Ok...what are we supposed to do?!?

[Ladybug]

I just want to add that official Neighborhood Watch programs dictate that the participants be UNARMED, not even a knife.

That is RIDICULOUS! I would never myself go out to "watch the neighborhood" without being armed, and I would never ask my neighbors to do it either. How can you ask for volunteers and then take away their rights?!? Maybe we'll start our own form of neighborhood watch - make our own signs, our own rules. Basically, I think anyone who volunteers to come out at night and keep an eye out should be allowed to arm themselves to the full extent of the law (so whatever THEY are normally allowed to carry).

By the way, we DO have a dog, and do NOT have a garage. No one in this neighborhood has a garage - these are fairly small houses (most under 2000 sq. ft.), on small lots, built in the 1920s and 1930s.

I kinda like the idea of hiding in a tree or on a roof (comfortably concealed and armed, of course) with several laser pointers. If someone suspicious walks or drives along, I can "light them up" as they walk/drive by.

So what's the consensus on letting "the criminal element" know that we're armed? Yes/no? I do NOT want our house broken into... but my husband works out of our house, so there is usually someone home, pretty much all of the time. When we go out of town or something, guns get locked up. Of course, that doesn't stop them from breaking in and looking anyway. We haven't really had any HOME break-ins, just cars. Part of the reason I'm really upset about this is that I DON'T want things to escalate past "easy" crimes.

Thanks for all the responses!!

 

[Guy B. Meredith]

Ladybug,

Letting the dirt know you have guns makes you a more valuable target for supplying their needs. Keep them guessing--that tends to keep them 'honest'.

 

[Futo Inu]

Establish neighborhood association. Have regular meetings. Have regular citizen vehicle patrols, with flashing light and magnet stickers on vehicle. Lotsa motion sensor lights. Shoot anyone caught red-handed with a taser or full-auto paintball gun with OC pellets. Dunno beyond that.

 

[Balog]

They make OC pellets for paintball guns ? Sweet

 

[rayra]

They also make hard nylon pellets, too.


Forget the talk of announcing weapons, forget about going unarmed as well.

The primary purposes of a 'Neighborhood Watch' should be as a local presence, and to collect evidence. IF you think you are some armed militia, or vigilante group, you'll quickly get yourselves into trouble, and lose any support or cooperation from 95% of police orgs.

Simply establish a visual presence. Forge a bond with local law enforcement. Work on community awareness, and all the low-hanging fruit regarding better security - outside / motion lights, basic homestead security measures.

Those things alone will drive the hoods to another, easier target.

 

[Shane]

So what's the consensus on letting "the criminal element" know that we're armed?

Again, bad idea. The slimeballs will try to break in and steal your guns. Even if they don't, since they know you are armed they are more likely to use weapons themselves if you ever got into a confrontation with them. Let them guess, and keep the element of surprise.

 

[Shane]

The primary purposes of a 'Neighborhood Watch' should be as a local presence, and to collect evidence.

That is good advice. If you belong to a neighborhood watch group, arm yourself with a CELLPHONE and alert the police if you see suspitious activity. Do NOT confront the bad guys. Confronting bad guys (with a weapon) while on a neighborhood watch program could lead to vigitalantism, mob mentality, or cause legal problems. If you do your part (alerting the police), chances are the police will do theirs.

 

[Topgun]

Well, there's....THESE....

http://www.budkww.com/partsview.asp?action=lookup&partno=XL109&subject=U10&catpos=11

And paintballs. OC or just paint.

Oh, by the way, it is always prudent to be careful when reloading. Sometimes a whole box of shells can be loaded with compressed loads of Bullseye. If you happen to leave these shells where someone could steal them, there's a good chance they'll blow off a finger by trying them in their gun and would sue you.

Be careful!

Also some garden centers and www.birdbgone.com sell bird netting, an almost invisible tangle mess that can wrap up in careless legs in the dark and even be connected to cans full of pebbles that get noisy.

And always be careful about leaving exposed nails in boards anywhere near your vehicle.

And never pee in screw top beer bottles and put them back in the 6-pak

Remember, scumbags need understanding.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

Bad strategy, IMO. Criminals are drawn to guns liks flies on rotting food. I can almost guarantee with certainty that if criminals see you cleaning guns, word will spread and they will try to break into your HOUSE (when you are away most likely) to steal those guns. IMO, you're best served NOT showing your hand.

I agree with this. You're not going to have the house occupied 24x7x365. The crooks know this and will just wait for the right time to come by and do a little "shopping."

Neighborhood watch sounds like the best idea to me.

 

[duckfoot]

I like the laser Idea

laser pointer or laser site

things to ponder

 

[Holly76201]

Ladybug,
you've gotten some great advice already, so I'll just reinforce what they've already posted.
Neighborhood watch/ agreement for mutual protection
Lights / surveillance
Dawgs.
I have a friend whose 20 year old daughter let their 130 pit/Engligh cross jump the fence and nail a would-be car burglar to the ground for the 15 minutes it took for the PD to respond to her 911 call. When the cops cuffed the perp and got him on his feet there was a large wet stain on the front of his pants. She was standing just outside the door waiting for the police with her hand behind her back holding one of her Daddy's glocks, which she knows how to use. When she saw the police cruiser turn the corner, she set it on the table by the door.
The web site for animal planet has suggestions for which breed would best suit your needs. Just type in Animal Planet in your search bar. Then hit the animal shelter. They will have requirements, but probably nothing you wouldn't do anyway, such as spay/neuter, regular vet checks, sufficient living space.
Good Luck and let us know how it goes.
Holly

 

[Horsesense]

"Oh, by the way, it is always prudent to be careful when reloading. Sometimes a whole box of shells can be loaded with compressed loads of Bullseye. If you happen to leave these shells where someone could steal them, there's a good chance they'll blow off a finger by trying them in their gun"

Theirs also a good chance that someone who didn’t steal them could get heart. Imagine the headline, "a two year old was blinded today, when her fathers gun exploded. A day of plinking turns tragic as a local man tried out some reload ammo, he bought at a gun show"

 

[September11]

Unfortunately, this has become very, very common. I live in a middle class neighborhood next to another middle class neighborhood. The guy two doors up the hill is a county sheriff! This past spring, we had four houses broken-in to on our block. It all happened in the middle of the night, while the families were home. Talk about guts. Finally, they got to my next door neighbors and were interrupted by two of those annoying little yappy dogs… who said they were good for nothing!?! The burglars frightened by the barking, ran like hell and jumped into the open bed of a waiting pickup truck in the driveway. These guys knew what they were doing. They had tools for getting in the front door, disassembling the stereo equipment, etc. They left their tools and ran. Rubber gloves, no prints. It turns out they were making the rounds through all the neighborhoods…

The last place I lived was also a middle class neighborhood which experienced a crime spree every spring and fall. The police said it was local high school kids just before school started and just after it got out. According to him, it was normal. Not to say that he was apathetic, just stating the facts.

I guess my point is that it may have nothing to do with where you live; you have to be prepared - Motion detectors, neighbors who know each other and watch out for each other, etc.
:banghead:

 

[RobW]

See, this is USA 2003! The police, the judical system, and the politicians are not able nor willing to protect law abiding citizens. If you help yourself effectively, you will be in trouble very soon (you will be sued up to your *** if your dog bites one of this poor criminals!)

How dit the politicos threaten us (in Nevada) if we don't agree with their raise of taxes as high as never before? "We have to empty the jails and close the schools".

Sounds more like a banana-republic doesn't it?

As Pat Buchanan said: "in 50 years, we well be a third world country".

 

[Ladybug]

Oh my God!!! I thought I was angry before, now I'm REALLY (I mean really, really) upset... I just found out that the same night my cell phone was stolen, the guy two doors down had a GUN stolen out of his truck. I swear it was all I could do to keep from hitting this idiot -- he just insured that, if they weren't already, these thugs are now definately armed. I am just seeing red!! The guy said "well, I had it hidden under a blanket." Like, uh, the criminals are just going to see that blanket and step back, saying "well, we definately can't lift THAT up..." Oh I'm soooo mad!!

Yeah, I'm mad at the city too -- we're so broke we can't hire enough cops to patrol the streets (they are running from call to call, apparently), yet we waste the money to buy street signs for the new "President Clinton Avenue" and to built the Clinton Library

:banghead: I am feeling the need to use every single angry and otherwise unhappy emoticon I can!

 

[Ladybug]

P.S.

And a confession...

In a rage-induced insanity, I actually found myself thinking that there should be a law or something to keep some people from owning guns.

 

[sm]

My thoughts on your other thread.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&postid=543604#post543604

I do not advertise I have anything of value, especially guns. I used to be in a business , in another life, and "advertising" cost cutomers a lot of theft, and grief. By nature of business, and just by being seen and "assumed" I had keys to business, alarms, safes...etc. I was a prime person to be kidnapped, robbed, shot at, or killed. Some interesting experiences...like the time I came home and met 2 steps into my door looking at muzzle of revo. Thoughts of tranquil evening shot to hell...

I go to range,hunt...etc. My firearms and gear in everyday stuff,like backpacks. Long guns in safe off site, but even so, carried in collasible lawn chair , pup tent canvas type coverings. People figure I'm gonna use a folding chair at a ball, game , backyard cookout.

Think like a theif.

 

[Moparmike]

Ladybug, have you considered joining ARPA? PM me and I will send you the 1st District At Large's email address. He can get you set up with a membership app, and discuss your problem and maybe help you with the politicos. I dont know how much pull ARPA has in LR, but anything that helps. Every ARPA member who lives in LR (especially Jeff) knows about the crime in LR.

I wish I had some helpful advice for you, but I dont. I wish you the best in your quest for a crime-free(er) neighborhood.

 

[Lord Grey Boots]

My parent's neighbourhood had a similar problem. Lots of break-ins, car prowls, tire slashings, etc. With the full blessing of the local RCMP, neighbourhood patrols went out.

Typically it was 3 or 4 groups of 4-5 men each. Each group had a CB walkie-talkie provided by the RCMP, and every man had their dog and a big flashlight.

Hey, the dogs needed to be walked anyway.

Another neighbour acted as "homebase" and had another walkie talkie, and the police on speed dial. The patrols went out Friday and Saturday nights which seemed to be the worse for B&Es.

The patrol covered an area of 10-12 square blocks. Periodically a plain clothes Mountie would join us.

Several burglars were caught in the act, and were arrested by quickly responding officers. IIRC, one or two found themselves hiding in a back yard, with a dozen or so barking dogs and lots of people within 20 yards or so.

Unfortunately, none of the crooks tried to hide in the yard where the monster Ex-RCMP Police Service german shepard lived. Biggest german shepard I have ever seen.

Couple of other advantages, the neighbourhood dogs got to know each other, so they barked less at night, and the neighbours got to know each other.

Local crime dropped hard and fast. The local punks got the message.

 

[Hal]

Who let the dogs out (woof, woof, woof, woof)
Who let the dogs out (woof, woof, woof, woof)
Who let the dogs out (woof, woof, woof, woof)
Who let the dogs out (woof, woof, woof, woof)

We lost the "doodle dog" just about a year ago to cancer. Doodle was a good ole boy, and for a Great Dane, he lived an unbelievable 13 + years. He was pretty much a "couch 'tater" his whole life, and just wandered around the house while we were at work. One of his favorite pastimes was standing and looking out the front window.

'magine the sight of head/neck AND back of a dog just standing there all being visible in the window was enough of a deterrant.

 

[Bruce H]

Maintaining order takes killing. Always has always will. Their are those who will prey on the unsuspecting reguardless of all the watches. They move to easier pickins with a show of force but they are still out there. The current problem is there are as many bad apples on both sides. Their are a few lawyers, judges, and prosecutors who need to be in the ground just as bad as any criminal.

 

[ysr_racer]

Park your car in a garage or well lighted place and think about video surveillance.

Yep, and an alram wouldn't hurt.

 

[hso]

The only good suggestion I've not seen is contacting a private patrol company to find out what the price would be for car patrols late at night. If your neighbors are half as concerned as you are they may all be willing to chip in and pay for the service. Add this to a neighborhood watch that suspends ops early enough for everyone to get enough sleep and you may have enough visible coverage to deter the criminals.