[Nana2Teddy]

Didn’t know we could lock our garage door openers. Will ask hubs about that. Thanks!

[ThirdOfFive]

Originally Posted by Byte1

Sometimes I wonder how some folks have lived as long as they have. Lucky, I guess. Even in the most liberal law states, you have the right to defend yourself and others in your home. I do not agree with those that think that someone breaking into their home while they are sleeping, will result in a mere TV theft. Unless you are telepathic, and can read someone's mind and intent, you do not know what the burglar's intent is when he violates your home security. Sure, maybe an alarm will scare the would-be thief away. But, why is it OUR responsibility to scare them away? As far as I am concerned, anyone that breaks into my home, can not expect a passive response. Kind of hard to tell the emergency responders "but I thought he only wanted my TV" after you stood back and allowed the criminal to enter your home, and harm your family. Wake up, these animals know that they are violating the law and can expect the ultimate penalty. I believe in security devices to protect you, but I also believe in personal protection. Someone that has to force their entry can not expect sympathy. Enough with the attempt to try to understand the reasoning behind a criminal's intent.

Very well stated!

Florida law is pretty definite on this, at least according to hussein and webber dot com: "If the defendant is in his or her home or vehicle, then, under Section 776.013, Florida Statutes, the law will presume that the defendant had a reasonable fear of imminent death or bodily harm if the alleged victim unlawfully entered or remained or attempted to remove another person against their will."

I read this to mean that in Florida, a violent act on the part of a home (or vehicle) invader does not have to actually be threatened or occur. The law assumes, if the invader makes it into the home or vehicle, that said invader INTENDS to perpetrate "imminent death or great bodily harm", and the homeowner can act accordingly.

Is it draconian? Maybe. But if you're faced with a home invader or invaders, the time for logic, reason, and waiting for the criminal to act is long past. Statistically, it is near 50-50 that if that happens, the invader is there because he is desperate for drug money. "Almost 40% of people locked up for property crimes...reported that they had committed their most serious offense for drug-related reasons. " (bjs dot com), and it is pretty much a given that someone resorting to stealing to feed an addiction is not going to act rationally. I might welcome a 60-40 edge if I was in (say) Vegas, but when my life or well-being, or that of my loved ones, is at risk, then I'm definitely NOT going to roll those dice. It needs to be 100%, or as close to that as possible, and I'm grateful that Florida law would back me up on that account.

[LeRoySmith]

Obviously there are two unique groups in this thread, one that thinks the bad guy is in deep trouble another that thinks the bad guy needs a hug.

To the huggers: No one wants to kill anybody, gun toters are not looking for an excuse to use them. Think about the mental toll it would have on any one of us to kill someone that didn't have malicious intent. Also consider the impact it would have on you to know that your hesitance to act cost your loved ones life or well being.

To the gun toters, my brethren, we have the responsibility to try to assess the situation and act appropriately. The possibility a lost neighbor with dementia wandered into our house is high, very high in a place with 150k old folks. The possibility it is a victim of domestic violence looking for shelter is high given the substance abuse we hear about every day. The possibility it is a desperate person caught in a hopeless situation due to the economic mess the world is in is high and getting worse by the day, we have communities on 2 or 3 sides that have lower income people in them.

At the end of the day I'm going to do my best to avoid unnecessary harm if possible. That said, if there's any question in my mind at all I'm going to err on the side of acting rather than take the chance. That might cost a life but it won't be mine or my family if I can help it.

[jrandall]

Originally Posted by Byte1

Sounds to me like the guy was contemplating suicide. Either that or he was/is pretty ignorant and thought that no one was home. The Villages is probably one of the last places a savvy criminal would think of burglarizing, considering that probably half of it's residents have guns in their homes.

Not going to commit suicide. He was rummaging through the wife’s purse in the laundry room. He was brazen to enter the home.

[CybrSage]

Originally Posted by Windguy

I find it amazing that so many people are terrified of things that are extremely rare, yet do little to improve their chances of survival for things that happen often. I’m 73 and have never been in a situation where my life was threatened and I needed a gun. I don’t even know anyone who has ever needed a gun. I expect that applies to almost all of you.

I have never needed to use my smoke detectors to save me from a burning home, but I think it is a great idea to have them. Having them does not mean I am living in fear that my house will burn down. It is the opposite, having them means I do not have to live in fear of it.

Why did you change out the plates? Are you loving in fear of a criminal murder you in your home, or did you install them so you feel safer? Did you ever need to use the plates to run away in fear? Why have them?

A gun means never having to run away in fear, hoping to escape, praying you do. Fearing what would happen if you do not escape.

[Windguy]

Originally Posted by Nana2Teddy

Didn’t know we could lock our garage door openers. Will ask hubs about that. Thanks!

There is a slider switch below the light button on the wall pad to lock/unlock the door.

The deputy who did my security assessment said to remove the rope on your garage door because people have used something inserted at the top of the door to grab the handle and disconnect the door from the opener. The door can then be lifted easily to open it.

[Susan1717]

My question is, if someone has the gull to break into another’s home, how do you know he’s not carrying a gun and would do harm to you and your family? Once the intruder realizes someone is home and awake, you’d think they’d immediately run out. But what if they don’t? At what point do you protect yourself?

[Justputt]

I bet most people that own guns for self-defense don't practice nearly enough (or at all!) to be effective at much more than scaring someone. Maybe that's enough, but you'll do a lot of property damage shooting through your own walls trying to save your stuff. If you haven't practiced, GO PRACTICE and get instruction (skill and law)! It's not uncommon for criminals to be looking for drug money, which means they can possibly be drugged, take more hits than normal and your misses won't stop anything; they may even end up with your gun!

[GATORBILL66]

Originally Posted by Normal

It doesn’t hurt to have an alarm system and defensive weapon available in your home in The Villages.

“A husband and wife in The Villages were terrified when they were awakened in the wee hours and the husband found an intruder in their home.

The couple had been asleep in their home in the Village of Pine Ridge at about 4 a.m. Monday when they were awakened by the sound of the garage door opening, according to an arrest report from the Fruitland Park Police Department. The husband got of a bed to investigate the situation.

He entered the laundry room and found 37-year-old Barry Ray Wilbanks of Wildwood…”

https://www.**************.com/2024/...in-their-home/

I am still curious how the guy got out of the house alive.

[Girlcopper]

Originally Posted by bmcgowan13

Amen.. Great idea. Not sure why some people seem entitled/obligated to execute an intruder for stealing their $500 TV.

I get the heightened sense of violation...I have had my car and my apartment broke into. The thief has certainly have earned the right to be prosecuted...but to kill somebody for stealing a TV,? an iPhone?.

Alarms are a great way to go. Most burglars run when the dog barks or the alarm goes off. Unless you have drugs, jewelry, guns or a WHOLE lot of money in the house (see drugs above) most thieves are satisfied stealing your AMAZON packages.

I despise/hate thieves--but the punishment for Petit Theft is NOT the death penalty.

Breaking into an occuppied /unoccuppied home is NOT petit theft. And if they don’t value their life, why should we?

[oneclickplus]

Originally Posted by Shipping up to Boston

Put the hand cannons away. I don’t know many of these posters but the ones I do, wouldn’t make it through reception in a jail on a wrongful death charge!

Nothing says loving like a 34 oz autographed Ted Williams Louisville Slugger!

If an intruder enters my home, I'm not obligated (nor do I intend) to try to ascertain his / her motives or intents. Are they after my TV? Maybe they want to take a shower? NO NO NO - I will shoot first and (especially in FL), there will be no wrongful death situation. I have no qualms about injuring or killing said intruder. This is my home. This is my safe space. Unlawful entry is a deadly proposition.

[Rocksnap]

Originally Posted by bmcgowan13

Amen.. Great idea. Not sure why some people seem entitled/obligated to execute an intruder for stealing their $500 TV.

I get the heightened sense of violation...I have had my car and my apartment broke into. The thief has certainly have earned the right to be prosecuted...but to kill somebody for stealing a TV,? an iPhone?.

Alarms are a great way to go. Most burglars run when the dog barks or the alarm goes off. Unless you have drugs, jewelry, guns or a WHOLE lot of money in the house (see drugs above) most thieves are satisfied stealing your AMAZON packages.

I despise/hate thieves--but the punishment for Petit Theft is NOT the death penalty.

To be clear. It’s not the stealing that will get the perp shot. It’s the breaking and entering.

[Rocksnap]

Originally Posted by LoisR

How many AK-47s will you need?

Just one. But ask about magazines!

[al]

You might want to add a deadbolt lock on your house door.

[Rocksnap]

Originally Posted by Windguy

There is a slider switch below the light button on the wall pad to lock/unlock the door.

The deputy who did my security assessment said to remove the rope on your garage door because people have used something inserted at the top of the door to grab the handle and disconnect the door from the opener. The door can then be lifted easily to open it.

Yes garage door openers usually have a lock switch on the wall switch. For electronic opening.
But I was thinking the other poster was referring to the MANUAL sliding lock on the garage door? No getting around that lock.