Illegal Restraint by Handcuffs

[Relatively Ninja]

Yet another incident of people who had their home invaded by criminals impersonating police officers; this time they were restrained with handcuffs. Granted, it didn't happen in Indiana (Baltimore, actually) but the way things have been going in South Bend I wouldn't be surprised if a story similar to this is on the local news sometime soon. Husband, Wife Bound By Police Impersonators - Baltimore News Story - WBAL Baltimore

But what can you do against a crime like this? Aside from shooting first and asking questions later, you can learn how to pick your way out of handcuffs. I'm going to put a big nanny warning here just to make sure everyone is on the same page: This is only for situations in which you have been illegally restrained. I'm mentioning these techniques because there seems to be a pattern of crimes that involve people being illegally restrained and this may save your life one day.
How to Pick Your Way Out of Handcuffs

Additional reading:
Protecting Against Home Invasions
How to Escape from Zip Ties

Please don't turn this into a cop-bashing thread; if you do I'll PM Fenway. I'm serious, I'll do it!

 

[rbrthenderson]

This is exactly why we stress these skills at ITS Tactical. You never know when something like this could happen to you and I always want to be prepared for everything!

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

It already has happened in The Bend.

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...o_resist_how_do_you_handle_this_scenario.html

The link is dead now but they broke in shouting "police, police".

 

[Relatively Ninja]

It already has happened in The Bend.

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...o_resist_how_do_you_handle_this_scenario.html

The link is dead now but they broke in shouting "police, police".

Yes, but they didn't handcuff the homeowners. If I remember correctly there have been three or four such incidences like that in South Bend just in the past month or two. Scary!

 

[rhino]

This kind of thing is especially troublesome for us now that the knuckleheads of the Indiana Supreme Court have ruled that we serfs cannot legally resist unlawful arrest. All that bad people have to do is yell "Police!" when they're crashing your door and if you know the law, you will at least hesitate, perhaps too long.

How the hell can someone know if it's the police breaking into the wrong house or if it's bad guys pretending to be the police?

 

[jdhaines]

South Bend Sucks. I think I've posted that on this forum about 30 times so far...and yet it's warranted about once a week. I don't know the answer to this problem. If they have uniforms and belts and handcuffs...I have no idea. I would prefer to hold them outside until I confirm with 911 that it's a real raid...although we've seen that the entry teams don't take kindly to being told to wait...they just come in. 4 doors down from me had people break in, restrain the home-owners and steal stuff. The next night exactly 24 hours later, they did it again. Don't think they were dressed as police, but what the hell?

 

[TomN]

This is one of the many reasons why I moved out of the South Bend area and now live in Plymouth. I'm not saying stuff like this can't happen here, but it sure as heck doesn't happen as often.

 

[FutureButterBar]

good post. ive always wanted to learn how to do that.

 

[96firephoenix]

sheesh. what to do when the "good guys" act like bad guys? time for the bad guys to start claiming to be the "good guys." We've been trained to think that the police do things a certain way, and the criminals are exploiting that. surprise surprise.

South Bend Sucks. I think I've posted that on this forum about 30 times so far...and yet it's warranted about once a week.

That is a completely unfounded characterization of SB. its warranted at least daily.

 

[bingley]

Yet another incident of people who had their home invaded by criminals impersonating police officers; this time they were restrained with handcuffs. Granted, it didn't happen in Indiana (Baltimore, actually) but the way things have been going in South Bend I wouldn't be surprised if a story similar to this is on the local news sometime soon. Husband, Wife Bound By Police Impersonators - Baltimore News Story - WBAL Baltimore

But what can you do against a crime like this?

This is precisely the sort of stuff I've been wanting to warn the forum about. Many people here seem to think that they would be safe if they just carried a gun. In reality, sophisticated, coordinated criminal attacks frequently neutralize the the advantage of having a gun. They plan for armed victims. I have personally witnessed or experienced such tactics. I won't enumerate them on the internet, because I don't want criminals to learn from them. Suffice it to say that your gun is useless in most of these situations.

Awareness and experience will matter a lot more than firearms. I'd rather walk down the street armed only with the ability to sense when something is not quite right, rather than with a Saiga-12, backup pistols, and no awareness. Learning how to pick handcuffs might be useful, but that's the worst case scenario. Learn how to tell a criminal scam from a legitimate encounter with the police.

I don't know how you'll learn this in a classroom setting. But if you are victimized a few times in real life and you survive, I'm sure you'll pick it up quickly.

I have the feeling that what I said here is totally unwelcome to those insecure cowboys who think a gun will protect them and make them a big man. The truth is, these guys are probably easier prey than a fearful, suspicious granny. I love firearms, but they're just one of the tools among many.

Da Bing

 

[TopDog]

This is great information. I cant believe that this thread has not gotten more attention.

 

[bingley]

How the hell can someone know if it's the police breaking into the wrong house or if it's bad guys pretending to be the police?

I wrote up a list, but the website crashed. Basically make sure they're cops. Check their ID, uniform, patrol car, and so forth. (I've screened officers before I let them in, though of course they weren't smashing down the door.) You can still do some of this even on short notice. If you can't, that means you may need to implement some sort of a surveillance system, which can be as simple as strategically positioned observation holes and obstacles and as complicated as close-circuit video.

There are also many other things you can do to defend yourself against impostors, but I'm too tired to recreate everything now. Good night.

Da Bing

 

[japartridge]

This is one of the many reasons why I moved out of the South Bend area and now live in Plymouth. I'm not saying stuff like this can't happen here, but it sure as heck doesn't happen as often.

I grew up in Plymouth... stuff happens, it just doesn't make the paper!

 

[japartridge]

sheesh. what to do when the "good guys" act like bad guys? time for the bad guys to start claiming to be the "good guys." We've been trained to think that the police do things a certain way, and the criminals are exploiting that. surprise surprise.

That is a completely unfounded characterization of SB. its warranted at least daily.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
That is funny as all hell, and sadly true! I used to work at the Bendix plant... nothing like pulling a double shift and going to head out to eat at 20:30 only to hear full auto fire less than a few blocks away!

 

[lrahm]

Just a note. If it's a home invasion, the bad guy(s) won't be using Peerless or S&W handcuffs. They will be using cheap stuff. They shouldn't be too hard to defeat. But, you still have to be familiar to do so and that would take practice. If they use zip strips (cheap ones), you still have to practice. There are ways on the internet to do so. I've never used the flex cuffs because they are easy to get out of. I had a class one time that the instructor told us that handcuffs are "temporary restraining devices". They can be defeated.

 

[bingley]

Just a note. If it's a home invasion, the bad guy(s) won't be using Peerless or S&W handcuffs. They will be using cheap stuff. They shouldn't be too hard to defeat. But, you still have to be familiar to do so and that would take practice. If they use zip strips (cheap ones), you still have to practice. There are ways on the internet to do so. I've never used the flex cuffs because they are easy to get out of. I had a class one time that the instructor told us that handcuffs are "temporary restraining devices". They can be defeated.

Before they rob your house, they might decide to have a bit of fun with your wife... and you. They might reinforce with duct tape. After all, they will have to keep you from screaming for help or from running out the door. You might not have time to pick the lock.

Criminals don't always break into houses just for the money. Sometimes they enjoy having power over the people in the houses. There is no guarantee that they'll let you live at the end of humiliating and robbing you.

Da Bing

 

[lrahm]

At no time did I mention picking a lock. There are other ways to defeat handcuffs. I don't think normal people carry a key around all of the time. The cheaper cuff can be broken fairly easy but with practice.

 

[bingley]

At no time did I mention picking a lock. There are other ways to defeat handcuffs. I don't think normal people carry a key around all of the time. The cheaper cuff can be broken fairly easy but with practice.

Alright, my mistake. My point is that if you have to break out of some sort of restraint, you are in deep trouble. Even if you can do it fast, you may need to do it under surveillance. Some criminals may not leave you alone after tying you up. (If they don't, you may also want to consider getting out of restraints with broken arms, dislocated shoulders, smashed ribs.) Fighting your way out may be more the stuff of the movies. I think we are in agreement it's best not to get into that terrible position in the first place.

It's not a bad skill to know how to defeat restraints, but is that the best use of your training time? I myself would invest my time figuring out how NOT to get tricked and handcuffed. But, hey, you need to do what fits your defensive plan and what sates your curiosity.

Da Bing

 

[lrahm]

Alright, my mistake. My point is that if you have to break out of some sort of restraint, you are in deep trouble. Even if you can do it fast, you may need to do it under surveillance. Some criminals may not leave you alone after tying you up. (If they don't, you may also want to consider getting out of restraints with broken arms, dislocated shoulders, smashed ribs.) Fighting your way out may be more the stuff of the movies. I think we are in agreement it's best not to get into that terrible position in the first place.

It's not a bad skill to know how to defeat restraints, but is that the best use of your training time? I myself would invest my time figuring out how NOT to get tricked and handcuffed. But, hey, you need to do what fits your defensive plan and what sates your curiosity.

Da Bing

In agreement. The best thing is not to get yourself in that position. Most home invasions have at least been under some type of surveillence (drugs or a defenseless type person, my opinion)