What are the chances of confiscation by the government?

[Skean Dhude]

One risk we always talk about and a prime reason for OPSEC is that the government of the day in the days leading up to an event will visit known preppers and confiscate their goods and supplies to redistribute or keep for themselves.

This would not be a good result for us and we should prepare for that. Hiding items not just from opportune looters but also from the state.

What though do you think are the risks?

[Skvez]

I think it's more probable that just after an event (rather than leading up to it) some individual with some historical authority behind them (mayor, police chief etc) will come door to door with the backing of a mob and enforce an "emergency measure" to "share the food for the benefit of all". They'll have the mob all riled up and will make their "measure" seem perfectly reasonable using phrases like "community spirit" and anyone who resists will be labelled as "anti-social" for "hording". Even if they go away (initially) without having gained entry the mob will likely target the residence in the near future.

We *need* to be ready to hide our food in the case of an event (although I don't think it needs to be hidden yet, we need to already have places in mind for when an event occurs).
Fortunately at least initially most searchers will expect food to be in the kitchen cupboards, not in a box in the garage or under the bed.

Polite co-operation is going to be better than having the authority come back in force.
If anyone has ever seen a home after it's been searched by the authorities, it looks like it's been burgled except the belongings are all dropped on the floor rather than stolen.
They really do trash the place.

[grumpy old man]

well the gov. can come and look around my home if they want.
i have hidden things well and safe at different locations because if their in your home and thats compromised the you have lost out.
think about what you need then duplicate it and put it near you and where you plan to go and only tell you family that need it
better safe than sorry!

[Lord T]

I think that there are so many agencies with access to so much data that they already have a list of gun owners, for example, who they will visit if things fall apart.

[Skvez]

(5 September 2011, 10:27)Lord T Wrote: I think that there are so many agencies [...that ...] will visit [preppers] if things fall apart.

To what end?
What does it benefit the government to confiscate your weapon if the country is falling apart?
The powers that be only want to hold onto power, once it's inevitable that they can't they will grab what they can and run for cover.
I can only see a country wide confiscation of guns if they think that will allow them to hold onto power for a little longer.

[Lord T]

I'm not taling about government.

I can see someone with access checking the gun register and coming around visiting to collect the arms and ammunition. This removed a potential threat and makes their victims defenceless. In addition there is a good chance that anyone with guns also has other useful items that would be useful to bad guys. We have 4wd vehicles, camping gear, warm clothes, etc.

[Reality Jones]

I can't imagine the current Goverment having a chance at organising themselves or another 'private agency' in a major event. you only have to look at how they were totaly caught out by the recent riots and how long it took them to react to what was going on to see that they are useless and unprepared.

I think we give them too much credit when we assume that someone in an office will have the time to print out a list or at the very least email a list of gun owners to a local cop shop, and then that cop shop will have the time or resources to get a copper or two to knock on your door and demand your shotgun and ammo.
If the powers that be know in advance of an impending disaster, be it natural or man made (economic) they will be too busy packing their own suitcase and heading for that nice little bunker that was built during the cold war to give a stuff about the working classes and their petty squabbles.
They will let the masses tear themselves apart for a few months before they emerge from the rubble to take back control, that's when it's time to worry, when a Goverment desperate to regain control descends upon on a crippled society that has run low on food and resources.

[grumpy old man]

i agree but they need to remember a hungry dog bites!

[JD1]

Although I think it may be considered I don't particularly think that preppers food would be too high on the governments agenda. Supermarkets and Distribution Centres would be much more likely to be taken under control and fuel certainly so.

I think from a prepping point of view we would have a lot more to worry about from neighbours who decide that it is their right to share in any food stocks we have. What we see as preparedness they would see wrongly as hoarding which is why I will be joining the queues for handouts like everyone else as long as it was safe. It would only take one person to notice that you never queued up for handouts to bring a whole lot of trouble down on you

JD

[Dana]

The Government cant organise themselves let alone going around every persons home confiscating things. There are not enough Police or Armed Forces in the UK to do it anyway.