In my mind, you guys are all arguing the wrong issue. Should you be aloud to use force? Most definetely, Deadly force? Is another story and much harder to justify.
But just for a second lets say you should be able to, which is where I lean. If they are stealing your heard earned stuff, then I think a testicle getting cut off is attequate punishment. But here is the real issue in my mind, are you willing to risk YOUR LIFE to go out and confront the punk @ss fool who is stealing your stereo? If the answer to this question is yes for you, then you are an idiot. Think about it, how many of those gang bangers who gank stereo's ALSO have a gun. Basically your gambling your going to get a shot off before he does, and guess what he has your car for cover, so chances are you'll hit your own car any way.
Thats how I feel about it. Because honestly, I've been in this situation. here is my story.
Me and my friend we're both chilling at another friends house one night, smokin, playing video games and having fun. 10 pm rolls around and my remote goes off. See I have the 2-way radio alarm which will notify me if my car alarm goes off, or if it just does the quick "beep beep beep" warning. As well as shows any doors being opened. Well, what came across my remote was a warning. Car stereo's and loud exhaust will set this off, so I didn't think much of it. But another friend was like well lets just go see. Alright.
So me and my friend walk out and see 3 people breaking into his car. They had knocked his door into my car door which set off the quick warning. WE are all freakin' out, like what should we do. Well another friend was over at this guys has as well, totaling 4. So we go grab those 2 thinking 4 against 3, we can handle them. Well as soon as my friend and all 4 of us exit, he shouts "hey thats my car what the fvkk u doin" at which point 2 of them look up and one puts his hand on a gun located in his pants. Typical mexican fashion. No offense at all, I've just seen this particular incident. See, we we're all so caught up in the moment, that we didn't even think about them having weapons. Nor will we ever make that mistake again. At this point the other friend was like, "Calm down vato" to his friend (no i don't know how to spell vato but whatever) and they all 3 leave real quick like.
Obviously we did not chase them, but we did learn a lesson.
Don't be so quick to confront criminals. If they are already commiting a crime, who is to say they aren't capable of murder too? I realize this was at someone else's house and we didn't have a weapon which we could have pointed first, but that is just asking for trouble in my mind. Its like the old west at that point, even if you fired are you going to kill all 3? Who is to say one of them isn't a quick draw and gets you after you get his 2 friends? The fact is, I am VERY comfortable with weapons, yet I don't know if/when it came down to it if I could kill someone, even for gankin' my stereo. Whereas since you don't know the criminal, you are unaware if he is capable of that or not.
Just a lesson for you all to take under advisment.