More homeowners confronting burglars with guns

There were three more incidents of homeowners defending their homes from intruders with guns on Thursday. There were no injuries in these three cases, but confrontations between homeowners and criminals are on the rise.

The incidents Thursday follow Wednesday’s shooting at a Puyallup home where a retired police officer who was awakened by intruders shot and fatally wounded a man who reportedly threatened him with a crowbar.

Armed homeowners drove off would-be intruders in three more Western Washington cities on Thursday.

A woman caught two teenagers trying to break down her backdoor in Gig Harbor. She pulled her handgun and scared the two off.

In Bonney Lake, a man interrupted a burglar in his home, and he went for his shotgun. He fired at the suspect’s truck as he drove away blowing out the back windshield.

A Federal Way man also came home to find a burglar in his house. He grabbed his gun, and the burglar took off.

These are just the latest in an increasing number of confrontations between homeowners and burglars.

Four times this year, those confrontations have ended with the homeowners killing the intruders.

“What we’re seeing is a lot more burglaries,” said Ed Troyer, in the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office. “There’s a lot of people out there committing property crimes because a lot of them got let out of prison and jail and with that comes more confrontations.”

Troyer said more homeowners are arming themselves too. That’s a trend that local gun shops confirm; sales are up around Puget Sound.

“People are defending their homes and defending their families,” he said. “If burglars are willing to come into homes that are occupied, armed with crowbars, and armed with weapons themselves, people are going to be ready for that force.”

Troyer said homeowners shouldn’t force these confrontations, but they should let the burglars know that there’s someone in the house.

“You want people to recognize that there’s somebody at their doorstep,” he said. “Tell them that you’re calling 911. Don’t not answer the door. Acknowledge that somebody’s in the house.”

Troyer said the best advice is to make a lot of noise, call 911 and get some place secure until police arrive.