“Stand your ground” doesn’t go far enough.
I’d like to see a law saying that you can pursue with deadly force. The police sure won’t help you.
Four months ago, my daughter had her home broken into and all her valuables (cash, computers, TVs, guns, a few pieces of furniture, etc.) taken. She got there in time to see the thief’s pickup truck pulling away and she followed the thief back to his home. With the pickup in his driveway, she called the cops and told the cops that she was parked outside of the thief’s house and that her possessions were in plain sight and in the pickup. The cops told her that since nobody was hurt, it was an insurance problem not a police problem and she should just go home and file an insurance claim. (Nevada)
“Four months ago, my daughter had her home broken into and all her valuables (cash, computers, TVs, guns, a few pieces of furniture, etc.) taken. She got there in time to see the thief’s pickup truck pulling away and she followed the thief back to his home. With the pickup in his driveway, she called the cops and told the cops that she was parked outside of the thief’s house and that her possessions were in plain sight and in the pickup. The cops told her that since nobody was hurt, it was an insurance problem not a police problem and she should just go home and file an insurance claim. (Nevada)”
OUTRAGEOUS! We actually had something quite similar happen to us. A bunch of our stuff found in a stolen car parked at Cabrini Green in downtown Chicago. The police called the owner of the car (who was a neighbor of ours) and told her to come get the car. She found all the stolen stuff in it and refused to take the car until all the stolen goods were returned to the rightful owner. Cops just wanted her to take her car with all the stuff in it! They couldn’t be bothered! And then they wonder why police are getting an AWFUL reputation as slugs!
But I like this story to get the police to act:
Roger Gresse, an elderly man, from Zanesville, OH, was going up to bed, when his wife told him that he'd left the light on in the garden shed. Roger opened the back door to go turn off the light, but saw that there were people in the shed stealing things.
He phoned the police, who asked, "Is someone in your house?" He said "No," but some people are breaking into my garden shed and stealing from me."
Then the police dispatcher said. "All patrols are busy. You should lock your doors and an officer will be along when one is available."
Roger said, "Okay."
He hung up the phone and counted to 30.
Then he phoned the police again.
"Hello, I just called you a few seconds ago because there were people stealing things from my shed. Well, you don't have to worry about them now because I just shot them," and he hung up.
Within five minutes, six police cars, a SWAT team, a helicopter, two fire trucks, a paramedic, and an ambulance showed up at the Gresse residence, and caught the burglars red-handed.
One of the policemen said to Roger, "I thought you said that you'd shot them!"
Roger said, "I thought you said there was nobody available!"
“I’d like to see a law saying that you can pursue with deadly force. The police sure won’t help you.”
No. That is a very bad idea. You do not take a human life over theft, even if the police our negligent. Your daughter did the right thing to merely follow and report. The police were clearly negligent, but that is not a reason to allow citizens to kill over being burglarized when their persons we not in danger of harm. The law assumes, and rightly, that human life (even that of a thief) is worth more than mere property. Self defense laws (concealed carry) are proper and need to be continued, but what you advocate is too over the top and a form of anarchy.
“Four months ago, my daughter had her home broken into and all her valuables (cash, computers, TVs, guns, a few pieces of furniture, etc.) taken. She got there in time to see the thief’s pickup truck pulling away and she followed the thief back to his home. With the pickup in his driveway, she called the cops and told the cops that she was parked outside of the thief’s house and that her possessions were in plain sight and in the pickup. The cops told her that since nobody was hurt, it was an insurance problem not a police problem and she should just go home and file an insurance claim. (Nevada)”
I don’t know why the “police” didn’t respond....it sounds like dereliction of duty OR they didn’t believe your daugther (they were wrong either way). Why didn’t she call the County Sheriff IF the city police did not respond? Whatever, your daugther has my sympathy and respect for keeping her head. I hope your story is an aberration, and not the norm. I can understand your outrage - I would feel the same. Just don’t let it drive you to extreme measures. It makes you the “criminal.”