A prepared homeowner in Jamaica Estates, Queens, used his lawfully owned Sig Sauer P365 to deter an intruder who had broken into his home to steal a high-end vehicle. The incident, caught on security cameras, highlights the growing trend of “car quotas” among theft rings and the vital role of the Castle Doctrine in residential safety.

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QUEENS, NY (2-minute read) — In the early hours of Tuesday morning, the quiet of Jamaica Estates was shattered by the sound of breaking glass, and the firm voice of a homeowner standing his ground. Moshe Borukh, 35, was awake getting a drink of water at 2:40 a.m. when he heard a commotion. Armed with his Sig Sauer P365, he went downstairs to find a burglar in his kitchen, using a phone flashlight to search for the keys to Borukh’s Bentley while his wife and three young children slept upstairs.

“I locked eyes with him,” Borukh recalled. Pointing his firearm, he delivered a clear command: “I have a gun. Don’t move.” The intruder, caught off guard by the armed resident, immediately fled through the same window he had broken to enter. Security footage later revealed that while one man was inside searching for the fob, two accomplices were outside fumbling with the car, unable to bypass its security systems.

The Reality of Modern Car Theft Rings

Law enforcement officers later informed Borukh that the suspects were likely part of a professional ring working on a “quota,” having already stolen two other vehicles in the area that night. The proximity of the neighborhood to major highways makes it a prime target for thieves looking for a quick escape route. Borukh expressed frustration with the current legal climate, citing “catch and release” policies as a primary reason for the surge in local crime.

Despite the terrifying nature of the encounter, Borukh remains a firm believer in the right to self-defense. “I have to protect my castle,” he stated, emphasizing that he was fully prepared to fire if the intruder had moved toward him or his family. While his children are recovering from the anxiety of the event, Borukh is using the experience to raise awareness about the importance of being an armed and educated citizen in a city where police response times and prosecution rates are often under fire.

Safety Tip: Car thieves are increasingly entering homes specifically to find key fobs, as modern anti-theft electronics make “hotwiring” nearly impossible. To protect your family, never leave your car keys in plain sight near entryways or on kitchen counters. Store your fobs in a “Faraday box” or a shielded drawer to prevent thieves from “relaying” the signal from outside, and ensure your home security system includes glass-break sensors on ground-floor windows.