When something goes bump in the night?

[Sam1911]

So, let's say that the book fell off the shelf and made a thump.

Preparing for the worst would be to observe. We do this and nothing further happens. Again, assuming the worst ... clearly someone has barricaded themselves outside and is awaiting for me to investigate.
So what do I do? I practically *have to* call the cops at three AM in an apartment complex, throw my key out the window attached to a glowstick, after confirming that this is indeed the cops.
They come in, clear my house for me and well ... end of story. With any luck they might even not fine me.

I already addressed this up in post 5. I do not advocate that one must take every worst case possibility out to the very extremes. As I said up there, know your location, what's in it, what it sounds like, and use your patience and position to investigate without exposing yourself.

After some period of time, you'll have to decide that either it was indeed something and you need the police, or that you are realistically, and reasonably, and intelligently sure that it was nothing and you can take care of mopping up the beans or picking up the books or whatever.

There is an intelligent, reasonable middle ground between calling the police for every gust of wind, and "the dog growled so I'll get my gun and go check it out!"

Loosedhorse is expressing this very similarly to the way I would in Post 24.

I'd add to this...

If they were pretty darn sure there was no danger, but won't be able to go to sleep until they check, then they will investigate: by listening at first, then (after knowing where everyone who's supposed to be there is), by a cautious armed look-see. And I've done that.

... that the "by listening at first" phase, IMHO, would be a good, long, patient wait. Maybe 5 minutes, maybe 10. Long enough to out-wait a potential home invader who might have knocked over something, heard you stirring, and then "frozen." While you can never completely ensure (absent the nice night-viz video system) that you're alone, you can afford to be more patient than HIM. You've got a lot more to lose.

 

[Loosedhorse]

Maybe 5 minutes, maybe 10. Long enough to out-wait a potential home invader who might have knocked over something, heard you stirring, and then "frozen." While you can never completely ensure (absent the nice night-viz video system) that you're alone, you can afford to be more patient than HIM. You've got a lot more to lose.

JMHO, but I'd say that's as close as we need to get to wisdom. Might even be the thing itself, right there.

 

[shiftyer1]

I count on my dogs/dog heavily, my house dog passed 6 months ago so right now no ankle biter and i'm not sure if i'll get another one. But I still have my big dog outside and have been blessed with several through the years that didn't bark at shadows or a frog fart but just knew what or who to bark at. I will investigate strange noises because I also have 4 half grown kids in the house so hiding in the bedroom isn't an option. Theres also going to be quite a long wait for the sheriff to come out to help me.

If the dogs barking like crazy I always expect something and am prepared.

 

[ball3006]

My doors have deadbolts, even at my woods camps. Windows are locked unless I am right there. Noise would be made breaking in that even I can hear. The perp wouldn't hear the shotgun racking because he would be making too much noise breaking in. They say you don't hear the shot that gets you. That little girl in OK did the right thing the other day. Besides, I am not a wealthy person. What do they expect to get from me, besides lead....chris3

 

[Kleanbore]

Posted by Sam1911: ... that the "by listening at first" phase, IMHO, would be a good, long, patient wait. Maybe 5 minutes, maybe 10. Long enough to out-wait a potential home invader who might have knocked over something, heard you stirring, and then "frozen." While you can never completely ensure (absent the nice night-viz video system) that you're alone, you can afford to be more patient than HIM. You've got a lot more to lose.

Excellently put.

One thing--it may be that you need to be more patient than they.

They cannot afford to stay and get caught, and you do not want to get caught in a cross-fire, or be ambushed by an accomplice while trying to deal with the "him" whose presence you suspect.

 

[Averageman]

They cannot afford to stay and get caught, and you do not want to get caught in a cross-fire, or be ambushed by an accomplice while trying to deal with the "him" whose presence you suspect.
Tom Petty said it best,.."And the waiting, is the hardest part."
I've done a lot of force on force in the military and waiting in ambush is sheer disipline and very hard to do. The first guy to move in error is usually the loser.
This is why we have alarms and dogs and doors; they allow protection, anounce an intruder and offer an escape route.

I will arm myself and wait, if that bedroom door knob turns and I will announce myself and aim a 12 gauge at that knob. If they have got that far they dont want "stuff" they want a fight.

 

[X-Rap]

Some of this story I feel is relevant although the victim and her son were out of the apartment when the break in happened.
If she would have been home the wait would have been intolerable and she would have had to act if the criminals had pressed her. Just more of what I think is coming down the road as far as 911 responses and getting some kind of alternate plan put together.
For the son to have to make 3 calls as he drove to the complex seems like an extreme amount of time for response but no city has faced a tougher budgetary crisis than Detroit. On the other hand the damage was done and so the incident probably dropped in priority, we can only wonder if it would have been faster if she was calling from inside her bedroom and her door was being kicked in.
http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/new...t-westland-break-in-gets-ticketed-20120106-ms

 

[xXxplosive]

I have learned from experience that hearing the slightest noise or when the dog barks....go check it out.
Most people hear a noise and pay no attention to it.....and the BG's know it.

Always expect the unexpected...........

 

[USAF_Vet]

PETA is gonna send a nasty-gram to the THR staff for the continual assault on this dead horse.

Sweeping and clearing your house isn't a great idea. My house has a long hall the tee's off into three bedrooms. That is my last stand location. depending on the situation, it will be done in my PJ's and a pistol, or PJ's, Mav 88 and body armor. But i'm not gong out any further. If they really want that toaster and Vita-Max, they are free to have it. (didn't want the wife to buy that damn Vita-Max anyway)

I'm not leaving that hallway under most foreseeable circumstances. BG can leave the same way he came in if all he is doing is stealing my junk, or he can leave in a meat wagon if he intends on doing harm to me and mine.

 

[Loosedhorse]

Sounds like what we need is a second locked entrance, that separates the sleeping quarters from the "living quarters." That way, if there's a noise in the living area, we don't have to investigate. Just let them steal everything; or let the busted water tank flood, or whatever. It can all just wait until morning, when we will assume that all invaders have left, and we can now find out what happened, unarmed.

Actually, I guess we can call 911 and have the police check on the water tank--no reason to wait until morning on that.

 

[Isaac-1]

Since starting this message thread I have been reminded of all the people I knew/know/known of that have been killed or came close to it in various break ins and similar situations:

First my step sisters employers (husband and wife, both doctors), were on vacation in the USVI, not sure if it was their vacation house or a rental, but there was a break in, he was shot, and died in the hospital a day or two later.

My mother's next door neighbor, the husband had land and a ranch house in a remote part of Texas where he would go to several times per year, one time a few years back he went there and found a group of escaped prisoners (I think from OK), they killed him, his body was found a few days later, after his wife did not hear from him for a couple of days she called the police...

Same step sister mentioned above was in a grocery store parking lot when an armed man kidnapped a woman and forced her into the trunk of her car, she was later found dead, I don't think he was ever caught.

One that I will never forget about, although I did not know any of the parties involved, when I was a kid, just after my parents were divorced my father bought an old house on about 40 acres of land, he took me to see it one afternoon/evening after I got out of school, it did not have any furniture in it except a table and a couple of chairs that the previous owner left behind, no TV, no phone hooked up, just electricity. After walking around the place, seeing the ponds and land we had dinner (there was an old gas stove and an antique refrigerator, one of the old ones with a lever handle on the front) and just as he was about to take me back to my mother's house around 7 pm, police cars started showing up at the road, we waited a few minutes and more and more arrived. There was a hostage situation directly across the road at a mobile home, the police waved us back as we tried to pull out of the drive way, and we ended up being stuck in the mostly empty house until nearly midnight when the situation was resolved (the hostage taker shot himself).

There are more, but these are the ones that come to mind

 

[jeepnik]

Truthfully, when things go bump in the night, I usually sleep right thru them. I sorta feel sorry for anyone who does mange to get inside. My wife is a light sleeper, excellent shot, and not at all forgiving. I'd probably be awoken by the sound of 5 rapidly fired .38 spls. Of course, I'd likely have to clean up the mess, but hey, I'd get a couple more minutes of sleep.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Sounds like what we need is a second locked entrance, that separates the sleeping quarters from the "living quarters."

I installed a screened steel security door between the back part of the house and the rest of it, at the entry to the hallway. I originally put it in to be able to isolate the dogs if we have company the dogs don't know - the dogs are Filas, and have a strong dislike of anyone who doesn't live here. But it provides an additional barrier at the beginning of the hallway, too.

See http://www.columbiamfg.com/category.asp?catid=5 for some similar items, we got http://www.columbiamfg.com/product.asp?prodid=39&catid=5&type=Models from the local Lowe's. I framed in an opening to fit the steel frame at the end of the hall with 2X4s lag bolted to the studs and floor joist, and finished everything to match the walls.

As to anyone actually gaining entry here while we are home, the barking, growling and screaming will probably let us know we have something to worry about.

 

[Owen Sparks]

If a noise wakes you up you really can't judge exactly what it was or where it cane from. My stratagy is to grab the bedside shotgun and slide off the bed to a concealed position.

 

[X-Rap]

A second lockable barrier really is the answer to secure home defense but only if all occupants are housed behind it. If one bedroom is on the other side of the house or on another floor then the same old circle starts again with needing to gather up all the family members if there is trouble. I am a builder and over the years I have built or seen few homes that can accommodate such requirements and given our love for spread out floor plans and need for privacy from other family members I don't think the market is ready for such. There is also the nasty thing called fire, one doesn't want to be so buckled down in their Keep that they can't get out in an internal emergency.
As I said earlier in this thread, when I sell this house my next will address some of these short comings.
I think the roll up grates like those used in front of stores would make excellent hall and window barricades and would allow you to shoot through them. Add some good lighting and you would have an insane advantage.

 

[Sam1911]

...only if all occupants are housed behind it. If one bedroom is on the other side of the house or on another floor then the same old circle starts again with needing to gather up all the family members if there is trouble.

Yes indeed. We've had some of those discussions in these threads before. Sometimes you have to take a real hard look at how spread out you all are and if there is any reasonably safe way to secure others given your house layout.

All sorts of things in our lives may be tactically or strategically disadvantageous -- and some of them we just can't change, or can't change quickly or easily. A really spread out house layout is one of those. And there are more reasons than just the remote chance of a kidnapper/home-invader to not wish to have your loved ones at scattered locations. It appeals to some of our modern way of looking at family life, but has serious disadvantages, too.

But at least we can get folks thinking about things like this. A hole-up-and-defend strategy doesn't work well if your kids are in a bedroom downstairs, or in the opposite wing of the house. In that case you really have to face the fact that to secure and protect them (or get them out in case of fire, etc.) you will have to abandon your advantageous defensive position and pass through the part of the house the danger is most likely to be encountered. There's not a whole lot you can do about that -- no one is going to abandon their children to their fates. But you can be aware of it and perhaps change other things about your planning, practice, and equipage to try and mitigate some of the danger.

There's an ongoing thread in S,T,&T about keeping a soft armor vest on hand next to your home-defense gun. If you've GOT to pass through the center, entry areas of your home to go secure your kids, all of a sudden a vest seems like a pretty good idea -- maybe a really good vest, at that.

 

[MtnCreek]

I’ve had somewhat of a different issue lately; I’ve gotten a little complacent with noise at night. My 6yo has been coming into my bedroom, during the night, pretty often lately. I think he’s having some ‘afraid of the dark’ issues. He’s about the size of an 8yo and has some ‘Fred Flintstone’ feet, so when he makes that mad dash for our bedroom, it makes a ton of racket! He covers that distance in short order and he’s gotten pretty skilled at opening the french doors to my bedroom and jumps in (about a 10” drop) without slowing down. By the time I raise my head, BOOM, french doors swinging open like the swat team just arrived! I’ve noticed a few times lately that I just recognized the noise and didn’t even budge (except for pulling the sheets down for him, and that was without even looking to confirm it was him). It’s like I’m not even making a conscience decision to check it out or dismiss it; some part of my brain is saying ‘it’s not a problem’ without my input.

 

[Moose1995]

I have a 5 year old daughter who would most likely investigate a "bump" in the night, or at the very least want to come to my bedroom if she heard something. I have no choice but to investigate such disturbances. However, I do have the luxury of owning several good watch dogs, and they only bark at strange noises at the doors. Not to mention if someone came in the door, they would be met with force probably before I was even awaken. A good guard dog can never be replaced, because they not only alert you to the presence of an intruder, but they also can buy you some time to arm yourself, and perhaps get to a loved one somewhere else in the home before the need arises to defend your family. And chances are, the noise of someone trying to break in will get the dogs attention and they will go to the door or window that the intruder is trying to breach. At which point they will most likely stop when they hear a dog and leave.

 

[X-Rap]

I will fully agree on the dog being one of the top layers of home security in that they typically will alarm as well as investigate. I've not seen to many dogs that didn't blow a false alarm once in a while but that is expected.
A good dog in the home, in the truck or on the land is indispensible.

 

[MtnCreek]

Knowing what those barks mean makes a big difference. Was that barking a ‘challenge’? Was it fear (fear of something unknown or civil)? Was it aggression? If aggression, was it associated with the dogs fight, prey or civil drive? Does your dog have fear in its heart? I have one that does and one that does not. I recently bought the dog that does know fear; that seems to serve more of a practical purpose than the dog without fear.

 

[robinkevin]

Anytime I hear anything bump in the night that I can't automatically write off as this or that I grab the handgun from the night stand and do a sweep of the house headed to sons bedroom to ensure he is safe. Then depending on the noise and where it came from I have been know to even go outside and do a sweep more or less to make my wife feel safe.

Two times that come to mind is just the other night both wife and myself was awoke by what almost sound like a cap gun going off in our bedroom. My first instinct was to check the house going to sons room and check all doors and windows. After that I started looking for the source first going to the breaker box to see if a breaker just flipped and cause the noise. I end up writing it off as my pellet gun releasing air as I had pumped it up to shoot a possum that was in the yard but the critter end up running off, I remover the pellet but never released the air (stupid me).

Another time we heard what sound like someone banging on the outside of the house (after recently moving in). I did a sweep of inside all was calm but still heard the noise a time or two. I slip on pants and out side with my pistol and dog by side, after looking around outside I found that the noise was just black walnuts from a try that partial over hangs the roof was dropping.

I guess the point I am making is that if it needs to be looked into be armed and prepare and find the source of the noise so that you can return to bed with a peace of mind and rest. Some might think its foolish to go outside but that's the extent that I am willing to do to ensure all is safe in order for my family to be able to rest with a peace of mind that everything is well.

 

[Kleanbore]

Posted by robinkevin: Anytime I hear anything bump in the night that I can't automatically write off as this or that I grab the handgun from the night stand and do a sweep of the house headed to sons bedroom to ensure he is safe. Then depending on the noise and where it came from I have been know to even go outside and do a sweep more or less to make my wife feel safe.

One's wife would neither feel safe nor be safe, should her spouse be shot.

One very real problem with going outside with gun in hand is the risk of ambush by one or more violent criminal actors.

Another is the risk of being mistaken for a criminal by an arriving officer who had been summoned by someone else.

Yet another is the risk of being shot by an armed citizen who had the same bad idea.

The handgun does not protect against gunfire, nor does it ward off evil spirits.

Some time ago, an airline mechanic in Houston, Texas heard a "bump in the night". The noise was made by someone who was meddling with the mechanic's trailer.

While a guest called 911, the resident armed himself with a shotgun and went outside.

He was stabbed, disarmed, and shot with his own firearm.

He survived, but he lost an arm and was unable to work afterwards.

 

[X-Rap]

Not very many good reasons to go outside at night. If you are sure that someone is breaking into your shop or stealing a car call the cops.
There are times around here when the elk are in the hay yard or a bear might be trying to get into the deepfreeze in the shop or tearing up the grill. Take a gun just in case it's not what you think or to make some noise to scare the critter away.

 

[Jonah71]

I have recently moved to an appartment for the first time in decades. No more LEO's just down the street, no neighbors dog barking at "unusual" sounds or unexpected visitors. But I still feel safe. The area has much more lighting, plus a lot of prying eyes (aka curious neighbors) which I don't see as a problem at all. More of a plus imo. Better locks help with no windows on the doors. I still keep either the G-23 or CZ 75 SP-01 just to my right, snuggly at rest on the comforter and a flashlight next to the alarm clock to my left. I don't move around much when sleeping. I also keep a rev. on the top shelf in the kitchen. If, or I should say when I hear the next "bump in the night' I don't expect to have much of a reaction. It's the quietest place I've had since living in town. If a can explodes in my place I'd simply grab the closest gun and check it out. The flashlight is set on a wide beam and I'd most likely use it before I'd turn on the lights. I'd be ready but certainly wouldn't wake up and start blasting away. Living alone is also a lot different.

 

[cincinnatislim]

I hear a lot of bumps in the night. I live in the very busy, "student housing" section of town and it's a 24/7 type of place.

When I hear something I determine if it's inside or outside. If it's outside, I roll right over and go back to sleep. If it's inside I lay there for a few moments and listen for something else. If I hear nothing, I go back to sleep. If I hear something else... then it's time to take action.