On guard tonight...

[randomoutburst]

My mother-in-law, who lives next door, texted me to let me know that seven cars on a neighboring street were broken into last night and the stereo systems from all were stolen. We just put a new sound system into our car and I'm worried. We don't live in a bad neighborhood but there is a "bad" side; the street that was hit was on the good side where we are. Sorry if I offend, but the bad side is populated by "gangsta" blacks and white trash. The good side is populated by more affluent whites and blacks.

Anyway. The sound system...well, that can be replaced. I HATE thieves but I'm not going to risk bodily harm to protect something that can be replaced. Problem is, our little puppy is STILL asking to be let out every hour and we don't have a door that opens directly into the backyard. I have to go through the kitchen door, in the carport where both cars are parked, and through the back gate. I'm worried because my hubby worked last night and was up all day. He's pretty much out for the night unless I scream, in which case he's known to get up and grab the shotgun. I'm out there by myself.

I've taken my revolver with me when I take the puppy outside, and the little poop hasn't gone potty a single time I've taken him out in the past three hours. It makes me jittery because I have to watch him and take my attention away from my surroundings, if only for a moment. I'm getting so irritated at him for dragging me outside just to romp and eat bugs instead of using the bathroom, I've considered shutting him in the crate for the night and just dealing with whatever mess he makes in the morning.

I'm genuinely wary of being outside right now, at night, when robberies happened just a street over from us last night, even if I'm armed. Having to watch this bouncy puppy while trying to keep a watchful eye out is just stressing me out.

I'm not really looking for advice, I guess...I just needed to vent some of that fear and frustration between ventures outdoors. It's a shame that people cannot feel safe in their own homes and yards because someone thinks it's okay to take what's not theirs. Then again, that's the thing that drove me to buy a gun in the first place, and is why I am taking my CHL course when I'm 21. If I felt safe all the time I wouldn't take my protection as seriously.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

If there isn't bright outdoor lighting already on
your residence and your MIL's, you might consider
having security lighting installed.

A sodium night light is less harsh than 150 watt spot
lights, yet still lights up the whole yard. They aren't
too bad on electricity usage as well.

Perhaps enclosing your properties with fencing and
a gate would deter your local BG's.

I know these things cost money, but it seems like
your area requires them.

Cockroaches don't like the light on their activities.

Consider buying a heavy duty metal whistle at a sports
store, or Wal-Mart. The plastic ones don't last. This
can alert people quickly that there's something going on,
and/or scare off the bad guys.

Make sure that you take your cell phone with you when
you walk the dog. Remember that the 1st one to call
911 is the complainant.

Also, a high-powered LED tactical light with a wrist lanyard
or on a neck lanyard
will allow you to shine it in a BG's eyes and disorient him.
If he's armed, he won't be able to aim properly with many
lumens in his eyes.

Good luck.

SIA

[Purplehood]

Crate-training.

[NAVY CHIEF]

You could also purchase an air-horn (the kind our coaches used during football practice) - talk about LOUD! It not only will send the BG packin', but it would definitely wake up everybody, including hubby.
You might want to back this up with having a pepper spray handy.

I know how you feel, my mother's place got spray painted last year, and had to install more lighting so it would flood the area.

Be careful out there.



Hooyah!

[shortysboy09]

I betcha pup can sense your nervousness. That's why it's not going to the restroom when you take it outside.

+1 on the flashlight. Cosco had some for 20 bucks for a pack of two here recently. I have 4 and they are scattered throughout the house and in my truck. They're pretty effective for how cheap they are.

BTW SIA, That's a good song you have in your sig. I like Mark Chesnutt a lot. We went and saw him at Billy Bob's recently. He puts on a great show!

[Quahog]

Does your vehicle have an alarm on it? If so, keep your keys with you and at any sign of danger or someone messing with your stuff, hit the panic alarm on the remote.

[Keith B]

I would recommend an alarm system too. Not sure how much you spent on the sound system, but I have seen people put $1K+ sound and video systems in their car and then complain they couldn't afford and alarm. Then, when they get broken into, they complain about that.

I had my car broken into in the driveway about 2 years ago. I am sure it was kids because they stole the head to my two-way (ham) radio and the owners manual. The major issue was they were so amateurish in getting in that they scratched the drivers window, cracked the windshield by prying between it and the sail post (they thought they were prying on the door side, and bent the frame around the passenger window before finally breaking the glass and getting in: $1500 worth of damage to the car for $100 bucks of stuff.

Anyway, I had an alarm installed with a shock sensor and remote pager. I have moved the sensitivity up so it doesn't false alarm easily and it takes a pretty hefty shock to set it off, but at least it will go off if they hit the glass. Cost was less than $300 and worth the extra piece of mind that I will be alerted if someone is trying to get in. And the aftermarket LED flashing is a big deterrent. I have actually had someone in my driveway since then (caught them on video security camera.) They looked in the window, apparently saw the flashing LED and left without even touching the car.

As for the pup, crate training is the DEFINITE way to go!!

[randomoutburst]

Puppy IS being crate-trained...he still has to go outside to potty!

Our SUV has an alarm...but it's also not a target for anything valuable and is boxed in by our smaller car. It has nothing of value in it unless WE are also in the car.

The smaller car, the one with the sound system, HAD an alarm system but hubby told me last night that they disabled it when they installed the sound system. We don't have the fob to that car anyway but it would have at least sounded if they broke into it and/or cut the power. They didn't enable the alarm after the sound system work for some reason like they couldn't get it to turn off without the fob.

It's all in one piece this morning so all is well...puppy still being a jerk about going potty. He goes right back in the crate unless he potties so he's gotta go soon...especially since he just ate.

[Oldgringo]

We don't live in the crime ridden MetroMess but we do have a day/night front porch light that operates off of a photo cell. The light itself is flourescent and comes on and stays on all night every night. Being flourescent, the energy cost is minimal and the tubes lust for years. This fixture lights up the entire front yard and costs about $25 at your local hardware store. This is something you and your relatives could get and install yourselves. I suspect that y'all will sleep better for it and it will be on when you come home at light alone from work or wherever.

The main reason we don't have one on the back porch is that we don't want to keep the cows up. BTW, you do have to leave your light switch on 24/7. The fixture itself takes care of the "off and on" thinghy.

[The Annoyed Man]

...the tubes lust for years...

They lust after what?

[randomoutburst]

We have a front porch light but the carport is on the side of the house and I leave the carport light on all night already. We live in a cul-de-sac so there's not a lot of traffic driving by -- I think that worries me most since I know that no one would see it going on. I feel as though living in a cul-de-sac makes us a more secluded target and therefore a more attractive one.

In any case, nothing happened last night and I hope it will stay that way. We may need to get a new alarm system for the car unless the old owner can find that fob for the current alarm system. He's been looking for it since we bought the car and thought he had found it last year - but it was the wrong one. (No cracks about how hard he's looking for the fob - he's an old family friend and is good to his word. )

I may also get a brighter porch light since the one we have is a bit dim. It lights up the yard almost to the carport and the carport light lights up the carport plus a bit of the backyard. We really need to get a light for the backyard because it's pitch black at night. I had to use the Mag Light when I went out...which of course wasn't a bad thing seeing as it doubles as a weapon. Still, it would be nice to have one more free hand.

[Oldgringo]

...the tubes lust for years...

They lust after what?

The tubes lust after evildoers skulking around in the dark while lasting for years. Thank you.

[The Annoyed Man]

...the tubes lust for years...

They lust after what?

The tubes lust after evildoers skulking around in the dark while lasting for years. Thank you.

You are welcome. My ears always perk up when I hear the word "lust." I am deep in prayer about that.

[Ol Zeke]

I'm curious.... Doesn't your "puppy" alert at strangers? You don't say what breed and I realize he's probably not like my 11 month old German Shepard, but some of the best watchdogs I've had/seen were small and virtually all will bark at strangers, even when young.