First--the beer was the night before---we were stone sober the next night. Second--we really didn't think we would catch anyone but we said" what the hell , this could be fun, and cold" and yes if it looked like a bad situation--multiple targets--drive through- we would call the police first. OK. All that said, we laid our plan. The property is fenced on three sides. The back side backs up to a small river/creek with a bike path over it leading to other complexes a few hundred yards away beyond a tree line.It's up hill from there to my complex with a green area about 100 yards long from the creek to the building. GOT THE PICTURE? We figured it was a couple of kids. None of us wanted to get into anything physical---hmmm--what to do? We had to catch them in the act--startle them-- and scare the snot out of them or at least never cross that creek again. We figured we could post two guys at the tree line to let us know if someone came onto the property the other two would sit in a car near the "bait car"When my car was broken into, it was right in front of my building--in the light-next to the walkway--pretty bold huh?? stupid? We parked my buddy's Honda in that same spot. We would sit in a car two spaces down and wait.
Just coming out of our car and surprising them would have little effect. They would just run away--what fun is that? My friend is an avid hiker and survival camper. During the beer fest planning night he pulled out a couple of strobe lights--PERFECT-- I said I could make a trip switch for it--let's put it in the glove box---that took about 30 minutes the next morning and after a couple test runs we were ready to go. Our weapons of choice would be landscape paint--that bright green and orange stuff. The punishment phase would come later at the creek--para chord and foam!!!
The whole idea sounded like a bad one with no chance of success but it sounded like fun.
Two guys set up at the path, hidden in the woods, and would call us, in the car, when someone came across at some ridiculous time in the overnight hours in the cold! They had tied some para chord to a tree and would block/ trip up the would be thieves on their way out by pulling it across the path. NUTTIN BUT FUN!
We settled into to what might be a long cold night---about 20 minutes into it, here comes some nice young man down the path dressed in black sweats, black knit cap and gloves--the call was made--this guy should be a secret agent! There's only two entry points to the property between a couple of buildings and we had eyes on those. Sure enough , here comes junior. He stopped at the edge of the lot and checked out the area and proceeded to check the drivers door of every car working as he worked his way to us.
The complex is arranged as a circle and we lost sight of him so I got out of the car and spotted him coming around the corner and up the hill--back to the car--call the other guys to be ready---wait for it--wait for it. OH LOOK. the door is unlocked on this nice Honda--hmmmm---let's take a look at what's inside. Quietly we got out of the car and were standing behind him when he opened the glove box .
NOTE TO SELF: strobe lights are really bright when your night vision is in play.
I really didn't think the human body could move so fast and hit so many objects at one time. When he finally made it out of the drivers door he turned and we hit him crotch to face with paint---the next day was spent getting over spray off the car but well worth it. The would be thief took off running.
He ran across the parking lot towards the dog walk area but hit the back of a pick up on his way--ouch--a few feet later he missed the curb and face planted in the gravel--that was a down hill fall--OMG! I have tears in my eyes I'm laughing so bad. This reminds me of the good old days when we would haze pledges in the frat.
He gathered himself and bolted to the exit point------it seems there is some truth in movies about the girl running and the bad guy just walking behind them and catching them---we're too old to run, OK , maybe a trot, make the call.
Junior had a good head of steam up going down the hill to the bike path and managed to fall one more time before he found the shin level para chord at the other end--FACE PLANT 2-- by the time we got there, one of the guys was sitting on him and the other was ready with the --you got it--spray foam---I had to call the dogs off. They were gonna foam him where it really mattered. In the end , every pocket got a nice dose of foam as well as inside the gloves--still on --and about that knit cap. By the time he got home it should have been about the size of a watermelon.
Guys, don't do this kind of stuff--a lot more can go wrong than right--BUT, Oh My God, my ribs still hurt from laughing!!!! ---and to the guys involved---
SEMPER FI--GO ARMY--FLY NAVY