My wife and I have been at the Hospital with our newborn baby over the past few days. I cannot carry at a hospital, and I was concerned about someone breaking into the vehicle and stealing it (we’ve been at the hospital for a few days, and I came straight from work where I do not carry).
At 5:30 this morning we received a call from our home security provider that their was motion in the house. They sent a police officer who checked out the front of the house. We have a doorbell camera (highly recommend) and my wife communicated with him. He said the garage door was cracked (we have to do this for Laundry). He didn’t see a reason for immediate concern and left.
I believed the probability of a break in was low (I was right) BUT we’ve been out for a few days, so I felt like our house was a good target. (Not being home+cracked garage door).
I drove from the hospital (extremely tired of course). I grabbed a hammer from the garage, looked around the house went straight for my bedside gun and then cleared every nook and cranny (I’m bringing a baby home, I Checked EVERYWHERE.) The house was clear, I believe wind blew the interior door of the garage through the crack in the garage door setting off the alarm. It could also have been someone who crawled under the garage door and started playing with the interior garage door setting it off. I’m leaning towards wind, but there’s really no way to be certain.
Though everything was fine, I will be carrying a gun everyday everywhere. I will be keeping the gun in the car in places where I can’t carry locked up in my safe.
I started carrying because of this baby. Not having it today made me feel naked, and under prepared.
I may need to do something like this. It needs to be an easy way to put it away while sitting. Currently I’m using one of 3 number Manuel lock with a cable around the seat.
I have been thinking about having a loaded gun in the car (no kids). The glove box doesn’t lock, nor would I expect those simple devices to deter a thief! I thought about how I would handle a car wash, where one guy drives it up to the wash entrance and another crawls all over wiping in down inside. I’m not sure I want to stand and watch the whole process up close, nor do I really want to carry for that time period. I also considered how to handle even a simple oil change, where I can’t see it being worked on. I doubt that I would remember to remove it before going there.
I bought a small gun safe with a 3-digit lock and a thin cable lock. Not the securest of solutions, so it sits unused in my office. Still thinking…
No consistency regarding hospitals in Florida. Wife was in the hospital (Port Saint Lucie) about 2 years ago. They had armed guards, metal detectors, etc., just like the airport. They told me they would hold my pocket knife or I could go lock it in the car.
Father in law was in the hospital this year in Orlando Florida (different hospital). I concealed carried firearm and pocket knife in and out of the hospital for weeks.
Thanks, @P365. I did lose a folding knife once. Not sure if at the car wash, the tire place, or the mechanic’s garage. The good news is that is was a not too expensive folder with a “glass breaker” butt end. It was also serrated which allowed it to cut through a seat belt. I’ve been driving for over 50 years now and haven’t had the need for any of this so I hope it will be of some help to the perp who took it from my center console.
I now have one of those window-breaker-only tools in the console. It has an angled cutting slot for seat belts. It’s not nearly as nice looking, but it looks like it will work just fine. So I don’t have to worry about karma from saying what I did about my good luck to date Also I’ve got a very nice Benchmade mini Griptillion, with a semi-serrated, blackened tanto blade. It stays in my pocket. This is probably the best knife I’ve ever owned and I’m thinking this was the silver lining, as they say.
All in all, you’re probably right to suggest that I’m being overly paranoid about losing things like that. I’ve reached a happy medium now, with the right tool at hand and a terrific folder available when I need it. I do see a gun as a too tempting target for a low paid car wash attendant. Guns are way too easy to sell on the street, so I won;t give them a chance, if I can avoid it.
Speaking as both a EOD flight medic and a civilian flight medic. You can never have to many things to get out of a wrecked vehicle. The law of Conservation of Momentum is a stone cold @#$*#. Everything moves.
Secret edit: I believe , the famous philosopher/ humanitarian" Iron Mike Tyson, said it best.
“Everyone’s got a plan until you punch them in the mouth”.
When you are in a wreck no matter how carefully you planned, stuff is going to be every where, except where you put it. Or where it would do you the least amount of good.
Congratulations, @Scoutbob! Do you have any cameras in the inside of your garage? That may give you some peace of mind if something like this ever happens again.
Please remember, as responsibly armed Americans we never advocate breaking the law. By encouraging breaking one law, we open ourselves up to the preception that we disregard laws and therefore our self-defense actions may come into much more serious questioning.
Thank you so much! I do not. The only camera I have up is the doorbell camera, which I think is awesome. I would like to put a camera on each exterior wall of the house, but cost and installation are an issue. My friend suggested an interior camera in the living space. This would be more affordable because I could buy one camera, but I’m not a fan of being recorded in my home. The garage may not be a bad idea, but it also leaves the back of the house without being monitored.
We live in an area with a very low crime rate. I was mainly concerned because we have been out of the house for about 5 days now. I know some home invaders or thieves will monitor a house for a period of time.
It is creepy to think someone may have tried to get into the house with a vehicle parked up front. It is very likely it was a gust of wind or maybe a mosquito eater that flew on our sensor to set the alarm.
@P365
After working in the health care industry for the last 35 years, I can’t think of a hospital that allows it. I have worked in many of the large hospitals in the Central and Eastern Time Zone.
Hey Scoutbob, the Wyze cams look like an interesting option! I would never mount them interior, however my house has lots of blind spots. Looks like they need 110V power to them, correct?
Definitely look into locking it up in your vehicle with a lock box or a cable thru barrel and around seat post will work too. I carry all the time these days in 99% of places and my weapon of choice sometimes is decided by if my family is with me and location of travel. Sometimes by myself I only carry a smaller .380 which I consider only personal protection.
Also I’ve got a very nice Benchmade mini Griptillion, with a semi-serrated, blackened tanto blade. It stays in my pocket. This is probably the best knife I’ve ever owned and I’m thinking this was the silver lining, as they say.
edit: I believe , the famous philosopher/ humanitarian" Iron Mike Tyson, said it best.