Is Crime Picking up in Your Area

[blues]

As some will become more desperate, crime will pick up. It’s 330am and I just walked my property and house. The noise from the highway is different. Are you prepared? Has this changed your security posture like it has mine?

I picked up some fresh pepper spray for myself and the missus. (POM. Key chain version for her, clip model for me.)

Went over some cautions for her when she's outside with the dog or encounters others while doing so.

Revisited what to do if we are accosted in or coming out of the market, or at a gas station.

Revisited rules about where to go and her role during a break-in.


I'm not expecting the worst, but I am preparing mentally for the possibility.

[TGS]

I mean I could do this all day long. I could flood the whole thread with it but I'm not interested in playing to the peanut gallery.

I live here. I know everybody on pistol forum is the smartest guy in the room but please don't try to tell me what the fuck is going on in my city

Cypher, I think I'm missing some context that isn't present in this thread...…

….what does a video about a crime spike of 22% more auto theft from 2015 to 2016 have to do with crime during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020?

[Beat Trash]

I picked up some fresh pepper spray for myself and the missus. (POM. Key chain version for her, clip model for me.)

Went over some cautions for her when she's outside with the dog or encounters others while doing so.

Revisited what to do if we are accosted in or coming out of the market, or at a gas station.

Revisited rules about where to go and her role during a break-in.


I'm not expecting the worst, but I am preparing mentally for the possibility.

This is something we should all be doing with all of the adult family members of our household.

Hope for the best, but plan for the worst.

[Cory]

My general perception is that crime is increasing here, but it isn't based on a solid metric.

The road through my little area has an electric sign warning residents to "Secure it. Lock your car. Don't be a victim". A nearby area had a car stolen at a gas pump with the driver inside the store. I'm sure this stuff happens all the time, but I'm hearing/seeing it more.

My rifle came out of the safe, and is staged in a quickly ready but kid safe fashion.

-Cory

[lwt16]

Day shift here has been a snooze fest. Reading the case reports from 2nd and 3rd shift have shown a dip in crime.

[fixer]

I’ve been in two different rural areas of Texas and nothing yet.

[RJ]

I picked up some fresh pepper spray for myself and the missus. (POM. Key chain version for her, clip model for me.)

Blues I saw a mention of this "POM" spray online and was meaning to come back to it. I have some old (2017) Sabre Red units that kicking around.

Two questions for you or anyone who could answer: Is there a least worst way to decomission or at least render inert a disused pepper spray canister? I'm guessing hitting the 'discharge' button downwind of an outdoor breeze is a bad idea

Second, what made you select "POM"?

[Earlymonk]

I've got no way of knowing.

I've found these sites helpful, RJ.

General
https://communitycrimemap.com/
https://m.spotcrime.com/mobile/index.html

Less related to the COVID question...
Sex Offender Registry
National
https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety...ender-registry
or for FL
https://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/of...hoodSearch.jsf
Obviously, some of these are not cause for great alarm. The guy nearest me was convicted of "unlawful sex intercourse" with a 16-year-old when he was 22. He's 47 now with no additional violations.

[Borderland]

We live on the end of a dead end private road 1000' from the county road. We're 12 miles from town. We get people who drive down this road who are "lost". If I'm about outside and they stay more than a minute or two I check them out. I'm sure some are legitimately lost but some aren't. I always write the LP # down, color and model of the car if they can't come up with a good reason for being on our private road.

I woke up this morning at 6 AM to find one such car at the head of my driveway. They always stop at the head of my driveway. Nobody has any business here at 6 AM except my neighbors and this wasn't any of my neighbors. I expect we'll have many more visitors in the days to come. I'm sending an email to all my neighbors to be vigilant and post what they see on next door, or call me if they have concerns right after they call 911. The sheriff is going to be plenty busy I'm sure.

[blues]

Blues I saw a mention of this "POM" spray online and was meaning to come back to it. I have some old (2017) Sabre Red units that kicking around.

Two questions for you or anyone who could answer: Is there a least worst way to decomission or at least render inert a disused pepper spray canister? I'm guessing hitting the 'discharge' button downwind of an outdoor breeze is a bad idea

Second, what made you select "POM"?

Rich, I'm not a pepper spray expert and haven't carried it in years. It is simply from being bombarded by the logic of my friends here (and elsewhere online) that I succumbed and decided to override my inertia. Probably also makes a lot more sense from a legal standpoint and not relying solely on a sap or flashlight as the less than lethal option.

I picked POM for a few reasons. First, it comes in a package that immediately appealed to my wife. (White with purple stripe.) That means she will carry it.

Second, I've read good reviews on the product, size, appearance, effectiveness from various individuals, here, elsewhere, from both LEO and civilian alike. I know Chris has mentioned that he was able to carry it into public places, Disney World?, where other canisters might have been subject to confiscation or being locked up.

I had read of some issues with the cap here on the forum, (breakage primarily), but that the company stood behind the product and replaced right away.

As for disposal, I think it would be safe to empty the canister in a safe direction outdoors...or possibly leave stashed in the house as an emergency backup for a period of time. It's not that the contents will be ineffective as much as the propellant may have dissipated that is the risk.