[Closed] Last night it was our turn. Break in track world.

Or you referring to the fact we aren't allowed to summarily shoot what we consider to be intruders? If you think about it, that is actually a pretty bad idea.

You can in America, only if they are black though.

Just look how that has helped eradicate crime there.

Defence in depth:

Large area of gravel outside the shed/cellar door. Impossible to get to the door quietly.
PIR sensors with lights attached but keep the sensitivity down so that the neighbours' cats don't set them off.
Motion sensor inside the bike room, give yourself a 30 second gap to enter the key code.

In addition to any locks accessible at the door maybe some form of lock that can only be operated from within the house.

Don't think quietly was on the agenda. Two huge bangs as they kicked the door in then bashing about the cellar let me know they didn't care. Having though about it my bombers were away that night.

molgrips - Member

I think you are allowed to defend yourself. I don't think you would get into trouble for smacking a burglar.

I think (without googling) that you are only allowed to strike/attack if you feel that you are in danger of attack and your strike needs to be proportionate to the danger you felt.

So you'd probably get in trouble if the burglar has a half decent solicitor.

You can in America, only if they are black though

Don't perpetuate the lie.

BLM are racist bafoons.

BLM are racist bafoons.

Potentially racist typo alert!

BLM?

Black Lives Matter.

You absolutely need to set a Just Giving page so we can donate to you...

Its the done thing when you have stuff stolen 😉

I think one of the really tough things about this is you end up feeling 'unmanned'/bested by inferiors. Everyone thinks they'll be out there fighting but actually the fear/terror kicks in when it's really happening. Bet your heart was pounding ringing 999?
But think about it. This is an audacious/reckless burglary - they returned after seeing the cops. Probably on crack/cocaine, creating Pulp Fiction delusions of grandeur/power. Probably motivated by drug addiction. Irrational: took cheap bikes, left money bike. They are seasoned criminals - been in jail, lived on estates where violence is the only status activity. I'm assuming you are a decent, unviolent person. They are pumped up on adrenalin, ready to confront you - "we'll have to hit him if he comes out lads" -there will be more than one of them - you are basically scared and not used to violence.
So what would be more 'humiliating' in front of your woman: getting a kicking or worse, or losing some bikes. And, I know this is heresy on singletrack, but it's only a bike.

But I think it's still tough, psychologically. Maybe you need to talk it through with your partner...it was her bike. Did I think you did the right thing? Yes.Would I have done the same? Yes. But what does she think?
-you went out and took preventative action and saved the crown jewels (bikes and metaphorically).
-you rang the police, who let you down - badly - on this occasion.
-they weren't breaking into your home risking safety of your kin folk.

It's not your fault.

^^^ like

Unless you're a martial artist (and even then) its just not worth the agro confronting burglars, as lotsroad summarises so perfectly above, the sort of people who do this kind of thing are from backgrounds where violence is engrained into their very culture and they will give you a good kicking, or worse.

Even if you get the better of them, they'll be back with numerous uncles and hardmen from their estate to finish you off.

Best way to deal with them is to vote for political parties who don't underfund the police or create socioeconomic conditions which drive people to crime.

I think one of the really tough things about this is you end up feeling 'unmanned'/bested by inferiors. Everyone thinks they'll be out there fighting but actually the fear/terror kicks in

I've been there face to face with intruders in my home - quite unwittingly and unexpectedly. Opened my front door and stepped straight into the crime scene. And for starters you're right - fear and terror really does kick in - they were terrified - like cornered wild animals. And you've no idea how you'll act unless you're there in that moment, least of all keyboard warriors saying what they'd do with the benefit of [i]your[/i] hindsight - everybody saying what they'd [i]probably[/i] do - they've absolutely no idea what they'd do. Your choices aren't your own.

I was surprised at how extraordinarily calm, clear and collect I was. It seemed to make no sense - but there was no need to get aggressive, even to raise my voice - they were literally bouncing off all the walls with fear, one of them considered jumping out the window even though there was only really railings below to land on.

No matter how brazen burglars seem to be - they are shitting themselves with fear - all the more so if someone turns up. Theres no point and no purpose in doing anything to elevate that - not with someone who has nothing to lose. The moment you are present you've made everything they're frightened about worse. They're frightened they'll get caught red handed - they have been. They're frightened they can be identified - theres someone standing right in front of them who can testify. They're frightened a crime against property has suddenly elevated to a crime against the person and become a lot more serious and more solvable in the eyes of the police and the courts. In that situation a little bit of fisty cuffs is neither here nor there.

but it's only a bike.

It is indeed only stuff. It'll probably be rendered obsolete by new 'standards' quicker than they can fence it.

I think you did well to stay cool, calm and collected OP. You have probably got a better initial outcome than I would in that situation. I get aggressive when I am scared and that has led to some poor decision making... You deserve applause IMO for not falling into that trap!

You absolutely need to set a Just Giving page so we can donate to you...

I'll chip in a few quid on the proviso that you buy a Caucasian Mastiff or set up a bunch of wacky, yet elaborate, traps like those used in Home Alone.

To all those debating what you'd actually do, it's simple, fight or flight kicks in and you're programmed one way or the other. You don't know which until the shit goes down. Letting the authorities deal with it is the sensible option. Chances are that if you do fight you'll end up in court for it

Best way to deal with them is to vote for political parties who don't underfund the police or create socioeconomic conditions which drive people to crime

Some people just can't help themselves!

One thing confusing me - so they broke in.. just for bikes?? and took crap ones? **** morons.

These are the sort of people who think a Carrera is the best bike you can buy.

It's the scum bags who follow you back from trail centres that know what bike to steal.

I think you did well to stay cool, calm and collected OP. You have probably got a better initial outcome than I would in that situation. I get aggressive when I am scared and that has led to some poor decision making

Totally agreed. Last year I was sleeping in the lounge at my folks when I was woken by the door to the integral garage going, then some knocking about in there. Without thinking, grabbed a wine bottle and prepared for braining action. Barged through the door, and encountered the intruder. My ****ing brother, who'd popped in at 4am to pick up a bike. Considered braining him anyway 😉 Just a lesson for me that there are a lot of unknowns in that kind of scenario.

What was the upshot of your encounter maccruiskeen? You left me hanging . . .

Sorry to hear this. We we done over in Nov in the old house. We popped out to walk our son in the park Sunday 3ish. Out less than 2 hrs so unless very bad luck we were being watched. Kicked gate and shed door in. Took hammer from shed and in broad daylight smashed a window in of a small Victorian terrace. I think they were disturbed as they got a lot of stuff but despite having the keys to the asgard didn't get any bikes.

I have spent 6 months completely unable to sleep, the slightest noise or creak (new house is noisey) would have me patrolling the garden with various used sporting equipment. Only since I've fitted a smart alarm and cctv as well as lots of alarmed locks, used sports equipment in strategic places and various sound bombs have I started to feel vaguely safe and I've done what I can.

My main concern with finding myself in that situation again is not about being scared but more about the aftermath....

What was the upshot of your encounter maccruiskeen? You left me hanging . . .

This could be the start of a compelling part work 🙂 I could be the Charles Dickens of my generation.

I let them out and called the police.

The perps had dropped everything they'd been trying to steel so the the police fastidiously fingerprinted everything whilst giving withering reviews of my CD collection as they came out of the bag one by one.

It was quite interesting as you could virtually trace their route round the flat as the stuff came out of the bag in reverse order. High value items (cameras etc) came out first, then CDs (back when they had at least a nominal value), last items out were beers and wine. Their first destination was the fridge.

What was interesting was the opportunism - people worry about break-ins if they are leaving their home empty for a time - going on holiday or whatever. But if a house has been empty for weeks as far as potential thief knows you could still come home any minute. But if they see you leaving the house they know you'll probably be gone for half an hour or more. When I worked in a prison cons would tell me if they were on a bus and saw someone locking their front door they just got off at the next stop and went and burgled the house - couldn't help themselves it was pretty much a gift.

My flatmate had left the house and we passed each other just round the corner as I was heading home - the thieves had obviously seen her leave and broke in knowing it was empty for at lease 20 mins - I turned up at the door 3 or 4 mins later.

One thing confusing me - so they broke in.. just for bikes?? and took crap ones? **** morons.

Expensive items are hard to sell and more traceable. Better to take a lot of things you can sell for a quid each than one thing you can't sell for hundreds or thousands - unless you have a ready buyer in advance.

basicly to force entry into property the thieves will be equipped with tools, that will have damaged your property and they dont care, the same tools will be used on you to make their escape.

either ring police or make a lot of noise. or both

[url= http://www.crimepreventionproducts.co.uk/personal-alarms/chaperone-140-decibel-mini-keyring-personal-alarms ]This[/url] wouldn't be hard to rig up as a booby trap. Confronting someone in your house is difficult, I would make as much noise as possible to try and scare them off and make sure you leave them a clear escape route, whatever they take it's not worth killing/dying over. Or you could do what my Mrs did when she woke up to see a leg coming in through the window, grab hold and scream!

Plenty of folk saying they would confront burglars... very easy to say whilst your sat at a keyboard.
I really should bolster the security of my garage and make things a bit more difficult for theives.

I had a long chat with the the police chap after our intruder legged it (disturbed by the sound of my wife grabbing the kids and running into the bathroom and shouting out the window - followed by said neighbour + dogs arriving on the scene)

Weapon by the bed = no-no. You're setting yourself up for trouble. So no baseball bats etc.

A large, 4 cell maglite is another matter. That's just there in case of a powercut...

From the sound of things the aftermath can be worse than the crime. I can't imagine how it must be to feel unsafe in your own home. The thought of if it will happen again and the general unease must be awful to deal with.

Plenty of folk saying they would confront burglars... very easy to say whilst your sat at a keyboard.

A large, 4 cell maglite is another matter.

I think it would all depend on the circumstances. Multiple guys in your house armed with hammers....pretty sure it would understandable you grabbed a golf bat or kitchen knife to protect yourself / family. After all how are you to know they are just there to steal a bike? Not like they ask permission.

If you smack them over the head as they run away....that is a different matter.

I was told by the pc career crims rarely carry stuff to break in as they will be known and risk being picked up for going equipped. Quite easy to find a tool or big rock in someone's back garden.

They might have also said a few broken bones, let's say a broken arm would be considered reasonable defence when being attacked by 2 guys with hammers...

From a Copper mate, try not to get involved but if you must, hit them once with whatever you have to hand (oh I was putting a picture hook up and hadn't put tools away) hit them very hard so they don't get up.

Oh they got in, I was woken up, naked, mrs and kids to protect so I grabbed what's to hand.

Not sure what I'd do but I don't think I could let what I've worked hard for be "liberated" by some scrote.

Interestingly I remember listening to a SA Copper on the radio dryly commenting about how after the law regarding shooting people on your property changed with reference to the perps either having to be a danger or nicking something and the number of bodies that they were being called to with a bloody great bullet hole through the torso and a pristine TV set in the corpse's arms!

Ming the Merciless

From a Copper mate, try not to get involved but if you must, hit them once with whatever you have to hand (oh I was putting a picture hook up and hadn't put tools away) hit them very hard so they don't get up.

Seriously? God I dunno but that (along with all the maglite talk) sounds like a way to end up on trial for manslaughter. Or indeed having the maglite/hammer/bat taken from you and being beaten to death with it.

Well, you never know what you're going to do in the heat of the moment. In Barcelona, a pair of thieves targeted us, one distracted us, whilst the other took my bag and made off on a bike. Someone alerted me (I had no idea, the distraction tequnique really works!) - before I knew it, I don't think it was a conscious decision, I was sprinting after the guy. I caught up grabbed my bag, gave an almighty heave, sent him sprawling, and retrieved my bag.

[url=

basement-garage needs one of these[/url]

Something the keyboard action heroes always forget is even if you fly downstairs in your M&S pyjamas holding a cricket bat or maglite, there could be 5 or 6 blokes with knives staring at you.

The other thing is they will know where you live and even if you did get a few good swings in with your weapon of choice, they will either escape or be released from jail at some point. I'd rather not have somebody out to settle a score with me or my family while we sleep in our beds.

Hope the insurance pays out OP, good luck.

Seriously? God I dunno but that (along with all the maglite talk) sounds like a way to end up on trial for manslaughter. Or indeed having the maglite/hammer/bat taken from you and being beaten to death with it.

TBH I'd be in the bathroom with the wife and kids and the door locked, rather than legging it downstairs to confront all and sundry. Our intruder coincided with a spate of very organised and scary break-ins, often with the burglars travelling cross-country rather than using the roads. The police arrived super-quickly given our rural location due to the fact they'd been patrolling in unmarked cars for that reason.

The advice I was given re: Maglite was more around self-defence rather than proactively going after anyone. The only thing taken with our break-in was a rather nice sheath-knife which made the whole thing rather more scary...

Guy i know came home to find someone going through his garage.

Fortunately he decided not to hit the burglar with the axe, machete or chainsaw that he was carrying.
He'd been in the woods with his son and the dog and a few of the other neighbours clearing some fallen trees and scrub from the footpaths/trails up there.

Just let the dog bark and drool at him until the police turned up.

Must have been a very long half hour for the poor bloke. Tooled up home owner and a large angry dog.

Same as maccruiskeen, had seen his wife leaving and assumed the place would be empty for a while. 10 minutes obviously wasn't long enough.

Oh they got in, I was woken up, naked, mrs and kids to protect so I grabbed what's to hand.

You beat a burglar up with your cock 😯

Not sure whether to be impressed or claim #humblebrag

Sorry to be adding to your load, but scrotes often come back later.... on the basis that your insurance will have replaced all your shiny.

I once came home from a night out with my parents and my car was parked on the road as they put their car in the driveway first.
I waited till we were in the house and told my parents there were two folk in my car trying to nick it.
Whilst my mum phoned the police my dad and me went out.
When they exited the car my dad managed to grab one of them and the other one ran off.
The other one then came back to help his friend, so I tackled him to the ground and sat on him, I was about 110kg at the time 😆 , he wasn't going anywhere.
Unfortunately the other one got away shortly before the police arrived.
The police were over the moon as they had broken in to about another 12 cars the same night.
No investigation in to me as I just used a judo throw to get him on the ground, so reasonable force. I could have used more force as the one I tackled had a breaker bar.
If I had been on my own I don't think I would have tackled them, maybe just tried to scare them off.
As for the house it probably has a few more Maglite torches than others 😆 .

Well, all I will get is abuse I am sure, but same happened to us, someone breaking in back kitchen door around 11.00pm one night. Only difference is when he got the door open he found himself looking down the barrel of a Glock and me telling him I was going to to blow his head off if he took another step. Dropped his "tools" including the crowbar and sharpened screwdriver and literally vaulted back over the wall he had come...

I have a young family and not going to screw around wondering about his intentions, Took me a long long time until I could sleep well again though. Police said since he was already on my property and inside the house I should have shot him. Glad I didnt though.

Awaiting my flaming...

found himself looking down the barrel of a Glock

Other tuned percussion instruments are available.

Not worth getting a shoeing (or worse) over some property

Wifes friends husband was murdered by the guys he chased one night. They stabbed him in the head with the same screwdriver they were using to steal his father in laws car.

Would seriously think twice about confronting anybody (however hard you are) especially if it was a garage or shed/outbuilding.

Its all well to have different viewpoints, but I'm taking a bit of offense to the derogatory 'keyboard warrior' comments.

I've spent 7 months not able to sleep due to thinking we are being broken into again, we didn't have much, but they took nearly everything - including my recently deceased nans jewellery and laptops with our newborn sons photos on.

People talking about taking reasonable steps to protect their property and defend their family from what seems to be increasingly brazen scrots does not make them a keyboard warrior.

I seem to recall there was a recent case about a suspected burglar who was confronted by the home owner and the intruder ended up in a coma. I believe the homeowner was acquitted of any wrongdoing.

Sorry to anyone that goes through this as it is horrible.

Awaiting my flaming...

Well if you will live in an uncivilised society 🙄