Start Here

If this is your first time to the site then please read the Welcome Page.

Feel you are the only one concerned about the future? Read Am I Alone?

This site will help you generate Shopping Lists and To Do Lists from your specific set of risks and concerns. The Get Started Here page, also available via the Toolbar, will walk you through it.

The Forum will help you discuss your issues, learn about how others and tailor your preperations for your situation.

How we need to prepare


Categories

Feral gangs and scavengers

An area I have great concern about after an event is that the ruthless and immoral will have a powerful influence in our new world after an event. More than likely criminals now or on the verge of criminality they will be in a good position to pull the bad guys together and unite them to dominate the rest of the survivors. People like US who have committed significant time, effort and funds into preparing for any event will need to take care against people like these.

These people are already in position in our society they are the members of feral gangs, shoplifting teams, biker gangs and other such groups. They already have powerful leaders who are more than happy to use force to get their way. Even now before the breakdown of society these people are stealing, injuring and killing people and getting away with it. It is a way of life for them and they will only get worse. After all if they are prepared to kill now over being looked at funny then what will they do when they need to feed themselves. Their own grannies will be on the menu if they have not already eaten them now.

At the moment though we can avoid these by keeping our heads down, keeping OPSEC and generally being aware. After all we can call on Plod to help and the bad guys know that they may even turn up. The not so bad, bad guys may even think that they will turn up and not take any chances.

After an event though things will be completely different. Only you and your close group will be able to look after yourself. No cavalry will be coming and the bad guys will know that so the only way the will leave, without all your stuff, is if they are beaten off. You must be willing to defend what is yours if you want to keep it.

Now one thing about these gangs is they will be more than willing to roam. Big gangs will wander miles usually returning to a base, motorcycle gangs will potentially wander the country taking over where they want to stay. In towns they will know the neighbourhood and it will be difficult to hide. Anyone caught may get tortured and killed just for kicks and although they may not get your stores they don’t do you any good either. Avoiding a gang like that long term in a town will be impossible in the long term when you need to be growing crops and hunting.

Out in the country though you will get a false sense of security. No place is really safe. You could live in a valley with few visitors but if there is a road then you could get visitors even years after an event when your guard is down. Roving gangs like this are the most dangerous. You cannot be sure where they are at any time, where they are going next or if they will be back. They may just go straight through looking for life or they may stop and have a good search.

There is no solution. Sometimes you are lucky and other times you are not. All you can do is try and increase your chances by taking certain precautions. Being a grey man here is extremely unlikely where the sight of a stranger may cause bullets to fly. However, making sure you are behind building that road facing properties look deserted and nobody uses them for anything and there are always sentries or perimeter warnings is always going to help protect your OPSEC. What you want is for them to quickly pass through and never come back. That means the place has to be uninviting to them and of no benefit. Unfortunately, you have no idea what they are looking for. Obviously food, power and water are looked for but they may decide to stay at your place because it is just off a main route with easy access and escape points. Make it difficult to get in and out without making it look fortified, hide the crops if you can and generally show a false front.

Obviously being in town is going to have the biggest issue with gangs. Many won’t be able to travel and will be bunkered down near you with several gang members wandering around at all times of the day and night. You will need to keep yourself hidden for all the time they are there and if they have a supply of food and water they may never move. If you are unfortunate enough to have a gang near you then offense or relocating may be your only options even with the associated risks. Plan ahead just in case.

You never know where these gangs will settle down nor will you know where they will roam. Consider that the reason you picked your Bug-In location may be exactly the same reason that the gang down the road is there. Plan alternatives and stash accordingly. I suspect anyone who has a single location in a town is in for a very hard time. Accept the issue and the hardship involved and look at and plan for alternatives.

9 comments to Feral gangs and scavengers

  • northern raider

    I think many people are under the misapprehension that feral gangs and scavengers will be few in number, but I feel the reverse, the more hungry, frustrated, stressed and dispossessed ordinary people get in a nasty situation the moreagressive and irrational they become, and they are more likely to turn into a violent grab what you can mob.

    So you have a choice (1) Go grey and disappear until they die off, (2) Get better armed and better set up for defence than someone else so they go after the easier target (3) combine 1&2 (4) all of the first three plus retain mobility to out manouvre them until they die off. If you can eat well whilst they starve, you can still drive whilst they are out of fuel you can just outwait them. Its also why most preppers dont keep all their eggs in one basket and have caches of food, fuel, midical kit etc stashed all over.

  • Ellen

    On Rawles site there is sometimes a link to maps that show different plus’ or difficulties in the United States. The other day (sorry can’t remember the date) there was a map of the degree of gang activities in the US. I live in California so according to the map I am pretty well screwed. I do not think there was one square inch that doesn’t have gangs. Along with the gangs are as you say the want-a-be’s that will be drug into the activity so that they will be able to survive and BELONG to the turds.
    This should be a concern as we will have the gangs, the ex-con’s of the same attitude even if they were petty criminals, rapists, child molestors Yuk! Yuk! Yuk!
    In some ways they will be far ahead of in the game as they already steal, kill and plunder. And alas those that will become criminals because they did not prepare, they will either join the gangs or go at it their way.
    This should be a great concern even for those that are in the country enjoying their prepared plot of land. I have no clue as to how you can fortify, camoflauge nor hide from all the trouble that will come about.
    If a place looks properous they will invade, if the place looks abandoned others will want to take it over for their security.
    I have no answers. I like a lot of other preppers are going to plan and then wing it. That is about all that I can do. I am in a small town, so if the locals don’t get me then when others move in to take over I will be in a world of hurt. But doesn’t mean give up nor role over and take it up the kazoo.
    I believe that if the economy keeps going south that we will see an upserge of trouble before we want to, but then again it could be a good lesson to use later. If by a miracle it is a slow, slow decline we can adjust and rethink things.
    But anyway I have thought on these things too. And they are trouble for the mind.

  • northern raider

    Ellen between the Bloods,Crips, San Andreas and the Democrats your in a real pickle.

  • Skean Dhude

    Ellen,

    The Democrats seem to be the worst at the moment although I suspect that after an event they will quickly convert or die.

    I don’t envy you living there. It seems to me to be the worst state in the US. (Sorry)

  • Ellen

    Skean,
    Your fears are mine, and no need to be sorry. Maybe when the tornado goes through I will be left intact.

  • grumpy old man

    ah ellen at least for now you have the sun where we have the cold and rain and in you country loads of proper guns
    every cloud has a silver lining so don’t be too down

  • Ellen

    North Raider
    Well seems I am sandwiched between a lot of crap. But hope I can flush it as soon as the load is done.

    grump old man
    Well the sun does shine here but we do have cloudy days.
    In California they don’t even want you to pop pop corn let alone have guns.

  • Skean Dhude

    Ellen,

    It seems to me the gangs have control of California now. That is with *cough* law and order. What will it be like when there is none around.

    I hope you have an escape plan.

  • mike

    I think I may join the T.A. tank corps and “borrow” a challenger tank. That and a .50 cal browning on top and i’ll be fine !!
    Sod it, make it a trident sub in my pond wouldnt want to alarm the neighbours…