Scenario: Strange tow truck in your driveway.

Post by **carlson1** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 7:19 pm

txinvestigator wrote:
Braden wrote:To Chris:

Would I have regrets in that situation? I'm certain I would, but ultimately anything that the BAD guy does that might hurt or kill someone is HIS decision and not mine. I didn't ASK him to steal my car and run into a family of 4 while running from the police. It would definitely be an tragic situation, but their blood would be on his head and not mine. In that situation there is no way I could have foreseen what was going to happen.

By the same token, I could take the shot and he could punch the gas and drive through the wall of my neighbor's house killing their two children in the front bedroom. Would I have regrets about that? Most definitely. Three people would be dead because I wasn't willing to let a criminal get away with stealing from me.

We can "what if" the situation all day long, but the bottom line is that we have no way of knowing what's going to happen after we take the shot...or after we don't.

As I said before, to me a material possession is not worth taking the life of another human being. If someone else feels differently then that is their prerogative.

That is a decision I have already made too. I believe I have a moral, ethical and biblical responsibiity to protect my life. I have the same responsibility to my family.

Those same morals and beliefs prevent me from taking a life over stuff.

How about the "material possessions" happen to be inside your home? Are you going to shoot or allow the BG to leave? Just curious. I am shooting inside my home!

kw5kw · Post by **kw5kw** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 9:33 pm

player_twister wrote:Actually, I would have just called 911 in the past, but I had one vehicle stolen already, and it was a real mess. That vehicle, like my current GT mustang, was long payed off, and I have the required insurance for the State of Texas. I NEVER got my Pathfinder back, it's been over 6 years. Cost me a bundle to replace it.

I won't let them get away next time. Not without a fight. I gurantee it.

Been there done that also. Not a repo but one stolen out of my driveway.
Vehicle recovered months later, and what a hassle cause it was then a hunk of junk that cost me a bundle to just fix up to trade off. Not to mention the difference between what the insurance paid for a rent car and a truck for several months.

All of the tools in the tool box, the radio's, veicular and amateur, all of that had a seperate deducatable covered by the homeowners. The vehicle insurance don't pay for that. Then making all of the itemized lists for items, 1/2" socket, 3/8" socket, etc. And the irreplaceable electric vehicle jack that plugged into the lighter.

I won't let them get away again either.

Russ

lrb111 · Post by **lrb111** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 10:32 pm

kw5kw wrote: And the irreplaceable electric vehicle jack that plugged into the lighter.

Russ

Walmart had one that about $60, and really looked pretty good.
here's another.
http://www.amazon.com/UPC-Electric-Car- ... B000JBY44I

Glockamolie · Post by **Glockamolie** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 10:35 pm

Almost that exact thing happened in Houston about 5 (or 6 or 10) years ago, except that the guy shot the driver, who proceeded to die right there. The Grand Jury no-billed the shooter.

It's DEFINITELY not the route I'd take, though. I personally wouldn't use deadly force for the theft alone.

Braden · Post by **Braden** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 11:24 pm

casselthief wrote: I think the key, for my personal scenario, is to hold the "repo man" at gunpoint (if necesary) until the fuzz gets there.
he moves, shoulda picked a different line of work.

and it's not necesarily about my car, truck, bycicle.
it's the principality. it's mine, you don't deserve to be able to simply take it.
you want one, earn it.
or get sweet hot lead.
see also the reason I'm on this site. you don't know what alterior motives a thief may have, once in your smoove ride.

Casselthief, if that's how you feel then so be it, but I do want to caution you about the things you say on the internet. Remember, this is a PUBLIC forum. Anything you say here can be used against you in court. Say you shoot a man tonight to prevent a theft and the jury gets a piece of paper slapped in front of them showing where YOU said he was gonna "get sweet hot lead" if he tried to take your stuff. That is NOT going to work in your favor.

I'm not being critical. Just offering some friendly advice. I think all of us posting on public forums would do well to choose our words very carefully when we discuss how we might react to certain situations.

Braden · Post by **Braden** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 11:29 pm

carlson1 wrote: How about the "material possessions" happen to be inside your home? Are you going to shoot or allow the BG to leave? Just curious. I am shooting inside my home!

That's a bit of a different situation. If someone has come into my home then it means they have completely ignored and/or killed the 75 and 120 pound dogs that will make it very clear they are not welcome. If they are willing to do that then I will be in fear of my life and the life of my family. Different story, different reaction.

That is, of course, assuming we are home when the intrusion occurs. If we come home and see the front door kicked open and a strange truck in the driveway, I park down the street and call the police. There's no sense in risking my life to save a piece of stereo equipment or jewelry.

txinvestigator · Post by **txinvestigator** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 7:57 am

carlson1 wrote:
txinvestigator wrote:
Braden wrote:To Chris:

Would I have regrets in that situation? I'm certain I would, but ultimately anything that the BAD guy does that might hurt or kill someone is HIS decision and not mine. I didn't ASK him to steal my car and run into a family of 4 while running from the police. It would definitely be an tragic situation, but their blood would be on his head and not mine. In that situation there is no way I could have foreseen what was going to happen.

By the same token, I could take the shot and he could punch the gas and drive through the wall of my neighbor's house killing their two children in the front bedroom. Would I have regrets about that? Most definitely. Three people would be dead because I wasn't willing to let a criminal get away with stealing from me.

We can "what if" the situation all day long, but the bottom line is that we have no way of knowing what's going to happen after we take the shot...or after we don't.

As I said before, to me a material possession is not worth taking the life of another human being. If someone else feels differently then that is their prerogative.

That is a decision I have already made too. I believe I have a moral, ethical and biblical responsibiity to protect my life. I have the same responsibility to my family.

Those same morals and beliefs prevent me from taking a life over stuff.
How about the "material possessions" happen to be inside your home? Are you going to shoot or allow the BG to leave? Just curious. I am shooting inside my home!

It depends on the actions of the person. I don't believe it is proper just to automatically shoot someone inside your home. There are too many variables. My intial response is to confront at gunpoint and order on the ground. Unless he is clearly armed with a firearm, now I am not protecting 'stuff" I am protecting my family.

What happens next is up to the bad guy.

seamusTX · Post by **seamusTX** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 8:12 am

Braden wrote:I think all of us posting on public forums would do well to choose our words very carefully when we discuss how we might react to certain situations.

Amen to that. People have had their career ended because of things they posted on the Internet. At this point, you should assume that everything you post will be available forever, and could appear on the front page of a newspaper. Or the kids you don't even have yet could find it when they are teenagers.

- Jim

kw5kw · Post by **kw5kw** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 10:01 am

lrb111 wrote:
kw5kw wrote: And the irreplaceable electric vehicle jack that plugged into the lighter.

Russ
Walmart had one that about $60, and really looked pretty good.
here's another.
http://www.amazon.com/UPC-Electric-Car- ... B000JBY44I

Yeah, they've come back out with them, but this was in 1989 and was from FoMoCo as a genuine accessory. It was a hydralic type, you know the one like you put the handle and pump up and down, well this had an internal electric motor and Ford discontinued it right before my truck was stolen in 89... wouldn't you know it!

That's a nice screw-type levlelizer type jack but they still have never made another one like the one I had.

My truck was stolen in the dead of night and was used in a robery of a roofing warehouse two days later. They used it to bust thru the walls. Since it was recovered, insurance would not pay for a replacement truck; but they wanted to repair this one. However, it was held as evidence for awhile before it was released, then to the body shop to get the body damage repaired then to the general repair shop to fix all of the mechanical damage.

It cost me more than the items in the tool box, because they didn't add up to much over my deductable on my house insurance

and like I said I had a heck of a rent-truck bill because the insurance company only would pay for a small compact car.

And, I was in the process of trading my Travel Trailer for a fifth-wheel that week. Lost the trailer because my truck was stolen.

The wife and kids and I were going to take vacation the next week. Boy that guy really missed up my year!

Rant off
Russ

Paladin · Post by **Paladin** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 11:26 am

Chris wrote:...would you have any regrets about not shooting?

For me the answer is yes. Just as I would have regrets about not shooting if a criminal stole one of my guns. Guns are "just" property, but I'm uncomfortable letting a criminal steal one if I could stop it.

Paladin · Post by **Paladin** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 11:42 am

gregthehand wrote:Well I did a quick search and couldn't find the article but this happened. The shooter was eventually found not guilty but it cost him a lot of money. If I remember it was some crappy car company who did not go through the proper channels when repossesing cars and sent a tow truck out to repossess a car after a payment was late by one week. So the owner never got a writ of attachement, and just "thought" his car was being stolen. Anyway I can't think of anything I own that would be worth killing someone over. Call the cops, hop in another car if possible, and follow (safely). A tow truck hauling a car is not that hard to follow. Plus most of them are covered with the tow companies number and name so they should not be too hard to identify.

You are correct. A number of years ago a repo man was shot and killed repo-ing a vehicle.

I don't recall if there was a tow truck involved or not. As I remember not, but I could be wrong. The shooter did actually believe his vehicle was being stolen and had no other means of getting it back. As I recall, the shooter was questioned, but not even arrested at the time of the shooting. I don't know what happened in court.

kauboy · Post by **kauboy** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 1:54 pm

If he wasn't arrested, then he wasn't charged with anything. Would there even be a trial of any kind? For what?

txinvestigator · Post by **txinvestigator** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 2:18 pm

kauboy wrote:If he wasn't arrested, then he wasn't charged with anything. Would there even be a trial of any kind? For what?

Not true at all. The police do not have to arrest you at the scene for the Grand Jury to decide to indict you.

txinvestigator · Post by **txinvestigator** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 2:19 pm

Paladin wrote:
Chris wrote:...would you have any regrets about not shooting?
For me the answer is yes. Just as I would have regrets about not shooting if a criminal stole one of my guns. Guns are "just" property, but I'm uncomfortable letting a criminal steal one if I could stop it.

Being "comfortable" is an awfully dangerous emotion to be deciding on whether or not to use deadly force.

Paladin · Post by **Paladin** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 2:37 pm

txinvestigator wrote:
Paladin wrote:
Chris wrote:...would you have any regrets about not shooting?
For me the answer is yes. Just as I would have regrets about not shooting if a criminal stole one of my guns. Guns are "just" property, but I'm uncomfortable letting a criminal steal one if I could stop it.
Being "comfortable" is an awfully dangerous emotion to be deciding on whether or not to use deadly force.

I remember your post about how you almost shot a guy you knew, who was not threatening you or anyone else, who was holding a handgun in his hand while a fight was going on nearby.

Might have even been legal, but I would never dream of shooting in that circumstance. You and I have a very different worldview