Disturbing

[Taz Baby]

Disturbing
I just read a very disturbing article on another site that had the link to the story. It was about a women being burglarized, along with sexual assault with her newborn next to her. She had left her glass sliding doors open to let the fresh air in. That got me to thinking how many of us without thinking after spending the winter closed up in our homes, open our doors and windows when it is warm. Now common since will tell you to shut and lock your doors and windows. But do you open the windows to let the air in? Yes we do, they have screens on them right. Well with everything that is going on and people are getting desperate to find ways to feed their families, the crime rates are going thru the roof everywhere. Even if you live far out in the boonies and have guard dogs outside and inside, you still need to lock your doors, doggie doors, screen doors, all windows even if they are up high. Basement windows and doors. If you need to have fresh air, open the windows in the room that you are going to be at ready with gun close by. BTW the baby was not hurt and the guy was caught because the woman dialed 911 and left the phone on so they could find her. But the police surrounded the area, with helicopters too and caught him after he left. He assaulted her three times before leaving. Makes you wonder what the police where doing all that time. I am guilty of leaving my place open when I check the mail even though there is only one way in and I am going that way. But still I am going to be a lot more cautious and even if it seems silly to lock up just to check the mail who cares.
Gary L. Holmes Arrested For Beating, Raping Coral Springs Mom As Baby Lay Nearby - The Huffington Post (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/2012/02/14/gary-holmes-coral-springs-rape-baby_n_1275774.html)

[helomech]

I never lock my house. I rely on a factor of things, including a half mile walk from my gate to my house, then the 3 very large dogs. Then us with guns. I fugure a locked door will do nothing to stop anyone, other than cause me to have to change a window also. No one can tell if someone is home or not by just looking. We have extra vehicles so there are always at least 1 vehicle there, usually two of more. My older dog Akira will not allow anyone into the house, she had my mother in law backed up against her car just a couple weeks ago.

[ladyhk13]

I do kind of think it does depend on where ya live. We really don't need to lock our doors but my dh does even when I forget. I have left my purse in the car overnight and we never lock our cars, forgotten my gun - dh's too out there. We have left our workshop and "apple" barn with 4 wheelers, motorcycles and tools...you name it wide open all night and no one in our area would ever think about taking a thing. I would almost even smile if I came out the next day and if someone needed something there would be a note saying "I borrowed your tractor, bring it back back by 3" LOL. But really, my sister NEVER locks her doors even when she leaves for the whole day. But we both live in areas where there really is NO crime at all. I think it's more a guy comes home drunk and his wife smacks the shit out of him or someone gets caught speeding. The City-data.com crime index (higher means more crime, U.S. average = 319.1) and it's 51.9 in our town so we are very lucky. I looked up Coral Gables and it is a 254.1 so am I surprised that a crime like this happened? No. Will this incident make me change the way I live my life? Nope. That's why I don't live in Fl. anymore. I couldn't change those that lived around me but I could change those that I lived around. That was actually my first step as a prepper but I didn't know it at the time. Funny how our instincts sometimes guide us.

[LUNCHBOX]

Lady, I agree with you to a point. Your area might be ok for now but think about if things get even harder, those individuals will travel to get anything they can. We have used houses for sale being stripped of copper, new houses losing the ac unit...you name it and its getting stolen. We lock up and even post one of our free range chickens on the front porch....lol. (it actually started roosting on the table there) IMO, no matter where you are, its time to start putting more thought in to overlooked security/safety.

[helomech]

[QUOTE=ladyhk13;21750]\ The City-data.com crime index (higher means more crime, U.S. average = 319.1) and it's 51.9 in our town so we are very lucky. I looked up Coral Gables and it is a 254.1 QUOTE]



Do you have a link to this. I really doubt my town comes up on it though, we only have 300 people in the town nearest to me.

[helomech]

Lady, I agree with you to a point. Your area might be ok for now but think about if things get even harder, those individuals will travel to get anything they can. We have used houses for sale being stripped of copper, new houses losing the ac unit...you name it and its getting stolen. We lock up and even post one of our free range chickens on the front porch....lol. (it actually started roosting on the table there) IMO, no matter where you are, its time to start putting more thought in to overlooked security/safety.


But locking a door does no good to stopping anyone. It only leaves you with stolen things and a broken door/window. 400 to 500 lbs of dogs does a much better job, than a door lock.

[Stormfeather]

Very similar attitude in our area, although big city crime is starting to filter its way into our area alot more Ive noticed in the last year and a half. There is a heroin & meth problem in the area that seems to have taken hold, and the cops are very proactive now about stamping it out. The biggest thing we used to have to deal with would be a DUI or something similar, now we've had a few break-ins, a actual strong arm robbery, and the local PD ending up shooting a teenager 2 weeks ago who came out of a house high on meth and pointed a shotgun at them. Kid survived, but was very lucky. Cant wait til they get a handle on this crap so maybe things can go back to normal somewhat. Im lucky in the fact that theres usually someone home, Between the wife, myself and our door gunner who is staying with us, we usually always have at least one person home. But in the same aspect, we are like LadyHK, our doors are never locked, and if something was missing, I usually find a note from one of my friends saying they borrowed it and will return at such and such date. Lucky to have good friends I guess

[Stormfeather]

\ The City-data.com crime index (higher means more crime, U.S. average = 319.1) and it's 51.9 in our town so we are very lucky. I looked up Coral Gables and it is a 254.1
Do you have a link to this. I really doubt my town comes up on it though, we only have 300 people in the town nearest to me.


go here

Stats about all US cities - real estate, relocation info, crime, house prices, cost of living, races, home value estimator, recent sales, income, photos, schools, maps, weather, neighborhoods, and more (http://www.city-data.com/)

[helomech]

go here

Stats about all US cities - real estate, relocation info, crime, house prices, cost of living, races, home value estimator, recent sales, income, photos, schools, maps, weather, neighborhoods, and more (http://www.city-data.com/)

Here is the closest town to me. I don't live in the town, but it is the closest one to me. I don't see a crime rate.

Latexo, Texas (TX 75849) profile: population, maps, real estate, averages, homes, statistics, relocation, travel, jobs, hospitals, schools, crime, moving, houses, news, sex offenders (http://www.city-data.com/city/Latexo-Texas.html)

[Taz Baby]

It might be all right to leave things unlocked now. But if you are in the habit of doing that now, what will happen later when it gets bad and people are going hungry, desperate to find food and things to survive. I think the first places that will be hit are the towns and houses close to them. But then again if people think that, the houses way out in the woods would not be patrolled by the police and go unnoticed. The police will be busy trying to control the town not the houses out of town. Those are going to be the ones people run too. Everyone knows that farmers have food and supplies and live off the land. How long would it take the police to notice a house out in the boonies that was burglarized and the people killed? The phones might not work so you couldn’t call 911 for help.
As far as big bad dogs go to protect you, dogs can be shot, poisoned ect, so dogs will only slow them down a bit or scare them off until later. You might or might not be alarmed by the intruder in time to get your gun even if it is close by. Why make it easy for the intruder by leaving the door unlocked? As for me, I am going to get into the habit of locking things up as tight as possible. That way if they do want in, they have to break a window, that I will hear, or bust a door in that I will hear and I will have time to get my gun. Even with all the security camera’s, silent alarms, and OTHER security measures we have taken, I am prepared if they fail. Dogs will give you a little time but most people who are going to steal from someone case the place out for awhile and watch the peoples routine to see when is the best time to do that. All I am saying is to think and get prepared and in the habit of locking up.

[LUNCHBOX]

But locking a door does no good to stopping anyone. It only leaves you with stolen things and a broken door/window. 400 to 500 lbs of dogs does a much better job, than a door lock.

Helo, I agree with your thought on the dogs. I refered to locking the doors due to the forced entry. (trespassing is not enough of a reason to shoot someone and your insurance may not replace something without forced entry) There are probably a dozen different takes on what is the best safety.

[The Stig]

I lock everything all the time.

Helo is right, they can just as easily smash a window. But I do it to keep casual folks away. I'm thinking the guys looking for an easy score who might try the knob just to see if its unlocked and then move on.

But the determined ones? They're getting in.

[helomech]

It might be all right to leave things unlocked now. But if you are in the habit of doing that now, what will happen later when it gets bad and people are going hungry, desperate to find food and things to survive. I think the first places that will be hit are the towns and houses close to them. But then again if people think that, the houses way out in the woods would not be patrolled by the police and go unnoticed. The police will be busy trying to control the town not the houses out of town. Those are going to be the ones people run too. Everyone knows that farmers have food and supplies and live off the land. How long would it take the police to notice a house out in the boonies that was burglarized and the people killed? The phones might not work so you couldn’t call 911 for help.
As far as big bad dogs go to protect you, dogs can be shot, poisoned ect, so dogs will only slow them down a bit or scare them off until later. You might or might not be alarmed by the intruder in time to get your gun even if it is close by. Why make it easy for the intruder by leaving the door unlocked? As for me, I am going to get into the habit of locking things up as tight as possible. That way if they do want in, they have to break a window, that I will hear, or bust a door in that I will hear and I will have time to get my gun. Even with all the security camera’s, silent alarms, and OTHER security measures we have taken, I am prepared if they fail. Dogs will give you a little time but most people who are going to steal from someone case the place out for awhile and watch the peoples routine to see when is the best time to do that. All I am saying is to think and get prepared and in the habit of locking up.

Please explain to me how locking a door does anything to stop someone. To use yoru words your big bad door can be kicked in, in less than 5 seconds. Or the window can be broken in a instant, locks do NOTHING to stop someone that wants in. I would much rather have to deal with a locked door, than 3 dogs that all weigh over 150 lbs. Also it is very easy to keep a dog from being posioned, it is nothing different than any other dog training. My dogs won't eat from anyone else. I am not a theif, but I can get in any lock in a very short period of time.

[helomech]

Helo, I agree with your thought on the dogs. I refered to locking the doors due to the forced entry. (trespassing is not enough of a reason to shoot someone and your insurance may not replace something without forced entry) There are probably a dozen different takes on what is the best safety.



Trespassin at night is enough in Texas to use deadly force, and theft at night is also. Also if you don't think you can recover the item being stolen you are justified in using deadly force.

As far as the insurance company if I am ever stolen from I will make sure I bust a window before I call the police.

[Taz Baby]

Please explain to me how locking a door does anything to stop someone. To use yoru words your big bad door can be kicked in, in less than 5 seconds. Or the window can be broken in a instant, locks do NOTHING to stop someone that wants in. I would much rather have to deal with a locked door, than 3 dogs that all weigh over 150 lbs. Also it is very easy to keep a dog from being posioned, it is nothing different than any other dog training. My dogs won't eat from anyone else. I am not a theif, but I can get in any lock in a very short period of time.

I did not mean anything against dogs and I was not singularing you out. If you took it that way I apologize. I did not mean any disrespect to you or anyone. I am all for getting dogs for protection as we are soon. And yes they will be taught not to eat until I tell them they can. That way hopefully they will not be poisoned. I was just saying that even dogs can't stop someone if they really want to do you harm. And yes doors will not stop anyone who really wants in. I was just saying that a locked door will buy you time as compared to a unlocked door. My main reason for this thread is to bring up the fact that we all need to think ahead and from as many angles as we can think of to be safe and I have not been locking my place up but I will start now to get into that habit.

[helomech]

I did not mean anything against dogs and I was not singularing you out. If you took it that way I apologize. I did not mean any disrespect to you or anyone. I am all for getting dogs for protection as we are soon. And yes they will be taught not to eat until I tell them they can. That way hopefully they will not be poisoned. I was just saying that even dogs can't stop someone if they really want to do you harm. And yes doors will not stop anyone who really wants in. I was just saying that a locked door will buy you time as compared to a unlocked door. My main reason for this thread is to bring up the fact that we all need to think ahead and from as many angles as we can think of to be safe and I have not been locking my place up but I will start ow to get into that habit.


Yeah, sorry, I came across kind of bad. We actually lock our doors at night, but the dog door is right next to the front door, and it is big enough for even a fat burglur to crawl through. If thing actually get bad I will be setting out lots of booby traps, in a real SHTF situation that will actually be my first line of defense.

[ladyhk13]

I think that each of us know our own circumstances, areas, laws and people that surround us. I may not always lock the door but my dh goes behind me and makes sure they are locked. We live on a dead end road, our dogs are kept indoors and the male has a bark that can wake the dead, both of us has a pistol next to us. When we leave our windows open at night we open the top parts so unless they bring a ladder to a one story house they won't get in. We aren't in a shtf situation right now so if we were obviously we would change our lifestyle accordingly. My sister, hell I know where she lives and I can hardly find her!!! She is so far out in the back country roads but it does make me a little nervous for her since she is home alone all week but she's just fine with that. I kind of would be afraid more of the bump in the night - too many scary movies! I do think a place can be a little too quiet, a thing we will have to get used to at our new property. At least where we are now I know I can run to a neighbor even though we are in the country....our new place there is no one! I think that scares me more to be honest.

[ladyhk13]

[QUOTE=ladyhk13;21750]\ The City-data.com crime index (higher means more crime, U.S. average = 319.1) and it's 51.9 in our town so we are very lucky. I looked up Coral Gables and it is a 254.1 QUOTE]



Do you have a link to this. I really doubt my town comes up on it though, we only have 300 people in the town nearest to me.

Stats about all US cities - real estate, relocation info, crime, house prices, cost of living, races, home value estimator, recent sales, income, photos, schools, maps, weather, neighborhoods, and more (http://www.city-data.com/) you can type in your zip code or look up your state, then go by the size of your city, then the name....there are several ways to find your town once you get to the site. It was a great tool when we were looking for a town to move to.