Friends and family members

[MedicYeti 96]

How often do your friends and/or family members enter your house in the middle of the night while your sleeping? And without your prior knowlege? I ask because I see and hear people talk about identifying a threat in the middle of the night to ensure it's not a friend or family.

I know my wifes body and can identify it in a poorly lit situation. I know my sons shilloutte and I know my dogs as well. They are te only people in the house.

My friends and family call before coming over, they all have cell phones. In the event of an emergency they have stopped by, called and knocked on the door. They have never kicked in a door for a visit or bypassed the locks just to say "Hi".

I believe in identifying a potential threat but I also believe I don't need to see every detail of their face or body in order to identify them as a threat. If someone is 6' and holding a knife in my house, that's all the detail I need. If someone is knocking in the middle of the night I can look out a window and see who it is. My sister-in-law looks a heck of a lot different then some thug in a ski mask.

Do you really have people appear in the middle of the night who you may have trouble identifying?

[siderman 1,140]

Well yea, kind of. And it startled the crap outa us. My son came home early on leave one night when he was supposed to arrive in the morning. Drove straight thru to "suprise us" us and popped into our bd room doorway at 3:00 AM and announced his arrival. We jumped up and instantly new it was him but it could have happened another very bad way. Needless to say I reminded him ,in very strong words, that my HG is next to me in the nighttable and it was not smart of him.....Now of course he had a key and was very quite coming in but in retrospect it was scary when I think of how easy a stealthy BG could sneek in. And now thinking about a home alarm system. Come to think of it and not to hijack but how many of you actually have home alarm systems?

[hd2000fxdl 422]

Nope, the the only people who would show up inside my home unannounced would be people who are there to rob and maybe cause my family and myself harm and will be dealt with accordingly..

 

While we are on this subject and this is something I have not really seen mentioned before, or at least not talked about in detail. I don't do this but it did get me thinking and wanted to bounce this off of all of you for Pro's n Con's.

 

We have all heard of incidents where intruders have been shot buy a home owner, we also have heard of intruders being held at gunpoint until the authorities arrive.

 

I did see mention a few times that having a set of handcuffs might be a good idea, while it's would be a better way to detain someone, some believe they could be used on you, essentially the homeowner providing a means to immobilize the homes owner.

 

Now what if the homeowner had a lock-box with a set/sets of handcuffs in it separate from where the firearms are kept. That way only the home has access, now only if the situation is able to be defused without firing a shot, a second person in the home would be able to secure the intruder to lessen the risk detaining of further altercation while they wait for LE to arrive..

[reed338 11]

this has not happened yet a friend or family member comming over in the middle of the night but if it did it would be some kind of emergency . as for a threat i or the wife would know the diffrence very fast .

[Babyface Finster 45]

I can't imagine this ever being an issue for me. I can't think of a single circumstance where one of the few family members that have a key to my house would let themselves in during the wee hours. In any case, my dog will make a hell of a racket once they pull into the driveway, let alone step on the porch.

 

If I see an adult sized silhouette in the darkness and my wife is still lying next to me in bed, I know one thing for sure. He ain't supposed to be there.

[Krdshrk 3,878]

Nobody would come to my house in the middle of the night without calling first.

 

Also - in regards to what Harry said with the handcuffs, I have a set of plastic ziptie cuffs I keep close at hand also.

 

Similar to these:

[MikeK77 8]

I agree. I dont know anyone whose friend or family would show up unannounced, in the middle of the night, and just walk in. Unless i'm an oddball (yes i am, start the jokes) none of my friends or family have a key to my house. The only people who should have a key are the people who live there.

[Adam 6]

All of my friends family know to give prior notice. Everyone I know has cell phones, they call beforehand.

 

Then there's always Fred, he lets us know the moment someone comes in the driveway, or parks in the lot next to the house. Annoying at times yes, but he's only doing his job.

[PK90 3,573]

Drunks and confused elders will walk into homes that they thought were theirs. I'd hate to kill one of them without first confronting them of their intentions.

[MikeK77 8]

Drunks and confused elders will walk into homes that they thought were theirs. I'd hate to kill one of them without first confronting them of their intentions.

 

Don't you lock you're doors?

[Babyface Finster 45]

Don't you lock you're doors?

 

I was wondering the same. I changed the locks when I moved in 7 years ago. Only my parents and one close friend have keys to the place and both live at least 30 minutes away. Anyone drunk or confused that enters my home must use force to do so. The early warning the dog gives me would likely give me plenty of time to investigate and call the police before anyone actually got inside, but if they actually got inside I have no doubt they are up to no good.

[Adam 6]

Drunks and confused elders will walk into homes that they thought were theirs. I'd hate to kill one of them without first confronting them of their intentions.

 

I would think at that point (even though I've been out a long time) Military training would kick in... the old "challenge and response" would take over I'd hope before I made a decision

[MikeK77 8]

I would think at that point (even though I've been out a long time) Military training would kick in... the old "challenge and response" would take over I'd hope before I made a decision

 

That's the problem...most people who own guns "shoot 1st, think 2nd"...

 

Didn't I read somewhere that you are still supposed to announce you have a gun, before using it? the whole "stop, I have a gun" before you fire rule?

[vladtepes 1,060]

My doors are all locked so no one is accidentally coming in..

No one else has keys to my house but me and my fiance...

 

even if my family had a key for some unusual reason.. I am %100 sure they would NEVER come in unannounced for fear I would shoot them..

[Jon 264]

Don't you lock you're doors?

 

We have had drunk people break into homes where they felt their key just wasn't working. They usually fall asleep on the floor once they force entry, though.