Posted on 10/12/2002 12:33:42 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Bernard Schwin was sick of being a victim.
And on the third day, he grabbed his gun.
Since Wednesday, the burglars had nearly cleaned out his northeast Houston home. They stole jewelry, electronics, even deodorant and cologne. They climbed into his bed. They used his toilet. They helped themselves to soft drinks from his refrigerator.
Still, they kept coming back. Now, Schwin was going to set some boundaries. So he sat in the dark of his bedroom, cradling his shotgun and holding the phone. Just waiting.
By the time the burglars returned Friday morning and kicked in his door, Schwin was ready.
The intruders -- who had the audacity to park in his driveway -- were more than surprised. They were scared.
Schwin, 55, chased them outside and stuck a gun in one man's face, forcing him to abandon his vehicle and leave it rolling backward down the driveway with no one at the wheel. By the time it was over, Schwin had fired a shot at the man, who was later caught and arrested.
Schwin missed. But he made his point.
"I've had enough," he said.
Schwin has owned the home in the 3900 block of Fulton for about 20 years and had never been burglarized there -- before this week, that is.
After the first break-in occurred Wednesday, Schwin and his girlfriend came home to find valuables missing, their bed messed up and their toilet unflushed. The burglars had changed clothes, putting on brand new Houston Texans paraphernalia belonging to Schwin's girlfriend and leaving their dirty laundry behind. They were also thirsty; an empty soda can sat on the counter.
"We just thought it was vagrants and quick bucks at a pawn shop," said Schwin's girlfriend, Carol Langley, 47.
Schwin dutifully drove Langley to work the next morning, then went to Home Depot to buy a new lock for his door. By the time he returned, the intruders had struck again.
Undeterred, Schwin bought plywood and two more locks for the door, determined to transform his home into a veritable fortress.
He stayed home Friday morning, certain the intruders were watching the house. When Langley left for work, she saw some suspicious characters down the street and told Schwin about it. He turned off the lights, grabbed his gun and crouched in the bedroom.
A half-hour later, his patience was rewarded when the burglars forced their way inside -- and "ran like rabbits" upon seeing Schwin, he said.
One intruder tore off down the block, but the other made it to his car, where Schwin stuck the shotgun in his face. "He's lucky the safety was on," Schwin growled.
That intruder bailed from the car and ran, but the vehicle's gears had already been shifted, so the unmanned vehicle rolled back into the street. Schwin gave chase and fired some birdshot at him as he fled. The man was caught down the street after residents there called police and reported him hiding in their back yard.
Because of the gunfire, nearby Burbank Elementary School was briefly locked down as a precaution, police said.
The intruder, a 29-year-old New Caney man, was arrested and charged with attempted burglary of a residence. Police said he appeared to be high on cocaine. "It makes you do stupid stuff," said Houston Police Department Sgt. J.R. Chase.
The burglar's accomplice got away, and a police search of the area turned up nothing.
Because of the potential dangers, police don't recommend that homeowners confront burglars the way Schwin did. "We'd prefer that nobody gets hurt at all. Better to make sure the place is locked up well," Chase said.
Schwin took little satisfaction in his victory because he expects that the burglars will soon be back on the street.
"Somewhere in the judicial system, they're going to get off scot-free to go get somebody else, if not kill somebody," he said.
"I'm a Yankee, I'm from north Houston," Schwin said to laughs later Friday.
"I've lived here all my life. We used to leave the door unlocked, go to the store and come back. It's a shame that in society, we've got to live like this. It reminds me of the Old West: 'Put the gun back on your hip, and let's go.' It's a shame we can't be civilized."
I agree, but that may not stop them from trying. All they need is a bunch of egg sucking dog liberals on the jury, and bingo, they win. I think it sucks, but you are responding from a point of view of logic. Criminals, and some juries do not believe in logic. That is why OJ is still walking the streets, instead of pining away on death row. All I am trying to say, is that I am extremely cynical of the justice system. If these scum bags sue the home owner, I am just cynical enough to believe they will win. It has happened before, like the scum bag who was trying to rob a school, fell through a sky light, sued the school district, and won. It sucks.
Obviously, this isn't good news for persons who believe in their rights of self-defense. Or for fans of the rule of law.
Freedom, Wealth, and Peace,
Francis W. Porretto
Visit the Palace Of Reason: http://palaceofreason.com
That is why I am so cynical of it all. It really sucks to have to depend on a cop coming by to help someone arrange it so it looks the way you describe. If I had my way, we would be able to go after them, and "deal" with them, but unfortunately, the courts will not let us do what what should be done.
I agree, it's coming, and I think that is one reason why the scum bags of the world would like to disarm us, because they know it's coming too, and they would like to be armed, while we are not.
LOL, Never give the suckers an even break.
Yep, that is probably the best bet.
I am in full agreement. If free citizens of Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia were armed as is their right under God and the Constitution of these United States, someone, somewhere would have had the opportunity by now to either shoot the sniper or shoot out the tires of his fleeing vehicle.
Because the majority of people in these places have ceded their personal liberty to the perceived Authorities, they live in terror, pleading with the State to make them safer, rather than defending themselves with wit and will against all enemies, both foreign and domestic.
A coward-sniper like the one in the DC area now could never succeed in Vermont, where, as liberal as our courts and legislation have been, we the people KNOW that we are FREE to defend ourselves, our property, our neighbors, and our loved ones.
Points are scored in games. When defending your home it is kill or be killed. Wouldn't be suprised to see news report of his house being burnt down or him killed by recently released scumbag.
When someone enters your home uninvited they should be taken out in rubber bag(s).
Time to take back our rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Criminals who have given up their lives of crime to feed the fishes full time don't sue anybody.
Not a trace.
BUMP
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.