Suspicious Vehicle

[joken]

I can think of many ways for you to express your opinion on this post and your response is not on my list.

 

[Member 34319]

OP left out a pretty valuable piece of information.

Was this on HIS property?

If so, sorry, but I think you should of just observed and if spotted something ON your property, then act. First by calling the police. Then if needed, do what you think might be best.

Look at this from the other guys perspective.

Dark, looking and listening for birds. Guy sneaks up on me pointing a gun...

 

[ilikegunspdx]

OP left out a pretty valuable piece of information.

Was this on HIS property?

If so, sorry, but I think you should of just observed and if spotted something ON your property, then act. First by calling the police. Then if needed, do what you think might be best.

Look at this from the other guys perspective.

Dark, looking and listening for birds. Guy sneaks up on me pointing a gun...

That's night quite accurate. It's not like he is confronting him pointing a gun at him or telling him to get on his knees etc. He was just investigating and was prepared if what he found was something bad. He shined the light on him.

"I had already holstered my CC piece when he identified himself, and I didn't mention to him that I was armed."

 

[edslhead]

How do you like your Bogs ? I got a pair for Xmas and they seem pretty comfy.

 

[Member 34319]

That's night quite accurate. It's not like he is confronting him pointing a gun at him or telling him to get on his knees etc. He was just investigating and was prepared if what he found was something bad. He shined the light on him.

"I had already holstered my CC piece when he identified himself, and I didn't mention to him that I was armed."

My bad, guy walking quietly towards me on public property(?) with gun.

No mention of how OP was handling his firearm, that information was also left out of original post.

 

[leadcounsel]

IMO, you did the right thing.
Did you have a plan if it was NOT Fred?

I don't believe the OP did the right tactical thing, actually.

If it's harmless, these folks will do their business and leave.
If it's nefarious, your odds of defense and surviving are 100x greater in your home, ready. Not out exposed.

Odds are high it was a harmless thing. Maybe some teenagers fooling around or someone smoking some weed. But...

What if it was NOT Fred. What if it was 3 nefarious men with guns, shotguns, rifles, and night vision equipment? Suddenly OP is either dead or abducted. The world is going crazy. Jihadists abducted a lot of Christians recently in the M.E. and beheaded them on Christmas... folks get abducted in the US all the time. Or worse.

Not a chance I'd have done that. 4.30am. Armed with only a handgun, completely exposed to an attack.

OP got lucky here.

If I were in a similar A/O I'd have a long range night vision optic. Or heck, just call the police and report a suspicious vehile and have a black and white do the investigating while you hold up in the house.

 

[gmerkt]

but it's kinda my nature to tackle threats head on

You have a right and responsibility to know what's going on on and around your property. More so at 4:30 am.

Myself, I want to know what's going on around or on my property, you bet.

I do this sort of rural birding thing several times a week,

I would think this is a very rare exception to the usual activity that is occurring in the early morning hours.

My thought is you should have called 911 first off.

If in my observation the activity is a group, I recommend this.

It usually wasn't at 430 AM though -

Not much good goes on in the creepy, early morning hours when most honest men are asleep in bed. And that's why this time is often chosen for ill deeds.

. I investigated more and found drug paraphenalia and a condom and homeless detritus at the neighboring property.

This 100%. Now that we've got rampant "homelessness" going on, and the legal scales are all tipped in the favor of the vagrants. Once ensconced, sometimes you can't legally get rid of them. Depending. But best not to let them infiltrate and vigilance is required. I've cut back a lot of brush on my place for this reason.

You might want to question your own interpretations as to your perception of people (in a 'suspicious' vehicle) who are simply parked and are NOT displaying any threat or aggressive behavior.

In this jurisdiction, there is a thing called, "suspicious activity." It's called that for a reason. A sheriff's deputy will respond to complaints on that basis.

My experience is if they are parked out there out of the ordinary in the early morning hours, they're up to no good. Like using drugs, having sex, looking for something to boost, etc. I don't want these people getting comfortable doing this stuff around my place. Let them do it someplace else and the only way to discourage them is to let them know you don't want them there by whatever means. One or two, I'll go out and do it myself. A group, I call 911. You'd be surprised how the word gets around in a community. Oh, and I never go out with a firearm. I've weighed the prospects and decided it was more apt than not to lead to more trouble. Often mere observation will do the trick. They see you watching them or shining a light, they scram.

One time, there was one of those Ricky Racer little Japanese street rods parked out along the road in front of my place. It was very late but one of my sons in law was over. The car had those ultra dark windows, we walked right up to the car and couldn't see a thing inside. I knocked on the glass, no answer. So I said to my son in law, "Well, Jason, it must be an abandoned vehicle, I think I'll go call the sheriff and have it towed away." Right after that, I heard some quick stirring around inside, they said loudly, "Don't call the sheriff, we're leaving." I've called the sheriff on people who've parked out along the road to sleep overnight; I don't want them making a habit of it.

 

[gmerkt]

What if it was 3 nefarious men with guns, shotguns, rifles, and night vision equipment?

I get the point, but those are the guys who are going to be holding up a convenience store or breaking into a business at night. Not parked on a dead end road in residences. My experience of many years is I'm dealing with a nuisance, not master criminals.

 

[2DaMtns]

I still think it all comes down to whether it was his property, or someone else's. If it was someone else's private property, unless he has permission from the landowner to play policeman, he's assuming way too much and is out of line.

 

[The Heretic]

My experience is if they are parked out there out of the ordinary in the early morning hours, they're up to no good. Like using drugs, having sex, looking for something to boost, etc.

Sex is good, not no good.

 

[NW Backpacker]

I'm not sure I did the right thing, but it's kinda my nature to tackle threats head on. The one thing I didn't do correctly as I think about it is I didn't take my cell phone along with me. Thoughts?

You did the right thing, but if the cops can arrive in a reasonable time, call them. If something happened, we all know how you'd be second guessed by our liberal-biased justice system. Also, have some extra magazines, and maybe a BUG in pocket.

Of course, if you do call the cops, you might even get caught by this new idiotic law. Pathetic:

https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2019R1/Measures/Overview/HB3216

https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2019R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB3216/Enrolled

Is "see something, say something" now dead in Oregon?

 

[ilikegunspdx]

You did the right thing, but if the cops can arrive in a reasonable time, call them. If something happened, we all know how you'd be second guessed by our liberal-biased justice system. Also, have some extra magazines, and maybe a BUG in pocket.

Of course, if you do call the cops, you might even get caught by this new idiotic law. Pathetic:

https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2019R1/Measures/Overview/HB3216

https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2019R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB3216/Enrolled

Is "see something, say something" now dead in Oregon?

Wow that law is nuts. I heard the cops here mention it's a "xxx" chargeable. So that must have been one of those calls. Better to make sure u call everything "suspicious activity" and not get into anything too personal I guess. That is just crazy.

 

[Caveman Jim]

I very seldom post anything anymore but your post disturbs me ........
Rant over!

Stands to reason, I see why....

 

[The Heretic]

Of course, if you do call the cops, you might even get caught by this new idiotic law. Pathetic:

https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2019R1/Measures/Overview/HB3216

https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2019R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB3216/Enrolled

Is "see something, say something" now dead in Oregon?

The intent of that law is to prosecute people who "SWAT" someone

 

[Kruel J]

Hmmmm, I don't know. Would really like to know if this was on the OP's property......

 

[oremike]

I'm the neighborhood watch in my little area so am more attentive to late night/early morning odd behaviors.

 

[nwslopoke]

As mentioned. it depends on if it was on your property or not. I think if I were suspicious I might turn on lights or change the lights in my house to let anyone know they are being monitored. I am not of fan of calling the police outright. It's unfortunate but I think you give up any legal advantage by leaving your house and whatever tactical advantage is useless if everything you want to defend, like family, is inside your house.

 

[SUPER X]

A few years ago in our county a harmless pickup would drive by a couple times a week and stop here or there. The Dogs would run to the propery line .They were tossing the dogs meat.after a while the dogs ran to greet them instead of protect the property .expense stuff out of the shop was MIA one day when no one was home . it would be good to have cameras and keep a eye on them .

 

[grandpaknowall]

Semantics. Some here claim it was not a threat. But it was a definite red-flag!

The only thing necessary for evil to triumph - is for good men to do nothing.

As mentioned in a earlier post - It would behoove you to have had multiple plans of action, for multiple possible scenarios.

It did work in your favor that there were no witnesses. Only a man of honor & conviction would do what you did. Your intentions were noble.

 

[coop44]

Where I live, the heart of tacoma, I am aware of many things going on " not on my property", I still take action. I walk out ( cc piece on my hip, covered) with a camera, and just make it obvious they are being watched. No words spoken, they usually leave, or have an obviously legitimate reason for being there.
If they have a problem with the camera they can call the police, I am within my rights. If I can see it from the sidewalk (public) it's fair game. The question has never come up.