Let me put this in this Thread: I talked to a Deputy last year who stopped by our apt concerning a car break-in of a neighbor of ours. Thing is, it wasn't a "break-in", because the lady admitted that she forgot to lock her vehicle and the vehicle has no alarm. This happened twice to her. The officer told me that it is call "a crime of convenience", being the car was not locked. Everyone can be a victim of crime, but, on the other side of that coin, sometimes crimes happen to our own neglect. Some folks, for whatever reasons, don't have a banking acct. and keep a rather large sum of money in their home. Somehow, someway, a person can find that out and break into the home. People "think" they are living in a descent area and leave their vehicles unlocked. If a person is living in a small town in Wyoming or Montana, that can possibly be done, but other places........nope. Sometimes, people need to look more at what they are not doing for protection. Watch what you tell people and, yes, watch what info you put online. We buy things online, so our info is out there in "cyberland", but that's just the way it is when order/buying something online. When we leave our apt. in the evening or on vacation, we always leave a light on and set the alarm inside. The alarm is no longer functional for contacting law enforcement, because the complex stopped paying for that a few years ago and, as we all know, not all Seniors/retirees can afford things they could afford when they were employed. However, after the alarm is set at the panel by the front door, if the front door, back door or any windows are opened, a whistling noise will go off from the panel. Also, when we leave, we lock both the regular lock and the deadbolt. Our vehicle has an alarm on it and we set it every time we get out and make sure it's set when we go to bed. There is a red blinking light on the dash that indicates an alarm is on. We are also getting a locking gas cap, just to make sure. As far as, inside our apt. goes, we do have a protection. Home and personal protection can cost and, unfortunately, like already stated here, not all Seniors/retirees can afford that cost.
I have ADT security and got them before I had Pickles who will bark if someone is even just walking by my house....he's good at alerting me but he doesn't call the police which my ADT does. I pay $60 a month and in the 10 years I've had them I've never had it go off because someone was breaking in and many times I've thought of getting rid of them but I sleep better at night because of them. My car is always in my garage so that's not worry. I also have what is called a panic button from ADT, if I press it police will come out....I have to look to see where I put it though because I only had it near me when I first got ADT. I think just having the sign out front and on my windows that I have ADT is a deterrent, sure robbers will choose an easier house.
@Sandy Wood has not posted since November last year, if I am understanding this correctly, and that makes me wonder if something further happened to her? Does anyone know if she is OK? It was only a few weeks after her last break-in that she last posted... Seems odd that she would just go quiet for so long. I hope she is OK.
She is on another forum that I belong to, and she has been absent there for a while; but is now posting on that forum again; so maybe she will be back here again as well. I enjoy her posts, and was concerned about her, too.
Wow, seems as though she has taken the right steps to protect herself some now.We live in a gated community apartment complex-so far no break ins around here-except on occasion a car or two. Even being gated does not make us entirely safe. Radar our dog, is small but misses nothing- fat chance of anyone coming in uninvited. Because of of disgust for door to door sales(not allowed here, but does happen sometimes) a brief note attached to my door keeps them away-um even the pizza guy before he got to know us: By Order of Smith and Wesson- NO SOLICITATION ! Works like a charm
For awhile, the "rage" was to place a warning poster in a window near the door, depicting a handgun pointed at the viewer, with words like, "Protected by Smith & Wesson". The irony is, bragging about having a firearm is like inviting the seasoned burglar, who knowingly breaks in when the place is unoccupied, to choose the place with such a notice: a gun is the first item he's after. Frank
Long ago, when I lived in a scary part of California, I placed a target from my recent shooting practice, showing holes all around and through the bull's eye, in my front door window. Same idea, and that is what I had, a Smith & Wesson. One of the best things about living in Australia, though, is walking around knowing that (almost) no one is armed; a nice feeling, lets one breathe a bit easier. But it is a very different culture here. All my American rellies grew up with guns and have cabinets full of them.
Perhaps I'm naive, but I have rarely felt in danger, There were times when I was a kid hitchhiking around the country when I recognized possible dangers, but I have rarely felt in fear of being harmed in any place that I have lived, and I spent more than twenty years on the Texas-Mexican border, and twelve years before that in Buena Park, Cypress, Garden Grove, Long Beach, and Anaheim, California. In California, I generally locked my doors, and I lock our doors before I go to bed here, but they are left unlocked while we are awake. Often, I hear people talking about security and keeping safe, but I don't feel unsafe. I own a handgun and a shotgun, but that's mostly because, under Obama, it was beginning to look like our options for buying a weapon might close at any time. They're not loaded, and by the time i found the ammunition and loaded the guns, I don't expect they'd do me any good here, but neither do I expect to need them.
Perhaps because I am a Christian and truly believe that God is my protector and hedge of protection wherever I am that knowing this has helped me have a sense of peace and safety wherever I have lived, etc. There have been a few times when I have felt God's Spirit giving me wisdom and discernment that places, etc. weren't safe for me too...and I have always listened when given that wisdom and discernment.
I started posting on a similar topic months ago, but misplaced the thread. Everyone has their own situation, perspective, etc., but for me it is not about safety per se but rather a person's right (or lack thereof) to defend oneself. THE problem- which everyone around (citizens AND criminals) believe, is unless you believe your life is in danger you HAVE no rights. In other words, you cannot ever put your hands on another person or you risk getting arrested for assault, regardless of the situation. Citizens are victimized, or feel like 'sitting ducks,' and criminals get away with whatever they want.
@Janice Martin ".....Citizens are victimized, or feel like 'sitting ducks,' and criminals get away with whatever they want." Of course! Thank you "Political Correctness"! Frank
Its not enough to just have a gun. You have to know how to maintain it, be able to shoot it accurately, and most important of all, be ready, willing and able to use it. Hollyweird has too many movies of cowering gals holding a gun, the invader kicks in her door, she points the gun as he walks towards her, she freezes up, he takes the gun and shoots her with it. Apparently the moral of the story is not to have a gun, but the real moral is be prepared to shoot to kill (or don't have a gun).
@Neville Telen In your one post, you have basically covered the tenets of armed self defense. They are: Understand and appreciate the advantage provided by possessing a firerarm, but predicate that on total firearm familiarity and comfort. Those who like, admire, use, and collect firearms, are the far more likely to emerge from an armed encounter safe and alive. Frank