Can you protect your neighbors home?

[kpmj]

If you're witnessing someone breaking into your neighbors home, do you have a right to confront the burglars?

Do you have to call 911 first? If you're on your property and discharge your firearm is that a criminal discharge on your part, does it matter if you go over to their property and discharge. What type of liability to do you open yourself to trying to protect your neighbor?

I hate the thought that if you were watching a crime in progress against your neighbor, you couldn't do anything beyond sit on the phone with 911.

 

[atljetmech]

If they are not home, you'd better just call 911 and keep a close eye on the activity.
I know it sucks if you are witnessing such an event, but your life is not in danger watching from your window.

 

[protective measures]

Research gacarry.org. & the O.C.G.A. codes under Ga. Weapons Laws. Specifically 16-3-21 & 16-3-23.

This is stuff everyone who has a gun for use in self-defense needs to know well.

Also just because you can doesn't always mean you should.

Undercover police have been killed by "well-intending" civilians who charged in not really knowing the full circumstances.

 

[Tazz]

Call 911 and be a good witness, if no ones life is in danger you best not be shooting at anyone.

 

[batoncolle]

Wasn't there a guy a couple of years back who was on the phone with 911 while 2 guys were breaking in his neighbor's house? I think he told the operator he was going to go shoot them, and that is exactly what he did.

 

[chucklenut]

this happened once before and there is a 911 recording of the dude talking to the operator before running out to confront the robbers. the robbers came into his yard (bad move) and he properly ventilated them

he got lucky, but unless your neighbor is in need of your assistance (aka someone is going to kill them) id just call the police and be a good witness (as much as it sucks to let someone continue to be a low rent criminal)

but dont take my advice on it, ask a lawyer lol

 

[chucklenut]

Wasn't there a guy a couple of years back who was on the phone with 911 while 2 guys were breaking in his neighbor's house? I think he told the operator he was going to go shoot them, and that is exactly what he did.

beat me to it lol

 

[kpmj]

Wasn't there a guy a couple of years back who was on the phone with 911 while 2 guys were breaking in his neighbor's house? I think he told the operator he was going to go shoot them, and that is exactly what he did.

you talking about this or was there a more recent case?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Horn_shooting_controversy

 

[chucklenut]

you talking about this or was there a more recent case?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Horn_shooting_controversy

thats it

good riddance to scum

 

[spencer60]

Pretty much what everyone here said. You can't use deadly force in GA strictly for defense of property, whether it's your's or not.

If you heard screaming or other signs giving you reason to believe your neighbor was in danger you might be legally justified, but you could also end up getting shot by your neighbor thinking you were just another bad guy. Or by the neighbor on the other side who heard screams and saw you running into the house gun-drawn. Or by the cops who got there much quicker than you thought... none of that ends well.

If it's at night, a good, bright directional flashlight playing over the baddies or even just over the house, from the safety or your own, may give them second thoughts about sticking around. During the day a good, loud shout (also from your house) that you have called 911 and the cops are on the way can have the same effect. Neither gets you confused with the bad guys and either of them would let the crooks know that they need to start getting out of there ASAP.

Also, if you have a video function on your camera, or a recorder handy, it wouldn't hurt to get a recording, again through a window in your house. It probably won't get much, but you might get lucky and have something useful to show the cops. If you have security cameras on your property, check them for useful images as well.

Like all the responses above say, inserting yourself in any situation is dangerous even if everyone knows exactly who's who and what's what. You have to think of what would happen to your loved ones if you were killed in a situation you could have simply avoided, something we tend to forget about when thinking of becoming the cavalry.

For a property crime, 'being a good witness' really has to be the limit of your involvement.