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Shellback
11-13-2012, 03:05 PM
My wife received a phone call this morning from one of our neighbors saying that their house had been robbed yesterday afternoon, in broad daylight. We live in a "nice", gated community and don't really see much, if any, crime.

Apparently 4 houses down from us a "skinny guy with lots of tattoos" knocked on the door of one of our neighbors, not the victim, holding a leash saying he'd "lost his dog" and asked if they'd seen one around. That particular neighbor is in her mid-50's and one of the nicest and most naive people I've ever met. She responded that she hadn't and the guy did an about face and moved along.

However, the neighbor across the street from her wasn't nearly as lucky due to being at work yesterday. They arrived home after work and found their house had been broken in to and they'd been robbed. Obviously there isn't conclusive evidence that "missing dog guy" was the culprit that I'm privy to but it is Vegas and I'd lay my odds on him being the perpetrator. His not so clever ruse worked perfectly on the other unsuspecting neighbor and I'm sure many people would fall for it.

Christmas time and the holidays are upon us and thieves will be looking to cash in on the opportunity as well. If something doesn't seem "right", it's probably not, and you should trust your Spidey sense and act upon it. When in doubt, call the police. Have a safe holiday season.

WDW
11-13-2012, 08:43 PM
So they were burglarized. Not robbed. There's quite a difference. One insurance can fix. The other usually, or should at least, end with a slide or bolt locking to the rear on an empty gun.

EMC
11-13-2012, 09:07 PM
I've had the same type of trick played on me in the past when I had a less defensive mindset. The guy was caught a bit off guard when I answered the door. I'm confident we would have been cleaned out had I not been home. I know better now to call the police promptly and report that kind of activity.

Shellback
11-13-2012, 09:54 PM
So they were burglarized. Not robbed. There's quite a difference. One insurance can fix. The other usually, or should at least, end with a slide or bolt locking to the rear on an empty gun.

Merriam-Webster is as follows:

robbed rob·bing
Definition of ROB
transitive verb
1a (1) : to take something away from by force : steal from (2) : to take personal property from by violence or threat b (1) : to remove valuables without right from (a place) (2) : to take the contents of (a receptacle) c : to take away as loot : steal <rob jewelry>
2a : to deprive of something due, expected, or desired b : to withhold unjustly or injuriously
Either way I give a shit less about splitting hairs and more about splitting scalps. I think either one deserves to have the slide locked back on your gun of choice.

Guinnessman
11-14-2012, 08:11 AM
Irish,

Do a google search for "Las Vegas Crime Map," and it will show you how the LVPD labeled the crime in your neigborhood. When I lived out there the crime map was very helpful in picking out a place to live, and it kept me informed of the type of crimes that were recently committed in the surrounding areas.

UNK
11-15-2012, 04:10 PM
Merriam-Webster is as follows:

Either way I give a shit less about splitting hairs and more about splitting scalps. I think either one deserves to have the slide locked back on your gun of choice.

WDW
11-15-2012, 04:49 PM
Well I only say that because there is quite a difference in someone who burglarizes an empty house and one who robs occupants. They are two totally different crimes and are met with two total different responses so I think a distinction is important.

jlw
11-15-2012, 06:19 PM
My wife received a phone call this morning from one of our neighbors saying that their house had been robbed yesterday afternoon, in broad daylight. We live in a "nice", gated community and don't really see much, if any, crime.


Residential burglaries are actually more common during the daytime than at night.

Shellback
11-15-2012, 06:26 PM
Residential burglaries are actually more common during the daytime than at night.

I've read that other places. I'm assuming that it's due to the criminal expecting no one to be home.

Chuck Haggard
11-15-2012, 07:59 PM
I've read that other places. I'm assuming that it's due to the criminal expecting no one to be home.

Exactly. Easier to steal stuff when you aren't getting shot at.

jlw
11-16-2012, 08:43 AM
I've read that other places. I'm assuming that it's due to the criminal expecting no one to be home.

Yup.

Chuck Haggard
11-16-2012, 09:13 AM
I would venture to guess that better than 90% of our residential burglaries are done in the day time, and when no one is home. Most of the night time burglaries will still be when no one is home and the bad guys have IDd the house as being vacant (person on vacation, etc.). Even the occupied houses entered at night are most often attached garages where the residents have left the garage door wide open.

The knock-on-the-door ruse to see if anyone is home is VERY common.

Business and car burglaries are most often at night, for obvious reasons.

True occupied night time residential burglaries are rare, and the bad guys who do them are very, VERY dangerous.

jlw
11-16-2012, 10:26 AM
True occupied night time residential burglaries are rare, and the bad guys who do them are very, VERY dangerous.

Exactly. They are a murder waiting to happen and have to be worked as such.

Chuck Haggard
11-16-2012, 10:38 AM
Exactly. They are a murder waiting to happen and have to be worked as such.

Agreed. Or a very violent rape, then murder. In my area the "BTK Killer" is really famous.



Last year we had a series of burglaries/robberies locally that has shocked every single person I have given details to. Serious gun people get an "Oh Shit" look thinking about up to nine suspects, some with long guns, actually using tactics.

jar
11-16-2012, 11:25 AM
Last year we had a series of burglaries/robberies locally that has shocked every single person I have given details to. Serious gun people get an "Oh Shit" look thinking about up to nine suspects, some with long guns, actually using tactics.

I'd think in that situation, there must be something special about the victims. An organized crew like that wouldn't hit houses at random. The proceeds of a typical random residential burglary wouldn't amount to much split 9 ways.

Chuck Haggard
11-16-2012, 11:43 AM
I'd think in that situation, there must be something special about the victims. An organized crew like that wouldn't hit houses at random. The proceeds of a typical random residential burglary wouldn't amount to much split 9 ways.

In this case you would be mistaken.

Most home invasions are in fact dope rips. This was a whole different dynamic entirely. Average 'Leave It To Beaver' type familes for the most part.

It would have been useful if more people actually locked their frakking doors at night. Yes, seriously.

Dave J
11-16-2012, 12:22 PM
This was a whole different dynamic entirely.

I can't help but think this sort of thing is probably going to be at least somewhat more common in the future.

When the Iraq war was really unpopular (i.e. '05-07 or so), we accepted more than a few people into the Army who we'd have never given the time of day in previous years. (we're talking a relatively small percentage of the total force IMHO, but I was absolutely shocked to see some of the prior offenses that were waived during this period). We're making an effort to get rid of the ones we have left now, at least those who didn't completely straighten themselves out, but the result is that IMHO you're likely to see an increasing percentage of dirtbags who actually have some level of formal training and combat experience. I've also seen reports of various gangs attempting to get members into the military for the purposes of skill acquisition...even if those reports are perhaps exaggerated, it only takes a few to be able to pass on at least some level of marksmanship training to scumbags who I'd really rather not know what sights are actually for.

If nothing else, that helps me justify what I've spent on training ammo lately.

(My JAG would probably tell me that I should add the obvious disclaimer that the above is strictly personal opinon and doesn't necessarily reflect the official views of DoD or the Army, nor is it intended to to reflect negatively on the vast majoritywho served honorably and for the right reasons...not that I think anyone on this forum would take it that way.)

BigT
11-16-2012, 12:32 PM
I'd think in that situation, there must be something special about the victims. An organized crew like that wouldn't hit houses at random. The proceeds of a typical random residential burglary wouldn't amount to much split 9 ways.


While it's a different continent this sort of thing is common here. Groups of well armed bg's committing home invasion s with the intention of rape and murder with the theft sometimes appearing a secondary motive.

Chuck Haggard
11-16-2012, 01:33 PM
I can't help but think this sort of thing is probably going to be at least somewhat more common in the future.

When the Iraq war was really unpopular (i.e. '05-07 or so), we accepted more than a few people into the Army who we'd have never given the time of day in previous years. (we're talking a relatively small percentage of the total force IMHO, but I was absolutely shocked to see some of the prior offenses that were waived during this period). We're making an effort to get rid of the ones we have left now, at least those who didn't completely straighten themselves out, but the result is that IMHO you're likely to see an increasing percentage of dirtbags who actually have some level of formal training and combat experience. I've also seen reports of various gangs attempting to get members into the military for the purposes of skill acquisition...even if those reports are perhaps exaggerated, it only takes a few to be able to pass on at least some level of marksmanship training to scumbags who I'd really rather not know what sights are actually for.

If nothing else, that helps me justify what I've spent on training ammo lately.

(My JAG would probably tell me that I should add the obvious disclaimer that the above is strictly personal opinon and doesn't necessarily reflect the official views of DoD or the Army, nor is it intended to to reflect negatively on the vast majoritywho served honorably and for the right reasons...not that I think anyone on this forum would take it that way.)

While I get what you are saying, and know of cases, the crew I was talking about had absolutely zero .mil experience at all. Being evil, watching a lot of action movies, networking with other scumbags and having too much time on their hands was enough for them to come up with good ideas, some out of the proverbial box.

Example, if you ever think about going outside after a burglar/bad guy, think about the possibility that they have back-up, on your garage roof, with a shotgun, and two or three guys in a car down the block, with shotguns and .45s.

Seriously.

Erik
11-16-2012, 01:53 PM
Example, if you ever think about going outside after a burglar/bad guy, think about the possibility that they have back-up, on your garage roof, with a shotgun, and two or three guys in a car down the block, with shotguns and .45s.


Is this example drawn from a rural, urban or suburban setting? I ask because I am trying to picture the logistics of this kind of crew operating in my neighborhood, where houses are pretty close together, streets are lit and patrols are reasonably frequent, although there are small patches of wooded area as well. I would expect it would be difficult for that many people to go undetected for any length of time if they targeted, for example, a house on my block, but I've never given the scenario any thought.

Chuck Haggard
11-16-2012, 03:30 PM
Is this example drawn from a rural, urban or suburban setting? I ask because I am trying to picture the logistics of this kind of crew operating in my neighborhood, where houses are pretty close together, streets are lit and patrols are reasonably frequent, although there are small patches of wooded area as well. I would expect it would be difficult for that many people to go undetected for any length of time if they targeted, for example, a house on my block, but I've never given the scenario any thought.

Mix of older homes in the midle of the city and standard suburban layout.

Shellback
11-16-2012, 07:14 PM
Last year we had a series of burglaries/robberies locally that has shocked every single person I have given details to. Serious gun people get an "Oh Shit" look thinking about up to nine suspects, some with long guns, actually using tactics.

Thanks for the preliminary info. I think you should start a thread on this topic with links to articles. I think it'd be a very interesting topic.

SmokeJumper
11-16-2012, 07:26 PM
A little late to the thread... the home burglaries are all over it seems as of late. I've talked to friends in several other states that live in nice or more posh areas and they all have the same thing to report, burglaries in the areas just the same as my loc. It is a good reminder for situational awareness (SA), not just when your out and about, but coming and going from home as well. It always helps to make your home or place of business a harder or hardened target to gain access to. Alarms with monitoring, wrought iron security doors, big dog(s), and the occasional gun port(s)...LOL But the regulars here know this Thanks for the good reminders

Chuck Haggard
11-17-2012, 10:42 PM
Thanks for the preliminary info. I think you should start a thread on this topic with links to articles. I think it'd be a very interesting topic.

Google up stories from Topeka reference the murder of Natalie Gibson.

This is one; http://cjonline.com/news/2011-07-21/topeka-woman-shot-killed

This is currently a series of murder trials, ongoing. I have to be careful what I talk about on this subject. So far I've talked about nothing that hasn't made the newspaper. I hope you understand my position.

TGS
11-17-2012, 11:16 PM
tpd223 or jlw,

Anything you could offer up with burglaries in homes occupied by dogs? Convention would dictate a dog is a great deterrent, but what you guys are talking about doesn't seem conventional, either.

Do you guys know of an open-source, available to the public primer/blotter on current/emerging trends in crime and their locations?

Shellback
11-18-2012, 12:48 PM
Google up stories from Topeka reference the murder of Natalie Gibson.

This is one; http://cjonline.com/news/2011-07-21/topeka-woman-shot-killed

This is currently a series of murder trials, ongoing. I have to be careful what I talk about on this subject. So far I've talked about nothing that hasn't made the newspaper. I hope you understand my position.

Completely understand. Thanks for the link and info. Very interesting stuff.

jlw
11-18-2012, 03:18 PM
tpd223 or jlw,

Anything you could offer up with burglaries in homes occupied by dogs? Convention would dictate a dog is a great deterrent, but what you guys are talking about doesn't seem conventional, either.

Do you guys know of an open-source, available to the public primer/blotter on current/emerging trends in crime and their locations?

Search for crime maps in your area. Some agencies publish them, and some media outlets do as well.

As for dogs, one that is alert and will give warning barks whenever someone approaches is a good deterrent; however, I have seen plenty of evidence to suggest that dogs act one way when their owners (their pack) are present and quite differently when they are not.

EMC
11-18-2012, 03:41 PM
Search for crime maps in your area. Some agencies publish them, and some media outlets do as well.

As for dogs, one that is alert and will give warning barks whenever someone approaches is a good deterrent; however, I have seen plenty of evidence to suggest that dogs act one way when their owners (their pack) are present and quite differently when they are not.

There was a show called "It takes a thief" on cable a few years ago where they would stage robberies and have the victims watch on camera as the professionals ransacked their place after which they would implement sponsored security solutions to patch up the short comings. The episodes where dogs (even large ferocious breeds) were involved were particularly entertaining. In pretty much every case the thieves had an effective deterent, a way to make friends, or the dogs simply sat passively by. I think they are a valuable early warning/defense system only when you are home with them.