man, just misguided... he's just turning his life around, right? He's lucky he didn't go to the wrong house, he could've been pushing up daisies. (Hope you guys get the sarcasm)
 
Lets hope he is charged as an adult. If not he will be back on the streets almost immediately with merely a slap on the wrist and some probation.
 
If that detective did indeed let a civilian go into danger in his place, then turns around and recommends not having a gun in that type of situation... he shouldn't be where he is!

~Dale
 
I think that the "proper" LEO response "if" questioned by the media, would have been to ignore the armed citizen (leading/baited, IMO) question. You know, you avoid other armed citizens taking the LEO's words out of context and getting themselves into trouble.
 
Old Guy said:
Old American proverb, "Gun in hand, beats screwdriver in heart" the Uniform on scene had no trouble recruiting a willing 2nd amendment officiator to the cause did he? But the detective said "he does not recommend having a gun in this situation" what then a whistle?
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Thanks for saving me the time to express the same. Having a civvie with a firearm seemed to work just fine for the interests of the public this time, didn't it? So why not next time, too?

I'd probably be a little indignant about that comment if I were the good Samaritan.
 
This is the kind of thing we should be printing, and posting anonymously on work bulletin boards.

Posting it here is preaching to the choir.
 
Im not sure how I feel about this story. It appears that the cop was working with the armed neighbor. I have never heard of cops doing a house clearing with an armed neighbor. Usually they bring in other cops, whom they have trained with to do these things.
I think the guy did the right thing by getting involved and taking action, but the whole thing seems a little weird to me and could have easily turned into a mess.

The only way I am going to clear my neighbors house is in a matter of life or death... like I hear someone being raped, or tortured. For a burglary, I would rather let my tax dollars do the work.
 
Real life

Having a Buddy who was a Sgt; in a medium sized town, I knew him through a training organization we belonged to.

Well staying with my Son who lived there gave me a free day, so I went out with "Joe!" not real name, one morning.

After coffee! off we went, one call Loud noise, signal twenty lady, known to Police. Nice trailer home on nice street, Sarg said watch the back, I said "Do I shoot her if she runs out?" his eyes went through the roof of his head "No you don't shoot her" not sure if English humor is understood in South Florida.

Knock knock, "Police Dept." Lady came to screen door, "How do I know you are the Police?" I thought he looked the part! He showed her his ID, that worked, she turned the radio down... IT WAS LOUD! "I am just going to drive over to my councilor" she said, out she comes dressed nice, big purse, large teddy bear! hands quite full, I asked if I could help by carrying something, I got handed the Teddy Bear.

Just put Teddy on the front seat she said, "Should I put his seat belt on" Said I. Oh don't be silly she said, it's only a Teddy Bear.

We waited till she drove off, then fell all over the place for five minutes, in absolute hysterics!
 
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