Late-night visitors/ answering the door armed?

[steelerfan]

As a warning:

Had a person knocking on my front door around 10 AM, I ignored it.
Then my doorbell rang a good 5 times, I ignored it.
Then my house phone started ringing with an unknown number, I ignored it.
Ten minutes go by, knocking at my back door. (This required walking around the entire block and finding which door was my back door, not a easy task unless you know the neighborhood since the addresses aren't listed in the back), I ignored it.

Next thing you know, somebody kicked my back door in half and entered my home. Police were called and I was armed. Police were at my house within 5 minutes and searched my house and my neighbors homes.

_never answer the door_

I hate to say this but it sounds suspiciously like it's someone who may know you, especially considering the phone call involved, maybe they didn't have as much trouble finding the back door as you may think. Just something to think about

[LGO]

I just read an article yesterday about a guy in Texas who is facing life or a death sentence for firing at intruders. he lived in a neighborhood that was known for armed invasions. Apparently a whole group of armed men attempted to break in. He got the first one.

It is a damned shame nobody thought to yell, "POLICE" or something like that!

If I understand the PA laws regarding use of force, you are allowed to assume that anyone intruding into your dwelling intends to kill, kidnap or rape you, and therefore you may employ deadly force. Obviously that doesn't apply if you know the intruder is a policemen in the course of their duties.

That said, I would expect that it would be your word against the police, and if the entire assault squad is going to back up the guy who says they identified as police before you opened fire, well…

If I was a cop, in Pennsylvania, I think I'd want someone to call ahead and let the citizen know that "we are coming, there will be this many of us, and here is a copy of the warrant posted at this web address, we plan to arrive in about 20 minutes, so please don't shoot us and we will promise to be polite, gentle on your furniture and family members, and respectful of your home".

But then you'd have advance warning to destroy all your drugs. (Assuming they even had the right house, of course.)

My point: No knock warrants need to go away and if they don't, the judge that issued it needs to suffer for ANY and ALL problems rising out of it's use!

100% agreement. I'd rather give someone the chance to get rid of evidence than have an innocent person or a police officer killed over a misunderstanding like this.

[625]

Next thing you know, somebody kicked my back door in half and entered my home. Police were called and I was armed. Police were at my house within 5 minutes and searched my house and my neighbors homes.

_never answer the door_

Really? So you called the police while someone was in your house? Did you confront them? Why did the perp leave? Did he hear you in the other room talking to the Police? Why did the Police search your house if the perp fled? And, why would they search your neighbors' houses? That's a bit heavy-handed and illegal. Why don't I believe your story?

[Gunowner99]

Not paranoid, prepared.

[ray h]

Day or night, I can look out the window and identify who's at my door before I open it. If' it's someone I know, I don't worry about whether I happen to be armed or not.
If it's late at night I'll arm myself before going to the door.
The last time I had to do this it was 4AM and it was a cop standing on the other side of the door. He wanted to tell me our cars had been broken into that night. Not a word was said about the .38 in the paddle holster on my side as we went through our cars to see what was taken.

[phill]

After a couple of incidents at our house the standard procedure is for me to go out the back ad flank the person. The wife will give me a long 10 count and turn on the porch light while rattling the door knob. If it is alright I will announce myself and see what they need. Very bright lights and gun with a laser are with me. with a 25-30 minute response time out here in the sticks, we are our own fast response team.
A while back we had a deputy get the wrong address and was made to back off and show that he was who he claimed. I went into detail explaining the risk of leaving your squad out of sight and sneaking up to my house.
The sheriff wanted to know if we wanted an apology since it was about 1:30 am. Ask him to see that it was told in the locker room that the deputy got his ass handed to him by a 72 yr. old guy and a 71 yr. young woman. Probably did not make a friend but he did not either.
Question at what age do we quit being called an asshole and start to be feisty?

[BestDefense=StrongOffense]

As a warning:

Had a person knocking on my front door around 10 AM, I ignored it.
Then my doorbell rang a good 5 times, I ignored it.
Then my house phone started ringing with an unknown number, I ignored it.
Ten minutes go by, knocking at my back door. (This required walking around the entire block and finding which door was my back door, not a easy task unless you know the neighborhood since the addresses aren't listed in the back), I ignored it.

Next thing you know, somebody kicked my back door in half and entered my home. Police were called and I was armed. Police were at my house within 5 minutes and searched my house and my neighbors homes.

_never answer the door_

Really? Was it the pointy stick or the mighty shirt that scared him away???

[Mitch10mm]

As a warning:

Had a person knocking on my front door around 10 AM, I ignored it.
Then my doorbell rang a good 5 times, I ignored it.
Then my house phone started ringing with an unknown number, I ignored it.
Ten minutes go by, knocking at my back door. (This required walking around the entire block and finding which door was my back door, not a easy task unless you know the neighborhood since the addresses aren't listed in the back), I ignored it.

Next thing you know, somebody kicked my back door in half and entered my home. Police were called and I was armed. Police were at my house within 5 minutes and searched my house and my neighbors homes.

_never answer the door_

That's a lot of ignoring

[phillysteve]

I hate to say this but it sounds suspiciously like it's someone who may know you, especially considering the phone call involved, maybe they didn't have as much trouble finding the back door as you may think. Just something to think about

I truly believe it is somebody who may have worked for a company that serviced the house at one time. Cable people, phone people, window installers, etc. Probably got an idea of what was in the house and scoped out when people wouldn't be around. My dog barking did not keep them out of the house so I assume they've seen the dog before and assumed they would be able to subdue her.

Alarm has been installed on the house and the doors are reinforced and harder to get through now along with cameras being installed on the outside of the property as a deterrent and record keeping.

Really? So you called the police while someone was in your house? Did you confront them? Why did the perp leave? Did he hear you in the other room talking to the Police? Why did the Police search your house if the perp fled? And, why would they search your neighbors' houses? That's a bit heavy-handed and illegal. Why don't I believe your story?

Phone was next to me, so I called and said somebody just kicked in my door and is entering the house; they informed me the police were on the way. I was already armed and was standing in my living room armed. There is only one way in the house from the basement which is the cellar door. Police arrived at both the front and back of the house but the person took off after hearing me come down the 2nd floor stairs into the living room. Police searched the basement to ensure they did not get in and hide during the commotion. My house is connected to my neighbors house by a porch and they were afraid he may have attempted to enter their house also potentially before or after entering my house. They asked if there was a way to get a hold of my neighbor and ask for permission to search the home. She consented to the search but warned a cat was home and did not want to come home to a dead cat. Police searched the home but found no reason to suspect anyone entered it.

Detectives were unable to find anything useful and no credible witnesses came forward besides a semi-paranoid neighbor who said he was the guy and recognized who he was from around the neighborhood. Cops took his statement but did not believe much of what he said since he made the statement that he was sitting at home watching his security cameras as he saw the guy running down the back drive way on his security screen but that he was not recording at the time and had no proof that it occurred.

We never heard from the police again and when we followed up with them they had nothing.

[DennisH82]

That's a lot of ignoring

Not really the homeowner can be sleeping from a night shift, having Funtime times with the wife, rubbing one out in a marathon a host of leave me the phuck alone activities. I have sat in my home relaxing and have had pesky folks trying to get me . I ignore them