Attempted Home Invasion

[kurtdillard]

I'm in the US on business, a group of 3 or 4 tried to break into our house in Corrientes around 3 am. They had climbed onto the 1st floor roof and tried to break in through 2nd floor windows. They triggered the alarm and ran off before the private security guard drove over. My wife and kids are freaked out, I can't put my emotions into words right now, being stuck in the US for 5 more days. She's trying to make arrangements with the security company to provide a guard nightly for the rest of my trip. She wants to buy a gun but I really don't want one in the house with our two small children. I can't wait until we are out of Argentina. Newer members may not know that we've already been victims of crime twice in the past year, and we are 500 miles from Buenos Aires, where things are supposed to be safer.

 

[Crema Americana]

I'm sorry to hear... what a scary stressful situation.

At least the security system worked and hopefully your family will have a guard... that should help.

Do you have a neighbor, friend, or family that perhaps your family could stay with for the week? I doubt the thieves would try to break in again after a failed attempt with security. Buying a gun with all the permissions isn't the fastest process either and probably wouldn't be of much use anyway if your wife lacks the training and familiarity to use it.

 

[Iznogud]

Sorry to read this. How about a dog?
A gun is of no use if you're not trained to properly and effectively put it into play, no more than owning a piano will get you a privileged location at the front of the orchestra.
Regarding kids, it depends almost entirely on their age and education. if you remove curiosity from the equation at an early stage, the children will not be interested by the gun and will keep safe distance from it. Demystify it and voilá. It's easier to do than to argue endlessly about it.
Water, electricity, gas, height, sharp and pointy things represent more real dangers to any living inhabitant of a place than guns. You need only to respect and not to fear them.

 

[AlfajorEfi]

Safety here is a big deal. I hired a full time body guard who now lives in. Getting a gun here is very complicated and it's one thing to have it at home, and another TRAMITE to carry outside....

 

[GS_Dirtboy]

Hey, Kurt. This is extremely stressful to be stuck away from your family whom you can't protect. I'm sorry to hear this. If they were in Buenos Aires I would be happy to jump in and do what we could to take care of them.

As a life-long gun owner and supporter of gun rights I have to say that your wife's idea of buying a gun for protection is a really bad one. If she has no training, mixed in with the adrenaline of a recent attempted break-in, and little kids in the mix that is a recipe for a bad outcome.

Like Iznogood said above, have her get a dog. A "real" dog like a Shepherd, Lab, street mix, etc. I have had two attempted break-ins in my house in the US. Both times I was at home and had firearms at the ready. My dogs did what they were supposed to do, the second time the criminal left part of his pants and some flesh behind. I was just backup.

Dogs will be great companions for your kids, as well.

 

[fifs2]

Sorry to hear it Kurt and am glad you were so well prepared re security to ensure nothing worse happened. I sleep like a baby now when my husband's away, something I thought I'd never do again after 9 years in Bsas. Peace of mind is a gift not to be taken lightly and I hope you all as a family recover it soon.

 

[Canick]

Kurt,
that sucks and I know how helpless you must feel. Hang in there. i third the getting a dog (although my 'fierce' black lab slept through my last attempted break in) and also share the same caution on the gun advice.

 

[Iznogud]

AlfajorEfi, do not count on getting a CCWL in Argentina. It ain't happening. Blue cards are extremly rare.
Green cards (Registered Gun Owner Cards) are not so difficult. Must have DNI, a regular income, basic safety trainning, some health certificates and pass a couple of tests an you're in.

 

[JamJam]

Oh man thats really bad, I hope your family are going to be ok.

Its quite obvious that getting a gun is a bad idea. You just need to look at the level of gun deaths in the US compared to other developed countries.

Less gun more Dog.

Also this type of crime isn't exclusive to Argentina.

 

[kurtdillard]

Thanks everyone. My wife should get her immigrant visa before the end of the year, then we're moving back to the US to a quite suburb outside of Seattle. A dog is the best idea, but given the short time frame I don't think it makes sense. Traveling with a dog would add a lot of complexity. I hope she can arrange a private guard to spend nights downstairs, she's working on that today.