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Comment by jdm2212 | Hacker News Reader

How is knocking on someone's door an "incursion" or a "surprise attack"?

"sending heavy duty lawmen" that "made his wife cry first thing in the morning" talking about "stolen products and jailtime" who then "took everything, even the empty boxes and bags" seems like a surprise attack to me.

That the attack depended on surprise and intimidation doesn't invalidate the use of attack or raid imho, that's the preferred outcome of any police raid too (and websters definition of attack is "to set upon or work against forcefully", no mention of physical violence).

A police raid involves the express threat of violence if you don't comply -- that's what the guns and battering rams are for.

A PI who's even vaguely trying to obey the law DEFINITELY does not expressly threaten you with violence, and won't allow any more than the barest implication either.

It's this definition of raid: "quickly and illicitly take something from (a place)" (versus the law enforcement version, where illicit is used instead to describe the goods which are taken by the police).

If a PI knocks on your door and says "I represent X, you have in your possession property of theirs, you can turn it over to me now or you will face legal action" and then you turn the thing over... that is not them illicitly taking the thing. That is you and them resolving a dispute out of court.

If the PI brings a bunch of big goons with guns and they imply that they'll kill you if you don't turn the thing over, then sure, that's a raid. But also you'd presumably call 911 immediately and file a police report stating that you were robbed.

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