Parking lot smash and grab, WWYD?

Sir William · January 18, 2006, 01:42 AM

OK. You arrive at work, the mall, medical office or your own driveway. You shut your motor off and proceed to exit your vehicle. You hear a loud noise and hear a glass car window shatter. They are distinctive when they shatter. You look to your right and observe a BG wearing a hooded sweat with blue denim jeans and white tennis shoes butt up leaning into a SUV. He then jumps down from the SUV with a ladies purse in his hands. He starts running away toward a partially hidden trash dumpster area or other remote location. What Would You Do?

last_stand · January 18, 2006, 01:46 AM

call the police and stay a safe distance away...

I know a lot of you gentlemen (and ladies) are cops but I am not. I leave that to the pros unless the bg is breaking into my car.

Twycross · January 18, 2006, 02:54 AM

Huh. This is a tough one. I will assume that I would be packing?

Option A: Chase after him.
- I may or may not catch him, and if I do, what then?
- If the cops are near, and/or see it just after the act, I may now be on the target list as well, leading to a sticky situation
- He may not be alone

Option B: Call the police and sit back to watch where he goes.
- This is the safest option, but something in me just doesn't like the idea of sitting there watching

Option C: Draw and command him to stop.
- What if he doesn't? Now I am just standing there with a gun looking stupid
- What if he does, but pulls his own gun? I am now in a firefight over a purse

Option D: Get back in my vehicle and attempt to run him over in the hopes of getting him to drop the purse.
- This probably won't be feasible in a typical parking lot

That's all I can think of right now.

#18indycolts · January 18, 2006, 04:45 AM

call the police, follow him in my car trying not to be noticed.

garryc · January 18, 2006, 08:20 AM

observe, not persue, and report. He's running away so he's not an immediate threat.

NDTerminator · January 18, 2006, 08:24 AM

Do not attempt to stop & detain the dirtbag unless you're a LEO, and you are armed. Call 911. You are a witness, so do your absolute best to observe and as remember as much detail as possible...

Tim Burke · January 18, 2006, 08:33 AM

Dash into a phone booth, no wait, wrong fantasy.
Be inconspicuous, watch him, & call 911.

bdc · January 18, 2006, 08:38 AM

To Sir William:

Part of learning experience is being missed. When a question is posed, propose an answer. If someone else posits an answer, then you can learn more. You ask yourself 1. did I think of that; 2. if I thought of that and didn't choose the option, why? 3. and finally, if the solution never suggested itself to you, then you grow because you are taken outside the box.

In all these hypotheticals, they call for thinking responses and you would have to ask yourself internally for the answer before acting, so propose your own answer.

Fremmer · January 18, 2006, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Option D: Get back in my vehicle and attempt to run him over in the hopes of getting him to drop the purse.

LOL! Man, I like the way that Twycross thinks 'outside the box.'

I suppose I'd yell "drop that purse!", watch where he ran, and call the police.

308Enfield · January 18, 2006, 10:05 AM

Well, if I have groceries I'd want to athletically throw a can of vegetables at the fleeing perp, knocking him to the ground and making him drop the purse. That looked so good in one of the Crocodile Dundee movies I've always wanted to try it....

*end movie fantasy here*

Realistically, I'd call 911 and try to provide as many details as possible about the perp (physical description, wardrobe, direction of travel, etc.) Whether I'm carrying or not I'm an IT guy, not a cop

kymasabe · January 18, 2006, 10:20 AM

I'd call 911 with a good description, maybe try to follow without being seen to help law enforcement find perp. Other then that, there's not much that can be done. You're certainly not justified in pulling your weapon.

pickpocket · January 18, 2006, 12:30 PM

It's just a purse, man. Call the cops, observe but don't interfere. Nobody's saying we couldn't take the guy down, but really....it's JUST a purse

You could always light him up with your laser-pen...see what he thinks about that!

Ares45 · January 18, 2006, 02:37 PM

1st priority is to secure your location or move to a secure location. Besides that the only thing you can do is dial 911 and report the incident. If you pursue the BG then you are escalating the situation and a justifiable shoot is out of the question, even if you're attacked (well almost, but it gets real technical here). I'm not a LEO. I don't chase down crooks. I carry to defend me and mine. Other than that its a LEO problem.

If there was an innocent person involved my response might be different. But just a property theft..no way I'd try to engage or detain the BG. Why risk it over a purse full of little kids snot rags and grocery coupons???

Charles S · January 18, 2006, 02:51 PM

Quote:

call the police and stay a safe distance away...

I know a lot of you gentlemen (and ladies) are cops but I am not. I leave that to the pros unless the bg is breaking into my car.

In Texas the person in question is not committing a felony, you do not have the right to intervene.

Life and limb is not in danger. I certainly would not put my life on the line to protect another’s possessions.

Leave it to the professionals.

Charles

Weeg · January 18, 2006, 03:15 PM

I'd call Chuck Norris

.

hIPSHOT33 · January 18, 2006, 03:17 PM

Call the Police . When they arrive give them the best description I can ,and the direction of travle.

pickpocket · January 18, 2006, 04:01 PM

Quote:

weeg:
I'd call Chuck Norris

Sweet -

Blackwater OPS · January 18, 2006, 05:05 PM

Call local law enforcement, try to be a good witness.

Check this though.
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=195908

Wildalaska · January 18, 2006, 05:23 PM

Id get a description and call the cops, my waltermitty quotient is low today

WildantiheroAlaska

OneInTheChamber · January 18, 2006, 06:19 PM

In California, you are best to dial 911 and observe.

What if the guy has a knife? And you draw on him? Say he's 20 feet away. Although he can reach you in a second, if you shoot him now you are going to be in deep doo doo and looking at getting your CHL taken away. If he survives; you two might be cell partners

Chase

Sir William · January 18, 2006, 06:24 PM

My response. "Nice purse! Do you have heels to match it!?!" It snowed heavily yesterday. It warmed up today. I plan to walk a field and see if I can find the teenagers' purse. She is out of luck on insurance. She lost her ID and $80.00 cash. Smash and grab is popular of late.

urbanassault · January 19, 2006, 05:46 PM

Grab anything else of value in the car then call the police.

January 18, 2006, 01:46 AM	#2
last_stand Member Join Date: January 11, 2006 Posts: 69	stay safe call the police and stay a safe distance away... I know a lot of you gentlemen (and ladies) are cops but I am not. I leave that to the pros unless the bg is breaking into my car.

January 18, 2006, 02:54 AM	#3
Twycross Senior Member Join Date: January 26, 2005 Location: Montana Posts: 1,187	Huh. This is a tough one. I will assume that I would be packing? Option A: Chase after him. - I may or may not catch him, and if I do, what then? - If the cops are near, and/or see it just after the act, I may now be on the target list as well, leading to a sticky situation - He may not be alone Option B: Call the police and sit back to watch where he goes. - This is the safest option, but something in me just doesn't like the idea of sitting there watching Option C: Draw and command him to stop. - What if he doesn't? Now I am just standing there with a gun looking stupid - What if he does, but pulls his own gun? I am now in a firefight over a purse Option D: Get back in my vehicle and attempt to run him over in the hopes of getting him to drop the purse. - This probably won't be feasible in a typical parking lot That's all I can think of right now. __________________ The test of character is not 'hanging in' when you expect light at the end of the tunnel, but performance of duty, and persistence of example when you know no light is coming. - Vice Admiral James Stockdale, USN (ret.)

January 18, 2006, 08:24 AM	#6
NDTerminator Member Join Date: January 8, 2006 Posts: 59	Do not attempt to stop & detain the dirtbag unless you're a LEO, and you are armed. Call 911. You are a witness, so do your absolute best to observe and as remember as much detail as possible... __________________ To my great mortification, my father once told me; "you care nothing but for dogs, shooting, and rat catching, you will be a disgrace to yourself and all your family" Charles Darwin

January 18, 2006, 08:33 AM	#7
Tim Burke Senior Member Join Date: February 17, 1999 Posts: 551	Dash into a phone booth, no wait, wrong fantasy. Be inconspicuous, watch him, & call 911. __________________ TB., NC

January 18, 2006, 10:05 AM	#10
308Enfield Senior Member Join Date: August 3, 2005 Location: Tennessee Posts: 239	Well, if I have groceries I'd want to athletically throw a can of vegetables at the fleeing perp, knocking him to the ground and making him drop the purse. That looked so good in one of the Crocodile Dundee movies I've always wanted to try it.... end movie fantasy here Realistically, I'd call 911 and try to provide as many details as possible about the perp (physical description, wardrobe, direction of travel, etc.) Whether I'm carrying or not I'm an IT guy, not a cop __________________ "Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws." - Plato

January 18, 2006, 01:42 AM	#1
Sir William Senior Member Join Date: October 13, 2004 Posts: 3,261	Parking lot smash and grab, WWYD? OK. You arrive at work, the mall, medical office or your own driveway. You shut your motor off and proceed to exit your vehicle. You hear a loud noise and hear a glass car window shatter. They are distinctive when they shatter. You look to your right and observe a BG wearing a hooded sweat with blue denim jeans and white tennis shoes butt up leaning into a SUV. He then jumps down from the SUV with a ladies purse in his hands. He starts running away toward a partially hidden trash dumpster area or other remote location. What Would You Do?

January 18, 2006, 04:45 AM	#4
#18indycolts Junior member Join Date: January 3, 2006 Location: Indpls Posts: 1,159	call the police, follow him in my car trying not to be noticed.

January 18, 2006, 08:20 AM	#5
garryc Senior Member Join Date: November 12, 2005 Posts: 2,536	observe, not persue, and report. He's running away so he's not an immediate threat.

January 18, 2006, 08:38 AM	#8
bdc Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Posts: 60	To Sir William: Part of learning experience is being missed. When a question is posed, propose an answer. If someone else posits an answer, then you can learn more. You ask yourself 1. did I think of that; 2. if I thought of that and didn't choose the option, why? 3. and finally, if the solution never suggested itself to you, then you grow because you are taken outside the box. In all these hypotheticals, they call for thinking responses and you would have to ask yourself internally for the answer before acting, so propose your own answer.

January 18, 2006, 10:20 AM	#11
kymasabe Senior Member Join Date: June 10, 2005 Location: SW Florida Posts: 2,747	I'd call 911 with a good description, maybe try to follow without being seen to help law enforcement find perp. Other then that, there's not much that can be done. You're certainly not justified in pulling your weapon. __________________ God's creatures big and small, eat them one, eat them all.

January 18, 2006, 12:30 PM	#12
pickpocket Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2006 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 570	It's just a purse, man. Call the cops, observe but don't interfere. Nobody's saying we couldn't take the guy down, but really....it's JUST a purse You could always light him up with your laser-pen...see what he thinks about that! __________________ Semper Fi- David Williams "Sabah al khair -- ismee Dave, ahnee al Shayṭān"

January 18, 2006, 02:37 PM	#13
Ares45 Senior Member Join Date: May 2, 2005 Posts: 211	1st priority is to secure your location or move to a secure location. Besides that the only thing you can do is dial 911 and report the incident. If you pursue the BG then you are escalating the situation and a justifiable shoot is out of the question, even if you're attacked (well almost, but it gets real technical here). I'm not a LEO. I don't chase down crooks. I carry to defend me and mine. Other than that its a LEO problem. If there was an innocent person involved my response might be different. But just a property theft..no way I'd try to engage or detain the BG. Why risk it over a purse full of little kids snot rags and grocery coupons???

January 18, 2006, 03:15 PM	#15
Weeg Senior Member Join Date: November 7, 2005 Posts: 463	I'd call Chuck Norris .

January 18, 2006, 03:17 PM	#16
hIPSHOT33 Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2005 Location: ETNA CA. IN THE REAL NORTHERN CALIFORNIA Posts: 120	Call the Police . When they arrive give them the best description I can ,and the direction of travle.

January 18, 2006, 05:05 PM	#18
Blackwater OPS Senior Member Join Date: September 11, 2005 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 1,152	Call local law enforcement, try to be a good witness. Check this though. http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=195908 __________________ "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." -Ben Franklin Spc. Jeremy M. Campbell Died 9/1/2005 and the best DS ever MSG Matthew Ritz Died 11.23.2005 matthewritz.com For those who have had to fight for it, Life holds a special meaning that the protected will never know. (\__/) (='.'=) Someone set us up the bunny! (")_(")

January 18, 2006, 05:23 PM	#19
Wildalaska Junior member Join Date: November 25, 2002 Location: In my own little weird world in Anchorage, Alaska Posts: 14,172	Id get a description and call the cops, my waltermitty quotient is low today WildantiheroAlaska

January 18, 2006, 06:19 PM	#20
OneInTheChamber Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2005 Posts: 789	In California, you are best to dial 911 and observe. What if the guy has a knife? And you draw on him? Say he's 20 feet away. Although he can reach you in a second, if you shoot him now you are going to be in deep doo doo and looking at getting your CHL taken away. If he survives; you two might be cell partners Chase __________________ Insert witty, comical, and/or significant quote here.

January 18, 2006, 06:24 PM	#21
Sir William Senior Member Join Date: October 13, 2004 Posts: 3,261	My response. "Nice purse! Do you have heels to match it!?!" It snowed heavily yesterday. It warmed up today. I plan to walk a field and see if I can find the teenagers' purse. She is out of luck on insurance. She lost her ID and $80.00 cash. Smash and grab is popular of late.

January 19, 2006, 05:46 PM	#22
urbanassault Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 364	Grab anything else of value in the car then call the police. __________________ Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum