Wouldn't you always shoot to kill? :-)
But if you pistol whip them would that be legal as "Ample force" or do you have to say "no, stop stealing my car"

 

"But if you pistol whip them" you will be charged with assault. You cannot attack people if they are stealing your property outside of your home (except in New Mexico evidently). Vigilantism is illegal, assault is illegal, and murder is illegal. Your only course of action is to call the police and maybe yell at the thieves. We are talking about a pile of metal and plastic...it's hardly worth jail time let alone someone's life. Now if someone tries to carjack you, on the other hand, it may be within your right to shoot them in the face (check your local laws).

 

I think pretty much every substantial U.S. city would be on that list. Reckless police pursuits open law enforcement agencies up to massive liability for the injury, property damage and death caused to bystanders, the officers and their families. In the end, taxpayers pay the costs because the chasing officers are almost always reimbursed by their employers, or their employer's insurers. The bad guys almost never have any money pay these costs.

Personally, I don't think property crimes warrant high-speed chases... the results just aren't worth it. Even when the cops are good drivers and trying to chase in a safe way, the guy driving the chased car is not likely to give a damn about anyone else on the road. Even when an arrest gets made the cops mostly end up arresting people for license, parole, drug or alcohol violations, or the chased car gets away. If the cops had gotten the bad guys in this case what is the chance that they would have had anything to reimburse SMRX8 for his damages? He'd still be screwed.

I'm glad your car wasn't lost, SMRX8. Sounds like that was the plan and the cops got there in time.

 

Good points and good tips! Let's just be glad those a-holes only harmed your car and not you smrx8. Next time, invite them in your property and beat the hell out of those punks

 

SMRX8, that really sux a$$. Good luck with the insurance apspect, though.

 

MTCD01, actually you can kill people in my state. For example, I have a Concealed Pistol License and I can carry wherever I go except to a bar or federal building. I can use lethal force to stop anyone from comitting a felony to myself or another person if I perceive imminent danger. So If I were to yell at the people try to steal my car and they turn around, with a screw driver in their hand, I can shoot to kill as long as I believe they are coming right for me.

Also if I see a someone who is attempting a rape I can use lethal force to stop it, etc., etc.

Needless to say no one is breaking into my car if I am there to stop it.

 

that sucks man...sorry to hear this

 

I suspect this is not true. Rather, the law usually measures the right to use lethal force from the perspective of whether a "reasonable person" would perceive imminent danger if placed in the same circumstance. In some States, one has a duty to retreat to safety before using lethal force if retreating would prevent the loss of life, but the retreat rule does not always get applied when an intruder is in the shooter's home.

 

Damm that sucks.. glad your ok

 

I feel your pain.....

 

I put my wife through a gun safety course before she got her own permit. The instructor said (as an example) if I came home, found my wife being raped, and the guy got up and ran out the door, if you shoot him, your going to jail for murder. Same thing with driving off with your car, etc. I frankly disagree with this. In reference to stealing my car, I feel that it took time in my life to work to buy my car, so if a guy steals my car, then he has stolen part of my life... ie. murdered it. But we would rather excuse criminals then punish them.

In the case that someone is coming at you, or you feel that your life is in danger, then in Indiana, you do have the right to stop them with deadly force. My wife knows to say, "I felt that my life was threatened." In this case, better to be tried by seven then carried by six.