I've been driven over the edge...

[SevenStar]

You all know I usually post stories of me helping out people being robbed, beaten, etc... well, here's another, but this time, they got me...


My wife was out with one of her girlfriends last night, and I had just happened to look out my window - I saw two guys trying to break into a car. I could tell they had no idea whatsoever what they were doing though. They couldn't get into it, so they started casing other cars. I called 911 (yeah, it's a joke in my town) and they said that they'd send officers over. they tried to hit several cars, and I just sat and watched from my window, contemplating whether or not I should go after them. about 30 mins later, my wife called saying she was at the front gate - I told her not to come home, and told her what was going on - I didn't want them to see her and try anything, for whatever reason they felt they might have. She insisted on coming home, saying she'd feel safer in the house with me. I told her to come to the parking lot, but not to get out of the car until I got to her, and she agreed.


As I was going downstairs, she was pulling into the parking lot - the two guys were standing in the middle of the street looking at her in the car, not moving. after about 2 seconds, she maneuvered the car around them and found a place to park. When I came out of the breezeway, they saw me went to the side of the building, like they'd left. I thought nothing else of them and walked my wife upstairs.

about 30 mins after that, we heard an alarm go off - it was the car right next to mine. We guessed that they had tried to break into it and ran when the alarm went off. That was about the time that the cops showed up (over an hour after we called them) they circled the complex, then I received a phone call from the 911 dispatcher saying the cops wanted to talk to me. I went downstairs and proceeded to start cursing.... turns out that the car next to mine had a sensitive alarm - it went off when the two *******s busted my windows out. I can tell it took some effort - the rocks they used actually cracked in half, and they still couldn't break all the glass, but enough damage was done. I did a police report and told them that what I bet happened was that the punks figured my wife had gotten a good look at them and could ID them, so they wanted to scare her.... after the cops left, my suspicion was confirmed - I was taping the windows up, when I noticed a piece of paper in the floor of the back seat. It read:

"b!tch, next time don't look so hard!!!
- black marvin and tony red"

wtf?!??! I got a good look at them, and she did too - she's familiar with one of their faces really well, as he tried to flirt with her one day she was getting food from the fast food place he works (used to work?) at. LOL, even though she's cute and petite, she grew up in the hood, so that didn't scare her at all - all they succeeded in doing was p!ssing me off, and they did that very well. Someone tried to break in to another car in our lot two days ago - probably these same idiots, so I'm sure they'll be back. Plus, they may have more of their "scare tactics" for my wife - I'm gonna be watching though, as are several friends of mine.... If they come back, for their sake, I hope they believe in a higher being that is capable of saving them.

In the meantime, I'm gonna take the note to the precinct - it should have some prints on it, and maybe they've got a record

[Water Dragon]

Black Handed Shoulder Throw

[guohuen]

Bummer. Sorry to hear that.

[Black Jack]

Jeez that sucks man. It gives it a different level of worry when its your loved one that gets involved.

It does not sound like you guys have a neighborhood watch:D

Stay safe and keep us posted.

[yenhoi]

Sounds like its clobbering time.

Watch for knives.

:eek:

[SevenStar]

Originally posted by Water Dragon
Black Handed Shoulder Throw

Great minds think alike


BlackJack,

nah, no watch. They do have security though - off duty cops that get discounts for patrolling the complex at night - I guess they were out getting donuts. :D

[MasterKiller]

These guys were breaking into cars for over 30 minutes, and no one came out of their apartments to say anything? That's part of the problem, right there. Why not round up 3 or 4 people living around you and confront these guys?

[Cheese Dog]

Watch your back. They sound like the kind of $hits that'll jump you when your back is turned.

Be careful and keep us posted.

[SevenStar]

Originally posted by Cheese Dog
Watch your back. They sound like the kind of $hits that'll jump you when your back is turned.

Be careful and keep us posted.

That's the answer to MK's question. Also, the fact that it was going on 1 am, so most people were sleep. There are only two people in my building I trust can fight worth a crap and would be willing to fight beside, and both of them were out - one showed up when the cops got there. The threee of us fully intend on watching the bldg. Other than the three of us, it's mostly women, cute ones at that. It's a bachelor's paradise, but little help in this situation.

[MasterKiller]

I can understand a fear of retaliation. But, these guys will probably be back anyway because your community failed to act against, or even recognize, them.

More than likely, two or three guys standing on a balcony watching them would have been deterant enough. Or why not just open your door and anonymously yell "Quit fukking around with the cars"?

Heck, take pot shots with a BB gun next time.

Not acting makes you just as responsible for the broken windows in your car.

[dezhen2001]

blackjack said:
It does not sound like you guys have a neighborhood watch
I'm gonna be watching though, as are several friends of mine.... they do now :D Be careful man, thats real su(ky and i hope it didnt cost much $$$ to get your car fixed! :(

dawood

[Water Dragon]

Originally posted by SevenStar


Great minds think alike



Well, personally I'd try to sweep the front foot and then kick out the back knee, but I'm built different than you ;)

[FatherDog]

Man, that sucks, Seven. Look on the bright side, though; you and your wife are okay, you're only out a few windows, and you have enough evidence to make it likely that they'll get caught... one way or the other.

[Badger]

:o Whoops..No, No I mean this: No This (http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Set/5040/dwhome.htm )

[fa_jing]

Hope you hurt those MF's in some way - or that they don't bother you anymore.

[SevenStar]

Originally posted by MasterKiller
I can understand a fear of retaliation. But, these guys will probably be back anyway because your community failed to act against, or even recognize, them.

More than likely, two or three guys standing on a balcony watching them would have been deterant enough. Or why not just open your door and anonymously yell "Quit fukking around with the cars"?

Heck, take pot shots with a BB gun next time.

Not acting makes you just as responsible for the broken windows in your car.

I can see where you're coming from, but little scare tactics like that do little good against many of the people I've run across - last time we tried that, I ended up running out of the apt. and chasing the guy away - he was beating on a woman, and yelling from the window did absolutely squat, except cause him to dare me to do something - so I did - And he ran.

[Royal Dragon]

Heck, take pot shots with a BB gun next time.

LoL!!!,. I have been known to do that sort of thing. I lived in a West suburb with a high population of forieners from south of the boarder. Not to seem racist, but the building was real nice and quiet to the new landlords started renting to anyone. It was hell for awile. I shot two guys and took out the windows to their getaway car one night for making noise,and trying to break into cars (Namely mine). I just watched them for about an hour going from one car to the next trying doors and such. Then they took what looked like a hammer and busted the glass on a car, calmly walked to the back and sat in their "escape vehical for about 10 minutes, then returned to the car they broke into and raided it. They sat in thier car for 10 more minutes, and then went for another walk around the lot and started playing with my car, so I shot the one guy closest to me in the shoulder, followed by his freind as he came to help. I took two more shots at them as they ran for their car, and then blasted the car two more times hitting the drivers side window, and the back glass. I took a third shot, but useing a Pump air rifle, I didn't have time to get the trigger pulled till they were rounding the corner at the end of the drive. "IF" I hit with the last shot, I probably would have been the passenger side windows. No glass on the street the next day though, so I'm sure I missed. I only was able to pump it up about 4-5 times, the BB may not have even gone that far.

The kicker, the guy riding as the passenger lived in the building. he was out there the next day paceing back and forth threatening to kill whoever sniped his freind. About a week and a half later, there was a major domestic disturbance on his side of the complex, and someone tried to stab an Addison cop. They made quick work of him. Some of the officers I spoke to after the incedent told me they "Maced" the perp, but I have never seen mace make a guy roll on the ground holding his gut with blood gushing out of his face before. I don't think it was the same guy, but still things were getting too hairy for a guy just trying to raise his kid.

Afer all this, and the fact we could not sleep anymore due to the noise at all hours of the night and my reacent physcal collapse, partly due to months and months of not sleeping due to the increased noise level in the complex, we moved to Westmont, where we are now.

You know Seven Star, moving to a better neighborhood was the best thing I ever did. I live in a nice place with a little Duck pond out back. It's really peaceful here. You ever think about gettin out of the hood and finding some place more quiet?

[Chang Style Novice]

Shotgun and rock salt?

[MasterKiller]

so I did - And he ran.

My point exactly.

Action was required. You knew the police wouldn't come in time, and yet you did nothing to deter them.

[Black Jack]

Show up naked at the guys place of work with a eye patch, smoking a corncob pipe while your covered in smeared nacho cheese with a stuffed parrot on your shoulder that has corn candy for eyes and then demand for a 8 liter of cola or you'll kill him.

When he panics and says their is no such thing as an 8 liter of cola. Keep asking while you then start to take bites out of the stuffed parrot.

Talk about psychological operations :D

[SevenStar]

that's the messed up part - it happened now, right when we're moving... we've already got the keys to the new place, and have been moving stuff over slowly, since the lease isn't up till the end of the month. this ain't the hood though - it was actually a real nice area, but over the past two years, a bunch of punks have moved in.

[SevenStar]

Originally posted by Black Jack
Show up naked at the guys place of work with a eye patch, smoking a corncob pipe while your covered in smeared nacho cheese with a stuffed parrot on your shoulder that has corn candy for eyes and then demand for a 8 liter of cola or you'll kill him.

When he panics and says their is no such thing as an 8 liter of cola. Keep asking while you then start to take bites out of the stuffed parrot.

Talk about psychological operations :D

LOL, I gotta try that one!

[SevenStar]

Originally posted by MasterKiller


My point exactly.

Action was required. You knew the police wouldn't come in time, and yet you did nothing to deter them.

yeah, point taken.

[rogue]

black marvin and tony red LOL @ Marvin and Tony. They'll never figure out how you tracked them down. Do you think they figured out that the dude with the muscles that walked here in was somehow related to her.

Just for these kind of things keep a camera handy.

[SevenStar]

lol, names, finger prints, etc... how ever did they get caught???


I like the camera idea.

[rogue]

Got the idea from my insurance agent. Even just a cheap throw away or a video camera would work.

[Volcano Admim]

Originally posted by SevenStar

"b!tch, next time don't look so hard!!!
- black marvin and tony red"


I respect is from tough neigboorhoud, me too :)
is like a jungle sometimes, wonder how i keep going under

[Black Jack]

Royal,

I did not know you were now in Westmont. I will be starting upcoming traditional Malaysian Gayong Seni Silat classes in that area this week.

One of these days after class we should hook up for lunch.

Cheers,

[OdderMensch]

I've got a video camera by our front window (I use it to tape froms and drills) and If I ever hae to confront somebody, its all gonna be on tape. Film them while you call 911 and tell 911 you are tapeing everything. Then when the cops come, give them the tape and demand action, follow up on it if you are worried.

I don't think I live in a tough neiborhood. We've had some crime in the area, but I've never been afraid to walk the sreets at night.

[Royal Dragon]

Seven*
Yeah, that's what happend to me. The neighbor hood was pretty good, till new owners took over the complex, then it was all down hill. I went 9 months with maybe 3-4 hours of broken sleep a night, it was that noisy. I also worked a high production job, and could not let sleep depravation interfear with my job performance so I was doseing Ephedrine like it was going out of style. Couple that with having Gout really bad, so I was on a very low protine diet, I went a bit nuts for a wile. I was shooting at someone at least once or twice a week. I was so loopy from prolonged sleep depravation I barely knew who I was anymore.
To this day, I'll sleep 14-15 hours if I'm left alone all day. Getting out of that complex was the best thing in the world for me.

As for camera's, when Terri was being stalked by her Ex, the very presence of the camera kept him at bay.


Black Jack, Yeah, I'd love to meet up with you. but, no training. After my last episode, I really don't want to meet anyone for training till I'm 110% of what I was before my collapse.

Right now, I'm working out at MBC fittness on Cass just North of the Tracks in Downtown Westmont. I am getting in there about 5:00 2-4 days a week if I'm not at Argon by the waterfall. I was busting out the Shaolin 32 move Tai Tzu Chang Chuan set in there today (just got home infact) :D

When I have it all back, I'm going to start looking for someone to drill techniques with. Once I get through the basic 18 of my system , and start drilling the 72 series of techniques, I will be looking for a free sparring partner. If you want, maybe we can hook up and free fight from time to time. I need to get my game back before I do that though. I'm starting my system all over again from the beginning, only doing Tai tzu sets instead of my old Shaolin ones.

[MonkeySlap Too]

Little Joe handled some mobsters with a camera and some power tools. Vermin don't like the light.

Seven, it's times like these that I wish you lived closer, 'cause I used to just luv messing with punks like those. Now that I'm older and wiser, I just live in a better neighborhood...

Ah, I just hate bullies. I could have so much fun with this situation...

[MonkeySlap Too]

Black Jack - let me know how long you go before they start talking about ilmu and try to convert you to islam...

[Royal Dragon]

Little Joe handle "Mobsters?" As in agents of the Outfit? With a camera? No way. If those guys wanted him, camera or no, he'd be gone right now.

[Edit]
I'd like to hear the details of this story though. Is Little Joe family? That's the only other way he could have gotten out of trouble with the outfit.

[Black Jack]

Monkeyslap,

Yeah I have heard through some friends of mine on the east coast that some of the group in that area has been pretty pushy with that aspect before.

Supposedly the gentleman here keeps the religon out of the training to the best extent possible. I checked on this through a number of his current students. An example of this that I can recall is that they have an internal aspect to their system but this teacher will not teach it because of its upfront expression to the religon of islam.

I really hope they keep the religous aspect out of it because anybody who knows me understands that religon and me are like a square peg and a round hole. I respect other peoples viewpoints but I don't like to be preached to.

I will keep you posted for the laughs if they go Malcom X on me.:D

Their stuff from what I have seen so far looked good though. I thought it would fit in good with the arnis training. Have you crossed hands with them before?

Cheers and nice article btw in Inside Kung Fu.

[SevenStar]

Originally posted by MonkeySlap Too
Little Joe handled some mobsters with a camera and some power tools. Vermin don't like the light.

Seven, it's times like these that I wish you lived closer, 'cause I used to just luv messing with punks like those. Now that I'm older and wiser, I just live in a better neighborhood...

Ah, I just hate bullies. I could have so much fun with this situation...

Ah yes, Now I remember why I called you a brutal *******... :D

Having fun with them is no prob - the problem is whether or not they'll come back

[Black Jack]

Royal,

No prob, if we get together will just talk shop.

Cheers,

Monkeyslap,

I just sent an e-mail to my contact and he reasured me that with this group which is now separte from the east coast Gayong group because of these very reasons that this is not a concern.

So we will see but thanks for the look out.

[respectmankind]

Fourteen inch custom barrel, Desert Eagle .50 Magnum (screw the a.e.) and a giant smile on your face. Hurray for gun powder.

[Fred Sanford]

if you don't mind possibly going to court place them fools under citizens arrest if they screw with you again and you catch them in one of their criminal acts hopefully they resist so then you can jack em a little.

that way they get an ass whoopin and get it in the ass from the legal system too.

[Royal Dragon]

The problem with "Jacking" them a bit, is it may come back to bite you in the as$ when they press battery charges on you. They will denie any attempt at wrongdoing you, and make you out to be a nut case vigalante.

If your going to be violent, Kill them, and hide the body good so they can't testify. Dead gus can't file charges against you.

[Stranger]

let me know how long you go before they start talking about ilmu and try to convert you to islam...

Is tat common among silat lineages? DeThouars?

How about DeThouars' Kuntao?

Are FMA the same way?

********

Basically, is the study and practice of Isam a prerequisite of mastery of South-East Asian fighting arts?

[Black Jack]

Stranger- From my experiance in the FMA's that would be a big no.

From silat I could not tell you but I doubt it. This group from what I understand does not do that either. Though they had a sister group in NJ that was big on that sort of thing because of their main silat player and due to that attitude that NJ group lost some players but I would bet that is the result of one man and not silat as a hole.

From what I understand is that guy went back to Malaysia.

[MonkeySlap Too]

Royal - yeah they were mob, but the situation was handled well. Frankly I've dealt with those guys too when I lived back East. You use good street sense, and treat the right adversaries with combination of respect and terror - and you don't matter so much - you can walk away happy.

Black Jack - that group does convert people. I've seen it happen with my own eyes. Frankly, the need to know Islam to have 'inernal' skills represents a gross misunderstanding of what constitutes internal in CMA. These silat guys use internal the same way the CMA world uses 'shen gung'. Just beware. But on the outside, they can be a very friendly bunch. I finally made peace with them a few years ago.

Glad you liked the article.

No - most Dutch-Indo silat groups do not prostelyze - but a lot of the Malay and Indo groups do.

[Black Jack]

Monkeyslap,

Thanks for the warning and I will keep my eye's peeled for that sort of stuff. I hate that type of junk. I hope this is not the case here but I will not know untell I give it a whirl.

Here is a question, in the article their is a pic of you with a guard that looks like you have one hand under your chin and the other down low by your dan tien, kinda like if their is a giant ball inbetween, from that position you launch a palm strike.

Is that a Kun Tao guard or from your chinese wrestling? Pretty decpetive looking.

[Water Dragon]

I know what it is, but I ain't telling :p

[Royal Dragon]

Royal - yeah they were mob, but the situation was handled well. Frankly I've dealt with those guys too when I lived back East. You use good street sense, and treat the right adversaries with combination of respect and terror - and you don't matter so much - you can walk away happy.

Reply]
I guess it depends on how he got involved. I'd love to hear the situation, and how you knew they were mobsters. Could you PM me the family name by any chance? I grew up in Elmwood Pk, and I have had lots of contact in one way or another with most of the major families in my youth, and many of the minor ones (Usually through kid's, nephews or cousines etc... Never met any of the big boy's, well once, but we won't talk about that in public).

It sounds like he was a little fish, and not worth the trouble.

[Black Jack]

Water Dragon,

That is why you are the offical kfo *******:D

I had never seen a guard like that. Looks good for trapping incoming strikes. Cool beans.

[Fred Sanford]

The problem with "Jacking" them a bit, is it may come back to bite you in the as$ when they press battery charges on you

and the problem with talking about things you know nothing about is that you sound like a fool.

i'm sure living in illinois you already know that in your state (or at least the city of chicago), cross complaints aren't allowed. which means for example if the police charge one party they won't allow the person that was charged to file charges also. i'm sure they could go to civil court but oh well.

if you arrest someone you are allowed to use a reasonable amount of force to gain and maintain control of them. If you leave no bruises where is the proof. you can still inflict plenty of pain.

[Water Dragon]

Originally posted by Fred Sanford


and the problem with talking about things you know nothing about is that you sound like a fool.



lol

[Fred Sanford]

lol

you like that one, eh?

:D

[carly]

You had to shoot someone every week? Exsqueeze me, what kind of crazy neighborhood did you live in???????

[Water Dragon]

What can I say? I'm a fan.

[carly]

"Show up naked at the guys place of work with a eye patch, smoking a corncob pipe while your covered in smeared nacho cheese with a stuffed parrot on your shoulder that has corn candy for eyes and then demand for a 8 liter of cola or you'll kill him.
When he panics and says their is no such thing as an 8 liter of cola. Keep asking while you then start to take bites out of the stuffed parrot."
That's too funny!
Where did you get this, or is it a product of your own twisted genius?

[Black Jack]

From inside my own twisted dome.

Its a dark...twisted realm full of snoozeberries that do not taste like snoozeberries and where midget porn actors demand full scale pay for their performances.

I was dropped on my head a lot as a child.:D

[carly]

Well, reading it made my day. You should write for a living, be the next Carl Hiassen or something.

[Black Jack]

Thanks:)

[MonkeySlap Too]

BlackJack - just PM me, I'll respond. I don't like to get too technical on the boards, too easy to be misunderstood, and too easy to turn into a preachy a$$hole.

[Royal Dragon]

You had to shoot someone every week? Exsqueeze me, what kind of crazy neighborhood did you live in???????

Reply]
Yeah, it was a crazy time. I'm really glad i'm out of there. There were a good number of fights, both verbal and physical too. I was in no way incontroll of my temper, and literally went berzerk on a few people for making so much noise I couldn't sleep at night. It was 9 months of 3-4 hours of broken sleep a night, I'm suprised I didn't kill anyone.

I am SOOOOO glad I'm out of there.

[MonkeySlap Too]

You are also lucky you didn't get yourself killed. Sounds like a lousy spot to be in.

[Royal Dragon]

Yeah, I'm lucky I didn't kill someone too. There's alot more that went on, but I'm not up to getting into it, if I did, it would sound like I made it up for attention anyway, or trolling.

My new place is small and cramped, but I have this nice peacefull patio, and a Duck pond. I have been sitting out there teaching myself to draw the human form so I can write my Tai Tzu manuals. VERY relaxing. I've come a long way from the weird little stick men I used to use to document my notes :D

Life is pretty good now. Infact, it's time to go train!! Se ya!!

RD

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

from the description it sounds like what we call a horizontal picture stance. is the pic online? id just like to see what ms2 looks like.

glad everything turned out cool for the most part seven.

[David]

Sevenstar, forgive me for staing the obvious but wtf were you doing hiding behind your curtains? I've never heard such crap in my life! Surely you're not the old lady that lives next door to me who relies on Fine Young Chaps to keep the back lane clear of mofos. You actually watched them **** around with your neighbours property and you watched as your wife drove into the middle of them and did nothing and like an hour later you heard an alarm and the next ****ing day you are surprised to see your car has busted windows. Sheesh man, thank **** I've got old Olga next door instead of you.

WTF were u thinking of?!???! Too much valium and prozac?

And I will mention that I took a piece of wood to 2 guys messing with cars in my street. and LO! the angel of the law did look down and they haven't been back.

Sort it out, man. you only get one chance at life dude!

-With respects, normally,
David

[Royal Dragon]

No man, he's doing the right thing. If he messes with them, they are just going to come back and smash his windows, and slash his tires when he's not looking. He's moving, and from my personal experiances, that is the best thing to do.

It has nothing to do with being a man or not, it's being an adult. He's handling it better than I did.

[Laughing Cow]

Have to agree with Royal Dragon.

Seven did the right thing:

1.) He is not paid to take the risk to keep his neighbourhood safe and sound.
2.) He has a Wife to consider too, revenge attacks normally happen against related people (Wife, Kids, etc) and/or property.

If the neighbourhood goes down and you can afford to move do so, it is the best option.

Cheers.

[joedoe]

Yup. That is why there is a paid police force, and citizens are not encouraged to take the law into their own hands.

[Royal Dragon]

The police are there to clean up the situation after the fact. You have to either handle it yourself, or make sure it doesn't happen to begin with.

[Fred Sanford]

Yeah, I'm lucky I didn't kill someone too

did you use tai tzu on them?

[Fred Sanford]

first, i don't think 7 star handled his situation poorly at all. he tried to do things the right way, they weren't screwing with his property or family at first. it's too bad that it turned out the way that it did.

i'm not an advocate of vigilantism, patrolling the neighborhood looking for bad guys. if i see someone breaking out car windows down the street, I'd call the police just like seven did.

however if someone f.ucks with me directly or breaks out my car windows and I see them in the act, you can bet i'll do something.

[Royal Dragon]

did you use tai tzu on them?

Reply]
you know, That was a really dark time of my life. I wrote a detailed explanation of what happened one night close to the time of my collapse, but then I deleted it. Then I re wrote it, and changed my mind and just copied it to word pad and saved it. Then I posted it here and imediatey deleted it. on one hand, I want to share, on the other, I don't want everyone knowing the full extent of what I went through. I just want to forget it all.

As to the question, I'm going to just keep it very simple.

Yes.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

what's tai tzu?

[Serpent]

It's when you attack someone while you're completely naked, wielding nothing but a 12" Black Mambo Super Intruder ********.

That's kinda why RD doesn't want to talk about it.

EDIT: Can you believe they censor the word ********!? :mad:

[shaolin kungfu]

I can see it.

[joedoe]

LOL @ Serpent.

RD, sounds like it was a crappy time for you.

[Serpent]

Originally posted by shaolin kungfu
I can see it.

That's because I have the power to make the censor my *****. I don't usually abuse it any more, but really? ********!?

[shaolin kungfu]

I don't usually abuse it any more, but really? ********!?

That is pretty silly.

[Mr Punch]

Originally posted by David
And I will mention that I took a piece of wood to 2 guys messing with cars in my street. David Good post David, very funny... I've had similar sits back in the UK...
But I will say I think Seven judged this right. The advantage of living in a safe, non-gun-owning society like the UK, is that you can take a 2x4 to anyone who ****s with your car, or your wife, or anything come to that, and you don't have to worry about them coming back with some hardware...!!! plus they're usually too chicken**** to come back anyway.

If Seven had have taken more direct action, I suspect the only way he could have been certain to neutralise the possibility of repercussions would have been to kill them. This is not a good idea.

However, Seven, as you have seen them around, you could always make yourself the next one in the dark alley with the 2x4...?!

[David]

I never showed the guys the wood - it remained inside my coat. After challenging them and being unsatisfied with their answers I got rid of them and called the police. I've seen the guys since and they have threatened me with "Expect a visit" and that had me on alert for a while.
I don't do vigilante but I take an active interest in suspicious goings on. It is my pleasure to report that I've seen and heard nothing bad in quite a long time, now.

A couple of guys or even 10 of them fiddling with cars does not sound like a gun-toting gang of muthas.
I am saddened to think that some people think they should be paid for looking out for their neighbours. You should have a big stamp on your head so folks know they can't rely on you if they're in trouble. (I'm exaggerating to make a point btw.)

I'm reminded of a funny true story from here in the UK.

A pensioner dialled 999 to report two burglars in her garden shed. The operator told her that no police could attend the scene for at least an hour.
Obviously afraid, she came up with a cunning plan... She dialled 999 again and said the police were not to bother because she'd shot the burglars.
Within ten minutes there were six units in attendance including a helicopter. The burglars were arrested unharmed.
An angry police officer said "You said you'd shot them!" to which she replied "You said you had nobody available..."

Be safe,
David

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

"A couple of guys or even 10 of them fiddling with cars does not sound like a gun-toting gang of muthas."

im moving to the uk.

[Royal Dragon]

RD, sounds like it was a crappy time for you

Reply]
Yeah, but I'm in a pretty good place right now. Life is good :p

So Seven, you done moving yet?

[TenTigers]

problem-the dirtbags id'd you and your wife, they know where you live-you don't know who they are, or where they live, you called the cops and filed a report-any retaliation you are suspect. Not that I am condoning vigilantism, but...it would have been better to throw them a serious beating-within an inch of their lives-which usually removes all chances of them thinking of retaliation. ok, so that won't fly. Next thing-you do your homework. Find them, who they are, where they live, work, etc. THEN have friends take care of buisness-big time-put real honest,pants soiling fear into them, not once, but twice.Youcan't let up, and let them even think of retaliation. you don't get your hands dirty, no connection to you-criss cross! Sounds drastic? I dunno. What are your choices? I have two little girls, and a wife. I used to go out and approach these guys, but my wife schooled me on this one fact. I do my damage,all macho 'n brave 'n heroic, then I go to work, and they are left home alone. Now..I set up a phone circle in my neighborhood. One person dials another who dials another and five people dial 911. It seems that if I call 911, they don't come, but if I dial 911, my wife calls from another number, I call from my cell phone, etc they come pretty fast-and it's totally anonomous, totally safe. You don't sh** where you eat. Hindsight is 20-20