Deterring Prowlers

[the-gnole]

I watched some of it, I think the fact that he was in illegal possession of shotgun had a lot to do with it as well.

He had his shotgun permit refused/withdrawn before the incident IIRC for other crimes he had been involved in, It also didn't help his case that he was lying in wait for them rather than it being an opportunistic act of self-defence, basically he ambushed them which in the eyes of the law is a criminal offence in itself.

As always there is stuff the media tells us, and there is what really happened.

[tfish]

Noisey Shingle or Gravel outside windows is hated by burglars.

Also Trellis along the top of fences no matter how low, make it impossible to clim the fence without making a loud noise

[mongrel]

I've got Bill, big brown and friendly, but he does bark loudly! can't beat a dog come near my house and I know it, we've had a cat flap on the back door, but he's "enlarged" it for his own use so has 24 hour access to a well fenced large garden.
That aside we've had trouble up here with thieves, the local farmer even had hay bails nicked! so padlocked the field gates, and several sheep went missing at the weekend,

[tfish]

he's "enlarged" it for his own use

[JohnRio]

The quoting of laws etc is not necessary and not relevant here, this is not a police forum & it's just silly. Is perfectly ok to talk about what measures we would like to put in place & ways of doing it innocently
Personally I can't see much point in CCTV really. Unless you're awake and watching it all night and catch them on it so you can phone the cops. If not, all you'll get is an image of somebody in dark gear with a hat or balaclava on and the cops are hardly likely to start a manhunt
I like the idea of planting aggressive shrubs though Only vulnerable bit I have is the back of the house which faces empty fields and they say here that in the miners strike they had bother with folk who pinched turnips etc from the fields. That might happen again if things get tougher, but it won't be miners and they might not just be after tumshies

Pyrocantha thorns are something else! Nature's barbed wire. I have personally lost blood to the damn stuff working as a tree surgeon's laborour.

Anti-climb / slippery paint is unobtrusive and almost impossible to sue you for (how would they prove it?).

Motion sensor security lights are one thing. If you don't actually have a dog, I'm sure it would be easy to rig the same circuit up to a concealed speaker that would play the sound of a big dog barking.

[JohnRio]

I watched some of it, I think the fact that he was in illegal possession of shotgun had a lot to do with it as well.

He had his shotgun permit refused/withdrawn before the incident IIRC for other crimes he had been involved in, It also didn't help his case that he was lying in wait for them rather than it being an opportunistic act of self-defence, basically he ambushed them which in the eyes of the law is a criminal offence in itself.

As always there is stuff the media tells us, and there is what really happened.

Yeah, he lay in wait, in ambush... inside his own house! What a swine! Targetting those poor thieves, peacefully going about their profession!

[JohnRio]

I've got Bill, big brown and friendly, but he does bark loudly! can't beat a dog come near my house and I know it, we've had a cat flap on the back door, but he's "enlarged" it for his own use so has 24 hour access to a well fenced large garden.
That aside we've had trouble up here with thieves, the local farmer even had hay bails nicked! so padlocked the field gates, and several sheep went missing at the weekend,

A dog is a good deterrent, both for burglars and drunk vandals.

When I lived on the boat you'd often get thieves and drunken tossers trying to climb on the boat at night. If you shouted at them, depending on how drunk or gangsta they were feeling they might give some lip back or wind up for a fight (foolishly - all boaters have axes for the wood stove). I just used to bark like a big, deep chested dog - sounds stupid, but they couldn't see into the boat and they'd just bugger off without a another peep! Very effective!

It got to the point I could hear the special drunk noise* approaching, do the bark, and they'd piss off before they even touched the boat! Hah!


*Drunk noise: Uurrrr! Ur Urrr Urrrr!!

[the-gnole]

Yeah, he lay in wait, in ambush... inside his own house! What a swine! Targetting those poor thieves, peacefully going about their profession!

Sadly the "Rules of engagement" we so sadly have to live by put this little fact against him, but also a few other "facts" went against him, any one of which would have got him charged.

It's not a perfect system for any of us, but within the rules that Scoobie set for this site it is showing the legallities of doing certain things.

If everyone wants to sit up all night waiting at the top of their stairs with an illegally held weapon incase some low-life breaks in that is up to them, but they may need to know that our current "legal system" may look at their actions a little differently.

It may be different under Scottish law though, so I am sure we will hear from all of those North of the border what their Laws allow for similar actions.

[diamond lil]

It may be different under Scottish law though, so I am sure we will hear from all of those North of the border what their Laws allow for similar actions.


Well it aint gonny be me - totally not interested Gnoley!

[JohnRio]

Yeah, he lay in wait, in ambush... inside his own house! What a swine! Targetting those poor thieves, peacefully going about their profession!

Sadly the "Rules of engagement" we so sadly have to live by put this little fact against him, but also a few other "facts" went against him, any one of which would have got him charged.

It's not a perfect system for any of us, but within the rules that Scoobie set for this site it is showing the legallities of doing certain things.

If everyone wants to sit up all night waiting at the top of their stairs with an illegally held weapon incase some low-life breaks in that is up to them, but they may need to know that our current "legal system" may look at their actions a little differently.

It may be different under Scottish law though, so I am sure we will hear from all of those North of the border what their Laws allow for similar actions.

Yep, the law as it stands is foolish at best.

If you are forced to defend yourself against home invasion and then find yourself charged in an English or Welsh court, you should successfully be able to acheive aquittal by testifying as follows, or similar:
"I was unable to sleep that night due to my bad back. To take my mind off my insomnia I decided to make myself useful by cleaning my shotgun / air rifle / oiling my bow / cricket bat. I was taken by surprise to see Mr. X smash his way into my house! He brandished a crowbar / knife / scredriver / hammer, I was terrified, and feared for my / wife / kid(s) / dog(s) life / lives. Without thinking I defended myself by..."
Equally valid -
"I was awoken from a deep sleep by a crash! I ran down to the living room where I saw Mr X.... I had been putting up shelves / chopping firewood that day and had forgotten to put the hammer / screwdriver / axe away, I grabbed the... and defended myself by...."

The key thing that the protected and priveleged upper class judges in England and Scotland want to hear is that you were in fear for your life / your loved ones lives. That you acted on the spur of the moment, without "malice aforethought", that if you used a weapon it was an instinctive reaction, rather than a planned response.

And don't forget once the bad guys are running away, under English and Welsh law chasing (or shooting / beating them up) becomes illegal.