But as it is, I own several firearms and they pose no threat whatsoever to anyone who doesn't pose a threat to me. Unless you break into my house or try to carjack me, you would never know. But if you do, I will shoot to kill and swear I was in fear for my life.

But as it is, I own several firearms and they pose no threat whatsoever to anyone who doesn't pose a threat to me. Unless you break into my house or try to carjack me, you would never know. But if you do, I will shoot to kill and swear I was in fear for my life.

thank gawd I am not american.... to scary

But if you do, I will shoot to kill and swear I was in fear for my life.

the thought of having a leathal weapon in my home would terrify me

I could never live over the pond... to scarey

http://www.kmbc.com/news/14709855/detail.html
CARTHAGE, Mo. -- A 63-year-old grandmother with a handgun stopped two burglars at her backdoor in Carthage.

The Jasper County Sheriff's Department said a woman and a 16-year-old boy were arrested after the foiled break-in Friday and charged with first-degree burglary.

The grandmother was at home with her grandchild when the burglars broke down her back door.

She grabbed a handgun and stopped the pair, but they ran away when the woman went back inside to call the sheriff's department.Deputies arrested the suspects about three hours later in Carthage.

Lt. Aaron Richardson of the sheriff's department said first-degree burglary charges have been filed against Faith Barrick, 39, of Carthage, and a 16-year-old male accomplice.

ermmm..... ok in the United Kingdom... Ilegal...fullstop..... and I agree.... but my question is... over the pond where it is legal or normal to have one for survial... do you really feel safe? the thought of having a leathal weapon in my home would terrify me and if I felt the need to have such a thing in my home for safety then I would consider moving..... we are not allowed such weapons here.. but for you who are... would you use it? and would you feel ok about it? .... is it not a dangerous thing to own.... especially single mums.... which I know for a fact at least 3 ladies on here have a gun and will use it..... OMG..... if this is the case... I could never live over the pond... to scarey

and i could never live in a country that would ban books ( Anacharists Cookbook), be forced to bow to anyone (the queen) and pay taxes on having a TV.

For women, guns answer the fear of being raped, so they carry a small handgun

Well if you wish to be a helpless victim and allow people to rob, rape, and murder while hoping the police will protect you, more power to you.

People who live their lives with itchy trigger fingers are more likely to die at the end of a barrel or behind bars.

And I know you're closer to the truth with the stats, too, which is why my gun is not nearby and loaded. But home invasions have been on the rise unless I've been mislead by reporters.

Robbery - Completed or attempted theft, directly from a person, of property or cash by force or threat of force, with or without a weapon, and with or without injury.

Most police agencies and the FBI will statistically record the crime as a residential burglary or a robbery.

Home invasion robbers, in contrast, work more often at night and on weekends when homes are more likely to be occupied. The home invader will sometimes target the resident as well as the dwelling. The selection process may include a woman living alone, a wealthy senior citizen or a known drug dealer, for example. It is not unheard of for a robber to follow you home based on the value of the car you are driving or the jewelry you are wearing. Some home invaders might have been in your home before as a delivery person, installer or repair vendor. Home robbers rarely work alone and rely on an overwhelming physical confrontation to gain initial control and instill fear in you. The greatest violence usually occurs during the initial sixty seconds of the confrontation and home invaders often come prepared with handcuffs, rope, duct tape, and firearms. Some in-home robbers appear to enjoy the intimidation, domination, and violence and some even claim it’s a "rush."

Dangerous Trends
The act of committing a home invasion is escalating much like carjacking. The reason for the increase seems to follow a similar pattern. Much like automobiles, the traditional commercial targets for robbers like convenience stores and fast-food restaurants have hardened themselves against criminal attack and have reduced available cash. Technology has allowed commercial establishments to install affordable video surveillance systems, silent alarms, and other anti-crime deterrent devices. A residence, by comparison, is now a more attractive choice.

Home invaders know that they won't have to overcome alarm systems when the home is occupied or be worried about video cameras and silent alarms. Unlike robbing a retail store, home invaders expect privacy once inside your home and won’t have to deal with the police suddenly driving up or customers walking in. Once the offenders take control of a residence they can force the occupants to open safes, locate hidden valuables, supply keys to the family car, and PIN numbers to their ATM cards. Home invaders will try to increase their escape time by disabling the phones and sometimes will leave their victims bound or incapacitated. It is not unheard of for robbers to load up the victim’s car with valuables and drive away without anyone in the neighborhood taking notice.

Method of Operation
The most common point of attack is through the front door or garage. Sometimes the home invader will simply kick open the door and confront everyone inside. More common is when the home invaders knock on the door first or ring the bell. The home invader hopes that the occupant will simply open the door, without question, in response to their knock. Unfortunately, many people do just that.

Home invaders will sometimes use a ruse or impersonation to get you to open the door. They have been known to pretend to be delivering a package, flowers or lie about an accident like hitting your parked car. Once the door is opened for them, the home invaders will use an explosive amount of force and threats to gain control of the home and produce fear in the victims. Once the occupants are under control the robbers will begin to collect your valuables.

Some home robbers have been known to spend hours ransacking a residence while the homeowners are bound nearby watching in terror. Some robbers have been known to eat meals, watch TV, or even take a nap. A major fear is that the robbers might commit more violence like sexual assault or even murder. Some robbers have kidnapped and forced a victim to withdraw cash from their ATM machine or take them to their small business to rob it as well.

Prevention Steps
The same tactics used to prevent daytime burglaries will go a long way to preventing forced entry home robberies. If you can delay a home invader at the point of entry then you have a chance of deterring them or have time to call the police. A solid core door, strong locks with reinforced strike plates, and reinforced window devices will stop most forced entries. See my web page on Home Security Tips for more information. Some homeowners build safe rooms inside their home to allow them to retreat or escape the violence while giving them valuable time to call the police.

The weakest home security link is the home occupant who fails to lock doors or windows or who will open the door without question at the sound of a knock. The best defense against home invasion is education and planning. Parents should hold a family meeting to discuss how to answer the door when someone knocks. Another important topic is how to act should your home or family be invaded. Once you know how home robbers work, you can effectively prevent most occurrences. See also Home Invasion Family Survival Tips for more information.

Remember these important security steps:

Install solid core doors, heavy duty locks, and window security devices
Lock all doors, windows, and garages at all times
Use four three-inch screws to secure heavy duty lock strike plates in the door frame
Use the door peephole BEFORE opening the door
Use your porch light to help you to see clearly outside
Never rely on a chain-latch as a barrier to partially open the door
Never open the door to strangers or solicitors
Call the police if the stranger acts suspicious
Alert your neighbors to suspicious solicitors
Hold a family meeting to discuss home security plans
Set the home perimeter alarm at night, if you have one

For More Information
Home Security - Burglary Prevention Tips
Home Security for the Christmas Holidays
Family Security Tips
Home Invasion Survival Tips
Self-Defense - Pepper Spray
Panic Room or Safe room



http://www.crimedoctor.com/homeinvasion.htm

I was talking about home invasions which is largely the point of this thread. Montel Williams has had several shows about home invasions being on the rise.

Besides, anyone who says that they need a gun for protection has watched too many movies. If someone does invade your home while you are in it, they are more apt to attempt to kill you if they are aware that you have a gun. So, are you really more safe with a gun?