Editors Note: While investigating this supposed incident observant AmmoLand News readers have confirmed that this video is fake: In this fake video, a resident with an AR15 asks the Porch Pirate to return the package. The package is returned. The video is not real but what tactical tips that can be learned from this story are and for those reasons, we are going to leave this article live as published.
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U.S.A. –-(AmmoLand.com)- In the viral video published on Twitter, the armed resident sees a porch pirate taking a package off of the porch. The resident grabs an AR15 type rifle, and confronts the porch pirate.
The pirate returns the package, the pirate’s accomplice drives off, and the pirate runs off. It is a “happy ending”. Much could have gone wrong.
This almost certainly occurred in Detroit. It is supposed to have happened on 15 February. There was plenty of snow on the ground on 15 February in Detroit, so the weather fits.
A commenter on Freerepublic identified the location as Detroit. MotorCityBuck wrote it was likely suburban Detroit, Redford Township:
Looks like Suburban Detroit. Redford Township would be my guess.
This correspondent suspects the pirate is right-handed because he uses the right hand to stabilize whatever is in the front hoodie pocket as he comes up the drive and later when he runs away. A cell phone appears to be in his back right pocket as well. It would be unusual to put a cell phone in an off-hand pocket.
The homeowner allowed the pirate to get too close. He was only holding the rifle with one hand. A disarm might well have been attempted, and very likely would have been successful. With only one hand on the rifle, the ability to use either the muzzle or the butt as an impact weapon is neutralized.
The video does not make clear what is in the hoodie front pocket. It is heavy enough the pirate feels the need to stabilize it as he walks up, and again as he runs off. This correspondent was unable to determine what it was.
A retired officer I know watched the video and opined it was probably a pistol in the pocket in front, because of the weight and the need to stabilize it. He said pistols do not print well through heavy hoodie material. The outline in the right back pocket looks very like a phone.
When armed, and confronting a criminal, don’t let them get within six feet of you. Make sure you have control of your weapon. If it is a long gun, you should have two hands on it.
While Detroit has had poor police response times, they have improved quite a bit. The homeowner likely has the local pulse of what is happening in his local criminal justice system.
He may have believed calling the police was not worth the hassle. In addition, having the perp runoff is a much cleaner and faster solution than attempting to hold a porch pirate on a snowy driveway, at rifle point, when no other weapon has been seen.
Each situation is unique and may require a slightly different response. The porch pirate never threatened the rifleman. The pirate complied fairly quickly. This demonstrates the ability of a well-known firearm to act as a serious deterrent.
The rifleman never had to point the AR15 at anyone, or verbally threaten the porch pirate.
The desired compliance happened because the porch pirate was caught in the act. He knew it, and feared possible retribution.
In a rational society, such an egregious, immoral act as porch piracy would be investigated and prosecuted vigorously.
Phone records could be checked against usage within a hundred yards of the house. That could lead to the vehicle, which could lead to the identity of the perps.
When the system in Detroit is having a hard time seriously investigating homicides, porch piracy is very low on the priority list.
About Dean Weingarten:
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of Constitutional Carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.
No worries, just a brother trying to get reparations from another brother from another mother……Where’s the BLM….Po-lice.
Wow! Where do you live? I’m in a small Missouri town where probably every home has at least one gun. And I’m not afraid to walk the mile to the library or the town Square any time, day or night.
sounds like a great place to live. I’ve spent time in SHow Me COuntry and loved it. OUtside of St. Louis, of course.
This was a staged video from what I have read elsewhere.
If this is a “fake video”, it’s well done. The way the homeowner looks to his left nervously, as if he’s worried someone else might come up on him from that direction seems very real. As does the way he suddenly realizes that his AR is too close to the “pirate” and he jerks it back. To me, it seems that he does not want to be accused of brandishing. “Oh, I was sitting in my living room, cleaning my rifle when I saw someone coming up the driveway and I went to see what they wanted. Just happened to… Read more »
where do you live dodge city Miami was like that in the 80s with the drug gangs gun battles in malls streets se asia was safer
swmft,
I don’t usually ask this, but please, buy some punctuation.
Peek-a-BOO!!!…
Peek-a-BOOM??
It probably would have taken hours and hours of intensive research….oh wait maybe just a simple google search. SMH the video went viral it’s not hard to find the source. Deans supposed to be an investigator?
I am willing to be corrected.
Show us the source, and how you know it is the source.
People who make fake videos that go viral usually take credit for doing so.
The source has already been posted below. It’s from a group of guys who make all kinds of 2A friendly content for entertainment purposes.
I don’t know if the video is real or fake but there are a lot of factors about this video that smell of fake. Starting with the pirate vehicle parking down the block but exactly in the direction of the camera rather than just stopping in the road directly in front of the house. The dialog seems off. There is just nothing about the video that feels real.
It is a fake, confirmed at:
https://www.radio.com/wwjnewsradio/news/local/watch-porch-pirate-confronted-by-homeowner-with-an-ar-15
I fell for it. The article made clear the provenance of the video was unknown, when I posted.
Several google searchs did not turn up the original, when I was researching it on 16 February, hours after it was released.
Mea Culpa
This is from a “comedy” site. https://www.instagram.com/sir.turnerr/
I’m okay with it.
Ha y’all thought you had a proper race DGU with a MSR but instead got spoofed
Should have wasted the MF.
Nope, nope, and ‘presumably’ does not cut it either. Any other tidbits of ignorance?
Simple theft – outside the house – no threat? No way.
some jurisdictions permit lethal force to be applied in the protection of property, and/or for tresspass. Unless you KNOW local laws, best not to guess. I’m sure our resident in question knows the lines within which he has to stay when he is colouring.
Sorry @Tionico but the ONLY jurisdiction in the US where lethal force is ever authorized in the protection of property is Texas. There is no jurisdiction in the US where lethal force is authorized for simple trespass outdoors. Since you obviously don’t know ANY laws, it would be best to stop babbling.
this was not simple tresspass it was trespass in the commission of another crime, IF the value of the item stolen was above a threshold amount, it rises to felony level, and lethal force is, in at leaast some places, lawful to orevent or stop a felony in progress. Not certain about today but I do know that not that long ago it was legal to introduce lethal force for the protection of property in the State of Claifornia, which I know would be a big surprise to most, but at the time I checked it clearly was. Been a… Read more »
I don’t know about elsewhere but here if someone takes something of yours and you attempt to get it back from them and they strike you during that attempt that becomes felony assault and deadly force is authorized.
I see by your post that you have never been involved with the securing of “strategic assets.”
Not that many years ago the theft of a horse was punishable by a lynching. Unless the perp got lead poisoning first!
@Tionico – Knowing local laws may not be enough. Legal outcome may depend upon local law enforcement / DA and local attitudes vis-a-vi jury. For example Texas allows lethal force in defense of property – but you are likely to face at least a civil suit after the fact. If you are in or near small country towns, far from the big cities you may be safe – particularly if you are known and respected by neighbors. On the other hand inside cities attitudes are not different enough from California. I live in a city sometimes referred to as “the… Read more »
I see that some have never seen or have forgotten the pivotal scene in “Rules of Engagement.”
This is a staged fake video for comedy purposes! If you watch it it’s fairly obvious. I think the author should have done a little more research before writing this story. This doesn’t bode well for Weingartners credibility, you shouldn’t write articles about fake videos.
Down votes for truth? This makes our community look like idiots!
Everybody look at this great use of firearms for defense…..yeah we know it’s a fake video but look at how it proves our point. Wtf?
So random, reckless gunfire is OK by you? Have you ever taken a firearm safety class (and passed)?
I shoot from my house all the time. Some places have feral cats, skunks, coons, porcupines, all kinds of varmints that need shooting. Nothing random or reckless about it. Nobody said “random” and “reckless” except for you. That was one silly assumption. But this one only made an ass out of you.
Phone records could lead to the vehicle which could lead to the suspects? Dean, take your meds before you post!
It’s always easier to criticize and mock. All one has to do is open one’s mouth.
I’ve run into your psychobabble posts elsewhere on this site; you’re like all the tards posting similar smart assed quips on Breitbart and other Conservative discussion boards.
What you don’t realize is that well adjusted people recognize that this is a desperate way for a neglected and abused child to get attention, right, boy? Posting as “Superman” helps emotionally, right?
We’re all laughing at you!
TPFKACK
The Poster Formerly Known As Clark Kent.
Go back to the Cop Bar, Clark!
Yes, phone records could lead to an arrest. If the phone company will comply and give them the subscriber’s name and address. Finding the car in the driveway of said address goes a long way towards proving guilt.