John Waynes, Braggarts, LEOS, and Chickens...

[Aerovette]

What would you do?

You're at work until late late hours. 1:00AM. A truck pulls up behind your truck, which is the only one in the parking lot. You see two guys get out. You think they may be coming in your building. You grab your phone and your gun and call 911 because they are messing with your truck. Within a minute and a half, they are gone...and so is your tailgate.

What would you have done?

No, it wasn't me. I would have gotten the answer wrong and I'd be wearing an orange jumpsuit right now.

[Loco Vette]

Originally Posted by aerovette

What would you do?

You're at work until late late hours. 1:00AM. A truck pulls up behind your truck, which is the only one in the parking lot. You see two guys get out. You think they may be coming in your building. You grab your phone and your gun and call 911 because they are messing with your truck. Within a minute and a half, they are gone...and so is your tailgate.

What would you have done?

No, it wasn't me. I would have gotten the answer wrong and I'd be wearing an orange jumpsuit right now.

Make sure the security cameras were running and try to get a good picture of the scumbags and their license plate. Shoot only if threatened.

And I would have the tailgate locked.

[JetMechZ16]

I would have been out the door and demanding they get on the ground!

But my tailgate locks when the truck locks, so they probably wouldn't have gotten it that quick.

[Aerovette]

Originally Posted by JetMechZ16

I would have been out the door and demanding they get on the ground!

But my tailgate locks when the truck locks, so they probably wouldn't have gotten it that quick.

Tailgate lock was in pieces in the parking lot.

[Nox]

I’m not just going to let someone walk off with *my property* if I am there. I will not shoot someone over a piece of property, however, I will defend myself if it escalates into an immediate threat on my life.

Most likely, there would be some sort of verbal exchange, at which point the thieves have the option of leaving the area or escalating the encounter. If they choose to escalate the encounter, then it’s no longer merely property I am defending.

[Aerovette]

Originally Posted by Nox

I’m not just going to let someone walk off with *my property* if I am there. I will not shoot someone over a piece of property, however, I will defend myself if it escalates into an immediate threat on my life.

Most likely, there would be some sort of verbal exchange, at which point the thieves have the option of leaving the area or escalating the encounter. If they choose to escalate the encounter, then it’s no longer merely property I am defending.

His concern was dealing with shooters from two directions if they were armed. If they split and fired, it could be real bad real fast.

[Nox]

Originally Posted by aerovette

His concern was dealing with shooters from two directions if they were armed. If they split and fired, it could be real bad real fast.

Well then, it becomes a matter of your tactical capabilities vs theirs. The scenario I painted deals with the strategy, not the tactic. If somehow “your friend” is not comfortable with his ability, he may choose to hide in his bathroom until the PO-PO gets there, however, if he had some sort of comfort level in dealing with multiple individuals, then he should have no problem. It all depends on what level of training your friend has.

[JetMechZ16]

Originally Posted by aerovette

Tailgate lock was in pieces in the parking lot.

Ahhh.... I understand now.












But why would anyone even care if their Chevy tailgate got stolen?

[6spdC6]

Originally Posted by Nox

I’m not just going to let someone walk off with *my property* if I am there. I will not shoot someone over a piece of property, however, I will defend myself if it escalates into an immediate threat on my life.

Most likely, there would be some sort of verbal exchange, at which point the thieves have the option of leaving the area or escalating the encounter. If they choose to escalate the encounter, then it’s no longer merely property I am defending.

Understand you and that is exactly how I would have handled it. The odds are they would disappear as soon as they saw you/me, even if did not have a weapon showing. If they made the wrong move and came at me they just escalated it to a "Do what you got to do" situation for me. Two people VS me alone and I know and understand well the 21' rule. Though in that situation it would be 30' minimum.

[dvarapala]

Originally Posted by Nox

I’m not just going to let someone walk off with *my property* if I am there. I will not shoot someone over a piece of property, however, I will defend myself if it escalates into an immediate threat on my life.

I would shoot the tires out on their getaway vehicle. They'll be much easier for the police to catch when they're running away on foot, plus they wouldn't be very interested in carrying a big heavy tailgate with them.

[Nox]

Originally Posted by dvarapala

I would shoot the tires out on their getaway vehicle. They'll be much easier for the police to catch when they're running away on foot, plus they wouldn't be very interested in carrying a big heavy tailgate with them.

Tires can be replaced easily, why not go for the engine block?

[Aerovette]

Originally Posted by JetMechZ16

Ahhh.... I understand now.












But why would anyone even care if their Chevy tailgate got stolen?

Ford F250 Platinum

[Aerovette]

Originally Posted by dvarapala

I would shoot the tires out on their getaway vehicle. They'll be much easier for the police to catch when they're running away on foot, plus they wouldn't be very interested in carrying a big heavy tailgate with them.

This was actually my answer. Shoot the tires. Then the only charge is discharging a firearm and even that wouldn't stick most likely.

Interesting law in Texas. You cannot use deadly force to protect your vehicle in the daytime, but you can at night.

If someone’s breaking into your vehicle in the nighttime, the law becomes much more clear. Texas statutes say that you can, if you act reasonably, use deadly force against someone committing a theft during the nighttime.

[Nox]

Originally Posted by aerovette

This was actually my answer. Shoot the tires. Then the only charge is discharging a firearm and even that wouldn't stick most likely.

Interesting law in Texas. You cannot use deadly force to protect your vehicle in the daytime, but you can at night.

If someone’s breaking into your vehicle in the nighttime, the law becomes much more clear. Texas statutes say that you can, if you act reasonably, use deadly force against someone committing a theft during the nighttime.

I was joking about the engine block. Shooting out tires = bad, bad idea. Now you’ve just taken away the thieves’ mode of transport. This forces their hand, and now you’ve escalated the situation.

[BADRACR1]

The first thing I buy when I get a truck is a hinge lock. It encircles the open hinge so one can't just lift the tailgate out. It can still be broken, pried off or whatever but won't be seen until they actually try to remove the gate.
Most folks with a pick up have never taken their gate off and don't realize how quick and easy they are to remove. Around here they go for $250 and up depending, and then it usually has to be painted unless you get lucky and buy back your own!

[Old Ben]

Do like Hiden Biden said to do. Fire both barrels of your double barrel shotgun in the air to scare them off.

[Aerovette]

Originally Posted by BADRACR1

The first thing I buy when I get a truck is a hinge lock. It encircles the open hinge so one can't just lift the tailgate out. It can still be broken, pried off or whatever but won't be seen until they actually try to remove the gate.
Most folks with a pick up have never taken their gate off and don't realize how quick and easy they are to remove. Around here they go for $250 and up depending, and then it usually has to be painted unless you get lucky and buy back your own!

We are all lined up to get a cap welded over our hinges. At my office 8 of us have trucks and we are going to have some beers and do some welding next weekend. I have no reason to take my tailgate off so I don't care if it's permanent.

[markids77]

If I understand the scenario correctly the perps were behind the guys truck but directly in front of their own? Waiting until the gate is ajar, I engage reverse and break some legs, or ribs depending how high my truck sits. Then I dial 911.

[JRD77VET]

Pickup Tailgate Theft Protection Tip - YouTube

[Bill]

I have the ultimate anti theft device for my tailgate. It's got a few whiskey dents and scratches. No one is gonna want to buy a stolen tailgate that would have to go to the body shop anyway.