Home invasion

[DONT TREAD ON ME]

By Ariel Barkhurst - Express-News A man has been arrested on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and burglary with intent to assault following a home invasion in northeast Bexar County Wednesday afternoon, according to Bexar County sheriff's officials.

Julian A. Palmer, 17, was arrested Thursday morning after police said he forced his way into a Converse home and stabbed a 25-year-old man three times after being confronted, a sheriff's spokesman said.

The victim, who wasn't immediately identified, was taken to University Hospital in fair condition, said sheriff's Deputy Ino Badillo.

Badillo said the suspect rang the doorbell at a house in the 6800 block of Eden Grove Drive at about 2:30 p.m. and waited for the victim's mother to open the door.

He said the suspect, who was wearing a red bandana over his face, brandished a gun and tied up the mother with a telephone wire. As the suspect rummaged through the house, the son came home and confronted him, Badillo said.

He said the son was able to wrestle the gun away from the suspect, but the alleged burglar pulled out a three-inch pocketknife and stabbed the son three times in the abdomen. The mother was not harmed.

The suspect then fled the scene and nothing was stolen from the residence.

Badillo said the same house had been burglarized about one month ago.

Palmer was being held at the Bexar County Jail early Thursday evening on a total bond of $125,000 for his two charges.



Seems to me this is happening way too often. Thugs are getting bolder everyday. They are goin up knocking on the door/ringing doorbell waiting for the door to be answered then barging in. All of this in broad daylight. It seems to be a new trend that is catching on very fast.

No matter what time of day it is make sure you check who is at your door prior to opening it for them. Look through the peep hole, window or whatever you can do so that you can see the person. I always answer with my gun on me and I tell my wife to do the same. I do not think anyone is out to get me personally but my house might be the one they decide to hit one day.

Be careful and be aware.

[Drewthetexan]

Yeah, downstairs neighbors were burglarized at about 3:00 in the afternoon a few weeks back. Daylight is definitely no gaurantee of safety.

[longhorn_92]

We are definitely hearing about this more and more. They will break into a house in the middle of the day with or without someone home. Protect yourself and always be alert!

[Hos]

Yeah. I know my wife doesn't open the door to strangers. Just talk thru the door to politely answer their questions. The bandana over the face is a red flag too...

[Abraham]

Some months back I happened to look out my front window to see a white, twentyish male walking up my driveway to my house. I keep my large gate closed, but not locked. I have a long driveway.

I thought what the ...?

I almost never have unexpected visitors and when it's happened it's always been a neighbor I know. To have a stranger come to my house, well, it's not happened in the three years I've lived in it. That is, until this guy.

He knocked on the door and when I opened it partway (with a pistol in my other hand - placed behind my back) to see what he wanted, he moved forward like I was letting him in the house. I didn't move and he could see he'd made a mistake about presuming to come in and backed up. I also think he'd finally snapped about my other arm posture.

He had a story about his losing his dog the night before and if I happened to have seen it and if I did see it would I call him? It sounded somewhat plausible. It could also have been smoke. I said he could place his paper with his phone number and dog description in the fire wood rack. He looked a little pained when I instructed him to do this, but hey, he's on my property.

While I was polite, I wasn't especially warm. All the while I kept looking for signs of nervousness or anything out of the ordinary in his behavior. I didn't see any sign of this. Maybe he was legit, but something said 'red flag', maybe it was his lack of any type of vehicle. Looking for your dog afoot isn't especially a red flag, but something said "wrong" about this guy. He very well could've been a home invader. Or not...

I never saw him again.

[USA1]

first thing i did to my new house was install a peephole....

...but nothings foolproof ...

[Excaliber]

Yeah. I know my wife doesn't open the door to strangers. Just talk thru the door to politely answer their questions. The bandana over the face is a red flag too...

As noted in previous posts, I get excellent results with unexpected guests with my wireless intercom.

It maintains physical distance, doesn't get the door open, doesn't give away who or how many might be inside, how formidable (or not) they might be, or where they are, and allows me to send "salesmen" on their way with dispatch. My neighbors are used to it. Unwanted visitors are not - I like it that way.

If a visitor should decide to get froggy and try to kick in the door, the distance, unknown location of occupants, and an unusual floor plan gives me the few more seconds I need to set up an appropriate welcome party with the elements stacked strongly in my favor.

[USA1]

nothing like a good alarm system..



and everyone should have a smoke detector/fire alarm ..safety first

[Liberty]

Would take a brave soul to attempt those steps even without the dogs