A Strange GUY Walked into my basement

[Spectrism]

We were just discussing predators and unsavory types on another thread.
http://gold-silver.us/forum/showthread.php?53473-Think-you-re-prepared-This-is-your-worst-nightmare&highlight=predators

My dog starts barking. She lets me know someone is outside... that sounds or smells different. She is in a cage in the basement at the time, but I often have her running loose. Her bark changes. I hear the anxiety in her voice.

I quickly get to her area. By the door of my basement I see in the semi-dark a strange figure. Very thin guy with long hair. He looks like someone wasted by drugs. Standing still and holding nothing.


I am ready to take him out if my challenge is met with the wrong answer. He is IN my house uininvited. I am unarmed but I could be on him in less than 3 seconds.


Anyone want to hear more?

[k-os]

We were just discussing predators and unsavory types on another thread.
http://gold-silver.us/forum/showthread.php?53473-Think-you-re-prepared-This-is-your-worst-nightmare&highlight=predators

My dog starts barking. She lets me know someone is outside... that sounds or smells different. She is in a cage in the basement at the time, but I often have her running loose. Her bark changes. I hear the anxiety in her voice.

I quickly get to her area. By the door of my basement I see in the semi-dark a strange figure. Very thin guy with long hair. He looks like someone wasted by drugs. Standing still and holding nothing.


I am ready to take him out if my challenge is met with the wrong answer. He is IN my house uininvited. I am unarmed but I could be on him in less than 3 seconds.


Anyone want to hear more?

Yes, you tease!

[midnight rambler]

I wanna hear about the lesson you gave him which he won't forget, the one where he *knows* to stfo of others' property.

[midnight rambler]

BTW, when one of my dogs sounds off like yours did we go to condition 0 around here.

[JJ.G0ldD0t]

why not... I read this much...

[JJ.G0ldD0t]

BTW, when one of my dogs sounds off like yours did we go to condition 0 around here.

LOL MR...

I always figured you STAYED condition 0.

[Libertytree]

Hell yes!

[midnight rambler]

LOL MR...

I always figured you STAYED condition 0.

I will never reveal what level OPSEC the household is set at, only to say that it's not healthy to remain at condition 1 or greater for extended periods. That's why I have meatshields to give me a heads-up as OPSEC can be elevated in a flash.

[Spectrism]

I just didn't want to bore anyone with the little details....


Anyway, so I am all keyed up over a few things. Maybe another story. But I see this strange (and I mean STRANGE) guy standing inside the door as my dog wants to come out and rip an arm off.

I hit him with two quick things: Who are you? and get out!

I wanted to judge his response. If there was any aggression, non-compliance, or other motives apparent, I would take strong physical actions.

He stood there looking a little confused. In a millisecond, I was thinking the guy is buzzed on drugs.

I approached him and pointed him to the door. I did not want him to see anything of interest. Confusion and overwhelming his senses is my best move right now.

I asked what he was doing in my house. He said he came for Charlie. Isn't this Charlie's place?

Charlie is the next house down. Maybe this was an innocent mistake.

I began to tell him how lucky he was to be alive and that my dog was just out running loose and he is fortunate that I just put her in the cage. I told him that she would have taken his head off. Standing outside, I warned him never to come back here. Even in the yard, I let the dog run loose. She would rip his arm off if he happened to come up the driveway.

I pointed him toward Charlie's and away he went.


Afterward, I found out my daughter had my back... ready to grab a firearm when she first heard me confront him. I have to say... I was glad to hear that. The days will be very strange ahead.

[JJ.G0ldD0t]

I will never reveal what level OPSEC the household is set at, only to say that it's not healthy to remain at condition 1 or greater for extended periods. That's why I have meatshields to give me a heads-up as OPSEC can be elevated in a flash.


Yeah yeah... I know - I know

845

[midnight rambler]

One has to wonder about your neighbor Charlie if he allows knuckleheads like that to wonder into his basement unannounced. That's a good way to get shot. If it was your wife or daughter home alone then IMO it would have been a justifiable shoot.

[JJ.G0ldD0t]

I pwn'd you EE....

Mad skillz

LOL

[Spectrism]

Charlie is no friend of mine. He owns MANY properties... perhaps hundreds of acres in CT and dozens of buildings that he inherited from his father. I won't tell you his last name, but he is of the fake tribes. He is paraplegic. Had a logging accident maybe 30 years ago.

My first and last encounter with Charlie was when I was new to the neighborhood (long time ago). I had a tree cutter in my yard to take out some big oaks that were leaning and a hazard to my plans. Up my driveway comes Charlie in his car. The wood cutter knew him and told me who he was. I expected an introduction and welcome to the neighborhood.

Charlie leans out the window with his finger in my face: "I just wanted to see that you are not encroaching on my property."

I was shocked that such an SOB could still be so hard after such a humbling experience as being crippled. And not even so much as a hello, I am so-and-so.... or how do you do? I was stunned, and knew that if Charlie ever came back, he would not be allowed to drive up my driveway.

You see, Charlie owns probably 20+ wooded acres around my little (1.7 acre) lot. He has trees falling on my land and in the woods rotting all over the place. But if I dared get too close to his border, he wanted to ensure I did not touch one of his trees. Poor old Charlie has no idea what a friend he lost. And when the local druggies broke into his house, they had nothing to fear from me.

[platinumdude]

I take it you must have a walk out basement.

Glad there was no harm to anyone.

[Gaillo]

A guy could get himself filled to the gills with LEAD doing that kind of shit around here...

[Spectrism]

I take it you must have a walk out basement.

Glad there was no harm to anyone.

Yes... and when home, the side door has been left unlocked. Now that will not happen again.

And I agree... I would hate to see anyone innocent get hurt. Even stupid people doing dumb things should be given a pass. I am actually thankful for the experience because it tested my response and showed my weakness. It also puts me on alert because I don't know what that guy will tell anyone else. My hope is that the scary dog is enough.

[keehah]

He has trees falling on my land and in the woods rotting all over the place. But if I dared get too close to his border, he wanted to ensure I did not touch one of his trees. Poor old Charlie has no idea what a friend he lost.
Charlie had his suspicions. That was why he was checking your basement for stolen wood. :)

[Ponce]

My dog "only" barks one time when someone is in the general area and more if they come into my property......one bark or more in the day time and I look at all my monitors (five of them) and if it is at night I will also hear my alarm system going crazy in which case a press three buttons and 14 (seven sets of 2) 100 wats bulbs will go on all around my home plus the monitors. Now days is only the deers, but you can't ever tell.........good practice for WTSHTF.

If they come into my inner fence (ten feet from my home) then that's another story.

If you think of the future then get ready today.

[Spectrism]

Yeah... but Ponce.... I don't have all those fancy monitors. I am not sitting on a valuable hoard of toilet paper like you. You NEED all that fancy stuff. Half of North America would be trying to break in if they knew you had so much TP.

[Gaillo]

Yeah... but Ponce.... I don't have all those fancy monitors. I am not sitting on a valuable hoard of toilet paper like you. You NEED all that fancy stuff. Half of North America would be trying to break in if they knew you had so much TP.

Yeah... but he also has hundreds of pounds of that worthless "silver" stuff that the MSM keeps telling us is linked to terrorism, cancer, autism, an god knows what else! Besides, it's too heavy to haul away and just experienced a $2 "crash" on the Manupu-Market (TM). Keeps the rabble out... only the die-hard PROFESSIONALS would be willing to wade through that shiny crap on their way to the precious TP! ;D

[Spectrism]

Yeah... but he also has hundreds of pounds of that worthless "silver" stuff that the MSM keeps telling us is linked to terrorism, cancer, autism, an god knows what else! Besides, it's too heavy to haul away and just experienced a $2 "crash" on the Manupu-Market (TM). Keeps the rabble out... only the die-hard PROFESSIONALS would be willing to wade through that shiny crap on their way to the precious TP! ;D

I never thought about that. All that toxic and savage metal would scare most away. But the lure of paper is not to be underestimated. Most people are anxious to trade their gold and silver for a special paper they are calling "cash". I suspect that "cash" is about like toilet paper.

[k-os]

http://i37.tinypic.com/33dfvx1.gif

How did you know it was Charlie before he told the rest of the story?

[Canadian-guerilla]

i think you let this intruder off too easy

if he is a druggie
he may be back looking for an easy score

[TheNocturnalEgyptian]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWILkYGOYOU

[Spectrism]

i think you let this intruder off too easy

if he is a druggie
he may be back looking for an easy score

I thought about that every second of the encounter. How much can I press and is this just a hapless soul bouncing around in his sorry daily life. I presented the best face I could.... the dog will bite and I am with the dog. Come back and face confrontation.... even if just outside.

It will keep me and others here on watch. Gotta get my zombie hat on.
http://www.zombieinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/01zihat.jpg

[MNeagle]

Is your dog typically kenneled when you are in the house? Why is that? I'd think you'd want her to have the run of the place.

[mightymanx]

Might have been a recon I would verify with "Charlie" to see if this person is known to him. If not you have some issues comming soon.

[midnight rambler]

Is your dog typically kenneled when you are in the house? Why is that? I'd think you'd want her to have the run of the place.

I was wondering that myself. What's the point of a sentry dog if it's not on station??

[zap]

I know the different sounds of my dogs bark, he rarely barks anyway, but when I hear that certain one, I go right to the shotgun its loaded and ready to go. ;)

[Dogman]

I know the different sounds of my dogs bark, he rarely barks anyway, but when I hear that certain one, I go right to the shotgun its loaded and ready to go. ;) Same with coon dogs, they tell you when one is found and treed, their voices/tone changes.

[solid]

Spectrism, glad to hear this situation was resolved without violence, or anyone (perp included) getting hurt.

IMO, since he was in your home, I think you should have confronted him at gunpoint. From cover as well. Even though you didn't see anything in his hands, he could grab something nearby to use as a weapon, or he may even have one in his waistband.

Things can go south and get violent in an instant. A gun drawn and ready can really discourage violent responses.

It's worth the extra few seconds to get the gun, take a deep breath, then confront the guy.

[Spectrism]

I was working in my office when this happened. I like to have the dog running loose but now and then she needs to be put up.

When I stepped out to the area where my dog was, I had no expectation of anyone being inside. She will sometimes bark as the UPS guy leaves packages at the door. I had locked the door an hour before, but someone in family came through and left it unlocked and partially open. I walked into a totally unexpected situation.

This is the kind of thing that makes you say- "no, this isn't happening". Denial was one of the thoughts that crossed my mind and I snuffed it quickly. Confront reality. Don't second guess surreal things.


This does make me reassess availability of firearms. If he meant harm and had the ability, I would have been toast.

[mick silver]

he would of not walk away from my place . a call for a body bag would be in order

[osoab]

The show of firearms might have made you a better target later down the road. I think it was fortunate that you didn't have to give any secrets, ie you have at least one gun in the house.

A baseball bat or some other type of club may be a better option when dealing with that sort of situation.

[Spectrism]

I have been trained to use deadly force and hope never to have to use it. If I do, I hope that it will be well thought-out (as time may permit) and appropriate for the target. The thought process is milliseconds. The results are eternal.

Although I have lived in Kentucky before, I do not resort to the firesticks at first occasion. I can move almost as fast as my dog in short distances and I can propel objects as I move. Within my reach were 5 baseball bats and two golf clubs. Against a firearm, that would not be very good odds. But the poor soul I encountered was probably no match for my daughter.

I know... I know... all it takes is one bite from the zombie.

[midnight rambler]

The show of firearms might have made you a better target later down the road. I think it was fortunate that you didn't have to give any secrets, ie you have at least one gun in the house.

A baseball bat or some other type of club may be a better option when dealing with that sort of situation.

Trust me, my own presentation of a gun would convince any varmint that the next time he walked in there he'd be carried out, as in: "You came THIS CLOSE to pushing up daisies asshole, next time I'll just have my way with you."

or similar to:

"...'cause if I have to come back here it's gonna get fucking ugly."


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a58LKMFIGJk

[joboo]

The obvious solution is to shoot Charlie, and kill two or more birds with one stone.

[MAGNES]

We were just discussing predators and unsavory types on another thread.


A strange kid walked into my yard pretending he lost his ball playing stupid.

My dog almost ate him, the kid shit his pants.

Then he ran 100 yards to a waiting car.

The kid played stupid when confronted and he was the scout for a breakin hopping fences.

Meanwhile, some of my neighbors are calling the cops, problems in the neighborhood.

Don't buy the playing stupid routine.

[solid]

One has to wonder how this would have played out if you were busy upstairs or sleeping?

Indeed. When someone is in your home uninvited, a possible threat to you and yours... either you are a predator or the prey. There's no in between. You decide. It's your home.

[Spectrism]

Indeed. When someone is in your home uninvited, a possible threat to you and yours... either you are a predator or the prey. There's no in between. You decide. It's your home.

No. I can't agree with that. Sometimes people just pass by each other. There is not necessarily a kill or be killed relationship with everyone. In fact, I don't have that relationship with most people. In wild times (which we are just entering), yes- you need to be able to jump into that mindset in strange encounters before you drop your guard. But you MUST leave room for reason and reserve judgments for more information.

Being a predator just because you are afraid of being preyed upon makes you the bad guy who needs to be taken out. Hitting someone out of fear is more damaging than shaking the situation to TEST what the reality is. The person you kill or damage might have been a life-saving friend in the future. I would prefer not to burn bridges before I get to them.

[mick silver]

when a dog go bad do you let it run around and bite more people ?

[Spectrism]

when a dog go bad do you let it run around and bite more people ?

No. But my encounter was (apparently- until other information is presented) just a hapless lost soul. I greatly hope that is all. If, however, he was scouting, then he did not see anything but risk from this encounter. If anyone is going to be hit by thugs, nobody is better equipped to deal with them than me. I only hope to be there when they come.

You can't just kill or beat someone for being in the wrong place unless there is also a threat attendent. I recall a famous poster from GIM who said he would whack anyone walking on his property without question. If I ever encounter someone like that, they better not miss because I will gladly turn their assault upon them. And if I hear of a friend or family taken out that way, there will be justice. I do not see it as just to hurt or kill someone making an innocent mistake.

[solid]

Spectrism, nobody is suggesting shooting first then asking questions. It's a mindset. This guy wasn't walking across your front yard...he was IN your home. Normal sane people do not do that. 99% of the time, the intruder's intentions are bad.

When someone is in your home like that... You have to take action. You can either hide, ie be the prey, and hope he leaves. Or, you challenge the intruder using your advantage. That advantage, is the element of surprise, cover, and a firearm pointed at the threat ready...ready mentally, to protect yourself.

It's taking action to make an unsafe situation, safe.

Honestly, this situation has to be the #1 reason why any of us own guns.

[Spectrism]

Honestly, this situation has to be the #1 reason why any of us own guns.


Pretty close.

I do not like to show more than I have to.... but I did learn a couple good lessons from this. Holes in the perimeter are being rectified.

Entire family is alerted now and this has done alot of good for opsec. I am not the lone watchdog now. I am certain that when we start to hear about weaker targets going down, nobody here will forget about the visit from "Charlie's friend".


BTW- I think I forgot to say UNEXPECTEDLY.

[Santa]

Spectrism... you did fine and I applaud you for allowing your intuition to work. You did not succumb to a fear based reaction. Bravo! You still have a future to look forward to. :)

[Silver Moon Rising]

I think you did the right thing which is a measured response. You clearly were not in fear of your life or your family members' lives. The intruder did not make any threatening advances, and left the premises as you directed. You played the correct level of response part just right. If you had drilled a few extra holes in your intruder, you would more than likely be spending some quality time in the pokey.

The part that needs obvious improvement is you and your family's situational awareness. How did the intruder gain access to your property without you being aware of him? Look at Charlie, he even knew when you were just getting close to being on his property. This was just some misguided soul who seemingly wandered onto your property; how unaware would you be if it was someone or several someones who were out to do you and your family harm?

[Spectrism]

When there are multiple occupants of a dwelling, sounds and events just become noise. When others change or unchange things, gaps in closure open up.

When the group understand the situation and agree on circumstances with their commensurate preparations, then the group can maintain unit security for that common goal. If I was a loan hermit, the situation would be a bit different. In this case, we had valuable exercise.

[MNeagle]

Thieves Breaking Into Homes Through The A/C Unit


MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – It’s a safety threat that could be sitting in your windows. Air conditioning units in ground floor windows are being pushed out to gain access to your home.

It’s happening in the Kingfield neighborhood in south Minneapolis

“All I care that I took to make it stable and safe, it never occurred to me that somebody would push it in,” said Suzzane.

She is the latest homeowner in the Kingfield neighborhood to be the target of burglars.

Suzzane, who didn’t want her face shown, said she was home, in her bedroom around 11 a.m. late last week when someone rang her doorbell about 20 times.

“I heard noise and it started to come in and I thought ‘Why is my air conditioner suddenly falling in.’ It didn’t occur to me that somebody was pushing on it,” said Suzzane. “Then I heard noise from the other side of my house in my dining room where I have another window air conditioner and I thought ‘This is really strange.’”
Suzzane said she quickly realized someone was trying to get in.

When they couldn’t dislodge the air conditioner from the window in the dining room, they went back to the bedroom unit.

“And completely pushed it is and it fell on the floor,” said Suzzane.

Suzzane said she came face-to-face with the would-be intruder.

“I yelled at him and said ‘What the hell are you doing’ … he ran,” Suzzane said.

Homes throughout the Kingfield neighborhood have been targeted.

“They’re pushing in air conditioners on first floor windows. These air conditioning units aren’t secured in any way so they can just be pushed in,” said Minneapolis Police Sgt. Steve Bantle.

Police say there are ways to make sure your window unit does not spell opportunity for burglars.

“They should bolt it to the window frame and get the window pinned. And if they have questions about doing that you can get help at your local hardware store or appliance store,” said Bantle.

Suzzane did not get a good look at the man who tried to get in her home. Police have made no arrests.

There is a very active neighborhood association in Kingfield. They are working with police to bring an end to these crimes of opportunity.

http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2011/08/28/thieves-breaking-into-homes-through-the-ac-unit/

[solid]

[Police say there are ways to make sure your window unit does not spell opportunity for burglars.]

Yeah, the best way to make sure your window does not spell 'opportunity' is a gun pointed at the burglar's head.

I'm sorry for my hardheaded opinion.

Anyone breaking into your home, or trying too, deserves a firearm response. Don't let those bastards have the advantage. The element of surprise, use that...use it to your advantage. They...they, are forcing you to take action. Take big action, imo.

It's your home. That's where I, personally, draw the line. Enter my home, you are a threat, and I'll take you down.