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Last night 'bout midnight, I hear knocking on the front door. I wake up my wife tell her to go look at the video camera feed on the monitor in the master bedroom closet. My wife tells me there are three guys. I unholster with my G17 and am at the ready. We all sleep upstairs. I'm at the top of the stairs and shout "get off my porch". Someone responds "we need a jump". I reply "you don't want what I can give you". I then tell 'em to leave again. In the meantime wife calls the local PD about the incident.Guys get ready to leave and popo pulls up. I see the entire thing on my video cameras. To my surprise, the cop doesn't ask for any ID of the persons. He let them go. Maybe he knew one of them? Looking at the video I didn't recognize any of them from our immediate neighborhood. Having spent time learning better decision making about these types of situations I put into practice a lesson learned that I experienced a few years ago when someone knocked on my door at 10pm and I haphazardly opened the door without paying attention. I was pretty disappointed with myself then for allowing my guard down and potentially putting my family in danger.

I do get conflicted though. I am more than happy to help someone. However I also have a responsibility to protect my family. I don't know if these two mind sets are mutually exclusive but I have a hard time seeing how they are not. Maybe I'm just risk adverse.

Did the police jump start their vehicle?

You did good. Only thing I might change is saying, "I have called the police to help you."

Three guys knocking on the door at midnight can't expect a lot of cooperation.

Glad you didn't have any problems other than loss of sleep.

carlson1 wrote:You did good. Only thing I might change is saying, "I have called the police to help you."

That's the winning suggestion, right there.

Knock knock!

"Whaddayahwant?"

"We need a jump!"

"Call AAA!"

Zzzzzz..... Zzzzzzzz.... Zzzzzzzz....

I would never go up to a strangers house at midnight if I needed a jump. I would think that anyone who would was looking for trouble. Either to get trouble or give it.
Even homeless people have cell phones, I would think one of three people in a car would.

carlson1 wrote:You did good. Only thing I might change is saying, "I have called the police to help you."

Perfect.

carlson1 wrote:You did good. Only thing I might change is saying, "I have called the police to help you."

That's much much better than, "you don't want what I can give you".

carlson1 wrote:You did good. Only thing I might change is saying, "I have called the police to help you."

yep.

Three guys at my door at midnight? I think a call to the police is in order also. At least you had a camera and could see what was going on.

That being said, I will always be grateful to the elderly couple that opened their door at 2 am one cold night for my 20 year old daughter after she ran her car into a ditch trying to avoid a stupid varmint. This was back in the days before cell phones, and those folks kept her warm and calm, then called me and the police. I don't want to think about what might have transpired had those people not taken her in.

If someone knocked on my door at 2 am these days, I don't know that I would offer the same hospitality and I am a bit conflicted over that.

I think that OP did well. And I agree with the thought about changing the verbiage. I like the message of "I've already helped by calling the popo to come and assist." If they are good guys, they will appreciate the LEO help. If they aren't good guys, they'll be looking for someone else to request a jump from.

As for the conflicting emotions of helping vs. protecting, I get it. I have the same thoughts. BUT! If two of my buddies and I were dead on the road:
1) as already stated, one of us would likely have a phone charged up.
2) we would not all three be an imposing force on a porch. Heck, even when I take my Scout sons around for canned food door hangers, etc, I stay back at the curb and the boys go up to the door. Simply to be less intimidating even with Scout uniforms on. Anyone can pretend to be Scouts. I consider my staying back at the curb (in plain sight mind you) a courtesy to the home owners. The three dudes in question, all standing by the door, weren't being smart or courteous even if they were good guys. One guy goes to the door. When he finds out the police are on the way, they thank the homeowner and apologize for waking them, but appreciate the help.

I think that a person could always be willing to help daughters and sons without exposing their families too much. A phone call to the police is always a good start. Letting the folks on the other side know that the police are coming. Then if they still would like to come in, chances are you have weeded out 99% of the ner-do-wells. We can also do things like having our family on alert inside while said son/daughter and I wait out on the porch with coco and a bunch of throw blankets. Police notification is key. No criminal is real interested in paper trails that they are now a part of.

As a side thought, cars going down the road rarely die needing a jump. Once the alternator is dead, the jump won't last anyway. I think that the OP did really well. If their car was parked and the battery drained, they should seek assistance from the place they were parked.

goose wrote:I think that OP did well. And I agree with the thought about changing the verbiage. I like the message of "I've already helped by calling the popo to come and assist." If they are good guys, they will appreciate the LEO help. If they aren't good guys, they'll be looking for someone else to request a jump from.

As for the conflicting emotions of helping vs. protecting, I get it. I have the same thoughts. BUT! If two of my buddies and I were dead on the road:
1) as already stated, one of us would likely have a phone charged up.
2) we would not all three be an imposing force on a porch. Heck, even when I take my Scout sons around for canned food door hangers, etc, I stay back at the curb and the boys go up to the door. Simply to be less intimidating even with Scout uniforms on. Anyone can pretend to be Scouts. I consider my staying back at the curb (in plain sight mind you) a courtesy to the home owners. The three dudes in question, all standing by the door, weren't being smart or courteous even if they were good guys. One guy goes to the door. When he finds out the police are on the way, they thank the homeowner and apologize for waking them, but appreciate the help.

I think that a person could always be willing to help daughters and sons without exposing their families too much. A phone call to the police is always a good start. Letting the folks on the other side know that the police are coming. Then if they still would like to come in, chances are you have weeded out 99% of the ner-do-wells. We can also do things like having our family on alert inside while said son/daughter and I wait out on the porch with coco and a bunch of throw blankets. Police notification is key. No criminal is real interested in paper trails that they are now a part of.

As a side thought, cars going down the road rarely die needing a jump. Once the alternator is dead, the jump won't last anyway. I think that the OP did really well. If their car was parked and the battery drained, they should seek assistance from the place they were parked.

This, I understand being stranded, and I have had to ask for assistance, from good Samaritans. I always made sure to have my DL in hand to show them so they could call the police if they wanted to. Late night door knocks very seldom produce good results, and I would be very hesitant to open the door for three young men, late at night. I agree with the blanket idea while they wait in the cold, but they won't be coming in. Everyone in my house would be armed, in case they tried to force the issue. I would also probably not leave my house to assist them, because as you stated, if their car died while driving, a jump start won't help them. Additionally, there could be cohorts waiting until they think the house is unguarded, to strike. A call to the police who can get roadside assistance to them would be the best option. Hopefully these were just poorly prepared folks who didn't realize the importance of having a back up plan in case of a breakdown.

Three men. No cell phone between the three? Something ain't quite right. Great spidey sense.

Oh, and what TAM said. AAA is cheap insurance.

This is exactly why I tell my children to not open the door if we are home. If my wife and I happen to leave I tell them to not lock our top deadbolt lock as it does not have a keyhole on the opposite side of the door. Great teaching situation. I agree with the majority "you don't want what I can give you," is unnecessary.