If an intruder came into your home what would you do*?

[Fira]

*Also if an intruder(s) did come into your, anyone else's, both home(s)/other(s) what happened or would happen?

Me I would probably call 911 and pray (in my head atleast).

My mom called 911 when an intruder was try to and finally did enter her old apartment when she (my mom) lived in it.

[Dravin]

Depends on the exact situation.

1. Recognize there is an intruder.

2. Wake wife tell her to get in the far corner and call 911.

3. Level shotgun (or available pistol*, if more than one gun available wife may join in the door camping) at door to bedroom and shout a warning.

4. Worse comes to worse pull the trigger when the door opens.

This is just my first inclination. I not exactly entrenched in the process, and I don't have kids which would change up the tactics. For those curious I have been someplace when an intruder kicked down the front door. Luckily he wasn't interested in any trouble and actually apologized before he ran out the door when I announced my presence. In hindsight I should have shouted an announcement before he kicked down the door, but at first I thought he was UPS and went to the bathroom (he was knocking to see if someone was home) and by the time I got out of the bathroom and realized it wasn't UPS my thinking wasn't very clear and there was, to be quite honest and to offend the ghost of John Wayne, a significant amount of fear. Since he wasn't looking for a fight though shouting at him that there was someone home would have spared the front door.

* I have a Mosin-Nagant with surplus steel core ammo. I would not be shooting that in an urban setting. Though I suppose push comes to shove I can use the bayonet on it.

Edited April 13, 2011 by Dravin

[slamjet]

Not what I would do, what you would do. Die.

[Fira]

Not what I would do, what you would do. Die.

Please explain what do you mean?

[Dravin]

Please explain what do you mean?

I think that he's saying that the pertinent question is not what he would be doing, but what the intruder would be doing, and that would be dying.

Edited April 13, 2011 by Dravin

[slamjet]

If the time comes where I'm awaken by someone in my home, I'm out to take their life, not hurt nor maim, end. As far as I'm concerned, there is only one reason to come into my home forcefully and uninvited and that is to do my family harm. I will have no gumption to take their life.

So what I will do? protect my family. What with the intruder be doing? Transitioning from this life to the next.

I find this an interesting question to be asking. So, why the question?

[Fira]

^I get curious alot.

[slamjet]

^I get curious alot.

That's cool. Because this subject gives me the creeps and I'll be deleting my posts in a couple of minutes.

[RipplecutBuddha]

I would also grab a firearm I keep handy for such events, shout a warning, and if the person didn't leave, I would then shoot the person as quickly as possible.

[HEthePrimate]

If it was a guy, I'd offer him something to drink, and then try to sell him some of this stuff I've been trying to get rid of.

If it was a woman, I'd chat with her a bit, see if we hit it off, and if we do, ask her out on a date.

[MorningStar]

I would scream at the top of my lungs, jump on them like Miss Piggy, call 911 to have them taken to the hospital, and then I would sue them in court for scaring the poo out of me.

[Saldrin]

sad thing about our society, if your protecting yourself, the cops say kill him, because he can come back and sue you for everything. myself i would probably end up sued... but i would protect myself as seemed good.

[Mahone]

Living in a country where it is illegal to own or possess a gun unless required as part of your career (legal career of course), I'd make it very clear that there was someone present in the house, and call the police. Contrary to seemingly popular belief, someone breaking in is unlikely to be interested in harming you or your family. They most likely want your possessions and your presence is usually going to be enough to make them run - they know that the police hunting them for burglary is nothing compared to the police hunting them for murder or GBH. Failing that, one call to the police, informing them that an intruder is in your home right now is usually enough for them to be on your doorstep within 60 - 120 seconds, at least from my experience with the police.

I would only ever get physical if I absolutely had to. You and your family are more likely to get hurt if you initiate this IMO. Give them as many chances as you can to get out. If you are in America and have a gun, the chances are that they do too. Guns are as easy to come across for them as they are for you. You shoot at them, they'll shoot at you.

If you have doubts about the response time of the police, depending on where you live, tell the emergency operator you can smell smoke and suspect the intruder has started an arson attack. You'll have 6 burly firefighters on your doorstep in almost no time. Few intruders will stay for long in that situation.

Edited April 13, 2011 by Mahone

[Dravin]

Living in a country where it is illegal to own or possess a gun unless required as part of your career (legal career of course), I'd make it very clear that there was someone present in the house, and call the police.

Is that strictly true? I know Wikipedia isn't 100% accurate but it looks like something like a single shot or double-barrel shotgun is something that's possible to be able to legally own. Though maybe a city dweller applying for a shotgun permit would simply be laughed at as you might have trouble convincing them of a legitimate need (considering UK culture I suspect that means hunting/pest control or clay shooting not self-defense). It does look like you'll be required to have a safe for it though (or some other secure storage) so it's not like you'd be able to just keep it under the bed. I also suspect that police would be less friendly when reviewing a shooting, self-defense or no. And it certainly isn't as easy to legally posses a firearm.

Edit: I'm not disagreeing that such may be the practical situation if not the strict literal situation. And your point is entirely valid, generally speaking in the UK a home owner is probably going to be firearmless due to the difficulty of obtaining firearms compared to the US. I do have to give you guys kudos on your police response time, even if it is only true in the city (I imagine just like in the US if you live in the country response times increase).

Edited April 13, 2011 by Dravin

[JudoMinja]

I would like to think I'd have sense enough to call 911 and defend myself if necessary, but I don't know. I do know that I still have some terrible "gut fear" reactions in times of high stress, so I could all-out panic. I try to prepare myself for such possibilites so that my practice and preparation kick in over the fear, but there is no way to know for sure until I'm actually in the thick of things.

[Bini]

I would get in a safe spot (my best option at the time) and dial 911 for help. My husband would shoot.

[jayanna]

Something happened in a town very near me...two teens broke into an elderly man's home, stabbed him upteen times, robbed him and vandalized his home, leaving him for dead. His family checked on him the next morning and so far he is still alive. This type of thing seems to happen a lot in this area. In Tulsa there was a man entering girls rooms and raping them right there in their own bed, and then leaving.

I think the chance for violence increases depending on where you live.

The absolute last thing I would do is give them an opportunity to get away and do it to someone else. In fact, if I have the chance, I certainly plan to maim and torture until the police arrive. I want them to beg to be put into prison.

"Oh, yes, officer, that must have just fallen off of him."

[lizzy16]

I've actually given this some thought.

My family has several guns stashed in different places on different floors of the house.

We have one phone on a cord in the kitchen. And, my dads cell. He places the cell next to the home phone. So, getting to a phone might be hard

I would probably run into my dads room. Wake him. Or into my brothers.

If the intruder wasn't armd but was going after a family member and I wasn't able to shoot I'd tottaly attack.

I've been in a few situations were I've needed to use self defense skills. I've always come out of the situations very successful.

If he was armed and I had access to a gun I'd shoot.

If there was enough time I'd so just get on FB and post as my status for help. My laptops in my room. And, if they didn't know I was home it would be easiest.

Edited April 13, 2011 by lizzy16

[NeuroTypical]

If an intruder came into your home what would you do

My wife took a "Personal Protection in the Home" class a while ago, put on by our local cops, sponsored by the NRA. It came with a very handy spiral bound binder about this situation. It had a pretty thorough walk-through of such a situation, pretty much summed up by a picture of the whole family in the bedroom hiding behind a bed, mom on the cell phone to the cops, dad pointing a gun at the bedroom door, yelling "We know you're here, we're armed, and we've called the cops".

I'm more than happy to barracade and wait for cops - as long as the whole family is with me. If the kids are across the house however, my wife and I will be taking a much more active role in making them safe.

I think whatever you personally decide to do, it doesn't hurt to practice it as a family every now and then. The average intruder is looking to rob the place, and probably was thinking nobody is home, and will run off when they find out you're there. If they've intruded knowing you are there, the stakes are much higher and you may be in danger of your life.

[Mahone]

Is that strictly true? I know Wikipedia isn't 100% accurate but it looks like something like a single shot or double-barrel shotgun is something that's possible to be able to legally own. Though maybe a city dweller applying for a shotgun permit would simply be laughed at as you might have trouble convincing them of a legitimate need (considering UK culture I suspect that means hunting/pest control or clay shooting not self-defense). It does look like you'll be required to have a safe for it though (or some other secure storage) so it's not like you'd be able to just keep it under the bed. I also suspect that police would be less friendly when reviewing a shooting, self-defense or no. And it certainly isn't as easy to legally posses a firearm.

Probably not strictly, I think the way you described it is more accurate. I will have a look at the legislation in more detail when i get chance.

Edit: I'm not disagreeing that such may be the practical situation if not the strict literal situation. And your point is entirely valid, generally speaking in the UK a home owner is probably going to be firearmless due to the difficulty of obtaining firearms compared to the US. I do have to give you guys kudos on your police response time, even if it is only true in the city (I imagine just like in the US if you live in the country response times increase).

That's just my experience of police response times here, as with anything, YMMV. I live in the second largest city in the UK, and about a mile from the nearest police station. Also, they will generally only respond immediately if there is a current threat - if something has already occurred and ended, or something is currently happening where there is no obvious threat to any person (i.e. breaking into a house when no-one is home) it could be the next day before you get a visit from the police. They are very overworked here, and with our current prime minister in charge implementing budget cuts to front line services, that's just going to get worse over the next 4 years.

[rex8499]

I've been in the situation, so I know EXACTLY how I'd react.

April 1, 2008.

I was home alone, at my house in the wooded mountains. Being new to the area, I didn't really have any friends. Nobody ever came to visit me, or even knew where I lived. I was isolated. I was sitting upstairs at my computer desk in my bedroom, working on my tax return. When suddenly I heard the front door burst open and multiple pairs of feet running into the house, headed towards the stairs.

I threw down my taxes, jumped up and ran across the bedroom to retrieve the 12 gauge security shotgun that sat next to my bed (I have guns in almost every section of the house, weapons of some sort it not guns). I grabbed the shotgun just as the footsteps were coming up the stairs. Once to the top of the stairs, they were be in plain sight out of the door to my bedroom. I cocked the shotgun loudly, while moving to take cover behind my dresser, aiming towards the open door. My heart was racing 1000 miles per hour.

Hearing the cocking of the shotgun, the footsteps stopped a few feet short of the door and just waited. So I called out, "WHO THE &*$# IS IN MY HOUSE!!!!???"

Silence...

And then a sexy woman's voice, "So I guess this would be a good time to tell you that I love you!" It was my wife and her friend. We'd been married a month, and she'd decided to play a most excellent April Fool's joke on me. About 30 minutes before all of this, she'd called me and talked to me, apparently from where she was going to school, 3 hours away. It was a weekday, and she definitely wasn't expected back home. I safed the shotgun and appeared at the top of the stairs. They tell me I was as white as a ghost, and my heart raced for 20 minutes. I had a ton of adrenaline dumped into my system.

She knew where I was, she knew where my shotgun was, and she expected me to do exactly what I did. She was listening intently for the cocking sound to know when to stop. Still, it was a dangerous practical joke. But definitely the best prank anyone's ever pulled on me.

I was glad that I didn't have to shoot anyone, but I was good and prepared to if necessary. I think I handled it well, giving the intruder a chance to identify themselves before just opening fire. If you cannot own guns, get some 2.5ft sections of 1" hard wooden dowel from the home improvement store and stash them around the house. They make great one handed beating clubs and do serious damage. I also have swords and knives.

One of the more important exercises to do, is to figure out some good defensive positions that you will take up if and when needed. Where the clear shooting "alleys" are if kids are in adjacent rooms. Places to wait where you have a strong advantage over an intruder. Methods of safely clearing a house without being disadvantaged or exposed. I think about stuff like that, and practice it.

[pam]

Wow dangerous joke. A good way to get yourself killed.

[RescueMom]

We came home to a guy sitting at our table eating food. When we walked in on him he ran out the back door, he had simply pulled food out of the fridge and was eating, had a plate and everything. Nothing else was missing.

I was robbed once, but wasnt home....they beat up my dogs with the broom and mop and only left the house with a few things, a cheesy worthless ring and some prescript meds. It was the kids next door, they left plenty of finger prints and were caught fairly soon.

My mother had a friend of my brother hiding under her bed once. We have no idea why he was there, just there.

However, if someone entered my home now, I'd pull out my Glock .40 and tell them I was armed. I've also been trained through a series of CCW classes, so I would hope the training would kick in.

Edited April 13, 2011 by RescueMom

[bytor2112]

I would sick my attack dog on him/her....Jazz! (long haired weiner dog)

[ADoyle90815]

I have dogs that would bark, so I'd have time to dial 911, but if necessary, I can use a baseball bat if it was obvious they wanted to do more than steal items. I remember a study about this issue and the conclusion was that a man would shoot a warning shot at someone as they're starting to break in, while a woman would wait by the bedrooms, especially if she has children, then shoot to kill.