Best way to handle suspicious persons?

[slog403]

Background: Door to door suspicious persons, with a recent high spike in crime/robbery and B+E within my area.

What are your thoughts? I've heard everything here from don't answer, to answer concealed, to taking photos.

Tonight I answered, with video rolling and did not reveal my internal layout to the suspicious person. I also called PD who responded in under 10 minutes...3 officers. The 1st didn't seem interested at all in seeing my video and told the other 2 to back off.

In the video the person came close to a questionable assault at the least, all while video rolling. Is this worth following up with another PD officer when they aren't Friday night busy?

Thats also what made this seem suspicious, who goes door to door late in the evening Friday?

 

[Mr H]

Background: Door to door suspicious persons, with a recent high spike in crime/robbery and B+E within my area.

What are your thoughts? I've heard everything here from don't answer, to answer concealed, to taking photos.

Tonight I answered, with video rolling and did not reveal my internal layout to the suspicious person. I also called PD who responded in under 10 minutes...3 officers. The 1st didn't seem interested at all in seeing my video and told the other 2 to back off.

In the video the person came close to a questionable assault at the least, all while video rolling. Is this worth following up with another PD officer when they aren't Friday night busy?

Thats also what made this seem suspicious, who goes door to door late in the evening Friday?

We keep a "No Soliciting" sign on the door.

If anyone DOES come up--assuming we even bother to answer the door--they are treated politely but tersely, and invited to KEEP MOVING.

Bottom line... If you're not family and/or not expected, you are not welcomed.

 

[mopar92]

Do NOT answer door with gun in hand brandishing laws and all that within reach but out of sight. Take photos and or video for proof and file a report with cops. Make a paper trail and never tell them or hint you are armed or to come back when I'm off work etc etc etc. Remember lethal force should be the last resort. Don't shoot till you think they're dead, shoot till you've convinced them they're dead. Is rather go to jail for excessive force than know my family will bury me.

 

[slog403]

We keep a "No Soliciting" sign on the door.

If anyone DOES come up--assuming we even bother to answer the door--they are treated politely but tersely, and invited to KEEP MOVING.

Bottom line... If you're not family and/or not expected, you are not welcomed.

I actually informed this young gentlemen that Soliciting was prohibited (it is posted at the entrance of the property). I have him on video continuing to solicit other neighbors despite that, his denial, and my restatement of this

 

[slog403]

Do NOT answer door with gun in hand brandishing laws and all that within reach but out of sight. Take photos and or video for proof and file a report with cops. Make a paper trail and never tell them or hint you are armed or to come back when I'm off work etc etc etc. Remember lethal force should be the last resort. Don't shoot till you think they're dead, shoot till you've convinced them they're dead. Is rather go to jail for excessive force than know my family will bury me.

Thanks, sounds like I made the right decision. If I were rushed and over taken withing my property and assaulted things were within reach and out of sight as a last resort (I did not have a weapon on me in the public place filmed), but by no means did I jump to that. I made *no* threat of violence or inclination that arms were present. I did however document everything via police, and think I'll go for a formal report with the video given that I acted peacefully the whole time while this person almost tried to take my property from me (phone recording video). He also was almost constantly yelling derogatory terms.

 

[INMY01TA]

(I did not have a weapon on me in the public place filmed)

This incident took place in public?

 

[cowboy321]

Thanks, sounds like I made the right decision. If I were rushed and over taken withing my property and assaulted things were within reach and out of sight as a last resort (I did not have a weapon on me in the public place filmed), but by no means did I jump to that. I made *no* threat of violence or inclination that arms were present. I did however document everything via police, and think I'll go for a formal report with the video given that I acted peacefully the whole time while this person almost tried to take my property from me (phone recording video). He also was almost constantly yelling derogatory terms.

Scary but you are not in jail for brandishing....or in a. Morgue... Hard to know what to do..

 

[slog403]

This incident took place in public?

Appartment complex. So I'm not sure, its a grey area at best. I know my appartment is my property. The public walk way is well...not mine but I do lease here.

Also I'm more broadly referring to the court rulings involving video in this case, i.e. once I'm outside my apartment I have no expectation of privacy and can be filmed/photographed, etc. In my apartment well 4th amendment is mine and i support it.

It started w/ someone trying to solicit my apartment. But I filmed as he used public access ways to solicit others (on the rental property). Complicated to me and I'm not a lawyer, but regardless past break ins have been preceded by people going door to door. So I figured video couldn't hurt, and I was not armed in these walk ways but had PD and my property to fall back on.

 

[Sirex]

If I see suspicious people walking around outside, I put tin foil on my head, bayonet on the Mosin, crack the door open pointing the Mosin at the sky and yell at the people to get inside quickly, "they" are watching us, right now! They haven't come back. I did try to warn them though.


In reality, I just don't answer the door. Unless it's a hot chick, my one weakness. Shoot, I guess I've given away my weakness.

 

[montoya32]

Are there brandishing laws for your own private space/property? You can come openly wearing a weapon or carrying one on your own property, if I'm not mistaken. There should be a weapons mounted camera just like there are lights. It would make pleading your case in court much easier.

 

[slog403]

Scary but you are not in jail for brandishing....or in a. Morgue... Hard to know what to do..

Yup and it at least got PD attention, I was expecting at least 15 minutes and an "oh were sorry." They were there quick so I guess my tax payer dollars are at work. I guess its a good thing that 66% of them seemed actually concerned.

 

[slog403]

Are there brandishing laws for your own private space/property? You can come openly wearing a weapon or carrying one on your own property, if I'm not mistaken. There should be a weapons mounted camera just like there are lights. It would make pleading your case in court much easier.

Well I haven't affixed a light to one of my pistols yet so maybe I'll look into and/or develop one if not available...maybe money to be made. Live feeds to the internet for transparency?

 

[Cannon]

Background: Door to door suspicious persons, with a recent high spike in crime/robbery and B+E within my area.

What are your thoughts? I've heard everything here from don't answer, to answer concealed, to taking photos.

Tonight I answered, with video rolling and did not reveal my internal layout to the suspicious person. I also called PD who responded in under 10 minutes...3 officers. The 1st didn't seem interested at all in seeing my video and told the other 2 to back off.

In the video the person came close to a questionable assault at the least, all while video rolling. Is this worth following up with another PD officer when they aren't Friday night busy?

Thats also what made this seem suspicious, who goes door to door late in the evening Friday?

Can you tell us what he was soliciting for?

If I have any doubts about someone at my door I don't open it, sounds like you had your doubts...

Only shady people solicit on a friday night.

 

[slog403]

If I see suspicious people walking around outside, I put tin foil on my head, bayonet on the Mosin, crack the door open pointing the Mosin at the sky and yell at the people to get inside quickly, "they" are watching us, right now! They haven't come back. I did try to warn them though.


In reality, I just don't answer the door. Unless it's a hot chick, my one weakness. Shoot, I guess I've given away my weakness.

I still gotta scrub the cosmo from my mosins...well not that it really matters with a bayonet or is that in violation of the Hague or something?

 

[slog403]

Can you tell us what he was soliciting for?

If I have any doubts about someone at my door I don't open it, sounds like you had your doubts...

Only shady people solicit on a friday night.

"News papers with samples" but when I asked to see his bag in which he said he had them he had none and got really sketched out

 

[Cannon]

I was gonna ask if it was newspapers, I've had young black kids knock on my door in the evening trying to get me to buy the Balto. Sun and they mention something about getting a scholarship if they sell enough papers.

Sounds like the stupidest program ever if it's legit.

 

[slog403]

I was gonna ask if it was newspapers, I've had young black kids knock on my door in the evening trying to get me to buy the Balto. Sun and they mention something about getting a scholarship if they sell enough papers.

Sounds like the stupidest program ever if it's legit.

The last time it was "BGE power" right after a bunch of news hitting about people trying to sell that and then they turned into home invasions. That time I reported to PD with pics as well and little to no response. ~1 week later 2 doors down kicked in on a weekend night...

I'm not a detective but things seem fishy (this wasn't the first such occurring either so I'm doing my best to document).

 

[Sirex]

I think in a home, you can come to the door wearing a gun holstered from my understanding, as long as you aren't pointing or threatening with it. If you are inside and don't come out or point it, it's not brandishing. It's inside your property. I don't know regarding a rented property though. But as far as I know, it's legal to carry inside your home, just don't go outside with it unless you have a permit;
http://www.waechterlawfirm.com/Practice-Areas/Handgun-Offenses.shtml

 

[ADR]

I won't speculate regarding appartments, condos, etc... but you don't need a permit to carry a legally owned weapon on your private property inside or outside. (Key phrase being "your property")

I'm not saying it's a prudent thing to do or that everybody should do it just that you don't need to be afraid to step out of your door and onto your land with a holstered weapon. You want to mow your lawn with a 1911 strapped to your side, go right ahead just stay on your property and don't go waving it around, etc...

Again, not saying it's always a wise choice but it's not illegal.

 

[slog403]

I won't speculate regarding appartments, condos, etc... but you don't need a permit to carry a legally owned weapon on your private property inside or outside. (Key phrase being "your property")

I'm not saying it's a prudent thing to do or that everybody should do it just that you don't need to be afraid to step out of your door and onto your land with a holstered weapon. You want to mow your lawn with a 1911 strapped to your side, go right ahead just stay on your property and don't go waving it around, etc...

Again, not saying it's always a wise choice but it's not illegal.

I feel like this is a wise point as well but MD is so darn confusing maybe one of the resident lawyers could way in (Rusty Shackleford?). Either way he never asked me to stop filming so my property or not his ridiculous behavior was uncalled for.

Also I was pretty much on my door step for the whole filming that it would be hard to say I was not on my property, or at least pursued in good faith if I were carrying. I did not in this case but would be curious to know what the deal is for renters.

The criminals in this area at least aren't that smart...3 marked cars in the lot usually and a lot of other residents respect 2A. Pick the wrong door on the wrong night for a similar kick down/break in as recently and things could turn south for the criminals.

Regardless lethal force is still my last option, but it seems this area is escalating outside of my day to day.