WOULD YOU SHOOT???????????

[lawrnk]

Yes, repeatedly.

[Keith B]

+1 more for Nitrogens post

[GrillKing]

I would never shoot over property unless my life or that of a loved one is in danger. If they are driving off with my trailor, it's theirs.

That's why I pay my insurance company a gazillion dollers a year.....

The emotional duress, probable loss of sleep (for more than 1 night), possible legal costs, etc., just aren't worth it to me for property alone.

If you are a threat of serious harm or worse to me or my family, it's a different story.

[hoss4570]

I would never shoot over property unless my life or that of a loved one is in danger. If they are driving off with my trailor, it's theirs.

That's why I pay my insurance company a gazillion dollers a year.....

The emotional duress, probable loss of sleep (for more than 1 night), possible legal costs, etc., just aren't worth it to me for property alone.

If you are a threat of serious harm or worse to me or my family, it's a different story.

I'm gonna take a guess that you don't work with tools or with your hands. I mean for a job, not some hobbiest, but work and build stuff for a living. And even if you do you must be richer than me because this welder and those tools ment years of hard, hot, back breaking labor to me and if I had of caught them I would have killed them. They had NO RIGHT to be on my property, they had NO RIGHT stealing my stuff. Wish I could have your pollyanna attitude (no I don't) , but I live in the real world.

[DoubleJ]

if they meant that much, maybe a better lock would be in order.
glad you're okay, though. least they didn't enter the house!

you mentioned you have a dog. maybe they gave it some treats. maybe some treats with sedatives. shewt, that'd keep a big ol' hound from munchin' on a skeezy criminal. Lord knows Begg'n Strips taste better.
don't ask me how I know....

anyway. the point being that maybe a dog doesn't always make the best alarm system. or maybe we can sleep through that alarm. ('specially if you're used to hearing it bark)

[Cipher]

I would be interested to know if that is considered theft or burglary, mostly because they broke into a locked gate to gain entrance - I do not know if gaining entrance to locked property is burglary or if burglary only covers buildings/habitations.

Either way, it was nighttime, so you were well within your rights under 9.42 to shot them, even while they were getting away.

I would've shot. Then again, I don't prescribe to this "property is not worth life" mindset. If you break into my home, or try to steal something from my property I will shoot. I have no remorse for people that take advantage of hard working, honest citizens! I have a feeling that if more people took that kind of stance, or more people confronted bad guys coming out of their neighbor's house the crime rate would drop.

[GrillKing]

I'm gonna take a guess that you don't work with tools or with your hands. I mean for a job, not some hobbiest, but work and build stuff for a living. And even if you do you must be richer than me because this welder and those tools ment years of hard, hot, back breaking labor to me and if I had of caught them I would have killed them. They had NO RIGHT to be on my property, they had NO RIGHT stealing my stuff. Wish I could have your pollyanna attitude (no I don't) , but I live in the real world.

Hoss4570,

No I don't work with my hands, but assume it's my car they are stealing which is a big ticket item for me and I do need to get to/from work, the same applies: that's what insurance is for. I simply stated my opinion, that it isn't worth the emotional duress and hassle that I would go through. There could be huge expenses, not covered by insurance, for legal fees or civil judgements related to a deadly force shooting over property, perhaps more than the car (or tools) are worth. Maybe, maybe not.

I'd rather have and rely on good insurance to protect my property and save deadly force to protect my family's or my life. Any use of deadly force to defend property only, even if justified under the law, would change my life and not for the better.

Also, your statment that you would "kill them" puts you on thin ice under Texas law if were to actually do so. Deadly force sometimes results in death, but death is not the end goal.

I don't think I am foolishly optimistic (pollyanna), but simply saying my peace and well being is more important to me than any property that can be easily replaced. If I am possible going to spend 10s of thousands of dollars or more to defend myself in court or to pay a civil judgement, it will be because I defended my kids, my wife, myself, and not my car.

BTW, I am not rich and I DO live in the real world....

[GrillKing]

If you break into my home, or try to steal something from my property I will shoot.

Breaking into my home while I am there and stealing from my property (outside) are two different things. One is a likely / potential assualt on me or my family, the other is not.

Yes, you may be justified in deadly force for the theft of property only, I just say for ME, it isn't worth it.

I will agree on this, if more people were shot at while stealing, the crime rate, at least for burglary, would go down.....

[WarHawk-AVG]

Hey GrillKing

You ever have your insurance rates go UP because of a breakin? Ever be told by insurance they WON'T cover something, or have a large deductible you still pay out of pocket. Most people cant afford the premiums for 100% coverage

Insurance doesn't always recover property..and insurance will NEVER get back the feeling security or replace the feeling of violation you get when some scumball decides he wants what you earned and is your enough to take it from you

[GrillKing]

Hey GrillKing

Most people cant afford the premiums for 100% coverage

Most people can't afford the expense of a protracted trial, civil judgement or the loss of income while they are in prison. Not saying it would happen, just for me, I choose differently.

insurance will NEVER get back the feeling security or replace the feeling of violation you get when some scumball decides he wants what you earned and is your enough to take it from you

Shooting someone over property wouldn't give me satisfaction either. I would be glad my family and myself is safe.


We obviously disagree, and it seems the majority disagrees with me, but that is my opinion and I am sticking to it. Do what you think is right and what you can live with, within the confines of the law. I have no problem with that as long as you keep it legal.

Keep in mind the original question: Would you shoot? My answer: No

[hoss4570]

My answer, Yes.

[sar]

I agree with GrillKing. In my house is a clear threat, outside my house isn't so much. For that matter, if I were home alone in an intrusion, and didn't need to worry about wife or daughter, I'd try to leave the house(armed) rather than confront.

I'm not afraid to protect my family, but who's to say you're gonna win in a shooting? I think my family needs me alive more than they need some stuff. I kinda like living too.

[hoss4570]

No I don't work with my hands,

Thats what I thought....................

[hoss4570]

Hoss4570,

No I don't work with my hands,

OOPS, this new stuff is kind of hard to get used to,

[GrillKing]

Hoss4570,

Even though we disagree on whether or not to shoot, I am sorry for your loss. I don't want to get too caught up in the discussion as a 'hypothetical what if' scenario to forget that there were scum who did you wrong and cost you significant financial loss. Not just the loss of the tools and that replacement cost, but the loss of use of the tools to earn a living in the mean time.

I do hope the equipment is found soon and those responsible for it's theft apprehended. All my disagreement is my opinion of what is right for me, we don't have to agree on that to agree that there is evil in the world and hope they are appropriately punished.

Best Regards,

Gary