What would you do: someone in your yard when you come home late at night

This happened to a female friend recently. She lives alone and has graciously allowed me to share her experience here. Normally she does carry, but she was at a Christmas party where she knew she would have a cocktail or two, so she wasn’t carrying that night.

In the early hours of Sunday morning, after a fabulous Christmas party, I got a ride home from a friend. As we entered my driveway I questioned why my back motion light was on, as we had not pulled up far enough to set it off yet.

It was at that moment we witnessed two males on my property. One walking around the house toward the back of my property and the second walking out from behind my house toward the street, hence the light being on.

We immediately exited my driveway, called the cops and drove to my friend’s house. The cops were there within minutes, which was awesome! They did not catch anyone but did see the footprints around my house. They checked around the house and found that my front door was ajar and asked me to come back to the house. I do have a door jammer that was placed on my front door from the inside for security. The door was able to be pushed open a bit, but not far enough to get in.

When I got to the house the officer walked me to the front door to show me how he found it. At that time he gave it one good push and the door jammer collapsed and we were able to get in. I don’t know if the door had not been latched tightly enough or if they were able to use a credit card to unlatch it, but luckily they did not get in.

The responding officers cleared my house for me and then had me do a walk through with them to confirm nothing was out of place. Needless to say, I did not stay at my house that night and crashed at my friend’s house. Had I been there and in the house, this could have been a totally different outcome!

Please stay vigilant friends, double-check your doors/windows before leaving home and make sure your security cameras are all up to date and running!

What would you have done?

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I think your friend and law enforcement did all the right things. :+1:

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Seems like the perfect response. Having pics/video would be nice.

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I asked her about her security cameras when I talked to her last night. The front camera hadn’t been working, unfortunately they don’t have pictures of the guys. I’m very glad she carries and the police have been doing extra drive by’s around her home.

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Nothing better could be done ! :+1:

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I have nothing to add. She did the right thing.

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She made the right decision.

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I would’ve jumped out the vehicle immediately and opened fire on the first and then shot the other one as i cleared the premises…well, at least that’s what would have happened in my fantasy…but yeah, she handled it correctly i guess

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Kudos to your friend. I would argue, even is she wasn’t drinking and had her firearm with her, the proper response in this situation would still be to exit the area and call law enforcement.

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What she did was the right thing- but yes in my mind there’s a totally different scenario.

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Since this is in mental training how should the response change if she had a babysitter and child in the house?

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Give crooks free exit and hope they will use the opportunity. Don’t leave the area, keep an eye on the house should the situation turn into kidnapping.

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:joy:
… and then sat down under the tree and enjoyed another cigar…
easy solution like in old good movies from 80’s :grin:

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Agreed!

Calling the authorities has multiple benefits:
(1) Safety for you & loved ones
(2) The Police are aware and can be on the lookout for potential burglars in that area

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Denny Crane.

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Turn on the brights, and lay on the horn. Criminals don’t like attention. Obviously dial 911 while the vehicle operator does this. If they persist, get out with gun drawn and give them the “I’m armed and will shoot!” Commands while using the car as cover. This is ONLY in the scenario of a child and babysitter now being in a potential danger.

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I like the way you think @45IPAC :+1:

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There’s nothing I can add!

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Hopefully the same as her but if home and they broke in, not panic! It’s kind of hard to say for me and luckily have not been in that situation and hopefully never will be!

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She did the right thing in her situation as she was unarmed and had been drinking.

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