If an intruder came into your home how would you react?

You can replace intruder (someone who comes in unauthorized [not permitted] to also commit more than zero crimes) with intruders or trespasser (someone who is simply unauthorized to be somewhere) or trespassers.



You can replace you or home or both with whichevers else or whichever else or both.



Anyways if an intruder came into my home I think I would call the cops. I think my mother would do the same.
 

Yal

🐧 *penguin noises*
GMC Elder
I always sleep with a hammer under my bed. And a screwdriver. I'd be fine.
(We've got a dog that'd scare off or at least alert us to the presence of zero or more invaders)

The trick to defensive knife fighting is to use the knife as a shield, and hold it at arm's length to create as much distance as possible between your assailant and your vital organs. (Point the pointy end towards the assailant for best results). It probably works with other objects too, if they're sufficiently intimidating. Try covering your hammer in duct tape, it makes it more intimidating. Also it's more comfortable to sleep on.
 

TsukaYuriko

☄️
Forum Staff
Moderator
(We've got a dog that'd scare off or at least alert us to the presence of zero or more invaders)
They alert you about zero invaders? Must be hell trying to sleep when there are zero invaders around most of the time... 🤔

I'd be fine. They'd get terrified as soon as they enter my room, turn around, leave, and never look back. If they don't enter my room... well, I have a problem.
 

kburkhart84

Firehammer Games
It all depends on the type of intruder, time of day, etc...

If we are talking intruder that is simply someone we know but isn't welcome, but isn't threatening, I likely just ask them to leave and call the cops if they don't.

If we are talking an intruder that is threatening, or even worse if it is a case of someone showing up overnight....well that's a different story. There is a variant of the "cowabunga it is!" meme about burglars and your stereo typical gun owner in Texas(USA), where everybody supposedly owns guns, etc...). I personally don't own guns, but I'm well trained enough in self-defense that a burglar better have guns or indeed, "cowabunga it is!!!!!" When it comes to the lives of me and mine, you better be prepared and willing to do what is necessary because I sure as hell am. I'd be the guy that would have the burglar begging me to call the cops while I tell them I'd rather keep having fun :)

EDIT****

I figured I'd add a relevant story. My sister-in-laws abusive (now ex) husband followed her into my apartment years ago. I ended up breaking his nose, and He ended up in the hospital, but not without making the cowardly move of breaking my back glass on my 2000 Hyundai Tiburon I had at the time. Their younger kids didn't like me for a time(as I had broken their dad's face), but they grew up to understand soon enough, especially when they finally go divorced.

So yeah, if an actual threat arrives, you should take care of your family right away and call the cops later if needed(assuming the threat is real).
 

Yal

🐧 *penguin noises*
GMC Elder
So yeah, if an actual threat arrives, you should take care of your family right away and call the cops later if needed(assuming the threat is real).
Seconding this. In most cases, police will show up only after a crime has already happened, and just take notes. There's plenty of time for someone that's out to hurt you to do whatever they were planning. Don't count on being saved, and don't outsource being saved if you can do it yourself.

Also side note, there's a psychological effect called... Hyena Syndrome...(?) where when a bunch of people witness a crime, nobody does anything because they think someone else will do something. If you're in a situation like this and need to get the ball rolling, point at someone and just give them orders and they might snap out of it.
 

kburkhart84

Firehammer Games
Seconding this. In most cases, police will show up only after a crime has already happened, and just take notes. There's plenty of time for someone that's out to hurt you to do whatever they were planning. Don't count on being saved, and don't outsource being saved if you can do it yourself.
100%...this is the elaboration of my point and always accurate. The cops are never there when you need them(though they somehow are around when you don't need them, fancy that). If there isn't currently a threat and it is a case someone just not being welcome, it's fine to just call the cops, but as soon as something elevates into a threat, you have to neutralize the threat by any means necessary for the safety of you and yours.

Also side note, there's a psychological effect called... Hyena Syndrome...(?) where when a bunch of people witness a crime, nobody does anything because they think someone else will do something. If you're in a situation like this and need to get the ball rolling, point at someone and just give them orders and they might snap out of it.
First time I've seen that term for it, it's usually called the bystander effect.
I've heard of this....but I'm not convinced it is caused by people thinking someone else will handle it. I think it simply because some people simply freeze under duress and straight up panic and are unable to do anything. That said, the solution of giving orders may indeed resolve the issue, as it snaps them out of their panic in many cases. They freeze because they don't know what to do, so giving them something to do helps. The advice is of course valid regardless if it is caused by freezing panic or by people thinking someone else will handle things.

******

Up to a certain point in my life, any time the discussion came up whether I would be able to act in a situation or not, I was always realistic and would say that I think I would be able to function and react to the situation. One day years ago(years before the other incident I mentioned above), I was proven correct. Unfortunately, my co-worker was one of the ones that panic and ended up dead. I was managing at a Burger King location in West Dallas(often considered part of the famous Oak Cliff). I was in the office verifying a deposit from the night before, and a cashier was with me on the phone. The shooter went into the side door, grabbed my cook threatening her with a handgun, then saw us in the office, released the cook, and went to the office. She(yes, it was a lady) tried to get in the office but I had the door locked. Instead of the whole point the gun and threaten to shoot if you don't give me the money thing, She panicked and just started shooting at us in the office. I was able to hit the floor pushed up close to the safe to remove the visual shot angle, but my cashier did the whole freeze, panic, scream thing and took a shot to the head and died on the way to the hospital.

So yeah, it IS a real thing for some people to simply freeze up and not be able to react in situations like these. I don't know if my cashier would have been able to respond had I given her orders to drop down because there simply wasn't time to get that far.

**********EDIT

My company ended up closing that Burger King location, albeit years later after this incident. That area has always been a high crime place. This news from 2020 happened just across the street from it at the 7-Eleven I would always get drinks from for my overnight shifts at that store.
 

Shut

Member
Well, if it's not a burglary.. and we're talking about some person just showing up randomly then I'd keep calm and try to ask some questions first.

Back in 1984 on a cold winter night, when I was going through literal hell - addicted to heroin, financial difficulties and I'm talking about no electricity at home and just enough food to survive, psychosis, divorce, dealing with my best friend's death.. I won't go too much into details but just to get an idea about the mental state I was in. So, it was quite late at night and I left home just wandering, walking around the neighborhood and thinking about things.. then I remembered that my best friend that I mentioned was planning to move to one of the blocks nearby and for some reason I just went into that building and started walking up the stairs. On about 5th floor, a man just opened the door of his apartment and as he was leaving and locking the door, I politely asked if he could give me a glass of water. I wasn't dying of thirst, but wasn't feeling too well either, so didn't think much about it when I asked. Waiting for his answer, he just dodged me in a kind of a very rude way saying something along to get the hell out of there. It all happened in just a few seconds, but as soon as he did that I got filled with the worst rage, disgust and even thinking about someone else being there in place of me who could really be dying of thirst and it just made me turn into some kind of monster and dragged him down the stairs as I had my arms around his neck just so that he could barely breathe. As he was shouting for help and neighbors from that floor started opening their doors, an old lady asked me what the hell was going on, so I just shortly explained that I asked him for a glass of water. A few more seconds passed, I still have him pinned down and that old lady suddenly gives me a glass of water. Then once the situation calmed down a bit, cops showed up also immediately and I was taken to the police department. Luckily, after explaining it all they let me go and even drove me back. So.. yeah, that's what the other side of the story could be in case of a random person showing up nearby, you never know. Just to be clear, I never showed any aggression or threat, just in a very polite manner asked the man for a glass of water. Also, it wasn't in 1984, but it was about 10 years ago when I was still really young. It all just felt like George Orwell's 1984, although I've never read that book either.
 
Last edited:

woods

Member
47yrs old.. spent the first half of my life in the deep mountains in the woods.. ex marine corps..
my house is the most safest/dangerous place in the town..
i will stand in front of anyone that needs me.. and i will defend that which is mine to the best of my ability.

"cowabunga it is!" 👍
 

Ericbomb

Member
Just call the police and leave. Like I'll climb out the balcony no hesitation. Everything is insured and replaceable except my body.

If they hurt my kittens though I will cry, so I will try to bring my kitties with me.
 

Roa

Member
No way to know his intents, and there is nothing good of an intruder INSIDE a residence. But there are lots of guns laying around here to mag dump on him with zero hesitation if I think it's warranted. He'd get a warning unless he is holding something, other than that, he's going to be scrubbed out of the carpet.

Not something I mess with.

It's very easy for them to flip the script, act violently, and close distance fast in a close and cluttered environment. The guy above is a perfect example of how quickly something can change and get out of control without notice.

Even if he leaves, the LEOs will be on him in minutes. Even if he might not want to mess with me, surely he will try with someone else who might not be as fortunate.


I know that's a very taboo take given most people here are outside the USA. But my right to safety in my own home outweighs any hesitation or his right to safety. Any man who values their life does not break into and menace in someone else's abode. You're life is forfeit if I have to question mine being on the table.
 
Last edited:

Roa

Member
....made me turn into some kind of monster and dragged him down the stairs as I had my arms around his neck just so that he could barely breathe. As he was shouting for help .... I still have him pinned down ....
Just to be clear, I never showed any aggression or threat...
🤔

The guy literally had to scream and beg for help while you strangled him, forcefully drag him around, taking him hostage and with no intent on stopping.. jesus dude, if that's not aggression, idk what is. I try to be understanding of people's situations, but lets just say I would not have handled it that way, from your perspective or the old ladies.
 

Shut

Member
🤔

The guy literally had to scream and beg for help while you strangled him, forcefully drag him around, taking him hostage and with no intent on stopping.. jesus dude, if that's not aggression, idk what is. I try to be understanding of people's situations, but lets just say I would not have handled it that way, from your perspective or the old ladies.
I meant that I didn't show any aggression until he insulted me first and in a cynical way. He could have just politely told me to ask someone else and I'm sure it would have affected my reaction as well.

In short, I asked him in a most humane way possible while his response was a complete opposite of that. No one is forced to give a glass of water to a complete stranger, but disrespect and insulting them is a whole different subject. He was also a few years older than me, bigger than me physically and I'm sure he wasn't expecting me to act that way because of that.
 
Last edited:

kburkhart84

Firehammer Games
No way to know his intents, and there is nothing good of an intruder INSIDE a residence. But there are lots of guns laying around here to mag dump on him with zero hesitation if I think it's warranted. He'd get a warning unless he is holding something, other than that, he's going to be scrubbed out of the carpet.

Not something I mess with.

It's very easy for them to flip the script, act violently, and close distance fast in a close and cluttered environment. The guy above is a perfect example of how quickly something can change and get out of control without notice.

Even if he leaves, the LEOs will be on him in minutes. Even if he might not want to mess with me, surely he will try with someone else who might not be as fortunate.


I know that's a very taboo take given most people here are outside the USA. But my right to safety in my own home outweighs any hesitation or his right to safety. Any man who values their life does not break into and menace in someone else's abode. You're life is forfeit if I have to question mine being on the table.
100% buddy. Texas(where I'm at) is part of the reason us 'muricans get this stereotype thrown at us. We don't mind though since it's completely accurate :)
 

Rob

Member
You can replace intruder (someone who comes in unauthorized [not permitted] to also commit more than zero crimes) with intruders or trespasser (someone who is simply unauthorized to be somewhere) or trespassers.



You can replace you or home or both with whichevers else or whichever else or both.



Anyways if an intruder came into my home I think I would call the cops. I think my mother would do the same.
I would jump up in the air, trying to make a "boing" sound, and then try to land on their head, feet first.

Last time I tried it I smacked my head on the ceiling and they ran off but Wario assures me it will work next time!
 
Top