Attempted Home Invasion

[ghost]

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.

Better know that guard and have his papers and background. Guards and maids often work with the dark side.

 

[shoush]

another good one! hehehe! you're on fire!

Now you know how I feel.

 

[ghost]

It's easier to rent a dog.

 

[French jurist]

I'm imagining Kurt, after this close call, maybe not trying to find kind words, but at least telling he's worried being thousands of miles away.

I have too my trol*l*ing times (can be fun) but well, this thread is not really the right place.

 

[trennod]

Really sorry to hear that Kurt. I hope your family is okay until you return.

Blackhand, you really are an absolute douche bag, no doubt about it. So you bag the forum and the members, yet you have managed to clock up more than 500 posts. Sos un pajero.

 

[sesamosinsal]

How terrifying. I saw the last page of the thread and opted to avoid reading the entire thing. So forgive me if this has been mentioned, but do you have family or friends nearby? Perhaps your wife and children could stay with them until you get back.

I've never had my home broken into, but the possibility does cause me to lose sleep at times, especially if I'm by myself. Even though we adults are affected by this stuff quite a bit, I hope it doesn't have a lasting effect on your little ones, given that these are the most formative years of their lives. I wish you and your family all the best, Kurt.

 

[arlean]

I cannot resist weighing in here, as a firearms instructor (past) certified by the NRA. Now is not the time, of course, for your wife to be armed--but I agree with those who think she should have training. No woman should be sitting anywhere with no way to defend herself! I and five siblings grew up with firearms. We never killed each other (though we may have considered it at times--just kidding.) I was shooting well at age 12. At age 15 in Florida I had occasion to present with a .45 automatic when no adult was home and we had an uninvited visitor who realized we were alone and just sat watching us all--we were frightened and had good reason, I and a visiting girl cousin were the oldest and my younger siblings and hers were in our care. She was closest to the pistol, knew I knew how to handle it, got it, hid it in the folds of her skirt,handed it to me and you should have seen our unwanted guest exit when he saw it.

I had my own chlidren well trained at an early age. My son was hunting partridge on our farm at age 10. I don't remember when he learned to shoot. It was before that of course. Another time, in Florida (this is the US, please note, not dangerous Argentina) we had an attempted breakin by three men when I was home alone with two teen-age kids, my husband away working. The dog alarmed me with under-his-breath "woofs." He obviously knew something was wrong but didn't know where it was. I got my pistol and started walking around with the dog, checking each window. I found them working on the sliding glass door at the back of the house. They had apparently come in under cover of a nearby empty irrigation ditch. I showed them to the dog and he exploded at the door--a doberman. You should have seen them leave. But out of one bedroom came my daughter with a pistol and my son out of the other with a deer rifle. If those guys had gotten in they'd have met up with one doberman and three armed, seasoned shooters. And we didn't shoot each other in the process and we had some adrenelin flowing all right but for sure I was NOT SCARED! They heard the dog but they had no idea what else would have been waiting for them. THIS is what deters criminals! And incidently, dogs have been killed before in robberies. But if you don't have an alarm system and don't mind the care of and commitment to a dog, they're a really good idea.

Your family should learn to handle firearms in my opinion. My son worked for the fire department in our municipality in the US and after he had a few months with them he sat me down and had The Talk. He said Mom get it out of your head that the police will protect you. That is an illusion. They do not protect you in a bad situation, they stand by until it's over and then they go in and make the report. You have to protect yourself. If you don't believe that, take a good look at Columbine where they even prevented parents from going in and helping rescue their kids. They stood by until it was all over and then they made the report.

My best advice is the advice my son gave me. And it was in the States, not here.

 

[arlean]

One more comment, a dog is a great alarm system and a psychological deterrent. GS-Dirtboy, I loved your post about the intruder leaving, minus part of his pants and a bit of flesh, I wished I could click "Like this" twice! But there are now stun guns which I think would quietly take care of a dog. I also don't think it's fair to leave a dog to face criminals alone. You guys might laugh but I mean it. Even a faithful dog needs a backup if these guys are serious. I am sure the men who were breaking into our place knew people were home--there were cars in the front. They probably thought it would be a helpless woman and a couple of kids. Yeah, right!