Lawless UK.

[Diasi]

I can't argue with that. What it boils down to is if you in any way try to defend yourself with any weapon from an intruder you run a considerable risk of ending up in court and possibly in jail. No old person would be able to defend themselves from a young assailant without a weapon. Quite possibly not with one either unless it could be used from a distance.

No old person would be able to defend themselves from a young assailant without a weapon. Quite possibly not with one either unless it could be used from a distance.

And you've just answered both of my concerns.

I have a stark choice between potentially being dead if I don't shoot or ending up in jail if I do shoot.

Of course, having to face an intruder is highly unlikely, which is what the murdered dog owner probably thought.

It's not good having to consider what I'm considering.

[klondike]

I've pretty much solved that dilemma for myself. I don't think about it. No point worrying about what you can't fix.

[JBR]

It seems to me that there are two widely differing situations regarding home defence.

In the US, the home owner has a right to shoot an intruder if they feel to be in danger.
In the UK, the criminal has the right to break into your home in the knowledge that you will be prosecuted if you harm him in any way.
Of course, the UK system encourages such crime, especially as any punishments meted out to a criminal, if caught!, are often derisory.

I'd be interested to learn what the situation is in other countries in this respect, especially in places like West Europe and Australasia, for example.

[GrannyMac]

I've pretty much solved that dilemma for myself. I don't think about it. No point worrying about what you can't fix.

I decided a while ago to adopt that solution about a lot of things. 😉

[Diasi]

It seems to me that there are two widely differing situations regarding home defence.

In the US, the home owner has a right to shoot an intruder if they feel to be in danger.
In the UK, the criminal has the right to break into your home in the knowledge that you will be prosecuted if you harm him in any way.
Of course, the UK system encourages such crime, especially as any punishments meted out to a criminal, if caught!, are often derisory.

I'd be interested to learn what the situation is in other countries in this respect, especially in places like West Europe and Australasia, for example.

Well said, as an intruder can only be shot if they choose to become an intruder, & of course, an intruder doesn't need a weapon to inflict serious or fatal injuries on an elderly person.

https://tinyurl.com/5t4f62m4

I know it's an old case, it's just one example of many such attacks.

I'm now looking at it from the perspective of which is the better option:

a: to have a crossbow & not need one.

b: to need a crossbow & not have one.

I'm 90% persuaded towards option a:.

[Scrumpy]

There was a guy on GMB this morning.. Some big knob in the police union..
 The presenters were reading an article saying that .. Burglary.. Theft (of any description) .. stolen cars.. dogs  .. muggings.. car tax.. was being ignored by the police..
When the union guy was asked why.. he said the police were having to do 'Other' things..  He was asked  'What other things?' the guy just waffled on and on.. Never giving a real answer..
The presenters couldn't believe their ears.. saying that the guy gave no answer to the problems concerning the police..
 So.. If you get mugged.. house broken into.. car/pet stolen  etc: It is a waste of time calling the police.. 
I guess that is one of the reason why householders/public are arming..
 themselves..
 Heaven knows why we pay the police... because it certainly isn't the tax payer that they are helping..

[Diasi]

There was a guy on GMB this morning.. Some big knob in the police union..
 The presenters were reading an article saying that .. Burglary.. Theft (of any description) .. stolen cars.. dogs  .. muggings.. car tax.. was being ignored by the police..
When the union guy was asked why.. he said the police were having to do 'Other' things..  He was asked  'What other things?' the guy just waffled on and on.. Never giving a real answer..
The presenters couldn't believe their ears.. saying that the guy gave no answer to the problems concerning the police..
 So.. If you get mugged.. house broken into.. car/pet stolen  etc: It is a waste of time calling the police..
I guess that is one of the reason why householders/public are arming..
 themselves..
 Heaven knows why we pay the police... because it certainly isn't the tax payer that they are helping..

he said the police were having to do 'Other' things.

Busy trying to trace people like me who still call gays shirtlifters.

As regards the crossbow, statistically it's unlikely that I'll face an intruder but is also fair to say that modern policing makes it less & less statistically unlikely.

For example, where we live, a night time emergency requiring the police could mean a 20 minute dash on blue lights for the nearest available officer to attend, by which time the offender would be well away.

Home defence involves two main aspects,

1: being aware

2: being prepared

I would say that 99% of people who face an intruder in their home are found by the intruder & taken totally by surprise. Game over for the householder.

I have addressed 1: being aware by having 4 perimeter alarm PIR detectors that will inform me where an intruder is on our property by a simple doorbell type sound (each one having a different sound) & an illuminated number on the panel.

We then have numerous cameras both inside & outside, 15 in total, which activate voice alert announcements to inform me which camera has been triggered (motion detected by garden one camera etc) & I can then view the cameras on my bedroom TV without having to get out of bed.

The only rooms in the house without a camera are the downstairs toilet, the en-suite, but the bedroom has one, & the bathroom.

In addition we have three separate alarm systems which share the same detectors, but serve different functions, & every room except the en-suite & bathroom has a detector. The downstairs toilet has a detector as it's on the secluded side of the house but the perimeter alarm will have told me they're there & the fact it's going off numerous times would indicate they're trying to get in through that window.

The crossbow would be to address 2: being prepared. Game over for the intruder if they persist.

[klondike]

My system is a lot simpler than that. Standard CCTV (5 cameras) with motion detect turned off. Burglar alarm left off now after a couple of false alarms. I'll take comfort in knowing that if I'm murdered in my bed there will at least be some CCTV if the police are still bothering with investigating murders then and haven't switched to full time policing of Twitter for misgendering and hate speech of the type mentioned.

[Diasi]

My system is a lot simpler than that. Standard CCTV (5 cameras) with motion detect turned off. Burglar alarm left off now after a couple of false alarms. I'll take comfort in knowing that if I'm murdered in my bed there will at least be some CCTV if the police are still bothering with investigating murders then and haven't switched to full time policing of Twitter for misgendering and hate speech of the type mentioned.

Our alarm systems are fully wireless & the external sounder is mains powered via a 12v power supply but to mitigate the nuisance of any false alarms at night I've disconnected the back-up battery so that the sounder won't work if there's no power supply from the mains transformer.

The external sounder transformer is plugged into a smart plug & set to disarm at 23:00 & rearm at 06:00 & all the systems are WiFi & Alexa controlled with event notifications sent to my smartphone. Therefore the neighbours will never have to endure our alarms going off for more than a minute or so.

Also I've prepared for the fact that a determined intruder can easily open a meter box & isolate the power to a house by doing the following:

1: the meter box door is protected by a locking metal staple & hasp which is secured by bolts.

2: the meter box has a camera covering it.

3: the meter box has an internal PIR detector which triggers all the alarms, on a 24 hour basis regardless whether or not the alarms are set, if the door is opened & as the alarm panels have back-up batteries the disconnected power supply won't have any effect.

Finally, I can communicate with a would-be intruder via any of the cameras so I will be able to warn them of the fact that I have a loaded repeating crossbow which I will use to shoot them if they enter the house & I regard them as being a threat to me.

The choice is then up to them.

[JBR]

If I were the PM, I'd insist on the police doing their job in fighting crime and make them stop attacking people's freedom of speech.

Perhaps an even better option would be to enable private security forces to take over the job and take the money to fund them from the police budget.

If the police don't want to do the job, give it to someone who will.

[Diasi]

If I were the PM, I'd insist on the police doing their job in fighting crime and make them stop attacking people's freedom of speech.

Perhaps an even better option would be to enable private security forces to take over the job and take the money to fund them from the police budget.

If the police don't want to do the job, give it to someone who will.

!00% my view as well.

The police & judiciary shouldn't be allowed to have it both way, if they can't guarantee my safety then I should be allowed to do things that will.