Why?: Man walks in on home burglary in progress

[kapnketel]

I would not block it in and leave on foot. My car is a nice safe place from which to watch things unfold at a distance while on the phone with 911.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[OldVet]

I honestly would not have called the police solely based on a "suspicious car" in my driveway, either. Could have been someone visiting a family member, someone parked in your parking space (happens a lot in tight parking situations for condos and houses in urban areas), etc. Now, had it been seen that a door/window/etc was also broken into... then yeah I wouldn't just run in to see what was going on.

Maybe the guy lived alone? No family? Or perhaps the kicked-in door gave him a hint?

[OldVet]

BAD IDEA blocking off the vehicle.

Say the burglar comes out and finds you parking behind him, you just cut off his escape, confrontation ensues, you shoot bad guy.

That sounds like you escalated the situation in prosecution lingo.

keep driving away, park down the street, call 911.

That's stretching the scenerio about as far as possible.

[NMB]

That's stretching the scenerio about as far as possible.

Why risk it? Im carrying a gun and now I have blocked an escape route for a criminal.

The situation has been escalated like it or not.

Call it in and be a good witness.

[Hopyard]

Why risk it? Im carrying a gun and now I have blocked an escape route for a criminal.

The situation has been escalated like it or not.

Call it in and be a good witness.

No escalation. The situation has changed but there is no escalation. The BG is still quite free to flee on foot, which is
probably what they will do.

There is ZERO reason for any car not mine to be in my driveway. I wouldn't hesitate to block the car. Whether I would then
go to my neighbors and use my phone or theirs, or watch quietly, or go to my door to see what is going on, would all depend
on all the vibes and subtle things my subconscious mind is absorbing about the scene.

By dang, its my driveway and my house and don't tell me I'm a trouble maker (escalating) being there.

[Lish]

This is something I've thought a lot about...coming home to someone here, a suspicious car in the driveway.

I wouldn't block the driveway - in trying to escape why wouldn't they panic and even if the guy isn't armed and wouldn't shoot at me...who's to say he wouldn't ram my vehicle, causing not only damage to the vehicle (in addition to what they just took from me) but potentially causing injury to me.

I WOULDN'T GO INSIDE!! Lol - that's a no brainer to me. Nope, nope, nope...I'm not that big and bad...

If possible I'd snap a pic of the car, from in mine, as I'm slamming it in reverse calling the police. If the BG was inside and didn't see me I'd pull into the neighbor's driveway so I'd know if he left, but if I thought he might have seen me I wouldn't want him following to there either - in that case I'd keep driving while on the phone with 911 until the police relayed the message it was safe for me to go to my house.

[HotGuns]

I'm pulling right up to the bumper.

Yeah...there is going to be a confrontation. One way or the other.

I'm not going in...but that is OK. The dude is going to come out eventually...and when he does he will have more guns pointed at him with the safetys off and pressure on the trigger than he has ever seen before in his entire life.

[Scramble4a5]

This is something I've thought a lot about...coming home to someone here, a suspicious car in the driveway.

I wouldn't block the driveway - in trying to escape why wouldn't they panic and even if the guy isn't armed and wouldn't shoot at me...who's to say he wouldn't ram my vehicle, causing not only damage to the vehicle (in addition to what they just took from me) but potentially causing injury to me.

I WOULDN'T GO INSIDE!! Lol - that's a no brainer to me. Nope, nope, nope...I'm not that big and bad...

If possible I'd snap a pic of the car, from in mine, as I'm slamming it in reverse calling the police. If the BG was inside and didn't see me I'd pull into the neighbor's driveway so I'd know if he left, but if I thought he might have seen me I wouldn't want him following to there either - in that case I'd keep driving while on the phone with 911 until the police relayed the message it was safe for me to go to my house.

^^^ That's what I was thinking Why give them a chance to damage something else?

[NMB]

Too much bravado in this thread. Our goal as CCW'ers should be to avoid confrontation at all costs, up until there is no other option.

Im not saying I agree with it, but like it or not, if you intentionally block that car, you havent done everything to avoid a possible confrontation.

[KimBobTex]

BAD IDEA blocking off the vehicle.

Say the burglar comes out and finds you parking behind him, you just cut off his escape, confrontation ensues, you shoot bad guy.

That sounds like you escalated the situation in prosecution lingo.

keep driving away, park down the street, call 911.

I think the general idea is to vacate your car, move to a distance out of site to make the 911 call once you have blocked the BG's car, not to be in your parked car waiting for a confrontation. However, one thing to be prepared for is the likelyhood of having your car rammed as needed by the BGs during their escape. Also be prepared for a driver to be waiting in the getaway car ... approaching it & parking behind it may not be the best move ... just saying.

[ANGLICO]

Well, there is nothing left for me to add to this thread. 'Don't invite yourself to more trouble = stupid'.

[blitzburgh]

The thing I think about the most is..there not being a car to give off that somebody is inside my home while I've been out.

Sent from phone

[Hopyard]

I'm pulling right up to the bumper.

Yeah...there is going to be a confrontation. One way or the other.

I'm not going in...but that is OK. The dude is going to come out eventually...and when he does he will have more guns pointed at him with the safetys off and pressure on the trigger than he has ever seen before in his entire life.

Ah, Just use your taser and watch him wriggle around.

[HotGuns]

Ah, Just use your taser and watch him wriggle around.

That'd be an "automatic".
He'd get that anyway...just for being there and resisting arrest. Maybe several times. If he didnt get shot.

And, we call it doing the fish dance. You know, cause they flop around like a fish out of water.

[oldnfat]

First, call 911. Second, block the get away vehicle in if you can. Third, move to cover and stay on the phone. Wait for cops. If you do nothing, as some have suggested, then the BGs will most likely escape with your stuff. Do the same thing tomorrow. If they don't see you, no need to draw your weapon. Be a good witness. Blocking the get away vehicle might buy enough time for LEOs respond.