Peeping Tom

[Dave P]

My recent story: was woken up at 0-dark-thirty by my 16 y/o daughter. "Dad Dad - there is someone outside my window!" She was watching TV, and heard noises, and saw him twice, then he ducked down.

I started waking up as she came in the room, so I wasn't totally out of it. I told her to call 911 (note to self: get new phone with lighted push buttons). I went to closet and got 45 from gunsafe, along with surefire.

Listened, heard nothing. Heart pounding - is he in her room? Her door was closed.

She said he was making rattling noises earlier (trying the screen?). I assumed he was in the frnt yard that is open to street. Turns out he was in the side yard, behind 6' fence with dog signs!

Dispatcher kept yakking at her, I told her to put the phone down and listen to me.

I look out my bath window, see a shape by her room. I yell "you wanna get shot A-H?". He says, almost apologetically "No Sir". Then I realize it is a young white guy, maybe 18-20. I think I then said get the heck out of here. Should have had him get on ground - I think he would have, I could have lit him up from the window - but I mainly wanted him out of there. So he opens the gate and leaves.

Deputy (who lives 3 doors down) shows up with a couple of others, very quickly. Walks around house. City police drive by also, out looking for him. I turn on outside lights and join them. Kid is long gone.

End of story. That kid had gonads going into a fenced/posted yard. I should install a security light on that side, but no 110v power is there now. I did put a better latch on that side of house. BTW - dog was not home that night.

I did listen to you all and stayed in the house and used a pistol. Last time (years ago) I went out front with a shotgun - hard to handle with flashlight.

BTW - daughter was too excited and scared - so I am very sure she did not know who it was. And I am glad he didn't try to climb in the locked windows - don't need those legal hassles!

Dave

 

[Rachen]

We should attend

Hogwarts, and have them teach us the "Castration Curse", because sometimes, it is really necessary.

Really, I am glad that ultra technology is giving us sex offender tracking GPS on line. Now I know that one lives 6 blocks away from my house. If my friends are having children coming over, I'll be sure to tell em'.

 

[chris in va]

Hmm. Better grill her to be sure it isn't one of her boyfriends.

Don't be offended, probably is a random PT. But living with a teenager has opened my eyes as to how sneaky they can be.

 

[03Shadowbob]

I got to tell ya that you have good self control. I don't know if it's my personality along with past LE experience but I know that I wouldn't/haven't sat in my house when something like this happens. I have to go outside and check it out. I know, I know...the "right" tactical move for most people is to sit in a safe room and dial 911 and stay put til the cops get there but not for me. I will go out there and I will take my chances in order to catch some scumbag looking in my windows. In a pervous way, I equate peeping toms to rapists and they are treated as such.
BTW, get a surefire on the end of the shottie and you can have both hands on the shottie.

 

[Imaginos]

BUD

Sounds to me like a clear demonstration of the need for a Back Up Dog.

Maybe there is a business opportunity here for short term lease of guard dogs while Fluffy is at the groomer, family on vacation, etc.

Chris, I have to disagree in this case.
If it was a boyfriend or someone she recognized, why would she come wake up the parental defense unit? If Dave P woke up on his own and saw the punk out the window, an Inquisition would be in order.

 

[chris in va]

You'd be suprised. An ex-boyfriend will do that as well.

But you're right, sounds like this was a real PT.

 

[Rachen]

If he is a boyfriend,

she wouldn't have been "terrified", unless it is an ex boyfriend who vowed revenge. But she is too young to experience the dark side of love, yet.

Maybe it is time to take her to the range and pick out a nice new 9mm or .45 ACP for her to build her confidence, and when she comes of age to be CCW eligible, Presto! One more person in our community.

 

[Battlespace]

Many years ago (around 1960 or 1961) my dad caught a peeping tom in the yard. My older sister had gotten home one night around midnight and headed for the bath tub. She heard movement outside and so sunk to the bottom of the tub and yelled for dad. He scared the guy off by getting up and turning lights on. For the next several nights he stayed in the garage with his Model 12 and waited very patiently for my sister to come home and get to bed. Sure enough after about a week the guy came up the alley behind the house, jumped the fence and headed for the bathroom window as soon as the light came on. Dad just walked up behind him and stuck the muzzle in the small of his back and yelled for my mom to call the sheriff. The sheriff showed up in about 5 minutes and hauled the guy away (I was about 10 and this was as exciting as things could be for me.) I now wonder if the guy had lost bladder control. My dad was pretty calm about it, did what a dad is supposed to do in protecting his offspring.

 

[03Shadowbob]

That's right Battlespace. That's what dads are supposed to do and I am sure it taught you a hell of a lesson.
I have a great story about my dad that has been etched in my memory ever since it happened.
I was about 8 at the time. Mom and dad had decided to hide a female friend of the family when her husband had beaten her almost unrecognizable. Now this is closing in on 30 years ago so things were a lot different back then with LEO and domestic abuse cases etc.. The woman and kids were not hidden at our house but at someone else's home we knew.
Well the guy found out that my parents knew where she was and that's where it turned crazy. The guy told my dad over the phone that if he didn't tell him where his wife was, he was going to kidnap one or all 3 of us kids. Well dad told him right then in foul language that he better go in hiding because "You threatened my family and I am coming after you now." Dad left that night and came home later after not finding the guy. He had known this guy for years and used to be friends with him til he realized he was crazy so he knew where he lived, where he hung around, etc. We later found out that the guy went to Okeechobee County immediately after dad got off the phone with him and stayed there for a couple weeks in a motel.
Dad is a good ole boy who takes matters into his own hands when it is appropriate. He is no hot head by any stretch of the imagination but when you threaten the family, it's time to roll.
I think me witnessing this and a couple other instances with my older sisters, he taught me how to handle certain things. Right or wrong, as they may be. Now that I have a daughter and son of my own, I realize just how much he has influenced the way I raise and protect my family.

 

[clt46910]

I am very protective of my only daughter, I am afraid I would not use common sense and would go after then guy and make an attempt to catch him.

I do admire that you did use the common sense approach. I am afraid I would have not been as cool headed.

Can you put a loud alarm on your gate? When someone opens it the whole neighborhood would know then.

 

[AndyC]

Set up a security camera.

Like the old saw goes "Every problem looks like a nail when you're holding a hammer", or words to that effect; I have sometimes wondered if we, as gun-people - because we're gun-people - tend to instinctively fixate solely on the use of a firearm to solve our annoying problems - such as peeping toms and the like.

Of course, not that anyone posting above did advocate shooting anyone, but I know what I felt

 

[Travis McGee]

Go to a home store and buy a couple of solar powered, motion detecting flood lights. They cost about $70. Lights that connect to your house power are cheaper, but not better.

Solar powered security lights not only will work when you have a power outage (when you might need them most) but they have another plus: they are highly portable. The flood light/battery/sensor can be picked up and easily moved about, to various rain gutter positions etc. No wiring to move. You can place them at ground level, fence level, roof level, on top of a ladder, anywhere at all.

Nothing deters night time creepers like "random" motion sensing security lights, that they can never figure out. (Well, the sound of an 870 being racked ain't bad either.)

 

[Taurus 66]

Staying inside the house was good common sense. You told your daughter to dial 911. Had you went out in the yard while police were dispatched to your location and a cop pulls up on some man holding a .45, umm ... well you know what I mean, right? You'd probably be an armed prowler and things could've quickly went nasty depending on how good or terrible you are at following commands.

I'm glad this reached a peaceful end and that the three of you are safe.

 

[lawson]

i agree with Travis McGee, the solar powered motion lights worked great for my dad's workshop, which is a single room building with power only on the one side. the rear of the workshop faces the alley, with only a 6 foot chain link fence. there were a couple burglary attempts previous. none successful, but window bars were mangled by a crowbar. we put up a motion floodlight on that side (there was already one on the opposite side, facing the house). no one has messed with the windows since.

sidenote, thank god for good neighbors. that house has had the same people living on either side for the past 20 years. both good folk and good friends, and both well armed.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Family Protection

I have a 19 y/o daughter whose judgement in selecting friends just sucks.

I've mentioned her in another thread or two. Ain't kids great.

Over the last year, given her taste in friends, wife and I have become "extra vigilant" with regard to noises outside at night, tracks and traces resulting from unauthorized backyard visits, and so on.

A couple of months back, someone stood on the outside crawlspace cover and broke the backing board -- this is directly beneath her window. She was officially spooked.

Funny, sort of. Here's a kid that won't listen to Dad regarding real life risks, but who runs straight to Dad when something like this happens.

I've worried for some time now that I might find myself obliged to let the air out of one of her former friends/acquaintances. Some of them are 48-card decks. Three-sandwich picnics. Astoundingly bereft of good judgement.

Like earlier posters, I have similar recollections of my dad handling unwanted suitors of my older sister, rock-throwing bullies in our own yard, and the like. He was quiet. he was firm. He was prepared to do battle for us. He wasn't armed, though, and I've never really explored why.

With every passing month, one more aspect of home security is addressed. Coming soon: new gates, fence repair, better lighting.

For now, though, Smitty is a great comfort. Him and his buddy, Marlin.

Good friends.

 

[tellner]

she wouldn't have been "terrified", unless it is an ex boyfriend who vowed revenge. But she is too young to experience the dark side of love, yet.

Wanna bet?

I've known girls who were stalked from twelve until they were twenty and helped more than one about this gal's age get up the courage to go to the courthouse for a restraining order.

 

[Technosavant]

Go to a home store and buy a couple of solar powered, motion detecting flood lights.

That's what came to mind for me too. Make that part of the house rather unfriendly to snoopers. Lights are needed, I'd plant some thorny bushes there too- the more evil, the better (anybody know where to get that plant from Little Shop of Horrors?). Maybe even something that is REALLY loud to walk on (some good crunchy gravel). I'd also install some better window coverings- pretty treatments are fine, but on bedrooms and places where family members need privacy, some good blinds are better. Sometimes "pretty" needs to take a backseat to security.

 

[anotherKevin]

Under the window plants

I've heard of "leatherleaf mahonia" being recommended as an excellent under the window plant:

http://www.floridata.com/ref/M/maho_bea.cfm

 

[TrapperReady]

Wanna bet?

I'll second Tellner's comments. A friend in college had a 15 year-old sister who had her very own full-blown stalker. This guy was a classmate of hers and they'd gone on one very simple "pizza and bowling" date, and he got fixated in a very unhealthy way. It ended up taking intervention from a lot of people, eventually including the police and mental-health folks to redirect him.

 

[rojoko]

Close in tactics...

Never EVER get so close to someone with a weapon that it can be taken away or disabled.. besides in certain states, it's illegal as hell to take a weapon outside the house except in very RARE circumstances...

You can make a point with a weapon without having to close into dangerous range.. it's better the keep your distance.. The first time I had to draw a weapon on someone was either a propsecting bugler or I don't know what, but is was a guy coming up the back stairs (this was at least 25 years ago)..

I was coming out of the shower.. when I head it. I grabbed an old Yellowboy that I'd been working on (it was loaded) and stepped into the shadows of the backroom (where the stairs came up to).. when he got to the top of the stiars, I stepped out into the light while cycling the weapon.. making an appropriate comment that I know he heard. I don't think he touched more then two steps on the way down... nothing like a crazy looking naked guy with an old Winchester to make his day...

 

[vynx]

Lock those gates - I have 3 gates into my yard and I padlock them all even the short 3.5 foot one in the front yard.

Keeps out all kinds of strays, salesmen, bible thumpers, etc.

Plus, you know if they are inside the fence and had to crawl over something 6 foot high they are up to no good and deserve to be detained.

Also, if you are gone and they get in whatever they steal they have to haul over a 6 foot fence - slows them down a little.


You showed more restraint than i have thats for sure.

 

[Kali Endgame]

I played high school football with a guy that crept into his ex-girlfriends house, shot her and then killed himself. Her little brother 5/6 was sleeping with her because of nightmares. The little brother laid next to his sister as she bled out. It took a long time for the brother to speak again. The guy had been stalking and harrassing her for a while and I think they had a restraining order out against him, but don't quote me.

Roids, meth, coke, pot, and a black heart led to that tragedy.

I'm trying to find the story to link it, but this is how I remember it happening.

Maybe you showed the kid the error of his ways and he'll stop now.

 

[Ryder]

Freezing temps and tracking snow on the ground here. Definately not window peeper season.

 

[X-Rap]

The boys in my daughters school know that she has a crazy overprotective dad who will walk the walk. When a young man thinks about being tied to a tree and smeared with honey in bear country it tends to bring out the best in them.

 

[DontBurnMyFlag]

Im just waiting for the day that the shy boyfriend of a daughter throws pebbles at the wrong windown to wake her up. And is met with a hail of gunfire and spotlights and released hounds.

Threat assessment. Then reaction.