What would you have done in this situation?

[Bentonville]

A friend of mine, a man of action by nature and experience, was sitting in his living room about midnight with his teenaged children and noticed through the window beside the TV a shadow of a person move by. His daughter looked out of the window and saw a man pushing their new dirt bike down the gravel drive towards the rural road in front of the house. The friend yelled to his wife, who was in bed, to call 911 and he ran out yelling and jumped on the guy pinning him to the ground limiting the theif's air supply with his knee. He then pummeled the man about the head and shoulders. The police arrived in a few minutes and arrested the man.
My thoughts, being 10 years older and not as fit as this guy, would have taken me to use different actions, probably allowing the thief to get away but saving the dirt bike. I would have feared there were two or that the one was armed. Your thoughts please.

 

[rrruuunnn]

did the bg plan on hauling it away or riding it? was he in a truck or on foot?

if i thought the cops would be able to catch him. i probably would let him go and wait for the cops to catch him. i photographed my license plates into my cell phone.

it's not easy for people to accept that it's just a dirt bike and not worth risking life. also, a friend of mine would have done exactly what your friend did, because he's got a proud macho personality.

 

[Dismantler]

Oh...I'd have gone out. I am not going to let somebody steal my stuff right out from under my eyes. I, however, live in an area with very limited police protection. In the middle of the night I may have to solve my own problems.

 

[Rally_Vincent]

^ Mhm, mhm. *genuine headnod in agreement*

 

[sacp81170a]

If you're in Bentonville, AR, I'm quite familiar with the Benton County jail and the attitudes that inmates have about going there. That knowledge alone would have turned this into a 'life or death" struggle for the BG.

Seriously, your friend got away with what he was doing primarily because the BG didn't have a friend with a baseball bat or tire tool waiting in the shadows. I agree with his attitude, he had his wife call for backup, but he entered into the fray without a safety margin. Sometimes you gotta do that. Glad it worked out for him.

 

[rrruuunnn]

i probably would have gone out too. but having the cops catch the guy riding your stolen bike is good witness.

 

[Rachen]

I wouldn't have went out in that situation.

Instead, I would have got a camera and videotaped that guy doing his thing.

Shouldn't be hard for the cops to catch up with him.

 

[SoCalShooter]

Well first is I would secure my equipment better probably would have hit him with a flash light and a camera and had a shotgun ready. Definetly want to make sure to get video or pictures. A lot of times you will find out a flash light can be pretty intimidating or can cause someone to panic which can be a good thing or bad thing.

 

[PocoDiablo]

I would have been glad I had a zero deductible on the insurance policy and let him go. Not worth the hassle of risking injury IMO.

 

[scottgun]

Physical force is justified for protection of property.

That said, I'd run out and get my stuff from someone trying to steal it almost any day.

 

[macadore]

I would have told my wife to cover me, and then gone out. She never misses.