How concerned are you about gangs when the SHTF?

[big al]

How concerned are you with street gangs etc when the SHTF?

I saw a documentary recently on the Street gang MS13 and they seem well armed and with huge numbers across the country

I am sure the Bloods and Crips have serious numbers too

That said my friend tells me he thinks our biggest threat with WROL will be the biker gangs the 1%ers , they are organized, are not afraid to use violence and many of them have previous military experience

thoughts?

[PaulS]

Gangs will try to take control of pockets of populated areas like they do now. They will be a threat in population dense areas but less so in the outlying areas. By the time you get to "rural" America the gangs will have little to no chance of survival. The reasons:

less "goods" to control
more guns per capita
people who still believe their property belongs to them.

[Nathan Jefferson]

I think the 'current' gangs wouldn't be nearly as much of an issue as the new gangs that form after SHTF.

[Rigged for Quiet]

I think the 'current' gangs wouldn't be nearly as much of an issue as the new gangs that form after SHTF.

I think this is true for those of us that do not live in close proximity to gang activity. For those in inner city, or very close to inner city, environments will likely be the first casualties as existing gangs go for low hanging fruit that requires little logistics to collect.

[big al]

I think this is true for those of us that do not live in close proximity to gang activity. For those in inner city, or very close to inner city, environments will likely be the first casualties as existing gangs go for low hanging fruit that requires little logistics to collect.

well said

[HuntingHawk]

Rural areas will change little. A few thugs getting together & stealing. Difference will be citizens taking matters into their own hands.

[Ripon]

The current gang structure will likely focus on inner cities - at least until they run out of resources.

[csi-tech]

Groups will form everywhere. What they decide to do will be the problem. I'm not afraid of them at all. They will quickly move on to an easier target. I have a good selection of shovels, two thousand acres of land and a bible. I need to learn the poetic benediction in Latin though. Don't be the aforementioned low hanging fruit. If a mob shows up, give them incentive to leave.

[retired guard]

They are already in the rural areas(More privacy to make meth). The originals with little chain link steering wheels and low slung vehicles stood out pretty well. Now they make a much greater effort to blend in. Also don't forget Reservation Gangs or the Nortenos who started out amongst immigrant fruit pickers and still do part of their recruiting there. They are not as numerous as the Surenos but they are more selective and tighter knit.

[BigCheeseStick]

I'm afraid anyone who doesn't consider "gangs" a threat, hasn't had any interaction with teenagers lately! Not your kid when their sitting at home. I'm talking about ANY group of them when mom & dad aren't around.

An isolated home / cabin can easily be in more danger than typical suburb houses. Inner city life I think most agree will be a total loss. KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS! You don't have to be best friends. Just have an idea what their mentality is. Take your dog for a walk and stop to say "Hi" to people. Won't be long before you know who you'll be dealing with, and who you can trust.

My thoughts are that the safest home is one where several neighboring homes are close enough to hear a gun shot. If you isolate yourself, what are you going to do against any chimp smart enough to pick you off with a scoped rifle? Any given day someone in your family is going to step outside for one reason or another... BANG! The rest of the family comes running to aid the victim... BANG! BANG! BANG! Game over for everyone in your home. With a little luck (FOR YOU ANYWAY!) this happens to a neighbor first. You hear the shots and are made aware of the threat. How you handle it from there is a whole other thread! This is only ONE situation where your neighbors can be your shield.

My point is no matter where you are there will eventually be some level of "gang activity" sooner or later. If over time your neighbors become aware that your "a nice, neighborhood contentious guy", carry a gun, knife, various other goodies, and know how to defend yourself... As soon as ONE person finds out... People talk! The gangs will pick an easier target before they resort to messing with you. Giving you an opportunity to eliminate any threat before it eliminates you.

Still think there's ANY safety in isolating yourself (rural living)? Watch the movie "The Strangers"...