What home invasion experience taught me

**Rudes** · 17-08-2011, 15:49

Agreed Thorkind. Wrestling and groundwork are all important elements of a well balanced SD training program. I tend to start wrestling as a default response to an attack which is not as productive as other counter measures.

**sky123** · 17-08-2011, 16:00

Originally Posted by shooter

Thanks for posting Sky123. Did firing a rifle indoors permanently hurt your hearing badly? Also, no problems from SAPS using a hunting rifle for defence?

No hearing loss, not even a ring afterwards! It is a big space so the sound is not so compact as you would find in say a car!

All the police wanted to know was why I didn't kill them, and why do I shoot so k.k with such a nice rifle! But I won't be lulled into a mindset that the police want you to shoot BG's, they will be the first to arrest me if I shot one of them BG's.

A more worrying factor was that the police wasn't interested in investigating at all. Didn't even talk to any of the guards around our complex. I had to demand to open a case and then had to rewrite most of the info!? WTF?

**Emilio** · 17-08-2011, 16:16

at least you were not told to go and find the crims yourself.

**Grobbie** · 17-08-2011, 16:20

Great post sky123

Weve also had some run ins. Luckily it turned out a bit less hairy for us than for you.

Just one point. A lot of guys refer to the handgun as the better weapon in home defense. BUT, after trying to shoot our handguns in the dark we noticed that accuracy is almost non existant.

Lighting is very essential for home defense.

But in my humble opinion a shotgun with a mounted light is ideal for home defense in some situations. Much better chance of actually hitting anything.

And yes defending one point is a better option than getting everyone outside.

I have installed a nice trellidoor in the hallway, hopefully it gives me some time to arrange the troops and set up.

Also great idea of the communication and support group.

JEESLIKE, the stuff we have to contend with! Bastids

**sky123** · 17-08-2011, 16:29

I agree that
defending from one point a shotgun is better, thats why my wife takes my
shotgun. But once you start running, it becomes very difficult. My .303 setup
is for Bush-pig hunting at night, so it does have a tactical light, but aiming
fast while moving with any rifle is not easy, but doable if you have no other
choice!

**CharlieOlivier** · 17-08-2011, 19:11

Waldimar,

Sorry for taking so long to reply, work kept me a bit busy.

Starting a 'reaction unit' is not easily or quickly done, we have been busy with this since '98 and we are nowhere near where we want to be. We started out by just being a radio network in the neighborhood. After a while we realised that every time there is trouble it is always the same guys that respond. We then started to work together as a team. Most of us were Kommando's at the time, we are now reservists.

You will find that when you mention this idea to your neighbors everybody is interested but very few will actually pull through. Even if you are just two guys working together in the end it is still better than being alone.

Our whole idea surrounding the radio's is that when you talk over a cellphone you only talk to one person, but when talk over the radio you talk to many people including the police. Just be careful with the radio's, we have had cases where BG's break into houses/vehicles and steal nothing except the radio.

Also work in co-operation with the police. Make sure the cops now what you are doing. We have have a meeting with our station commander every fortnight. You do not want the cops turning on you at a crime scene and start to treat you as the suspect.

Always ensure that you are operating within the law.

**miklin** · 17-08-2011, 21:00

Originally Posted by Thorkind

Wrestling and other grappling based arts are extremely important to learn falling.

Agreed. I know it is not 100% transferable, but watch MMA fighting. The "stand up fighting and slogging it out" does not last long - particularly when you are winning. Invariably the fight goes to grappling, and ultimately to ground.

**sky123** · 18-08-2011, 18:40

Originally Posted by Chrisvw

Thank Sky123 for taking the time to write and get us thinking.Our community patrolls got the house burglary's from 3 a day down to 1 a week over the past year.But Its seems that the warmer weather from last week made the worms crawl out of the woodwork.But this new cold spell drove them away again.All that is left to say is the affirmative Christmas shopping season has started - BE CAREFULL

I have been trying to get our complexes security up to date for a couple of years now, but with no luck. One persons reality differs to that of another. While I have had a couple of bad experiences in the last couple of years, others within the complex haven't had any in 15years. It also seems that to convince some people that SA is a dangerous place is near impossible, ostrich syndrome maybe? The sad reality is that most people just don't want to get involved!

**Emilio** · 18-08-2011, 22:11

Originally Posted by sky123

I have been trying to get our complexes security up to date for a couple of years now, but with no luck. One persons reality differs to that of another. While I have had a couple of bad experiences in the last couple of years, others within the complex haven't had any in 15years. It also seems that to convince some people that SA is a dangerous place is near impossible, ostrich syndrome maybe? The sad reality is that most people just don't want to get involved!

I think you need to dismiss your maid

**sky123** · 18-08-2011, 23:46

Originally Posted by Emilio

I think you need to dismiss your maid

Have thought about it actually Emilio, but the employees I have, have been with my family for 20 to 45 years, when they leave, I just won't get new ones, it's not worth the hassle. With 3 of the last 4 incidents I've had, there was some sort of building or maintenance going on. Before the last incident we had, I told my wife, just watch someone's gonna get burgled, it happened to be us!