That'll work if they break in while you are at home. But the problem with the sign is that most burglars will take that as an indication of the presence of extremely tradeable valuables (guns) and wait until you leave.
There was a case a friend of mine told me about where some thieves became aware of the presence of a well-stocked gun safe in a house. It was bolted to the floor inside a closet. So they stole a tow truck, ran the cable in through a window, wrapped it around the safe and pulled the whole thing right through the wall.
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Ignoramus13363
We had a burglary in our neighborhood, which was kind of unexpected, and it made me wonder: if I put a few stickers on my house saying "I don't call 911"
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Would it deter burglars or would they actually want to go in to try to steal guns, assuming that there is no such stocker without guns inside?
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Ignoramus13363
I mean "sticker"
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Paul Hovnanian P.E.
It could go either way. If the thieves are hitting unoccupied houses (while the homeowners are at work), it might not be a god idea to advertise such attractive contents.
Paint a chalk outline on the front steps. ;-)
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JR North
"Beware of Owner" works for me. JR Dweller in the cellar
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Doug Miller
Dunno about that... but I remember reading, years ago, about a store owner who was fed up with breakins in the middle of the night. His solution was to post a sign reading "This store protected by shotgun three nights a week -- YOU GUESS WHICH THREE"
if you want to draw attention to your self and announce that you are armed, go for it but what i have been taught its better to not announce it. open carrying makes you a target if some one is trying to commit violent crime (ya it could deter them but i wouldnt take the chance). having stickers on your car or home seems like a "hey i have guns, if im not home you could nab valuables AND guns here"
the phrase i always here is opsec (operations security), basically if someone doesnt need to know that you are armed then they shouldnt know, why would you want to tell everyone that your armed, it draws attention. i am used to people carrying but if i walk in some where and see someone open carrying i check them out pretty hard until i figure out whats up with them (leo, going to the range, just legit open carrying, mental case, what ever)
a security system is a better deterrent, cameras, good locks, no easy access, etc is going to go farther to protect you than a sticker that announces you have firearms (which while might deter a few criminals might put neighbors on edge depending where you are and how they take you)
-matt
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Gunner Asch
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Pete C.
Do not call attention to yourself or your house in any way. Do whatever you can to ensure that your neighbor's house is an easier target, i.e. better locks, better lighting, surveillance cameras, etc. Dialing 911 or not dialing 911 only work when you are home, so unless you are home
24x365 they are empty threats.
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Artemus
Given the way the courts are ruling these days, why give some young ADA, eager to make a name for themselves, any ammo to prosecute you? Art
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Don Foreman
Might work for just kidding bluff. If you might actually shoot an invader, the perp's attorney in the almost certain resulting civil suit will thank you kindly for such a display because it prolaims belligerent disdain of police and civil authority.
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Snag
I'd rather have one that says "What the dogs leave will be fed to the pig." Did you know that a full grown pig can consume flesh at the rate of
4.5 pounds per minute ? Cut thru bones like butter ... As others have said , the fewer people who know you have guns the better . Unless , of course , you have a couple of rather large and well trained dogs (I do ...) to keep an eye on things (they do ...) when you're not at home .
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Ignoramus13363
prosecute me for what?>
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Robert Swinney
Or, as they say in Oklahoma, "Come on in - make my day"
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Ignoramus32248
Oklahoma has a great "make my day" law. It fully shields homeowners from any liability (criminal or civil) under well defined circumstances.
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Larry Jaques
On Mon, 24 May 2010 23:51:26 -0500, Don Foreman wrote the following:
Some folks might shoot the perp's family, attorney, and ADA, too. In for a penny...
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Robert Swinney
Jeeeze, Strap! Didn't yo mama tell you it's not nice to kill the enemy any more?
Some folks might shoot the perp's family, attorney, and ADA, too. In for a penny...
--------------------------------------------------- I drive way too fast to worry about my cholesterol. ---------------------------------------------------
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Tim Wescott
Were I a thief I'd take it as just so much bloviating and I'd make sure I looked for the guns while I was trashing your house.
But then, even if I had no conscience I have better things to do with my time than steal a bunch of your crap that I don't need and can't sell -- particularly when I'd have to drive all the way to Illinois to do it. So what do I know?
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Jim Stewart
Here's my plan:
A dog that loves to bark.
A box on the side of the house that looks like a security controller.
Never and I mean never let papers, collection bags, etc, build up on the porch or front yard longer than 8 hours.
Unless I'm targeted for some reason, there's about a 100% chance that a burglar would look for (and find) a tastier victim on my block.
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Erik
A couple of thoughts on Jim Stewarts (above) post:
1) I don't have dog... just don't have the time to properly care for one. But I do have a couple of beware of dog signs, two large beat up stainless steel dog bowls and a couple of tennis balls. I keep the bowls near the back end of my driveway where anyone looking over the gate can't miss them. The balls are also kept in view... and all are moved around regularly.
2) As far as papers and flyers accumulating... yes have someone you trust remove them regularly. However, as far as stopping newspapers and mail goes, I don't think this such a good idea. Through the years there have been numerous burglars and burglary rings found to have operated on inside info from postal and newspaper employees. Same deal with 'notifying' alarm company's you'll be gone.
In cold country, have your trusted friend keep your snow tracked up as well.
The less people that know your business the better... as Jim said above, if you make the little burglar bastard uncomfortable, he'll likely look elsewhere unless he has a specific reason to target you.
Erik
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