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Does OC make you a target for home robbery?

like_the_roman

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Jan 17, 2008
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Tucson, Arizona, USA
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I'm a college student and I live with my parents. They have a pretty laissez-faire attitude about my guns except they do not like it when I open carry.

My father expressed concern that a criminal who saw me carry would follow me home, scope out the house, then come back in the middle of the night or early morning and break-in to steal the guns.

He went further and said that my guns were the only thing valuable in the house that a criminal would be motivated to take, so the tools I bought to defend myself and my family put us in more danger than if we didn't have any guns at all. He then requested that I abstain from carrying a gun until I get an AZCCW permit when I turn 21.

Does this make sense? Does advertising that you have guns make one's house a target for criminals? Have any of you OC'd one day to find your gun collection missing the next?
 

Michigander

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I was thinking about that just yesterday. It's certainly a concern, although if you're like me, you make real sure no one see's your other guns, and you bring your carry gun everywhere, so you hope no one is smart enough to figure out that where there's one there is another and another and maybe a few more.


Best bet is always to keep your door locked, and have a good safe, and an equally good insurance policy.
 

holeinhead

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AWDstylez wrote:
Yea, because if I was a robber I'd definitely want to go rob the guy that was armed. :?
My thoughts as well. I wouldn't think that many would go after you if they knew you were armed. Unless some substance or psychological issue is present, I'd think they'd be more likely to avoid it in the interest of self-preservation.
 

jdoe

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Although there is no evidence to indicate gun ownership deters overall burglary rates, gun ownership may be a factor in deterring burglars from entering occupied dwellings ("hot" burglaries).

In studies involving interviews of felons, one of the reasons the majority of burglars try to avoid occupied homes is the chance of getting shot. (Increasing the odds of arrest is another.) A study of Pennsylvania burglary inmates reported that many burglars refrain from late-night burglaries because it's hard to tell if anyone is home, several explaining "That's the way to get shot." (Rengert G. and Wasilchick J., Suburban Burglary: A Time and a Place for Everything, 1985, Springfield, IL: Charles Thomas.)

By comparing criminal victimization surveys from Britain and the Netherlands (countries having low levels of gun ownership) with the U.S., Florida State University criminologist Gary Kleck determined that if the U.S. were to have similar rates of "hot" burglaries as these other nations, there would be more than 450,000 additional burglaries per year where the victim was threatened or assaulted. (Britain and the Netherlands have a "hot" burglary rate near 45% versus just under 13% for the U.S., and in the U.S. a victim is threatened or attacked 30% of the time during a "hot" burglary.)

From http://www.guncite.com/gun_control_gcdgbur.html

It looks like criminals knowing you have guns and could be in the house is a deterent.
 

Orygunner

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Unfortunately, you're not going to change their minds.

Bear with me a second, It's not as bad as you think :) .

Something I learned long ago. You can't change anyone's mind. They've made their current decision based on whatever information they have at their disposal so far, whether it be factual, emotional, whatever.If you've given them nothing new that they didn't already know, nothing will change.

The point is: You have to give them NEW information and allow them to make a NEW decision.

Exactly what information you can give them to allow the new decision, I don't know. You may have to fish a little. They've already given you some good reasons (for them) not to open carry, you need to be able to accurately and respectfully counter their objections with facts, and point out their lack of them.

"I've researched this extensively, and there are no accounts of what you're claiming ever happening because someone was OCing."

"Do you really think a criminal is going to try to enter our house KNOWING that its occupants are armed? Do you know that the majority of home robberies, (whatever the number)%, are when homeowners are gone just because they don't want to risk the homeowner being home and shooting them?"

Anyway, good luck. Research, be prepared, and be responsible.

...Orygunner...
 

Sheriff

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holeinhead wrote:
Reminds me of this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojXT9-7IGZU

If you haven't seen it, make sure to watch the end.
I have seen that video several times. I think it is staged, for a weekly cash payout or whatever it is they do on YouTube. I know a security guard with the Capital Police in DC who makes videos for YouTube hoping to hit a big cash payout.
 

Jason Rogers

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Feb 12, 2007
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Lorton, Virginia, USA
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holeinhead wrote:
AWDstylez wrote:
Yea, because if I was a robber I'd definitely want to go rob the guy that was armed. :?
My thoughts as well. I wouldn't think that many would go after you if they knew you were armed. Unless some substance or psychological issue is present, I'd think they'd be more likely to avoid it in the interest of self-preservation.
If the BG was that crazzy you would notice him following you. However you can never discount the power of human stupitidy.-Jay
 

deepdiver

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Southeast, Missouri, USA
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If I were going to argue the matter I would argue just a few points:

1) If you only have one gun and always OC it when you leave then a BG wouldn't be breaking in when you are not home to steal it. In that case, OC would make your carrying it away from the house more obvious than CC if your home were being cased thereby eliminating any firearm related reason to break in.

2) If you are home, evidence indicates that if the BG knows you have a gun you are much less likely to be the victim of a home invasion. BGs hate getting shot.

3) If you CC, somebody, somewhere is going to know you carry and have a firearm because you are at least going to have it out at the range to practice. It really is a small world in many ways and it is not unbelievable that even if you CC that a BG somewhere might find out from a friend of a friend that you have firearms.

4) Conclusion, OC generally offers no more inherent risk to a break in than does CC typically and may actually deter certain types of break-ins.
 

Task Force 16

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Jul 20, 2008
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Lobelville, Tennessee, USA
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Alwayspacking wrote:
driving a nice car can make you a target

Wearing nice jewelery out in public could cause a BG to target your home for a burglery/robbery.

Being old/frail and standing in your front yard could be inviting to burglers.
 

marshaul

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Aug 13, 2007
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Fairfax County, Virginia
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It's too late. Now that the Bad Guys have seen your gun, they're casing your house, planning to steal it. If you get rid of it now, you'll be even worse off than when you started. :shock:
 

bobcat

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Great Lakes, , USA
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It really boils down to respecting your parents wishes while you live with them. (This would be true for living under anyone elses roof as well.) At least they don't overtly object to your firearms? Chances are you won't be there too many more years. Also, if you don't already, as has been suggested, consider finding a way to lock up your firearm(s) when you aren't around so that they are not a worry to your parents. Keeping your firearms safe/secure when when are not in direct possesion of them are part of our responsibilities as firearms afficianados.

Consider carrying concealed while you're at your parents home and in their presence when out and about (when you get your permit). When you move out, do what you wish. This doesn't mean you can't OC, just be judicious about where you do it. Consider this time period just practice for learning good CC techniques and learning more about firearms laws. All the better to OC confidently when the time is right.:)

While I selectively OC, I CC when at my parents place (an OC state in the West) and other relatives homes out of respect for their wishes. They all KNOW I carry and do not have a problem as long as I'm 'discrete'. Most don't have firearms and don't want them (much less carry). That's their call and it's incumbent on me to respect that while I visit. Worse, they could ask me to completely disarm! And so could your parents.

It's a balancing act and we've all worked out an 'agreement'. Different situations require different tools and techniques. Be respectful. ;)
 

Custodian

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Here is a scenario, that I've heard come out the mouth of a criminal in a Scared Straight program, who is serving life & may receive death for recently uneartherd cold-case HOME INVASION MURDERS. I just added some details he didn't mention. So this is based on a true story in North Carolina & New Jersey.

Bob & Raheem, two burglars... Bob & Raheem are staking out some places to rob later that night & are checking out the populace. The last two houses look promising for them, as they see the occupants of those dwellings come home.

The house on the left has a major advertised home security sign out on the pristine lawn, no fence, & is occupied by a unassuming family wearing "UNC and CAROLINA" t-shirts, as they leave their minivan & get the mail. They don't notice the bad men casing their joint in a plain white van as the family seems to be oblivious to their surroundings.

Bob and Raheem smile, nod & high five themselves, like morons.

Some minutes later...

The house on the right has a chain link fence, a combo "no tresspassing & beware of dog" sign a patchy green & brown lawn. A man and his children roar into the driveway in a sport wagon next to another car. He gets out armed with a stainless 1911 on his hip & yells to his wife, "I got rifled slugs!" & pets his labrador retreiver as his kids head inside.

Bob & Raheem blink to themselves.

Gee... I wonder which house is getting robbed that night?
 
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