Someone messing with your car

[DarthMuffin]

A scenario for you:

Let's say you've got a nice car. It's your new dream car, or it's a classic you've spent years sweating over restoring. Either way, it means a lot to you.

You're alone and leave a store into the parking lot to find someone messing up your car. They're keying it, breaking windows, or they're inside ripping the dash to shreds trying to get at the stereo. You're armed, have a cell, and they don't see you yet. You're at an angle where you can probably approach without being detected. Assume you're probably not a match for the guy physically.

What do you do?

As much as I'd like to administer a little justice here, I keep coming back to drawing as the wrong thing to do. I'm not a cop and not trained to hold people (until real cops arrive, assuming I could even call them while holding a BG at gunpoint), and I'm not necessarily ready to shoot (say he turns and starts walking away, I'm not shooting him in the back).

Yell "hey you" and scare him off from a distance and let him get away?

Sit back quietly and call the police while noting any details that may help?

Draw down and tell him to drop his ID and then run? What if he says he doesn't have any?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[NC Bullseye]

I also have insurance to cover my dream car.

[BikerRN]

I also have insurance to cover my dream car.

I was thinking along the same lines as I read this.

Insurance, it's what questions like this is made for.

Biker

[msgt/ret]

I was thinking along the same lines as I read this.

Insurance, it's what questions like this is made for.

Biker

+1 on the insurance, mine is insured with a company that specializes in antique and collector cars and covers for the replacement value.

[dukalmighty]

Call the cops and be a good witness,in that scenario even in Texas you can't legally shoot them,now if you confront them and they attack you,well that's a whole new ballgame

[archer51]

Stay back and call 911, letting them know the act is in-progress (might get a faster response than already done and gone). Let the police and insurance company handle it from there.

[rstickle]

Stay back and call 911, letting them know the act is in-progress (might get a faster response than already done and gone). Let the police and insurance company handle it from there.

+1, and stay on the line with 911 so that if he leaves before the cops arrive I can at least let them know more about what "he" was wearing and which way he went. And be prepared to get a plate number just in case he leaves be car!

[farronwolf]

If it is at a store of someplace like that, about all you can do is call 911, give the description, and yell at the guy to try to get him to stop before tearing any more up.

In Texas if it happens to be at your home, there are times when you can just shoot the SOB then call the cops.

[automatic slim]

It depends a lot on state law. Some states like New Mexico, allow the use of deadly force in defense of your property. Since that's where I live, I'd shoot the SOB.

[ccw9mm]

It depends a lot on state law. Some states like New Mexico, allow the use of deadly force in defense of your property. Since that's where I live, I'd shoot the SOB.

Criminals who damage property in New Mexico are addressed by NM 30-15-1:

30-15-1. Criminal damage to property.

Criminal damage to property consists of intentionally damaging any real or personal property of another without the consent of the owner of the property.

Whoever commits criminal damage to property is guilty of a petty misdemeanor, except that when the damage to the property amounts to more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) he is guilty of a fourth degree felony.

New Mexico statute 30-2-7 indicates:

30-2-7. Justifiable homicide by citizen.

Homicide is justifiable when committed by any person in any of the following cases:

A. when committed in the necessary defense of his life, his family or his property, or in necessarily defending against any unlawful action directed against himself, his wife or family;

B. when committed in the lawful defense of himself or of another and when there is a reasonable ground to believe a design exists to commit a felony or to do some great personal injury against such person or another, and there is imminent danger that the design will be accomplished; or

C. when necessarily committed in attempting, by lawful ways and means, to apprehend any person for any felony committed in his presence, or in lawfully suppressing any riot, or in necessarily and lawfully keeping and preserving the peace.

The wording in the statute indicates that the use of lethal force is warranted in the case of "necessary" defense of people, property.

In a trial for having shot someone, how does one parry the questions about necessity, when one walks up and "just shoots him"? Got any suggestions for how to explain the necessity?

[Cuda66]

Call the cops, be a good witness.

As was stated earlier, that's why we have insurance.

And even if we didn't, a car (even my dream Veyron or DBS) would not be worth the hassle.

It is, after all, just a car.

[retsupt99]

Being on the phone with 911 and taking 'mental notes' is about all most states are going to allow, and it does frustrate me.
Yes, I have insurance, but in an ideal world...insurance should only have to replace my bullets and pay for 'clean up'.

I do like the laws in NM and TX that allow the defense of property...I think it should be allowed in all states (a dream, of course).OMO

[MadMac]

You would consider pulling a gun and threatening or choosing to kill someone over your car?

You need to reevaluate your priorities.

I see too many people who love things and use people.

We were put on this Earth to love people and use things.

You may not feel "love" towards someone trashing your "dream" car, but considering killing them shows a weak moral compass.

[nosights]

I would shoot a couple of warning shots into the air to let the BG know I mean business. Then yell at him to get on the ground and put his hands behind his head. Then I would flash my CCW badge at him (it's real shiney like) to show him my authority....

OK, so I would call 911 and watch from a safe distance. I would have a hard time gathering details as I would be dreaming up the next color scheme and stereo upgrades that my insurance is paying for on my '69 Fury...thinking wider stripes this time...

[GWRedDragon]

I would suggest taking pictures/video of the guy with the camera that is probably built-in to your phone.