Home Invasion

There have been a series of break-ins the past couple of months up and down the main road that we live just off of.  They break in during the day when folks are at work.  Even though the news tries to tell everyone the economy is getting better the truth is much different.  People are struggling and the crime rate shows it.   I was at the bank a month ago and a cop walked in, said hello to a woman behind the counter and mentioned his house had been broken into the week before.  We live in a small town in Connecticut and this is not the norm.  But what is?

Yesterday,
I was standing in the kitchen and caught a flash of camouflage from the corner of my eye.  Someone was walking in my yard.  The guy was huge.  He was about 6'2" and over 250lbs and looked to be in his early 20's.  He had on old jeans and a camouflage jacket and was walking through my yard and heading toward the house.  He didn't look in the windows, he was glancing around and kind of hunched over.  It was suspicious.  My heart began to race and then I yelled.  He didn't look but started running toward the side yard where the front door is and we have a picket fence area for the dogs.  As he bolted toward the fence I was screaming.  When I started screaming I thought maybe I'm not screaming loud enough for this guy.  He never looked back.  He came right at the picket fence.

This is the part where I know something bad is about to happen and I better have a plan.  FYI for me, creating a plan when a break in is about to happen isn't smart.  I made a quick note to myself.  

Have you ever had that dream where you are confronted with something and you can't talk or yell?  You try as hard as you can and nothing comes out?  I had plenty when I was a kid.  I didn't have that problem yesterday.  When he bolted for the picket fence my heart raced faster and I screamed louder.

My mind was in a dream state and everything happened in slow motion but my thoughts were clear.  The kids were upstairs.   I double checked the door to be sure it was locked.   Then I thought, where's the gun?  Up high in a closet where the kids can't touch it but I can't reach it either.  I didn't bother going for it, I wanted to keep my eye on the guy.  The ground was wet and he slid on the grass by the fence and even though I was screaming he never looked in the windows.  I know he heard me.  I looked out and he had a medium sized dog in his arms.  Then a yellow vw beetle had pulled up with 2 big guys in it looking at him and he started walking toward the car.  I went outside, cell phone in hand (to call 911 if I had to, really?) and called my ferocious staffi mix outside with me.  He came out reluctantly, with his tail tucked.   I yelled as I asked the guy (idiot), "What the hell are you doing?"  My hands were shaking, my legs were shaking and my heart was still racing at the thought of what could have happened.

What a picture.  He looked at me and showed me the dog in his arms.  I asked him if he heard me screaming, why didn't he stop?  No answer.  Just me shaking, the boys asking me what happened and a huge guy that told me he had to get his dog. The guys in that tiny car waiting for him looked so out of place.  
This all happened in the space of 30 seconds.  It seems longer and maybe it was, but it was so fast and if I were really prepared I would have had my shotgun pointing out the door and then he would have heard me.

After a good nights sleep I question the motive of those guys.  Were they casing the neighborhood using the dog as a prop/excuse in the event the police were called?   I follow my gut and use reason.  Why didn't the guy look back at the house if he heard me screaming.  Why did he ignore me and run faster toward the house?  Maybe he wanted to get the dog quick and get out of there since I was home.  Maybe his buddies were waiting in the event he found an empty house?  Maybe he was an idiot that was chasing his dog that got loose and didn't have the sense to back off when he heard me screaming?

As soon as they left and I told the boys what happened I knew we had to have a plan.  Having a gun doesn't protect you.  Yes, I'm an advocate for gun ownership.   A gun to protect you is useless unless you have a plan in place.  I was a sitting duck.  I couldn't have adequately protected my kids or myself if this was a true home invasion.  My husband and I now have better access to our weapons.

Everything happens for a reason.  I know how my body reacts to a real perceived threat.  The rush of adrenaline, heart racing but calm thinking about what I needed to do was there.  My physiological response surprised me.  I hate that I screamed and I didn't like the shaking hands.  Now, we have a good plan and I feel prepared to handle the situation if it happens again.  How many people have that chance.