The FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program has been collecting data on all manner of criminal activity since 1930. The result: a comprehensive annual database based on reports from police departments across the length and breadth of the United States. One crime they don’t include: “home invasion.” Burglary, armed robbery, assault, kidnapping, sure. Home invasions, no. If the Fibbies did gather comprehensive info on home invasions one glaring fact would stand out: the majority are drug-related. You know, gang bangers and other extra-legal opportunists stealing cash and drugs from people who deal in cash and drugs. Not-so-strangely, the victims of these home invasions are usually armed . . .
“We know that this was not a random act and that the suspects specifically targeted this house for reasons not entirely clear at this time,” said [San Mateo Police Dept. Deputy Chief Mike] Callagy.
Callagy said the suspects did steal stuff from the house, but he won’t say what. He also said more arrests are coming. The suspects are facing charges including robbery and homicide.
The video report from abclocal.go.com quotes the Chief’s assurance that “the community is not in danger.” Yes, well, horsesh*t. Not only are community members in danger from errant bullets, but there’s also the degrading effect of living amongst criminals. House values are people too. (Or something like that.) Then there’s the potential for a SWAT raid in the wrong house. Which could bring still more errant bullets.
But the general point here is this: bad guys tool-up for defense as well as offense. They don’t want to lose what they have any more than, say, you do. So if armed self-defense works for them as both a deterrent and a last-ditch defense, why wouldn’t it work for you?
Answer: it does.