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You did well, and I'm very happy that you weren't hurt and the truck suffered only relatively minor damage.

You also did a terrific after action review that all can learn from.

The decision to call the PD and observe from inside or go outside and confront a suspect at gunpoint is the really big one that should also be looked at.

You had every right to do what you did, but you placed yourself in much greater potential danger than if you had stayed inside and let the PD manage the outside. However, had you done that, there would have been no guarantees that the PD would have had units in position to stop the truck before it left your driveway or even to intercept it on the road and you might very well have lost the vehicle. Or they might have arrived in force and in time and caught the suspect in the driveway. There's no way to know that for sure afterwards, and there's certainly no way to know for sure while it's happening.

There are no clear, bright right answers on which course of action is best in every case of this type but there is lots to think about.

Carl
Thank God you did not have to dispatch the perpetrator.

Seems to me, that you were not real crazy about that light on the 21 when we were finalizing our trade, but it is good that you had it!

I am glad you and your family are safe!

ddstuder wrote:Carl
Thank God you did not have to dispatch the perpetrator.

Seems to me, that you were not real crazy about that light on the 21 when we were finalizing our trade, but it is good that you had it!

I am glad you and your family are safe!

I probably owe you extra money and I know I you a big THANK YOU!

No Sir! You do not owe me a thing!

I'm just glad that it all worked out!

burglary of a motor vehicle has been reduced to a Misdemeanor.

Yeah, that's so it's less expensive for some people to get gasoline that way now.
(opening the gas door/gas cap was burglary of a vehicle)

Goodness! Things could have turned out so differently. Praise God that He had your back, and He was somewhere in your thoughts.

I think the single most valuable lesson there is to try to avoid focusing down on who you think is the bad guy while locking out his friends. What a good lesson! I wish I knew how to teach it.

RJ

I'm glad you didn't lose your truck and that you didn't have to pull the trigger.
I'm curious as to why no one else has pointed out the possible tactical mistake of leaving the house. This was something I was instructed not to do for any property that is not worth dying over.

texanron wrote:I'm glad you didn't lose your truck and that you didn't have to pull the trigger.
I'm curious as to why no one else has pointed out the possible tactical mistake of leaving the house. This was something I was instructed not to do for any property that is not worth dying over.

I addressed that in my11:17 AM post yesterday.

Excaliber wrote:

texanron wrote:I'm glad you didn't lose your truck and that you didn't have to pull the trigger.
I'm curious as to why no one else has pointed out the possible tactical mistake of leaving the house. This was something I was instructed not to do for any property that is not worth dying over.

I addressed that in my11:17 AM post yesterday.

Sure nuff......my bad.

Bad tactical move or personal decision?

It is a personal decision for me that was made a long time ago. There are a whole of lot of things that would be done different for sure, but exiting my house is not one of them.

As far as I am concerned a traffic stop is a bad tactical decision, but I had to make that decision a long time ago too.

...I agree..I won't cower in my house and watch someone rip me off...and waiting for the police is a laugh...even here, where we have a great response time, it's too late...if it's on my property...it's my business..and I will deal with it...life is full of risks...I've been a cop on night shift for many years...I never told a man who was willing and armed to stay in the house and wait for us to come handle it...I think it's a step in the wrong direction...and I won't take it...if the government can tell us not to deal with trespassers or thieves, it's a short step to telling us not to deal with home invaders or burglars...any one know how it is in old London these days??? it IS a personal choice...made many years ago, and no likelihood of changing anytime soon...you can stack what-ifs a mile high...if that's your choice...

carlson1 wrote:Bad tactical move or personal decision?

It is a personal decision for me that was made a long time ago. There are a whole of lot of things that would be done different for sure, but exiting my house is not one of them.

As far as I am concerned a traffic stop is a bad tactical decision, but I had to make that decision a long time ago too.

While leaving the house to confront a thief clearly carries more risk than staying inside, not everything that involves increased risk is a bad decision. As I pointed out earlier, you might well have lost your truck and suffered significant financial loss if you hadn't taken direct action when you did and that would have been highly detrimental to you as well. As it turned out, you kept your truck and didn't suffer any negative consequences. With the leisure of hindsight, the outcome makes it a good decision.

You could also have stayed inside and on the line with police and hoped they intervened before you lost your truck. That would have reduced the physical risk to you and increased the financial risk of loss of the truck. It might have worked out fine, or your truck might have been successfully stolen. We'll never know how that would have played out because that's not what actually happened.

As long as one has considered the pros and cons and consciously accepted the risks in whatever decision he makes, it becomes a personal decision on how to go forward. Whatever choice is made, one will either enjoy the benefits or suffer the consequences, and there's no way to know for sure which way it will go beforehand.

Current and former LEO's who have handled lots of confrontations with criminals up close and personal have a real good understanding of what they face and are very realistic in their assessment of risks. They are also ready, willing, and able to do things that would very likely be outside the capabilities of someone who doesn't have their training, awareness, and repertoire of tactics ready to apply when unexpected issues crop up. This changes the risk picture and makes what might be a really bad decision for a first timer into a very acceptable decision for someone else.

This should be kept in mind when evaluating whether one should or shouldn't try these things at home.

Accounts and discussions like this give all our members the opportunity to think their own options through in advance so the analysis part is already done and quick and hopefully good decisions can be made under stressful circumstances when time is short.

...now THAT is fair and balanced, you old Fox!!!

speedsix wrote:...now THAT is fair and balanced, you old Fox!!!

Thanks!

speedsix wrote:I won't cower in my house and watch someone rip me off

You think someone who makes the personal decision to stay inside and call 911 instead of going outside to confront a thief is a coward?