Trespasser/Thief Problem

[EGarza04]

The game warden is the one to call. Especially in counties where the deputies are busy with order issues. There may only be one for your county and another but I bet he knows your area of the county. Most of the time they have been on your property without you even knowing. They operate many times on a district (a few counties) level and help each other out quite a bit so even if your stuff is a couple counties over, they may know where too look.

They usually do have a good idea of who or where to look around for stolen goods.

We actually had a 4 wheeler stolen from the ranch and it was recovered by the wardens within 24hrs.We called the local SO and then called the game warden and the wardens showed up first. The local SO was too busy with illegals, traffic accidents and domestic calls to get out to us with any speed.

 

[Hard_ware]

If suspected of illegal game possession, game warden may enter without search warrant from what I have been told. The picture issue no telling depends on if the perp is demented. Subject may get brought up when he is getting high with some buddies and then think he needs to burn the house down with all the witnesses inside. Crazy people do crazy things. Just make sure you know what action you will take when and if he surprises you or you surprise him. I would let the local game warden and sheriff know what is going on and you just want him arrested. Do you fear for your life or your family's ? If you do let the sheriff dept and the game warden know this. If you think the situation is just some poor harmless ba$tard trying to steal some things, get some bean bags for your shotgun and hunt some dumba$$ on your property. Should be easier then the hogs. Setup and spot him and call game warden & sheriff as soon as you see him coming on your property. He is coming from some where, ie adjacent property, area where he parked a vehicle etc etc... find this info and it will make catching him much faster. The tracks should tell the story. If going this route make sure you have the upper hand, prepare for the worst and hope for the best, but make sure you decide what and when something is going to happen. Hope all works out for you.

How did the eye situation work out with your daughter?

 

[theblakester]

I like the wanted poster idea. Post them everywhere. Gas stations post office police station... Everywhere. Based on what you're saying it seems like a meth head looking for easily accessible
And inexpensive stuff that he can steal and sell for drug money.
How often does he come around? If it's often enough I would bait my shed and hunt it..... Not saying to harm
The guy but u can cath him and hold him there at gun point until police arrive. Or at least scare him bad enough to not come back.... My property, my stuff. Stay the F out and don't steal from me and nothing bad will happen to u,-- period

Also, I know that TABC has more authority than city and county police. I've been told game warden does too.

 

[TEXASLAWMAN]

TABC not so much, the game wardens have the ability to search with out a warrant that is their big extra. Neither really help here but most wardens I know like catching the trespassers and are way more familiar with the trespassing laws. Anyways Im still pissed at TABC for messing up nickle beer night at Cowboys.

 

[FrankT]

OH NO, Here I was coming for the nickle beer!

 

[theblakester]

I assume you would know better than I being LEO, but After working in bars for 6 years I've always been told that TABC has more jurisdiction (regarding alcohol and not needing warrants) than city police. Also because I got slammed against a wall and hand cuffed for telling a TABC officer that I had to get myanager to let him in because it was after hours and we were closed and cleaning. I guess I can't confirm that though. Anyways. Sorry to derail the thread

You would say that about nickel beer Frank!

 

[Ratdog68]

OH NO, Here I was coming for the nickle beer!

Who you kidding? Why pay a nickel when you finish "empties" all night? LOL

 

[EGarza04]

I don't know how many of you have tried to get bean bag rounds but they are very expensive, about $6 a round, if you can find them available for public purchase. Just because tasty are supposed to be non lethal doesn't mean they won't kill someone. Those thinks hurt even when tossing them around by hand.

Like someone said earlier, I would not try to confront the guy unless you are prepared to defend yourself if you are forced to. I would also not try to go looking for him. Seems like something a lawyer could get you on.

 

[rgilbert]

No bean bags and no booby traps. That will just get you into trouble. If you catch him on your property again be armed and be ready to take action if need be. I would let law enforcement handle it for me, unless I caught the guy myself. Then they could come haul him off to jail in my handcuffs. I agree with getting his picture out so someone can tell you who he is.

 

[rgilbert]

Tannerite, suppressed rifle, night vision and let him get to about 75 yards of it and set it off. You did not see him right? wink wink You were practicing.

 

[Brian Shaffer]

LOL, the guy is obviously bigger than me and quite brazen to be trespassing on a property where he knows people do a goodly bit a shooting. I won't go looking for this guy, but I will continue to utilize the property as I have been. I highly doubt he will show up if I am there shooting and such.

 

[BigRedDog]

Chances are he knows your work habits/travel times

 

[BigRedDog]

Do you have a black flash game camera that is cellular?

 

[Ratdog68]

Bean bags (Super-socks are what we use) are only good for about 40 yds (accuracy) at best. They are "less than lethal" rounds. When hazing a full grown bear, it's rump shot or NO shot with our Super-sock rounds.

 

[ppapago]

I would absolutely not post his picture on your gate. If this guy is bold enough to spend so much time on your property and then commit theft. He may be bold enough to do something more extreme if he knows he has been exposed and it was clear it is you with the evidence.

Keep your evidence under the radar until he is caught then use it to help prosecute him. Only share the pics with authorities.

 

[Brian Shaffer]

Chances are he knows your work habits/travel times

Not possible. I don't even know them and don't have any sort of set schedule. I am sometimes there for the day/week for which he was on camera.

Bean bags (Super-socks are what we use) are only good for about 40 yds (accuracy) at best. They are "less than lethal" rounds.

Bean bag shotguns ARE LETHAL FORCE as defined by Texas (and most other states) law. You can't haze trespassers with bean bag rounds.

 

[Ratdog68]

Bean bag shotguns ARE LETHAL FORCE as defined by Texas (and most other states) law. You can't haze trespassers with bean bag rounds.

My point was to add that even on something as stout as a grown boar polar bear (1200#), care MUST be used with these types of rounds, they're NOT just bruisers.

 

[Brian Shaffer]

Ah! Very good. With that said, for any sort of lethal force situation, the one thing I do not want is a less lethal alternative round. So the bean bag rounds are a bad idea for any situation regarding a trespasser.

 

[Hard_ware]

Using the bean bags is a lethal force situation, it is best to only use lethal force when the law permits. But the use of deadly force at night to stop someone fleeing with your property if you believe that the property cannot be recovered if it gets away is LEGAL. I just would not want to kill someone running away with a weedwacker, but shooting them in the butt with a bean bag would not be any problem for me, I will sleep like a baby that night. It all boils down to what the jury believes your intent is, you can blow them away because they looked at you wrong, what a jury will decide may be another story. You have the right to protect your property, whether looking for the trespasser your self or waiting for the local law. The laws job is not to protect you or your family, that is up to you. The laws job is to enforce the law. You only have the rights you exercise, all others have already been taken away from you by the law. If you do not feel safe confronting the perp, I would recommend you do not. Getting nervous and not thinking clearly only increases the probability of things not being handled properly, ie. you go to jail or worse. So I think you can setup the camera with cell phone to let you know when the perp is back and let the law do what they are paid to do.

 

[FrankT]

As frustrating as losing property is, I am not going to kill someone for stealing my chain saw. If I catch them They will know I have a gun but unless attacked I am not threatening them with it. I have a hard time killing people who don't offer a direct threat but that is just me.

There are battery powered alarms you can put on the doors to your shed or home that set off a local siren alarm, solar powered motion lights that light the area, tie in an electric fence controller to the door knob or metal latch set on high. Your cell camera could be deployed to this area for awhile to notify you.