Appropriate Levels of Caution

[Swift locksmith]

OK a little about me...
I'm a locksmith in Las Vegas, and the foreclosure rate is astronomical, from $5 million homes to $100,000 dollar shacks (yes in vegas 100 grand gets you a shack). I work a swing shift, basically to tidy up non-time sensitive jobs that don't get done during the regular work day. This means I lock out an average of 30-50 foreclosed properties (hereafter referred to as vacants) a week, many of them after dark.
Now, I stay condition orange from the time I park my truck to the time I can't see the house anymore. I've honestly had some close calls, an eviction where the constable felt threatened enough to draw his weapon, and ALONE such as in some guy sleeping on the couch when I opened the door. I wear a level IIIa vest every day, and the day I started wearing the vest I ordered a Sig p229 DAK -but that's another story.
To get back to the point that I'm trying to make I react in a very agressive manner when confronted in this type of situation, after all I'm practically the repo man for someone's home. I have some training in Jiu Jitsu, and if I feel threatened I automatically blade off and turn my strong side away from a threat even though I'm unarmed (to change soon...). My posture seems to difuse many unpleasant situations. My main concern lately, however has been nearby homeowners approaching me while I work. On more occasions than I can count some curious passerby has been standing at the door as I exit wanting to know "Is this place for rent?". I had to buy stock in Haynes to recoup some of my losses. In one of the more memorable cases I was having a hard time opening a lock after dark, and the homeowner across the street got curious about what I was doing. My truck and uniform were readily visible. He picked up a flashlight, walked across the street, got between me and my truck, effectively pinning me between him and a locked door, got my attention, and shined a bright light in my eyes. Before anybody brings it up, yes I was obviously in condition white. It is unavoidable sometimes, I was working on a difficult lock and nothing irritates or absorbs me more than a lock I can't open. To the point; I almost launched myself at the guy, turned out he was only curious about what was going on. I am generally polite to customers, but very brusque to someone that invades my work area in a tense situation, for me, just to satisfy their own sense of security.

My Question: What is an appropriate level of caution for a homeowner, or myself in such a situation?

[Bill of Rights]

I'd say Yellow, at least, and I'm not referring to the Hanes. :wink: Sorry, hadda be said.

Might I suggest a small mirror you could stick on the door so you can see behind you?

As for the homeowner, I think my answer would be "not your problem".

Blessings,
B

[Swift locksmith]

I agree with you bill, except that I'm pretty always at "yellow" without a locked door and my 1901 L.C. Smith side by side 12ga neaby, mostly due to my small town boy in the big city mentality. I also agree that it's not the neighbor's problem, but how would you react? How should someone unsure about my identity and prpose approach me? How should I react to said law abiding, bill paying citizen's curiosity? Probably should have made that more clear originally.

[Bill of Rights]

My error; I thought you meant the guy sleeping on the couch when you entered the door.

Honestly, if I'm the homeowner, out for a stroll, who comes upon you apparently breaking in, I'm going to keep on walking and as soon as I'm out of sight, call 911 and be a good witness. I'll also likely use my camera phone to snap a photo or two from cover, and if I am at personal risk; that is, if you're either driving at me or otherwise approaching me, the minimum I'll be doing is drawing and putting distance between us. I should add that bluetooth earpieces are remarkably sensitive and the dispatcher and his/her tape is likely to be recording every word, all the while with my hands busy where they need to be, on my pistol.

I hope that better answers your question, at least from my perspective.

I hasten to add, however, that "the best-laid plans..." In reality, when it's all "said-knuckle-done", I'm probably going to need to go home to take care of a pressing matter requiring my immediate, personal attention. (what, after all, is a http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd198/St-Michael/fart.gif but the lonely cry of an imprisoned turd?)

Yeah, I know it's toilet humor, but this subject matter is so serious and requires such strictness that if we attempt to remove any and all humor, we'll overestimate our own importance and end up just like the Brady Bunch.

Blessings,
B

[Swift locksmith]

God bless you Bill, if we can't embrace toilet humor in the face of death, what about life is worth liveing (make this my one and only apology for my bad spelling, syntax, and grammar. You get it like it comes out of my head.). I know from being a volunteer firefighter back east that those who can't have a good time at a fatal accident scene will crack, and those who can and don't have nightmares after are inhuman. I have no desire to kill anyone, but I endorese the death penalty. I will protect MY life to the exclusion of yours, IF there is no other reasonable option. If there is somthing in my home taller than my attack cat (no yard, no dog) that I don't know about IT WILL DIE. I will live and have nightmares about MY actions for the rest of my life, but I will be ALIVE.

(begin toilet humor >
Also if anyone would like pictures of what my sphincter has grabbed ahold of, or let lose of in my professional life PM me (end toilet humor>

Seriously thank you, and seriously think about how you perceive the world.

[Swift locksmith]

By the way the only time a concerned citizen called the police about a suspicious activity was when I was given a wrong address and opened the wrong house. I called the Police and my shop informing them of the error, and then patiently waited for the Police to arrive even though the correct address was only two doors down.

[Tanzer]

Swift locksmith,
From reading your posts, it's clear that you are intellegent. Furthermore, at least from what I've read, you tend to cut through the BS and get to the point. Why? your concentration is on reality and the real fix. You don't like the issue clouded when you concentrate. I'd bet it frustrates you when someone BS's you.
The way you desribe the issue, you're in a dangerous job without training for the situation. At least you're noticing and asking questions. It seems to me that you will adapt as you go along. It's hard to keep that little radar out when you're concentrating, but it seems you'd better. I'll bet you develop the skill. In fact, I'll bet you've developed more than you think you have.
Seems to me your level of caution is spot on. You can live your life in yellow, and a few moments of orange in a day won't do any harm if rightfully placed.

Here's the problem;
How should someone unsure about my identity and prpose approach me?
Your control over this is limited. You don't get to pick who approaches you. I don't know if you've had de-escalation/crisis management training, but I'd want some in your spot. Certainly, let them know you see them. There's nothing wrong with a polite "Sir, let's keep some distance between us, please".
Or mumble while you work; "Chop 'em up, put 'em in a duffle bag, throw in a few bricks, drop 'em off the bridge.....no-one will ever know". :wink:

[tuna]

I'm agreeing with Bill as to what the homeowner across the street should be doing when seeing something suspicious.

Going over to watch a suspected burglar with nothing more than a flashlight is just looking to get attacked by the criminal.
Going over armed is even worse (at least here in Mass), since you weren't facing danger until you decided to go looking for it.

Call the police and give a blow by blow description of what's going on.


And I think a small mirror to stick to the door would be good so you could keep "checking 6" while you're working.

[VegasGeorge]

Unless I'm mistaken, LEOs have partners or back up in situations like you're describing. But, there you are, all alone out there. No one's watching your back.

How about getting a dog? At least that way, you'd have another pair of eyes and ears with you, and a good dog would be able to stop a lot of problems before they even materialized.

[Swift locksmith]

Thanks for all the input y'all, it makes me feel better to know that I'm not being paranoid. As far as training, Tanzer, where would I get crisis management training without being POST certified? Last time I even saw mention of that sort of class was at the public safety training center when I was a volunteer. Ihave also been working on a friend at the PD to let me participate in their force-on-force training as a BG just to get an idea of how they approach situations like maybe vacant houses, and clearing. I figure that helping the PD out would be waaaay cheaper than a class as my blue-collar income makes funds very tight. I definitely want to be well prepared and well informed when I start to CCW, and you have all proven to be a great resource.

[pioneer461]

The cops have been preaching "neighborhood watch" for decades, so it should be expected that you would get curious inquiries. Being in uniform and driving a marked vehicle should be helpful, but who's to say that a burglar wouldn't use that as a ruse?

My son is a repo man, and in the present economy, his business is good, as is yours, I suspect. He carries an H&K .40 S&W, with his CCW permit, and so far, has not had to draw-down on anyone, although it's been a close call at times. Usually not from neighbors, but from the person he is repossessing from. They can become very hostile when they see an unmarked tow truck hooking up to "their" car. Once they figure out who he is, they admit that they knew it was going to happen. Some however have gone to jail. He does the smart thing, he backs away and calls the police. (For once he listened to his dad.) Then he goes back with help, gets the car and the repossessee goes to the Gray Bar Hilton.

The good Lord gave us homo-sapiens and other of His creatures, certain instincts that have been developed over the eons of time, to ensure the survival of the species. It has been my experience that assault and other violent crime victims, get into trouble when they ignore those instincts. Sometimes it is the dread (political correctness) of appearing racially insensitive, or rude. Sometimes it is the belief "THAT could never happen here / or to me." Sometimes it is simply walking about in a stupor, with H.U.A., what we call condition white.

Listen to your gut feelings, or instincts, the little hairs on the back of your neck, or what-ever alarms which may be going off in your head. Don't ignore them. Don't over react, but survival conditions should immediately increase. Sometimes it's nothing. Sometimes.

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb294/pioneer461/Me/police.png

[Swift locksmith]

I understand what you mean, here lately I have been simply pre-empting those people. As soon as someone starts walking toward me I just stop what I'm doing and move to them and tell them that I have no info on the property. That generally get's rid of them. My problem lately has been realtors jumping the gun, giving the former owner more time to move out without telling me. People like to ignore someone knocking on the door, but the sound of a lock being picked get's their attention. I tend to open carry when I have that "funny" feeling at a house. I just keep my Sig in a paddle holster in the glovebox. When the door get's yanked open while I'm picking it an armed person in uniform being VERY polite tends to keep everyone civil.