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I foiled a break-in, was I correct in what I did?
me | 11/9/08 | Battle Axe

Posted on 11/09/2008 7:01:30 AM PST by Battle Axe

Last night while trying to get on FR, I was chatting on the phone with an old neighbor. I heard two very loud bangs. I got up and tried to see in the dark, 8:50 p.m. EST, what was going on.

I saw a man going through the dumpster in the back of the pharmacy. Then he disappeared between the bank and the pharmacy, went to the dumpster again and emerged with a boot size box wrapped in maybe a sweatshirt, or clothing of some kind.

He then went to the glassed in area behind the pharmacy and paused as if he had a key to the place and then entered the glassed in area. Still carrying this cloth covered shoe sized box, he BEGAN TO BEAT ON THE GLASS DOORS THAT LEAD INTO THE PHARMACY. Same loud bangs, same length between them. He had it in his right hand so I assume he is right handed.

Instinct took over and I ran outside and began yelling at him. He stopped and ran out of the glassed in area and out into the street and disappeared into the alley.

I was on the phone to 9-11 reporting all this when a blue car emerged from the other side of the alley and took off going west. I was describing all this to the 9-11 operator when another car, that I had not seen before started up from by the dumpster (there is a dark area there) and took off through the bank parking lot and down to the same street only going in the opposite direction.

First police car arrived about 30 seconds after the 2nd car had left and the police car took off after it.

Long story short. The first two bangs had broken the glass door of the glass porch, the light on that side had been disabled. When I yelled the man ran through the broken glass door and cut himself. So they have blood evidence.

Soon cops all over.

My question....should I have let them break into the pharmacy and then called the cops???? The remodeling project was complelted on our little pharmacy just three weeks ago.

I have mixed feelings. They would have caught them in there, but there could have been a gun battle etc. They could have set the place on fire, made a huge mess etc.

Was my instince correct to yell at them? The cops that talked to me said I did it right. My other neighbor says I should have let them break in.

What do Freepers say? Especially Police Freepers.


TOPICS: Local News; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: crime; robbery
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1 posted on 11/09/2008 7:01:30 AM PST by Battle Axe
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To: Battle Axe

Your instincts are fine. No use allowing these turds to destroy property you’ll have to pay for.

Even better would have been living in a state where deadly force to protect private property was legally justifiable ...


2 posted on 11/09/2008 7:04:21 AM PST by mgc1122
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To: Battle Axe

You did right. You need to stop listening to your neighbors... timing it can come around and bite you on the butt...


3 posted on 11/09/2008 7:05:28 AM PST by John123 (The US may be going down the drain, but everyone else will drown first...)
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To: Battle Axe

You did good, but did you have an equalizer in case it went badly when you shouted? If not, get one.


4 posted on 11/09/2008 7:07:02 AM PST by xmission (www.iwilldefendtheconstitution.com)
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To: Battle Axe

Where was your assault weapon?


5 posted on 11/09/2008 7:07:15 AM PST by cowboyway ("The beauty of the Second Amendment is you won't need it until they try to take it away"--Jefferson)
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To: mgc1122

Instinct....

I am fully armed with a rock, a shovel and an insect net. I have killed rattle snakes...using only the rock and the insect net.

I expect to make an appearance in court which calls for a new outfit.


6 posted on 11/09/2008 7:08:04 AM PST by Battle Axe (Repent for the coming of the Lord is nigh!)
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To: Battle Axe
WOW!
No idea what I would have done. It's crazy all of the pharmacy break in's we have around here. So many people strung out on drugs, especially prescription drugs.
I'm glad you're okay! What a story. :-)
7 posted on 11/09/2008 7:08:37 AM PST by bearsgirl90
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To: Battle Axe
The cops that talked to me said I did it right. My other neighbor says I should have let them break in.

..I'm sure your neighbor would appreciate your thinking from now on, per his advice,that you notify the police when his house gets broken into and you wait till after they load up the HDTV and most of his furniture, less they sprain an ankle.....

8 posted on 11/09/2008 7:12:01 AM PST by Doogle (USAF.68-73..8th TFW Ubon Thailand..never store a threat you should have eliminated))
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To: Battle Axe
I am just so glad that you are safe! I don't have to tell you to be extra vigilant now that you've made yourself known to these creeps.
9 posted on 11/09/2008 7:12:16 AM PST by TXBlair (This tag should come with a barf alert.)
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To: cowboyway
Dad was a big game hunter, moose, elk, deer, not to mention all the honkers, ducks, geese etc. We also fished. I could out fish him any day.

Then he decided to buy me a gun, a lovely 22 lever action carbine.

Then he tried to teach me to shoot. I was an excellent shot. If I aimed at the eye, I got the eye, target, bird, whatever.

I think he was ok with my catching more and bigger fish, but out-hunting him would have been too much. So he told me: I'm going to take the guns (by that time I had two, a nice little four-ten) away from you. You can go hunting but you must handle all the dogs....Brittanies...and carry the birds and pack out the deer, but I will do the shooting.

Really, I wasn't twirling the guns, really I wasn't. But since I have degenerative arthritis of the spine and carrying the gun as well as the dog responsibility and the extra birds, I decided that I would obey. It all worked out.

Dad gave the shotgun to my cousin Roger who cherishes it, and we found the 22 under the bed after Dad passed away.

My brother says that since the gun is in California and I am in the Midwest, it will be difficult to get it to me.

Should I just buy another one?

10 posted on 11/09/2008 7:14:37 AM PST by Battle Axe (Repent for the coming of the Lord is nigh!)
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To: Battle Axe

You did the right thing. One never knows what the future holds so you did not know how quickly he would break the glass.

JoMa


11 posted on 11/09/2008 7:16:02 AM PST by joma89
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To: Battle Axe

Welp. now you know you cant trust your neighbor.


12 posted on 11/09/2008 7:16:06 AM PST by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: Battle Axe

Sounds to me like you did the right thing. You prevented further, perhaps significant damage to the business. I cannot think that it is every really a good idea to let a crime continue when you have the means to stop it.

Ya done good.


13 posted on 11/09/2008 7:16:15 AM PST by Ramius (Personally, I give us... one chance in three. More tea?)
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To: TXBlair

You had the perfect opportunity to give a BHO supporter a felony and take him off the voting role.......whoops......I forgot......Dems register felons anyway.

Good job......I was broken into 3 weeks ago at my flip house in Wyoming MI . Got all of my tools overnight. I am amazed how NONE of the neighbors heard a thing. Wish you were one of the people next door. Could have used you. Thieves got over $4800 in tools.....


14 posted on 11/09/2008 7:16:38 AM PST by Michigan Bowhunter (Democrat socialist liberal scumbags.....how did we let this happen!)
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To: Battle Axe
Many threads on FR about guns. 12 ga pump is the preferred home defense weapon. 22 not so much.
15 posted on 11/09/2008 7:18:40 AM PST by mad_as_he$$ (Nemo me impune lacessit.)
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To: xmission

“You did good, but did you have an equalizer in case it went badly when you shouted? If not, get one.”

Agree with xmission. Get a firearm (while you still can, preferably from a fellow citizen provided your state allows this type of transaction), get training, and practice, practice, practice.

No sense in letting the animals win.

The Second Amendment has never been about hunting, but defense against tyranny.


16 posted on 11/09/2008 7:19:13 AM PST by petro45acp (Hunkered down in occupied Virginia!)
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To: Battle Axe

yes


17 posted on 11/09/2008 7:20:17 AM PST by MrEdd (Heck? Geewhiz Cripes, thats the place where people who don't believe in Gosh think they aint going.)
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To: Battle Axe

not enough citizens get involed where possible these days, good for you,and yes thank god you didn’t need to defend yourself trying to do the right thing


18 posted on 11/09/2008 7:21:05 AM PST by housemouse 1
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To: Battle Axe

Look at it from the perspective of the pharmacy owner. While it would have been nice to catch the perps, the situation was fluid and you didn’t have the benefit of hindsight.

You did the right thing.


19 posted on 11/09/2008 7:23:54 AM PST by Doohickey (The more cynical you become, the better off you'll be.)
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To: Battle Axe

PERFECT. Trying to break in, in most jurisdictions, is the same punishment as actually getting in.

Glad you’re well and nicely done!


20 posted on 11/09/2008 7:28:55 AM PST by Klepto
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