The Quadfather wrote:Yes, it all sucks badly. I agree there is a portion of each of us that wants to set up a "Sting operation"
But seriously, you have to ask yourself what are you prepared to do in the event of a conflict?
I don't pretend to know the law any more than any one of us on here. I can speculate though that confronting a criminal, and engaging in ass-whooping would probably leave one of us open to charges of some sort via the criminal himself!
I don't know what the answer is honestly. Nobody wants to just except being a victim, but standing there and calling 911 sounds like a joke as well. Hiding behind Smith and Wesson only opens you to a lot of paperwork and your own defense attorney.
That is the saddest part of this whole dirty game. Like any country crimes, the wait time for the county sheriff to show up can sometimes be best measured in light years. Because there are just a few sheriffs covering such a huge area, all one can hope for is an officer being in the immediate area, which is rarely the case. And what is even more defeating...those doing the break-ins know that. I still fish lakes out in the country, but only those where the parking area is easily visible from the lake. Also, a launch area that is popular with bank anglers is a plus. And the Smith and Wesson avenue. You are, sadly, so right. I knew an older gentleman that was in our bass club. He was coming up the shoreline using his electric motor and saw two men kneeling next to his truck, taking off the tires and wheels. He yelled at them. They yelled back, telling him to mind his own business, old man. He pulled out his 38 revolver and fired off four rounds over their heads. They evacuated the area, leaving behind an estimated $1500 in tools and floor jack. He reported his story to the sheriff. Come to find out, if he would have actually hit and killed one of the thieves, he would have been charged with murder because his life was not in immediate danger....What are ya going to do?????