Someone broke into my home....

[indacup]

Last night I fell asleep on the couch...my wife went to the bedroom and around 2am I woke up to a noise in the kitchen....

I walked to the kitchen and on the way there saw a side window to the house open...screen missing....got to the kitchen and saw a male adult standing there by my wife's purse.

I snapped.

I rushed him...apparently scared the [censored] out of him too because as soon as I threw him against the wall, he dropped to his knees and pleaded not to hurt him...that he was "lost"...I reached down grabbed him by the shirt around the shoulders and dragged him out of the house and threw him out the door.

It all happened so fast I had to stand there and wonder if it was a dream.

Once I collected myself, I saw the front porch light still on (activated by the motion detector)...and the side window open, screen torn off...and realized it was not my imagination.

I went to the bedroom, woke my wife and called the police.

Barney Fife arrived immediately...took down the details and said he'd keep me posted.

About 30 minutes later he shows up said he apprehended someone and asks me to come out to the car and I.D. him.

Sure 'nuff, same guy.

Turns out he was a transient from Missouri.....with a history of breaking/entering and burglary.

So it's "all over"...but now, just a couple hours later, I am shaking....I cannot describe the feelings I have....anger of being "Violated"...someone entering my previously safe and happy home...I mean, I NEVER locked my home before...now, I have too...reality has set in this morning.

Also, the other thing that really bothers me is the rage and hatred that went thru me when I saw him there...

Seriously, if he did not drop to his knees and plead, I think I would have caused serious damage to him....My last...maybe only thought when I rushed him was "split his head".

This behavior, that thought process, is not me....I mean it might have been when I lived in California...but not the "Rory of Iowa"...I am humiliated right now..angry and ashamed.

Am I wrong?

 

[Wayneo]

Rory, you should have beaten him to a pulp. I'm not a violent person by any means, but he was in your home, your sanctuary, and he had no right being there. You were protecting your family.

In my opinion, you should be patting yourself on the back. 2 thumbs up for showing some restraint. That was your animal instinct of fight or flight returning to the more human logic and reasoning.

 

[Kumabjorn]

Nope, that is the "normal" process in cases like this. A man's home is his sanctuary and the feeling of violation becomes very real, mainly because you don't expect it. It is something that only happens to "others". The next step for you will be "What if he was a":
a) rapist
b) serial killer
c) mentally disturbed

You really need someone who knows you thoroughly and is willing to listen and support you in a situation like this. I know it isn't much of a comfort right now, but the fact that it happened means that statistically it is unlikely to happen again. Rationality however, is of very limited comfort right now. Maybe there is a support group for crime victims in your vicinity?

 

[xamilo]

It's great to hear everything was ok and nothing happened to you.

I think your response would be the "normal" response any male would have.

He huge issue would have been if he would have not being alone, armed, or something like that, since you could have get hurt, shot, killed, and then we would have had a horrible time.

A really good friend of mine had a similar situation with burglars, but the result was he got shot by "the other guy" three times in the back. He is doing great now a days, but we did have a hard time with him a the hospital...


Again, its wonderful to know nothing happened....

 

[chemboy2]

Rory, no need to feel humiliated or ashamed. As the others have said, you acted appropriately for the situation; defense of your home/family.

Now, the "what if" scenarios, those area enough to keep you from sleeping at night. I'd try not to think about those.

 

[goatster]

glad to hear everything is ok.
the splitting the head thing i think is a instinctual response of protecting your family.

 

[MCDavis]

Your restraint when he begged shows you to be a bigger man than you realize, Rory. I don't know that I could've stopped.

 

[FATC1TY]

I wouldn't have stopped. Infact, I wouldn't have even touched the guy. I would have shot him on the spot. He wouldn't have left my house on his own two feet..

There is sense of being taken advantage of, and the feeling of not being very comfortable in your own home is something terrible. It's the worst kinda sick feeling of being vulnerable that just isn't a way to live. To think of what COULD have happened, had the guy not just been taken by surprise. He could have been drugged out, he could have been armed with a weapon. He could have fought back. It's the what-if's that bother you after it's all said and done.

Good on you that it turned out well this time. Good for the police that they found that POS... And good for the guy that he was lucky to have broken into a home of someone who didn't kill him.

I would have gone ballistic. I've been broken into, and should I ever witness it again in my home, while me or my loved one are there. There WILL BE a coroner showing up to remove the stains from my house.

Hope everything works out for you Rory, it's just the times we live in..

For you to feel ashamed... THAT is wrong. Why on earth would you be ashamed? Humiliated? You were taken advantage of, and put into a bad and dangerous situation. You had every right to destroy that man, and you have ever right to be angry to your core for what happened. You did nothing wrong, and shouldn't feel bad because your angry and upset.

 

[FATC1TY]

Your restraint when he begged shows you to be a bigger man than you realize, Rory. I don't know that I could've stopped.

Absolutely. If I didn't shoot him to death first, or incapacitate him from it. I would have kept beating on him until I couldn't anymore. Who knows how you would have acted if you really knew what was going on.

 

[xamilo]

Absolutely. If I didn't shoot him to death first, or incapacitate him from it. I would have kept beating on him until I couldn't anymore. Who knows how you would have acted if you really knew what was going on.

I agree anybody who trespasses your private property should be shot 20 times, the problem is the law will always be against you even if you where just defending yourself....

 

[FATC1TY]

I agree anybody who trespasses your private property should be shot 20 times, the problem is the law will always be against you even if you where just defending yourself....

Not where I live. Castle doctrine. We shoot first, ask second.

I wouldn't shoot anyone 20 times unless they kept coming at me anyways. But if someone broke into my home, I don't even need to say a word, or check to see if they are armed. I will and can shoot. Once they drop, I call the police and the paper work flies around. If it's done lawfully and in fear for your life, they simply can not take you down.

The law is not against you protecting yourself at home, in anyway.

 

[mddubya]

Rory, glad everything turned out ok and all he was after was money.

What you did and how you now feel are both perfectly normal. Ages ago when I lived in Memphis with my 1st wife out house was broken into several times. I went through all the same emotions, only they didn't catch the perp right away. My anger and rage grew and festered to the point I spent many a nights sitting in a dark corner with a loaded pistol hoping he'd come again. The police finally caught the guy breaking into another house and I able to get a decent nights sleep again. So don't beat yourself up over the normal emotion and reaction you displayed. Like others have said, he displayed more restraint than most would have when you didn't pulverize him even after he begged you not to.

 

[JEFF4i]

Glad it all turned out okay Rory.

Wasn't even in my home, but when my bike was stolen I had a similar reaction.

But again, your family being okay is the key to the story.

 

[slickpitt]

Man I'm glad everything turned out ok. You're not wrong for having the feelings you have. I hope that never happens to me, because I'm fairly sure I'd shoot the SOB... and that's not something I really want to have to live with.

 

[Kumabjorn]

Not where I live. Castle doctrine. We shoot first, ask second.

I wouldn't shoot anyone 20 times unless they kept coming at me anyways. But if someone broke into my home, I don't even need to say a word, or check to see if they are armed. I will and can shoot. Once they drop, I call the police and the paper work flies around. If it's done lawfully and in fear for your life, they simply can not take you down.

The law is not against you protecting yourself at home, in anyway.

You should be glad you're not Swedish. A friend of mine had his house broken into and he hit the burglar with an 8 iron (he had been practicing his grip while in bed) and crushed the burglar's windpipe. He did two years for involuntary manslaughter. Clean record. The reason for the conviction was that the burglar hadn't attacked him, hence it wasn't deemed as self defence. After six months he was allowed to spend weekends with his family outside the penitentiary. He never paid for a beer at the club until he got out.