I live in a town of ~900 souls. Nearest town over 3000 souls is 28 miles west of me. In the last 7 days there have been 8 armed robberies:comeandgetsome: within 30 miles of my home. Town of Mt. Vernon Iowa( pop. ~3000, college town 7 miles west of me) had the Pump and Pantry, Video Village robbed and laundromat broken into. Lisbon IA, (pop. ~1,000 6 miles west of me) the Dollar General store was robbed, West Liberty IA (pop. ~1500, 20 miles SW of me) bank was robbed, Cedar Rapids Iowa, (pop. ~100,000 area, 28 miles west of me) Casey General Store (like a 7-11) robbed, Motel Six robbed one shot, one pistol whipped, and another robbery I can't remember what it was. This is not considered a high threat area in eastern Iowa. We do have gangs moving in from the Chicago area 4 hours east of here. Just busted a gang banger in our town for a hit and run in CR Friday morning. Our sons friend walked in on the DG robbery. I expect the home invasions to soon increase when the risk of armed robbery gets to high. Police are doing the best they can, and most of them are good, but they can only respond, not prevent and protect. So if I walk in on a robbery, or someone attempts to rob or harm myself or the love of my life, I have to be armed to defend myself. Now when a sheep or just an interested individual asks me why I carry, I simply ask them, "Have you read the local paper lately?" Not paranoid, just reality based.