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First off- Texas has an explicit law making copper and catalytic converter theft a "Jail felony"- but if you break any other laws on the way, it's upgraded to a

First off- Texas has an explicit law making copper and catalytic converter theft a "Jail felony"- but if you break any other laws on the way, it's upgraded to a class 3 felony. See: https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/?tab=1&code=PE&chapter=PE.31&artSec=31.21 https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/?tab=1&code=PE&chapter=PE... And. if you really want to play cops and robbers, a personally witnessed jail felony seems to be enough for a citzen's arrest. Second: "(B) the use of force other than deadly force to protect or recover the land or property would expose the actor or another to a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury." - YOU HAVE TO BE AFRAID FOR YOUR LIFE Texas gives citizens enourmous latitude in these matters, but it's not carte blanche for murder.

dmurray 1mo ago
Afraid for your life if you were to confront the thief. That reasonably covers pretty much all cases, especially in a state where lots of people have guns.
- crote 1mo ago
  In other words: don't be an idiot and call the cops instead. That's what they are supposed to be for!
  - redeeman 1mo ago
    and the thieves got away
  - NuclearPM 1mo ago
    Texas cops? The ones that stop parents from saving their children during school shootings?
    - derektank 1mo ago
      The Uvalde police department exhibited both cowardice and incompetence, but can we stop pretending they are representative of cops everywhere? Just a year later during the mall shooting in Allen Texas, cops took down the white supremacist, neo-nazi perpetrator in under 5 minutes, probably saving at least a co couple dozen lives (he’d already killed 9). You can watch the bodycam footage from that event if there’s any doubt https://youtu.be/LWvKT5fHa0U https://youtu.be/LWvKT5fHa0U
      - ceejayoz 1mo ago
        > can we stop pretending they are representative of cops everywhere? "Here's another outlier anecdote!"
      - IAmBroom 1mo ago
        > The Uvalde police department exhibited both cowardice and incompetence, but can we stop pretending they are representative of cops everywhere? No. There is sufficient evidence supporting cowardice.
      - wildrhythms 1mo ago
        Pro-cop 'hackers' was not on my bingo card.

dmurray 1mo ago

Afraid for your life if you were to confront the thief. That reasonably covers pretty much all cases, especially in a state where lots of people have guns.

crote 1mo ago
In other words: don't be an idiot and call the cops instead. That's what they are supposed to be for!
- redeeman 1mo ago
  and the thieves got away
- NuclearPM 1mo ago
  Texas cops? The ones that stop parents from saving their children during school shootings?
  - derektank 1mo ago
    The Uvalde police department exhibited both cowardice and incompetence, but can we stop pretending they are representative of cops everywhere? Just a year later during the mall shooting in Allen Texas, cops took down the white supremacist, neo-nazi perpetrator in under 5 minutes, probably saving at least a co couple dozen lives (he’d already killed 9). You can watch the bodycam footage from that event if there’s any doubt https://youtu.be/LWvKT5fHa0U https://youtu.be/LWvKT5fHa0U
    - ceejayoz 1mo ago
      > can we stop pretending they are representative of cops everywhere? "Here's another outlier anecdote!"
    - IAmBroom 1mo ago
      > The Uvalde police department exhibited both cowardice and incompetence, but can we stop pretending they are representative of cops everywhere? No. There is sufficient evidence supporting cowardice.
    - wildrhythms 1mo ago
      Pro-cop 'hackers' was not on my bingo card.