I live in an urban area in California. A week ago, my neighbor leaves for work at 7:30am. His spouse leaves the house at 11am for two hours. When she returns, she discovers that someone broke the glass on their sliding glass door which faces the backyard and has stolen a laptop computer, some cash and miscellaneous other items. I was on a bike ride and returned home at 11:30am. I never heard anything from my neighbor's house, and given the orientation of my home office, I think I would have heard the glass being broken had it occurred while I was home. So, the perp must have broken in between 11am and 11:30am.
I started to think about what I would have done if I had heard the glass being broken. My first thought was that I would have called the police, then grabbed my Colt .45ACP and walked over to my neighbor's to investigate. I've done this before when I have heard other neighbors' home alarm go off. I feel like it's being a good citizen. (The neighbor who got broken into does not have a home alarm...yet.) As I thought about it more, what would I have done if I confronted the perp exiting my neighbor's house with the stolen goods? I could try to detain him, pending the arrival of the police. But what if the perp, unarmed, called my bluff and tried to leave anyway?
I have been a gun enthusiast all my life, and I have studied the legality of shooting someone. I have read Massad Ayoob's "In the Gravest Extreme" and David Kenik's "Armed Response" as well as many other articles about self defense. As we know, these laws are governed by state statute and not federal law. In California, you can only shoot someone if you feel an immediate threat to your life. You cannot just shoot someone for committing a property crime. If the perp in this case said, "screw you," and started to leave the premises, what would I do?
I disagree with California's laws regarding this situation, as, I'm sure, most of the readers do also. But, for purposes of this discussion, they are what they are.
What should I do in this situation? Don't tell me to try to use non-lethal force; I'm an old guy and these perps can often be high on drugs or otherwise not too blessed in the brains department. I feel deflated that there doesn't seem to be a good course of action in this situation. Am I completely handicapped by state law? I don't want to ignore a possible crime being committed, but what alternatives are out there?
Thanks for your thoughts.
Cal
I started to think about what I would have done if I had heard the glass being broken. My first thought was that I would have called the police, then grabbed my Colt .45ACP and walked over to my neighbor's to investigate. I've done this before when I have heard other neighbors' home alarm go off. I feel like it's being a good citizen. (The neighbor who got broken into does not have a home alarm...yet.) As I thought about it more, what would I have done if I confronted the perp exiting my neighbor's house with the stolen goods? I could try to detain him, pending the arrival of the police. But what if the perp, unarmed, called my bluff and tried to leave anyway?
I have been a gun enthusiast all my life, and I have studied the legality of shooting someone. I have read Massad Ayoob's "In the Gravest Extreme" and David Kenik's "Armed Response" as well as many other articles about self defense. As we know, these laws are governed by state statute and not federal law. In California, you can only shoot someone if you feel an immediate threat to your life. You cannot just shoot someone for committing a property crime. If the perp in this case said, "screw you," and started to leave the premises, what would I do?
I disagree with California's laws regarding this situation, as, I'm sure, most of the readers do also. But, for purposes of this discussion, they are what they are.
What should I do in this situation? Don't tell me to try to use non-lethal force; I'm an old guy and these perps can often be high on drugs or otherwise not too blessed in the brains department. I feel deflated that there doesn't seem to be a good course of action in this situation. Am I completely handicapped by state law? I don't want to ignore a possible crime being committed, but what alternatives are out there?
Thanks for your thoughts.
Cal