westkywood said:
Agree with the law or not, but some states have a Castle Doctrine which states you can use lethal force if someone is stealing on your property. I would never shoot someone for stealing wood, but I would pull a gun and make them stay there while I called the cops. Thieves get no sympathy here.
Not quite true. Castle Doctrine (which is not recognized by all states) deals with "unlawful and/or forcible entry into an occupied home, business or car". It does not apply to your property, land, detached garage, etc. Furthermore, many US states still require you to attempt to retreat even if you're in your own home before using lethal force. And last, you have to reasonably believe the intruder intends to inflict serious injury to the occupants of the home, business or car prior to using lethal force. You cannot use lethal force to prevent someone from stealing property. You can use "reasonable force" to prevent theft. Not lethal force.
Just trying to help keep our hearth.com members out of jail here
!! And my last tip...if anyone on this board ever has the true misfortune of having to use a firearm in self defense and their is litigation that follows, any posts out on the world wide web will ultimately find their way into the court room. The last thing you guys should be saying in print is "I'd shoot the guy for stealing my wood". That's going to make it hard on your lawyer. Just my $0.02 for this Friday....