What Texas Law Says About Using Force to Protect Your Car

(KNUE-FM) The last thing anyone in Texas wants to deal with is having someone break into their vehicle.

It happened to me once when I was in college, and it was a terrible feeling like someone is invading my space.

At that time, I lost a couple hundred dollars' worth of electronics and miscellaneous items and had to replace my driver's side window on my vehicle.

While I didn’t have an alarm on my vehicle when it happened, I added one after the burglary.

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Vehicle Burglaries on the Rise in Texas

We have heard recently from law enforcement that vehicle burglaries are becoming more of a problem in East Texas.

And while it seems like more vehicle burglaries happen during this time of year, I want to make sure you know your rights if you find someone breaking into your vehicle.

Can You Use Deadly Force Against a Burglar?

It’s difficult to answer if you can use deadly force against a burglar who is breaking into your vehicle in Texas.

There are no controlling cases that allow it, although at nighttime, the law becomes clearer.

According to CIS Guards, Texas statutes say that you can, if acting reasonably, use deadly force against someone committing a theft during the nighttime.

Just know that if you take that action, you will most likely have to defend that it was a reasonable act to a judge or jury.

Make Yourself Less of a Target

While you can never be invincible when it comes to vehicle burglaries, there are things you can do to be less of a target.